Mah govt to amend gram panchayat act

Mumbai, Aug 17 (UNI) The Maharashtra cabinet today decided to amend the Mumbai Gram Panchayat act 1958 to bring more transparency in the functioning of the gram panchayats.

Addressing a press conference after the weekly cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch can be removed from their posts if there is no transparency in the expenditure and budgetary report of development works which is to be placed before the gram sabha. About 20 per cent of the voters can complain to the divisional commissioner, who will then conduct an inquiry through the deputy CEO.

However, the voters who lodge their complaint should not be defaulters of water and house taxes and they should have in-house toilets, Mr Deshmukh said.

Similarly, according to another amendment the condition of bringing down encroachments on public roads and open spaces in six months has been removed due to the legal hurdles in razing encroachments which are more than six months old.

The other amendment includes giving the power of removing panchayat member, sarpanch,deputy sarpanch on charges of misbehaviour, dereliction of duty to divisional commissioner instead of the standing committee of the zila parishad.

The gram sevak will have to submit development related expenditure report every six months and he will be entitled to severe punishment if he fails in this responsibility.

Mr Deshmukh said the government would bring out an ordinance in consultation with the law and judiciary department.

UNI MR ADG KR HT1922