Seethakka Urges 16th Finance Commission to Give Special Relief for Tribal Gram Panchayats, Continue Untied Grants
Telangana Minister Seethakka urged the 16th Finance Commission to provide special relief for tribal and backward Gram Panchayats, continue untied grants, and avoid judging performance solely on tax collection.
Hyderabad: Telangana Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Danasari Anasuya Seethakka has urged the 16th Finance Commission to provide special relaxation for tribal, Scheduled Areas, remote, and backward Gram Panchayats while framing performance-based grant norms. Addressing a national workshop chaired by Union Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, she said tax collection alone should not be the benchmark for assessing the performance of Gram Panchayats and requested the continuation of untied basic grants for local development needs.
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Telangana Presents Suggestions at 16th Finance Commission National Workshop
Minister Seethakka presented the Telangana Government’s views at the national workshop on the recommendations for rural local bodies under the 16th Finance Commission.
The workshop was chaired by Union Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh.
Dana Kishore, along with ministers and officials from other states, also attended the meeting.
Seethakka Seeks Special Relaxation for Tribal and Backward Gram Panchayats
Seethakka said Telangana welcomes the proposal for performance-based grants for Gram Panchayats.
However, she urged that the conditions related to Own Source Revenue (OSR) and performance-based grants should provide special relaxation for:
- Tribal Gram Panchayats
- Scheduled Areas
- Remote villages
- Backward Gram Panchayats
She said the rules should not place an additional tax burden on Gram Panchayats with limited revenue-generating capacity.
According to the Minister, linking development solely with the economic condition of local people is not appropriate.
Performance Should Not Be Measured Only by Tax Collection
The Minister requested that the performance of Gram Panchayats should not be judged only on tax collection.
She said equal importance should also be given to:
- Public services
- Sanitation
- Transparency
- Digital governance
- Public participation
Special Concessions Sought for Scheduled Areas
Seethakka pointed out that many Gram Panchayats in Scheduled Areas have very small populations and limited own-source revenue.
She requested special concessions for such areas and sought relaxation in eligibility for performance grants for Gram Panchayats and mandal-level local bodies with a large population of:
- Scheduled Tribes
- Tribal communities
- Scheduled Castes
Telangana Raises Concern Over Funds for 62 Gram Panchayats
The Minister said development funds for 62 Gram Panchayats have been withheld because elections could not be conducted due to cases pending in courts.
She said this has caused injustice to people living in those villages.
Seethakka requested the Centre to ensure that funds continue in special situations where elections are delayed due to court orders.
Telangana Seeks Continuation of Untied Basic Grants
The Minister said every village has different development needs.
She requested that untied basic grants should continue at an adequate level so that Gram Sabhas can make decisions based on local priorities.
She also said the Telangana Government welcomes digital governance initiatives such as:
- e-Gram Swaraj
- PFMS (Public Financial Management System)
However, she urged the Centre to strengthen training, staffing, internet connectivity, and technical infrastructure required for implementing these systems in remote villages.
Special Weightage Sought for Difficult Areas
Seethakka said delivering public services in Scheduled Areas, backward districts, and geographically difficult regions involves higher expenditure.
She requested that such areas should receive special weightage while allocating funds.
The Minister said strong Gram Panchayats and strong states together form the foundation of a strong India.
She further stated that strengthening rural local bodies requires adequate financial capacity for states and suggested that the 16th Finance Commission recommendations should empower both states and Panchayats in the spirit of cooperative federalism.
Telangana Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Danasari Anasuya Seethakka urged the 16th Finance Commission to introduce special provisions for tribal, Scheduled Areas, remote and backward Gram Panchayats, continue untied basic grants, and avoid using tax collection as the sole measure of performance. She also sought the release of development funds for 62 Gram Panchayats, greater support for digital governance infrastructure, and special weightage in fund allocation for geographically challenging regions.
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