Yogi hikes honorarium of panchayat representatives

UP CM Yogi Adityanath to constitute ‘village panchayat fund’ to provide ex-gratia to dependents of panchayat representatives who die in harness

Lucknow: Showering largesse on the three-tier panchayats and their representatives ahead of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday announced hike in the monthly honorarium of village pradhans, kshetra panchayat chairpersons and zila panchayat chiefs as well as members at all the three levels.

Yogi also announced introduction of allowance for village panchayat members for the first time. (Pic for representation)

He made this and many other announcements while addressing a strong gathering of panchayat representatives during a village panchayat conference held to honour 356 village panchayats for their excellent work. He also dedicated 42478 new panchayat bhawans that will function as village secretariats.

“Now, we have decided to increase the monthly honorarium of village pradhans from the current ₹3,500 to ₹5,000, of kshetra panchayat chiefs from ₹9,800 to ₹11,300 and of zila panchayat chairpersons from ₹14,000 to ₹15,500,” the CM announced amid clapping and slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.

He announced introduction of allowance for village panchayat members for the first time, fixing it at ₹100 per gram sabbha meeting with each village panchayat to hold 12 such meetings every year.

The allowance of kshetra panchayat and zila panchayat members was increased from ₹500 to ₹1,000 per meeting (maximum 6 meetings a year) and from ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 per meeting (maximum six meetings a year) respectively.

The CM also said that village pradhans would meet members of district planning committee in rotation and district magistrates and district police chiefs would hold meetings with village pradhans every three months to know their grievances and sort out the same.

Constitution of village panchayat fund

Yogi Adityanath said his government had decided to set up a ‘village panchayat fund’ to provide ex-gratia to dependents of panchayat representatives who died while holding the office.

“If any of the village pradhans, kshetra panchayat chiefs, zila panchayat members die in harness, his/her family members/dependents will get an ex-gratia payment of ₹10 lakh from the village panchayat fund that will be set up soon,” the CM announced.

“Similarly, family members of zila panchayat members, kshetra panchayat members and village panchayat members will get an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh, ₹3 lakh and ₹2 lakh respectively,” he added.

The CM also announced an increase in the maximum limit of financial expenditure per work from ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh for village panchayats and from ₹10 lakh to ₹25 lakh for zila panchayats.

He further said that the government was going to introduce a new system under which village pradhans could clear payments for labour and material cost under the MGNRES through their digital signatures. “The ambitious project is being launched in villages under two development blocks on a pilot basis,” he said.

The CM’s announcements just a month before the notification for the assembly polls in the state is being seen as a bid to woo pradhans and panchayat representatives who wield considerable influence over voters in villages.

In UP, there are 58, 189 village panchayats and as many pradhans, more than 7 kakh village panchayat members, 826 kshetra panchayat chiefs and around 76,000 kshetra panchayat members, 75 zila panchayat chairpersons and over 3,000 zila panchayat members.