JANPAD PANCHAYAT presidents created an embarrassment for Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the government by boycotting a state-level workshop at Ravindra Bhawan on Friday.
Later the Chief Minister conceded most of their demands. The delegates staged a sit-in outside the workshop venue to press for more financial powers. Hectic attempts were made by the administration and some BJP supporters to persuade the agitating janpad presidents to end the protest but they did not budge.
As the persuasion went on for quite some time, the Chief Minister’s scheduled arrival at the venue was delayed by an hour. When he came, the protesting janpad panchayat presidents raised slogans.
While returning from the venue, the Chief Minister stopped at the site of the sit-in and talked to janpad panchayat presidents. He also announced delegation of some administrative and financial powers to them during his address at the workshop.
He announced that the daily allowance of janpad panchayat presidents has been raised to Rs 100 and honorarium to Rs 1500 per month.
The honorarium of the vice presidents of janpad panchayats will be Rs 1250 per month, he added. He said that now approval of presidents would be necessary in financial matters of Janpad Panchayat.
The Chief Minister announced that vehicle of a janpad panchayat would be at the disposal of its president for 20 days a month.
{{/usCountry}}The Chief Minister announced that vehicle of a janpad panchayat would be at the disposal of its president for 20 days a month.
{{/usCountry}}For better communication facilities, computer of the janpad office with Internet facility would be shifted to the chamber of janpad panchayat president. For smooth conduct of administration, it has been decided that janpad panchayat presidents would now be writing annual confidential reports (ACRs) of the chief executive officers of janpad panchayats.
Later, the BJP State general secretary Nand Kumar Singh Chauhan described the agitation by some janpad panchayat presidents and vice presidents as a well-planned conspiracy of the Congress, but said it was deftly foiled by the Chief Minister by conceding all their major demands.