Newz Desk: Durgapur: The West Bengal government is set to introduce a significant amendment to the state’s Panchayat Act during the second phase of the Budget Session, proposing sweeping changes to the functioning of rural local bodies. Among the key proposals is the transfer of financial powers from elected Panchayat Pradhans to government officials.
The second phase of the Budget Session will begin on July 17, and the amendment bill is expected to be tabled during the session.
State Panchayat Minister Dilip Ghosh said the proposed changes are aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the implementation of government schemes. He noted that allegations of corruption in panchayats often lead to criticism of the state government, making it necessary to reform the financial transaction process.
Under the proposed legislation, the authority to release funds for projects will no longer rest with Panchayat Pradhans. Instead, the responsibility for financial disbursements will be vested in Panchayat Secretaries and other designated government officials.
Until now, elected Pradhans had the authority to sanction and release funds for various development projects under the Panchayat system. However, recurring allegations of financial irregularities in the execution of welfare schemes prompted the government to reconsider the existing framework. Allegations of corruption in schemes such as rural housing assistance and the 100-day employment programme have surfaced on several occasions in recent years.
The proposed amendment also signals a broader administrative restructuring of local governance in the state. The Panchayat Minister indicated that the government is considering a fresh delimitation of Panchayat constituencies and a reorganisation of seats to ensure more balanced representation.
He argued that the present structure is uneven, with some Gram Panchayats having more than 30 elected members while others function with only 10 to 12. In comparison, he said, several other states operate effectively with just three or four members in a Panchayat. According to him, rationalising the size and jurisdiction of Panchayats would help improve administrative efficiency.
The minister further stated that the state government intends to increase the number of Gram Panchayats to over 4,000. He also indicated that, following the recent creation of five new districts, the government plans to gradually expand the number of blocks, municipalities, municipal corporation wards, Assembly constituencies and Parliamentary constituencies as part of a wider administrative reorganisation.
The proposed Panchayat reforms come even as the state government is also planning to increase the number of wards under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation from 144 to 200, reflecting its broader agenda of administrative restructuring.
The second phase of the West Bengal Budget Session will continue until July 25, with the Home Department’s Budget scheduled to be presented in the Assembly on July 22, followed by a three-hour discussion.
