Telangana: Confusion prevails over setting up Indiramma committees in Kothagudem

Setting up Indiramma committees has turned out to be a pain in the neck for officials with political leaders demanding a place for their followers in the committees

Khammam: Setting up Indiramma committees, which was caught up in legal issues, has turned out to be a pain in the neck for officials with political leaders demanding a place for their followers in the committees.

It might be noted that the State government on October 11 issued GO 33 directing District Collectors to constitute Indiramma committees after mandal parishad development officers in rural areas and municipal commissioners in urban areas submit names to be nominated on the committees.

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As per the GO 33 at gram panchayat (GP) level, sarpanch or special officer would be the chairman of the committee and at municipal ward level councillor/corporator would the chairman while panchayat secretary would be convener at GP level and ward officer would be the convener at municipal ward level.

In both cases, two women from SHGs and three local persons, of whom one must be from BC and one from SC/ST communities should be nominated on the committees, which would select the beneficiaries.

However, the leaders of ruling Congress have allegedly been forcing the officials to nominate their followers on the committees.

The leaders were using the names of ministers Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Tummala Nageswara Rao to put pressure on officials in the selection of Indiramma committee members.

In Kothagudem Assembly, the local CPI leaders were allegedly pressurising officials to nominate their party leaders on the committees. In the wake of these issues, Indiramma committees which were supposed to be constituted by October 12 have not taken shape yet.

On the other hand, Congress old timers were opposing newly joined leaders getting a place in the committees.

Kothagudem district youth Congress president A Pradeep came out openly with the demand that the party workers who have been with the party when it was not in power and worked for its development should be given place on Indiramma committees.

Pradeep said he and other party workers met Congress party Kothagudem district president P Veeraiah and submitted a memorandum seeking to give priority to the workers who have been working in the party for the past 10 years.

Those who joined Congress recently should not be given place in the committees, he noted.

It might be recalled that the High Court has already issued notice to the government after hearing a writ petition filed by BJP leader A Maheshwar Reddy, who challenged GO 33, setting up Indiramma Committees without reference to gram sabhas and ward committees.

Likewise, Adivasi Advocates Association (AAA) state secretary and Adivasi Sena vice president Sode Venkateshwarlu termed the GO 33 as illegal in the case of Scheduled Areas. The selection of beneficiaries should be done by gram sabhas subject to agency laws, he said.