CANACONA
While newly elected sarpanchas, deputy sarpanchas and panchas are still in a celebratory mood after the recent elections, a technical hurdle is likely to cause resentment among staff in 186 panchayats across the State.
The State government on Wednesday disbursed salaries in advance to its employees as preparations for Ganesh Chaturthi, but an unusual situation has arisen which could deprive hundreds of staff in 186 panchayats across the State from also getting salaries before the festival.
“While the government has issued a circular that salary payments for August will be disbursed to its staff on Wednesday to enable them make purchases for Ganesh Chaturthi, no orders or instructions have been issued to pay wages of panchayat staff before Chaturthi,” said a source at one panchayat in Canacona, while responding to a query on whether panchayat staff were also given their salaries on Wednesday.
According to panchayat sources, the term of administrators ended the moment sarpanchas and deputy sarpanchas were elected, but there were no instructions and no arrangements could be made to withdraw money from banks to make salary payments of the staff.
Sources said the technical hitch to make salary payments before Chaturthi is a change of signatory at the bank “ in this case, the Sarpanch “ which can be take place only after the first meeting of the newly elected panchayat body, which can take place seven days after the election of the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch.
Since the sarpanchas were elected on August 22, the first meeting can take place only on August 29.
According to a panchayat secretary, even if the resolution of the panchayat body is submitted to the bank on the same day (August 29), the bank will take time to effect changes in the panchayat’s bank account signatories.
“With just a day at the disposal of bank, it is very unlikely that panchayat staff will get their salaries before Ganesh Chaturthi. Local bodies do not have enough cash in hand to disburse a portion of the salaries to enable the staff to make purchases for Ganesh Chaturthi,” said the panchayat secretary.
“This is not a problem for staff at panchayats in Canacona taluka, but it will affect staff from all 186 panchayats who have elected their sarpanchas and deputy sarpanchas on August 22,” said the source.
Each of the seven panchayats in Canacona have between 2 and 6 regular and daily wage staff, who are paid by the respective panchayats, while the Panchayat Secretary, Gramsevak and Talathi are paid by government through the respective departments.
The sources said this technical hurdle has arisen only because panchayats looked after by administrators before they stepped down on August 22 had not made any arrangements or provisions to disburse salaries of the panchayat staff, along the lines of the government circular to pay government staff salary on August 24 ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
“Newly elected sarpanchas are technically unable to come to the rescue of their panchayat staff, till their first meeting takes place, unless some sarpanchas and panchas can assist their staff in their personal capacities,” said the source.
According to sources, a family celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi usually spends a minimum of Rs 10,000 as expenses during the festival.
