Date:01/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/01/stories/2008080158170300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

‘Sarpanches swindling sanitation grants’

Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM: In-charge District Medical and Health Officer Visveswara Rao has said that sarpanches are swindling grants sanctioned every year for sanitation in panchayats with the help of ANMs. The official was replying to a question from Zilla Parishad Chairperson B. Appala Naidu at the standing committee meeting on Thursday about the steps the department had taken to control outbreak of epidemics during monsoon in the Agency region. Following the serious allegations levelled against sarpanches that the elected representatives were forcing ANMs to sign the bills without actually utilising the grants, the TDP president and Vizianagaram ZPTC member Y. Ramana Murty demanded the Chairperson to instruct the official to submit a list of sarpanches for a detailed discussion on the issue at the forthcoming general body meeting of the Zilla Parishad. Each panchayat is sanctioned Rs.10,000 every year towards sanitation. Dr. Visveswara Rao said that following reports of malaria and viral fevers in the Agency additional ANMs from other PHCs were being deployed on rotation basis.

On merger of schools, District Educational Officer Y. Balaiah informed members that proposals for merger of 14 mandal parishad and ZP schools in Vizianagaram municipality limits with the municipality were pending before the government. With regard to giving priority to locals in industries, General Manager of District Industries Centre V.R.V. Nayak said that there was no legislation enacted except an agreement with the managements on the issue.

Mr. Nayak informed the Chairperson that orders for the newly introduced Prime Minister’s Employment Generation programme in place of PMRY would be received in 10 days.