Chandigarh, October 27, 2023: Terming the existing Haryana Sarpanch Association (HSA) an agent of the Congress party, an important section of 'Sarpanches' earlier with HSA, today announced the launch of 'Haryana Vikassheel Sarpanch Association' (HVSA).
Addressing the media at Press Club here during the launch of HVSA, Chaudhary Rafiq Hathorhi, State Vice President and State Spokesperson, HVSA said, “Unfortunately, HSA was not advocating for the needs and concerns of their villages at various administrative levels of the state government. In fact, the association had started working as an agent of the Congress party, thus politicizing an apolitical movement. As a result, we had to launch HVSA, which will work for the betterment of rural Haryana.”
The move assumes political significance with the assembly polls in Haryana just a year away.
Hathorhi added that ‘Sarpanches’, are elected representatives in the panchayati raj system in India, and so play a pivotal role in the socio-economic development and empowerment of rural communities. “Keeping the significance of the office of ‘Sarpanch’ as the focus we will work for improvement in working conditions of ‘Sarpanches’.”
Narendra Kadyan , President, Haryana Vikasheel Sarpanch Association, said that ours is an apolitical association and our main agenda will be to fight for more powers for ‘Sarpanches’. “We will push for complete implementation of the constitution’s 73rd Amendment, Schedule 11, that offers 29 different powers to serving ‘Sarpanches’, which although has been implemented in states like MP, AP, Kerala and Goa hasn’t been enforced in Haryana.”
Kadyan , added, “The association supports the e-tendering system for village development, however ‘Sarpanches’ should be given authority of getting development works up-to Rs. 20 lakhs done at their behest. ‘Sarpanches’ should also be given the authority to write Annual Confidential Reports’(ACRs’) of members of the executive who implement rural works on ground, this will ensure that no official engages in dereliction of duty and does his or her job well.”
Kamal Kajal, General Secretary, HVSA said, “The association will get MNREGA wages increased from Rs. 300 to Rs. 600 per day. We also call on the state government to get illegally occupied panchayat land in Haryana freed. In case the state government does not accede to our demands we will start a statewide agitation and corner the government.”
The new association has demanded that the fund – up-to 25 lakhs, coming from the government for village development works, should be sent directly to the account of the panchayat. The association is also demanding free medical facilities for the sarpanch and his or her family.
Hathorhi said further, “HVSA will also get toll tax relief for ‘Sarpanches’ on national and state highways as they are important elected ‘grassroots representatives’. A ‘Sarpanch’ is also in dire need of a personal assistant and a computer operator due to the huge workload on them."
“HVSA will not be just an association consisting of serving ‘Sarpanches’ but also of former ‘Sarpanches’ who want to do something for their villages. What’s more, our members will be from diverse bodies like zila parishads and other panchayati raj institutions too,” said Kadyan.
Anil Lathar from Jind, Naresh from Rohtak, Kuldeep from Bhiwani, Azad from Hisar, Sukhbir from Rewari, Vikram from Ambala, Sukhwinder from Fatehabad, Kalu from Palwal, Nisar from Faridabad and Joni Sharma from Karnal were also present at the event.
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