Former sarpanches attempt to lay siege to Telangana Assembly over key demands

Tension flared outside the Telangana Assembly on Wednesday as former sarpanches, under the banner of the Joint Action Committee, staged a protest demanding clearance of pending bills and regular release of State Finance Commission funds to Gram Panchayats.

Hyderabad: Tension prevailed outside the Assembly on Wednesday as former sarpanches tried to lay siege to the building, demanding payment of pending bills owed to them and the regular monthly release of State Finance Commission (SFC) funds to Gram Panchayats.

Under the aegis of the Telangana Sarpanches Association Joint Action Committee, the former sarpanches staged a protest near the Assembly. When they tried to enter the premises, police intercepted them and shifted them to the Saidabad police station.

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JAC chairman Survi Yadaiah Goud expressed anguish over the bills remaining unpaid for 33 months. He said the interest on loans taken by former sarpanches had mounted, causing them severe financial hardship. He also noted that several former sarpanches had even resorted to suicide due to their financial woes.

He urged the government to ensure regular monthly release of SFC funds to Gram Panchayats. The former sarpanches said development works, including sanitation, drinking water supply, road construction and drainage, could be carried out smoothly only if funds were released to the gram panchayats.