CHENNAI: Government plans to merge some village panchayats with nearby urban local bodies before December and has set up a state-level committee led by the rural development and panchayat raj secretary to oversee it. The move, however, has come in for criticism from AIADMK, which has warned that this would deprive village panchayats of financial support from Centre for housing, road and sanitation programmes and demanded a public hearing for consensus.
Rural local bodies in 27 districts were elected in December 2019, and another nine were elected in October 2021.
Now, the 10-member committee set up to plan the merger comprises municipal administration and water supply department secretary, Greater Chennai Corporation commissioner, Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board managing director and directors of rural development and panchayat raj and town panchayat among others.
“It will assess needs for upgradation in peri-urban areas. Nodal officers for local bodies will be appointed to complete the process, including a statutory period for public hearing before the term of local bodies ends,” said a senior official. Executive officers of town panchayats are already sending proposals based on norms laid down in the Urban Local Bodies Act.
The plan has triggered severe reactions from sections. In Kanyakumari district, AIADMK workers and functionaries cooked gruel in protest against the merger plan of Eraviputhoor village panchayat with Marungoor town panchayat. In a communique, executive officers of town panchayats recently recommended merger of 25 of 95 village panchayats with 20 town panchayats and upgradation of 10 village panchayats as town panchayats.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said there was a danger of reduced funding from Centre in case of a merger. “State funds and taxes alone can be used for administrative expenses and basic amenities in urban areas. There are several problems in upgrading facilities in urban areas,” he said. Upgradation of village panchayats would also lead to increased taxes and guideline values, he said.
