YSRCP Flags 30-Month Delay in Honorariums for Local Body Representatives

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has accused the Andhra Pradesh coalition government of failing to pay honorariums to elected local body representatives, including MPTCs, MPPs and ZPTCs, for the past 30 months. YSRCP Panchayat Raj wing state president Vennapoosa Ravindra Reddy raised the issue during a meeting with Panchayat Raj Commissioner Mailavarapu Krishnateja, to whom he submitted a representation seeking immediate action on the pending payments and other issues affecting local representatives.

Ravindra Reddy alleged that keeping the honorariums of elected representatives pending for such a long period reflected the government's neglect of local bodies. He said MPPs, ZPTCs and other representatives continued to work closely with people in villages despite facing financial difficulties. He also alleged that vehicle-related dues remained unpaid, adding to the financial burden on representatives.

He further claimed that bills for development works carried out by former sarpanches, as well as serving MPPs and ZPTCs, were yet to be cleared. According to him, the prolonged delay had caused financial difficulties for several representatives and their families.

Ravindra Reddy urged the government to use funds released to local bodies under the 16th Finance Commission for rural development and the settlement of pending dues. He demanded that the funds be credited to local bodies without being diverted for other purposes and that priority be given to clearing honorariums, vehicle dues and development-work bills.

Ravindra Reddy questioned Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who holds the Panchayat Raj portfolio, over the government's alleged inaction. He asked why representatives working at the grassroots level had not received their honorariums for 30 months.

He said the government could not claim to be strengthening the Panchayat Raj system while failing to address the financial concerns of elected local representatives. He urged Pawan Kalyan to focus on the ground-level problems of rural local bodies rather than limiting the department's functioning to publicity.

Ravindra Reddy also alleged that Nagababu, Pawan Kalyan's brother, had been appointed as an MLC and chairman of the AP Green executive committee and was receiving more than Rs 4 lakh a month in remuneration. He questioned why elected representatives such as MPPs, ZPTCs and sarpanches were still awaiting their honorariums.

He further alleged political discrimination against YSRCP-affiliated local representatives and warned that the party would intensify its agitation until pending payments were released.

YSRCP Panchayat Raj wing leaders V. Tirupathi Rao, D. Veeraiah, J. Ramamurthy, D. Raju and S. Venkateswara Rao, among others, participated in the protest.