Date:29/01/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/29/stories/2007012919770100.htm

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Honorarium for MPTCs: decision on Tuesday

Special Correspondent

Of the 39 demands of MPTCs, 32 conceded; row over announcement by association president

J.C.Diwakar Reddy

HYDERABAD: A decision on payment of honorarium to Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) members would be taken by Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Tuesday, according to Panchayat Raj Minister J.C.Diwakar Reddy.

At a crucial meeting convened by the APCC president K. Keshava Rao with the representatives of the Andhra Pradesh MPTC Association and the State MPTC Federation here on Sunday at Gandhi Bhavan, 32 of the 39 demands were conceded while differences cropped up over seven other demands.

Minutes after the meeting, members of the MPTC Association and the MPTC Federation entered into heated arguments after the Association president, Y. B. Rajendra Prasad, said the outcome of the meeting would be announced on Monday after a meeting of the committee.

Politicisation charge

A number of Congress MPTC members owing allegiance to the Federation charged him with politicising the issue to gain mileage. They argued that all the representatives had expressed satisfaction and there was no need for any second thought on the part of the Association leaders.

Congress MPTC members raised slogans against the Association leaders. Supporters of Mr. Rajendra Prasad came out of Gandhi Bhavan accusing the Congress leaders of humiliating them.

Dr. Keshava Rao and Mr. Diwakar Reddy at a press conference after the four-hour long meeting claimed that the MPTC representatives agreed on 32 demands. Dr. Rao said the Congress had also backed the demand for honorarium. Mr. Rajendra Prasad on the other hand said nine demands were met.

The meeting agreed that MPTC members would be included in developmental committees at the mandal-level and standing committees would also be constituted at the on the lines of the ones in Zilla Parishads. A revised protocol would be prepared for the Panchayat Raj institutions so that the MPTCs were given due recognition. Dr. Rao said that members differed on inclusion of the MPTC in the mandal land assignment committees, as all party representatives were already members. Similarly, inclusion of MPTC members in the Water Users Association had to be amended through legislation, he added. It was also clarified that it was difficult to make the MPTC ex-officio members of State Finance Commission.