Haryana: CM Manohar Lal-Led BJP Government Bows Down To Sarpanches; Hikes Limit Under E-Tendering Policy To Rs 5 Lakh

CM Manohar Lal Khatter also announced an increase in the honorarium of sarpanches and panches from the present Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 and from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,600 starting April 1.

CHANDIGARH: With several sarpanches in Haryana protesting against the government's e-tendering policy, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday said the village heads can now approve development work up to Rs 5 lakh, up from the existing limit of Rs 2 lakh. However, e-tendering system will prevail for projects above Rs 5 lakh, Khattar told reporters here.

Under the e-tendering system, village heads could earlier approve development projects up to Rs 2 lakh at their own level but e-tendering was mandatory for those above the Rs 2 lakh limit. Due to this, the village heads felt their powers were curtailed.

CM Manohar Lal Khatter also announced an increase in the honorarium of sarpanches and panches from the present Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 and from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,600 starting April 1.

In the last few weeks, sarpanches had intensified their protest over the e-tendering issue. Multiple rounds of talks between the protesting village heads and government in had failed to yield result as the sarpanches stuck to their key demands.

Khattar claimed most sarpanches agreed with the new system, some had concerns after which it was decided to raise the approval limit to Rs 5 lakh.

"Now, all work above Rs 5 lakh will be through e-tendering. However, work up to Rs 5 lakh will be done through quotations, though these work will be audited," he said, adding social audit teams comprising prominent people from villages will also be set up.

He reiterated that e-tendering was to bring transparency in development work in rural areas as he spelled out several initiatives which his government has already taken to further empower the Panchayati Raj Institutions.

"Our aim is to make things transparent. To bring transparency, we started e-tendering...We spoke to many sarpanches, members of public and the feedback we have got was that it will bring transparency, stop corruption," he said.

Khattar said a Quality Assurance Authority for all civil work, including projects carried out under the Panchayati system, will be set up in the state.
After the panchayat polls held last year, the government had transferred Rs 1,100 crore in the accounts of PRIs for development work.

The CM said he hopes that those panchayats that still haven't utilised the money will do so in the coming days before current fiscal year comes to a close. He also said all 22 zila parishads will have their own offices now.

Asked about the opposition Congress opposing the e-tendering system, Khattar said the party is not habitual of following the system.

"Common people are not in favour of breaking the system which is in place for their good. It has been Congress' habit of not following the system. We put in place systems for people's welfare, in which there is minimum human interface, and things remain transparent," he said.

Reacting to Congress' remarks that it will scrap Khattar government's pet project 'Parivar Pehchan Patra' and restore the Old Pension Scheme if voted to power in the next elections, Khattar said "let them make promises".

The BJP government in Haryana has blocked all channels of corruption by digitaising various services, Khattar said, accusing the Congress of extending benefits to their favourites when they were in power.