Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday staged a demonstration against what it described as “systematic disempowerment” of the panchayat samiti chairpersons and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of undermining the three-tier panchayati raj system in the state.
Hundreds of BJD workers, party-supported sarpanches, ward members, Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad members from 314 blocks in the state, along with party leaders clashed with the security personnel during the protest.
Senior BJD leader Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak stated that the people are aware that the late Biju Patnaik played a pioneering role in empowering people’s representatives through the panchayati raj system. “This system was further strengthened by our leader Naveen Patnaik. However, the current BJP-led government is conspiring to strip elected representatives of their powers, reducing them to mere figures on paper,” said Nayak.
“The whole country has heard about ‘Vote Chori,’ but here in Odisha, the BJP is engaged in the theft of the powers of elected representatives,” he added.
The protest followed the state cabinet’s decision last week to enhance the financial powers of officers by amending the Odisha Panchayat Samiti Accounting Procedure Rules, 2002. The amendments increased the financial authority of Block Development Officers (BDOs) who can pass bills for panchayat samiti works upto ₹10 lakh without requiring the counter-signature of the panchayat samiti chairpersons.
{{/usCountry}}The protest followed the state cabinet’s decision last week to enhance the financial powers of officers by amending the Odisha Panchayat Samiti Accounting Procedure Rules, 2002. The amendments increased the financial authority of Block Development Officers (BDOs) who can pass bills for panchayat samiti works upto ₹10 lakh without requiring the counter-signature of the panchayat samiti chairpersons.
{{/usCountry}}“The state government’s decision strips panchayat samiti chairpersons of their legitimate role. This is an insult to the people who have directly elected them,” BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb told a news conference in Bhubaneswar. “Instead of strengthening the panchayati raj system, the BJP government is hollowing it out.”
The BJP government, however, has rejected the allegations. Panchayati Raj minister Rabi Narayan Naik maintained that the notification was intended to streamline fund management and curb irregularities. “There have been several complaints of misuse of funds at the panchayat level. The decision ensures greater accountability while keeping development works on track,” he said.
The BJD has announced that it would intensify its agitation if the government does not roll back the decision. Party leaders said they would raise the issue in the assembly session and, if necessary, take the matter to court. “This is not just about powers, it is about the future of grassroots democracy in Odisha,” said senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra.