In a letter to all district Collectors, Ashok Meena, the Principal Secretary to the Government, laid out guidelines for reservation to the offices of Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members for the general elections scheduled in 2022.
For non-scheduled areas, the total reservation of seats in favour of Scheduled caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Backward Class of Citizens (BCC) will be kept within 50 per cent of the total seats and the reservation for BCC alone, which can vary, will be kept within 27 per cent of the total seats.
Up to 27 per cent of total seats will be reserved in favour BCC category and whenever necessary, the quantum of reservation for BCC will be reduced to such extent as required to limit the total reservation of seats in favour of SC, ST and BCC taken together within 50% .
The reservations provided to SC and ST will be ensured under provisions of Section- 10(3)(b-1) of the Odisha Grama Panchayat Act, 1964, Section 16(2)(b-1) of Odisha Panchayat Samiti Act, 1959 and Section-6(3)(b-1) of Odisha Zilla Parishad Act,1991.
“Reservation of seats in the scheduled areas at every Panchayat will be in proportion to the population of the communities in that Panchayat for which the reservation is sought. Provided that the reservation for the Scheduled Tribes is not less than one-half of the total numbers of seats,” the letter stated.
Percentage of SCs and STs in the respective GP/ Block/ District according to the 2011 Census would be the determining factor for computation of number of seats/ offices to be reserved for SC or ST category in three tier Panchayati Raj system.
After reservation of seats of SC, ST and BCC categories, reservation for women will be made after arranging the Ward/ GP/ Constituencies in Odia alphabetical order, in the manner as provided in Panchayat laws so that the total reservation for women will not be less than 50 per cent of the total seats/ offices.
It is worthwhile to mention here that the Odisha Assembly had on September 8 passed the much awaited Panchayat Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021. The Bill, which provides reservation ceiling at 50 per cent for SC, ST and OBC, has effectively cleared all the legal impediments restricting the conduct of the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) polls scheduled for early 2022.
While money for construction of a house has been taken twice in some places, not a single house was being seen in few other places despite release of payment. It was also found that beneficiaries have paid percentage to government staff and panchayat officials to get a house under the scheme.
Not only is Astaranga, vigilance has conducted raids at many other places, 24 cases have been registered and eight government staff have been arrested.
After Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged to put a check on the percentage system, 140 beneficiaries shared their complaints at toll free number of Panchayati Raj department. The department launched a probe based on the complaints. After getting strong evidences of corruption in Kakatpur and Bhadrak, stringent action was taken against three persons.
Talking to OTV, Panchayati Raj Secretary Deoranjan Singh said, "Why is there a delay in paying instalment of a beneficiary and is anyone taking percentage from him or her in promise of allotting a house is being checked. I ask everybody to remain aloof from such corruption or they will certainly face dire circumstances in future."
As per reports Panchayati Raj department has set a target to build 3.4 lakh new houses, under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and Biju Pucca Ghar Yojna (BPGY), in the coming year with a budget of Rs 3000 crore.
On the other hand BJP has alleged that 15 to 20 percent commission is demanded for allotting a house under the schemes. BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma said, "Maximum corruption has taken place in the ‘awas yojanas’ which will be amounting to more than Rs 1000 crore. 15 to 20 percent corruption is being held in the percentage sector."
Similarly, Congress alleged that percentage system is construction of houses is the greatest corruption of the century. Congress spokesperson Ganeswar Behera said, "In reality largest corruption is being held in this sector. If 10 percent is taken every year, you can think about the amount that is accumulated in 10 years. This corruption is spreading in a very dangerous manner."
In reply to the allegations BJD spokesperson Rabi Narayan Nanda said, "If such an incident has occurred in any place, payment has been done without construction of house or percentage has been collected during the construction, it should be complained. Enquiry will surely be done after receiving a complaint and the accused will be punished."
The State Government has set a target of providing pucca houses to 25 lakh people within 2019. It claims of providing pucca house to 11 lakh people till date.
A notification issued by the Panchayati Raj department mentioned-"In pursuance of sub-rule (2) of rule-3 of the Odisha Zilla Parishad Election Rules,1994, the State government do hereby call upon the Parishad Constituencies of all the Zilla Parishads in the State to elect members of the parishad in accordance with the provision of the Odisha Zilla Parishad Act,1991 (Odisha Act 17 of 1991) and the rules made thereunder".
The government has also decided to issue the gazette notification on December 23 regarding the matter. "The government has issued notification over its preparedness for the elections. Gazette notification regarding it will be issued on December 23. After then, the Election Commission will declare the date of poll", Panchayati Raj secretary said.
On the other hand, the all-party meeting pertaining to election management called by EC could not be held today as Congress, BJP and the Left boycotted the meeting in protest.
“Today’s meeting has been cancelled. We will convene another meeting specially. We have not decided on the date and we will inform the concerned parties about the same,” said State Election Commissioner, Rabi Narayan Senapati.
Talking to OTV in an exclusive interview after his arrival in Malkangiri, Sahu said “The district administration will get all kind of assistance to tackle the problem and steps will be taken to avoid repetition such circumstances.”
He further stated, “Programmes will be chalked out after holding discussions with the Malkangiri Collector.”
“As I have worked in the district as a Sub-collector earlier, I believe I will be able to utilise my experience and resolve the matter better,” Sahu added.
Also read: JE toll reaches 57 in 39 days in Malkangiri
Sahu will stay in the district for two months and monitor the measures taken by the State government to contain the spread of the disease.
Earlier in the day, two more kids died of the Japanese Encephalitis at the Malkangiri district headquarters hospital taking the death toll to 58 in 39 days.
In a letter, the Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the department asked the collectors to entrust the job of registration of the migrant workers to village-level workers (VLWs) and gram rozgar sevaks (GRSs).
At the gram panchayat level, the VLWs or GRSs, as decided by the collectors, should open and maintain a register in a format prescribed by Labour and ESI departments for keeping details of the migrant workers and their families, the letter added.
Whether the families of those labourers were covered under MGNREGS in their native villages should be mentioned in the registrar, it said.
During the registration, details like if the migrant workers are moving outside their villages alone or with their families must be stated. This will help the state government in taking all possible measures for the safety and welfare of the migrant labourers and rescue them when situation warrants, the letter explained.
The letter has been sent to the district collectors of Bolangir, Bargarh, Subarnapur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Khurda.
Notably, the state government had decided last month to hold special camps in different districts to register labourers migrating to other states.
Sources said, a discussion regarding this was held during a high level meeting under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary of Odisha Asit Tripathy.
Under the new action plan, the State government has decided to establish plastic waste processing centers in each district of Odisha. Similarly, the Public Works Department (PWD) has also been directed to use disposed plastic wastes in road construction works. In this regard, the government has announced to launch an extensive campaign for collection of SUPs for massive recycling.
Panchayati Raj department has been directed to gradually restrict the use of single use plastics in rural areas under the plastic waste management rule. This apart in order to curb the rampant use of polythenes, the state government has also decided to engage women Self Help Groups (SHGs) for manufacturing paper and cloth-based carry bags.
The State government had announced last year that use of plastic would be banned in the entire state within two years. The prohibition was first implemented in six municipal corporations and later extended to all urban areas recently.
In a letter to principal secretaries of Panchayati Raj and Housing & Urban Development departments, Additional Secretary and Special Relief Commissioner, Pradeep Jena has asked to ensure that every person under quarantine shall be stamped with indelible ink.
Both the departments' officials have been asked to procure indelible ink from Mysore facility.
As per the guidelines, Panchayati Raj department has been asked to issue SOP and direct Sarpanchs in different parts of the State to make necessary arrangements for quarantine facilities including accommodation, food, water, sanitation and treatment.
With around 7.5 lakh people stranded outside the state, Odisha government is expecting that nearly 5 lakh people to return to the state from other states after COVID19 lockdown is lifted.
Every quarantine person shall be stamped with date in indelible ink; Panchayati Raj & DW dept will procure the required quantity of indelible ink from Mysore for both the departments, as per the new guidelines by #Odisha (2/2)
— OTV (@otvnews) April 23, 2020
As per Odisha government’s decision, every gram panchayat and Urban Local Body will have a registration facility to facilitate the return of people from other States after the lockdown. The family members of the concerned returnees will have to register with the gram panchayat or the urban local body. The department has been asked to develop a web application for facilitating the registration process in appropriate format for both rural and urban areas.
Nodal officers for each gram panchayat will be notified by the concerned department for facilitating such registration process. Housing & Urban Development department will also notify nodal officers for one or cluster of wards in urban areas.
The contact numbers of nodal officers will be put up on the website so that the applicants do not face problems in completing the registration process. Upon successful completion of the quarantine period in institutional facility, payment of incentive as announced by the State will be made to the concerned person through respective departments.
Speaking to media, the department Minister Pratap Jena said, "Odisha government has ordered an enquiry into the alleged misbehaviour by Baliapal BDO towards migrant Odia workers. A detailed report in this regard has been already sought from Balasore Collector."
"We are aware of the incident. Action will be taken based on the report. Amid this pandemic crisis, such conduct by an administrative official is unacceptable and inappropriate. But this should be considered a stray case," said the Panchayati Raj Minister.
https://twitter.com/otvnews/status/1260845789854736384
In the video that has gone viral, Chhabirani Sahoo, the concerned BDO could be seen losing her cool and badmouthing the migrant workers who had returned from Surat, after they asked for drinking water.
Sahoo was allegedly caught on cam saying 'I am an OAS officer, not a bonded labourer like you.’
Reportedly, the BDO said that as an OAS officer she can do anything so they should shut their mouths.
The migrant workers alleged that Sahoo had misbehaved with them and threatened them when they asked for water and enquired about quarantine facilities.
However, Sahoo refuted such claims of the workers and alleged that rather she was misbehaved with by migrants which made her furious. She further said that the workers created nuisance after arriving at the office and were arguing with the officials.
"Their behaviour irritated me which made me shouted at them but there was no ill-intention behind this. The workers are framing me by only showing my outburst," she claimed.
The BDO further said, "I have already informed about the incident to the Collector and filed a complaint at the Baliapal Police Station against the returnees for misbehaving with a government official."
https://youtu.be/ynNNc6Xlq_E
In another incident, an audio clip of Angul Chhendipada BDO Sunil Kerketta purportedly speaking rudely to female migrants has gone viral. It is being said that an altercation ensued when the returnees called the BDO complaining about the place of stay.
When contacted, the concerned BDO said," All female returnees put in quarantine went on arguing to shift them to their respective blocks. I might have said something during the altercation, why should I feel sorry?"
https://twitter.com/otvnews/status/1260890209501184000