Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers on Tuesday clashed with police during a protest in Bhubaneswar against what they alleged were attempts by the Odisha government to curtail the power of Panchayati Raj institutions.
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The protest was triggered by a recent decision of the BJP government in the state to amend the Odisha Panchayat Samiti Accounting Rules, 2002.
As hundreds of BJD workers from across Odisha gathered at Mahatma Gandhi Marg in the state capital to proceed towards the Assembly, police used teargas to disperse the crowd. Several senior BJD leaders were detained during the protest.
Before BJD’s march, BJD MLAs had created a ruckus over the issue in the state Assembly, forcing Speaker Surama Padhy to adjourn the House.
The amendment that caused the controversy has enhanced the financial power of state government officials, such as Block Development Officers (BDOs) and engineers, at various levels. The amendment also allowed BDOs to approve projects without the countersignature of block chairpersons, who are elected members in the Panchayati Raj system.
With the amendment, the government also delegated the power to accord administrative approval of plans and estimates for panchayat samiti projects to zilla parishad executive officers, who are appointed by the state government. The government claimed that the amendments will help expedite Bill processing, ensure timely approvals and facilitate smooth implementation of developmental programmes.
The authority to accord administrative approval of plans and estimates for panchayat samiti projects has also been delegated to these executive officers, with the government saying it is aimed at expediting financial approvals and ensure smooth implementation of developmental schemes.
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The BJD alleged that the decision will lead to curtailing the powers of elected representatives of Panchayati Raj institutions, most of which are controlled by the BJD in Odisha.
“There is an undeclared emergency situation in Odisha. The BJP government is trying to control everything by hook or by crook. Wherever they don’t have people, the BJP is trying to dictate power by using machinery. We will not tolerate this, and the fight against such practices will continue,” said senior BJD leader Arun Kumar Sahoo.
While the BJD has control over almost all zilla parishads in Odisha, the majority of the block (panchayat samiti) chairpersons are also BJD-backed candidates in Odisha.
