GUWAHATI, March 16 � Holding of panchayat elections in time is under consideration of the State Government. The Government is also considering as to when the panchayat elections could be held, said Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Rockybul Hussain in a written reply to a question from Manoranjan Das (AGP) in the State Assembly here today.
He also admitted that some posts of panchayat representatives are lying vacant and said that communications are on with the State Election Commission to fill these vacancies through elections.
Holding elections to fill up such vacancies is under the jurisdiction of the State Election Commission, the Minister said.
In a written reply to a question from Phani Bhusan Choudhury (AGP), the Minister said that the State Government is to hand over 29 departments to the panchayats. The June 25, 2007 ordinance provided for transfer of 23 subjects of 17 departments. But that is yet to be materialized, the Minister said,
He also informed the House, in reply to the same question, that in 2001-02 fiscal, the State received an amount of Rs 10702.65 lakh for construction of Indira Awas Yojana (IAY). In 2002-03, the State received Rs 11420.51 lakh, in 2003-04, it received Rs 17390.87 lakh, in 2004-05, it received Rs 26981.87 lakh, in 2005-06, it received Rs 27760.64 lakh, in 2006-07, it received Rs 30094.23 lakh, in 2007-08, it received Rs 42209.63 lakh, in 2008-09, it received Rs 81607.61 lakh, in 2009-10, it received Rs 74754.48 lakh, 2010-11 it received Rs 82543.534 lakh and in 2011-12, it received Rs 62347.185 lakh, for the purpose.
The State could complete 53490 IAY houses in 2001-02 against a target of 66709. In 2002-03, it completed 67614 against the target of 89354, in 2003-04, it completed 68482 houses against the target of 68482, in 2004-05, it completed 95299 houses against the target of 95299, in 2005-06, it completed 95027 houses against the target of 111256.
In 2006-07, the State completed 125441 houses against the target of 109214, in 2007-08 it completed 149593 houses against the target of 149593. In 2008-09, it completed 148048 houses against the target of 149699, in 2009-10, it completed 236796 houses against the target of 240446, in 2010-11, it completed 148072 houses against the target of 170849 and in 2011-12, it completed 86803 houses against the target of 166913, the Minister said in reply to the same question.
The Minister said in a written reply to another question from Manowar Hussain (AIUDF) that at present there are 405 posts of panchayat secretaries lying vacant in the State.
Moreover, the Minister said in reply to the same question that against 2202 gaon panchayats, 1955 posts of secretaries have been created and correspondents are on with the department concerned to create the rest 247 posts.
Therefore, he said, one gaon panchayat secretary has to assume responsibility of the secretary of other gaon panchayats too.
The matter of filling up the vacant posts of panchayat secretaries without delay is under consideration of the Government, the Minister said, admitting that dearth of employees have been leading to problems in the panchayats.
The Government is considering creation of the posts of accountants and other employees of the panchayats. At present, CAs are appointed on contract basis to take care of the accounts and audits of the panchayats, the Minister said.
