Date:10/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/10/stories/2008081054820900.htm

National

“Implement 73rd amendment”

Moga (Punjab): Members of panchayats, sarpanches, zila parishad members and panchayat secretaries from all over the State participated in a convention organised by the Punjab State Panchayat Union here on Saturday.

They urged the government to immediately implement the 73rd amendment to the Constitution and transfer all 29 departments to the Panchayati Raj institutions to make them more effective in serving the villagers’ cause.

They demanded an honorarium of Rs.1500 for panchayat members and an increase in the honorarium for the sarpanches from Rs.600 to Rs.5,000 per month. The convention also demanded immediate regularisation of 909 ad hoc panchayat secretaries awaiting regularisation for the past five years. — PTI