Sarpanch in chase of Rs 10 lakh elusive prize money

Anand, May 1 (UNI) For sarpanch Chandrakant Patel, fondly known as 'Mukhi' it was mixed feeling when his thamna gram panchayat was again selected for the 'Nirmal Gram Panchayat' award by the Centre.

He has been called by the President to Rashtrapati Bhavan to receive the award on May 4. The award carries a prize money of Rs 2 lakh.

Mukhi's mixed feeling stem from the fact that a prize money of Rs 10 lakh announced in 2003 for his village has not materialised despite several letters to the Centre and one sent to Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister of Panchayati Raj, last September.

In a letter written to President Kalam a few days ago, Mukhi lamented that Rs 10 lakh prize money announced in 2003 for the 'Best Gram Panchayat' for his village has not reached them so far.

''We got the fruits of our hard work when we were invited on August 15, 2004 at Delhi as the winner. Though the award was handed over by you and a declaration was made that Thamna Gram Panchayat would be awarded a cash of Rs 10 lakh no money has come to us so far.'' He also wrote in the letter that several reminders were sent to the Central government but all went in vain.

Every morning people of my village question me as to why the prize money, as announced by the President, has not been forthcoming. ''I have no answer,'' Mukhi wrote ending the letter with ''Please take some action at your level.'' UNI