Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government’s announcement of Rs 56.55 crore towards the payment of honorarium to sarpanches and naib sarpanches has triggered a controversy, with the Odisha Sarpanch Association alleging that the government is labelling the payment of pending dues as a special gift to elected grassroots representatives.

The association has questioned why the government is terming the payment a gift when it covers only six months of honorarium against eight months of pending dues.

The association alleged that sarpanches and naib sarpanches had not received their honorarium since March. It argued that clearing pending payments cannot be described as a special gift from the government.

The association has also raised concerns over the functioning of gram panchayats, alleging that developmental activities have stalled in several areas and gram sabhas are not being conducted properly.

It further claimed that the state government's 'Bikashita Gaon, Bikashita Odisha' initiative has remained largely confined to announcements, with development work at the grassroots level failing to progress as expected.

The association has warned that it will stage a protest at Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar from November if the government fails to issue a clarification on the issue.

Criticism by BJD and Congress

The controversy has also drawn criticism from opposition parties.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Ganeswar Behera said the payment should not be treated as a gift. According to him, what the government is projecting as a gift is actually a delayed decision to release the dues of elected representatives.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhakta Charan Das also criticised the government’s claim, alleging that it was attempting to take credit for releasing money that sarpanches and naib sarpanches were already entitled to receive.

Das said that the amount released was their regular honorarium and not a gift from the government. He accused the government of trying to take credit for fulfilling an existing financial obligation.

About the government's decision

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved Rs 56.55 crore for payment of six months' honorarium to sarpanches and naib sarpanches for the period from April 1 to September 30 this year.

Under the approved arrangement, each sarpanch will receive Rs 10,000 per month, while each naib sarpanch will get Rs 4,000 per month. The Chief Minister’s Office said the decision aims to ensure timely payments to grassroots representatives who play an important role in local governance and rural development.