Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, December 19 –
Haryana Development and Panchayat Minister Devendra Singh Babli said that Gram Panchayats and Sarpanches have been assigned certain responsibilities and powers under the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 for effective functioning of the affairs of the Gram Sabha area. They have full power to consider and administratively approve any extent of development work which is to be implemented from the Gram Nidhi, including their own financial resources as well as those provided by the State Government and the Central Government. Grants are included. They are capable of getting works costing up to Rs 5 lakh done through tender or through departmental means.
Babli said this in response to a question raised by Prithla MLA Nayan Pal Rawat during the winter session of Haryana Assembly here today.
He also informed the House that for development works costing more than Rs 5 lakh, there is a provision for mandatory electronic tender under the Haryana Panchayati Raj Finance, Budget, Accounts, Audit, Taxation and Works Rules, 1996. It has been decided that development works costing up to half of the total available Gram Nidhi minus Fixed Deposit (FD), if any, during the financial year can be done through departmental channels by the Gram Panchayat and Sarpanch. Electronic tender is mandatory to get any other work done.