AP Govt announces cash awards

Hyderabad, July 16 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj and Endowment Minister J C Diwakar Reddy today announced that the government would give cash awards to Grama Panchayats where the Sarpanches are elected unanimously in the elections scheduled to be held from July 29 in three phases in the state.

Addressing the press here, Mr Reddy said the cash award of Rs 15 lakh for major Grama Panchayats and Rs 5 lakh for the minor panchayats would be utilised for the development of the villages.

Stating that the government had increased the cash awards, compared to last time, to encourage the people in developmental activities, he said the elections would be held on non-party basis where the political parties had no role in electing the Sarpanches.

Referring to the recent reports in a section of media that the government was interfering in the affairs of Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams (TTD) by enacting laws, Mr Reddy said the government was doing its best to protect the sanctity of Tirumala. The government would not interfere in the religious matters at any cost.

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