Latest news with #GramPanchayat
Hans India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Govt ignoring coastal Karnataka, claims BJP
Mangaluru: Accusing the Congress-led state government of apathy and administrative failure in addressing public issues in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a large-scale dharna satyagraha in front of all Gram Panchayat, Town Municipal and City Municipal Council offices across the two districts on June 23. The protest, scheduled between 10 am and 1 pm, aims to highlight what the party describes as 'deliberate neglect' of people's basic civic needs and pending welfare schemes. District BJP presidents, MLAs, MLCs and MPs from both districts are expected to participate in the demonstration. Among the key issues flagged by BJP MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur, who released a statement on Tuesday, are: Delays in plot approval: Residents are allegedly being forced to travel to other taluk headquarters and wait for months to get approvals for residential plot layouts, particularly for Form 9 and 11E. Staff shortages in local bodies: Gram Panchayats continue to face acute staff crunch, with no remedial action from the government. Stalled housing under Ashraya scheme: Approval of houses has been on hold for over two years, and even ongoing works are not receiving sanctioned funds. Rejection of Akrama-Sakrama applications: Widespread dissatisfaction is brewing over what the BJP terms as 'arbitrary' rejection of regularisation applications without proper scrutiny. Non-disbursement of pension schemes: Elderly citizens and beneficiaries under the Sandhya Suraksha scheme are allegedly not receiving their entitled pensions. Threats to Gruha Lakshmi scheme: The government is reportedly considering rolling back the flagship women's welfare scheme, citing fiscal constraints. Misuse of public funds: BJP has criticised the ongoing re-enumeration exercise under the name of census as a misuse of public money. Terming the protest 'a people's movement rather than a political campaign,' Puttur stated that the dharna would be peaceful but firm in conveying the grievances of ordinary citizens to the government.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Whistleblower Gram Panchayat member killed by land mafia
NAGPUR: A 30-year-old Gram Panchayat member and BJP leader was brutally murdered on Tuesday morning in Saoner tehsil, allegedly by individuals linked to the land mafia. The victim, Atul Patil, was stabbed to death at Pipla, which falls under the jurisdiction of Khaparkheda police station in the district. Patil, a vocal whistleblower who had exposed several land scams, had filed multiple complaints against illegal land dealings, including schemes orchestrated by village sarpanch Vishnu Kokadde, a Congress leader and a close associate of former Maharashtra minister Sunil Kedar. The murder has sparked outrage and raised political temperature in the region, especially as the Zilla Parishad (ZP) elections are near. The police have arrested two suspects in connection with the murder - Himanshu Kumbhalkar, 19, who is the prime accused, and Vishnu Kokadde, 41, who had previously faced charges of forgery and cheating in a ZP land allotment scam exposed by Patil. According to police sources, Patil had used the Right to Information (RTI) Act to uncover fake documents used to develop unauthorised layouts. His complaints led to the registration of cases against Kokadde, a Gram Panchayat secretary, and others. It is alleged that Kokadde and his wife, former Nagpur Zilla Parishad president Muktabai Kokardde, misused their political influence to issue fraudulent No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and earn crores of rupees through illegal land deals. Senior Inspector Arvind Katlam of Khaparkheda police station revealed that Kumbhalkar had called Patil out of his house under the pretext of resolving an old dispute. 'As Patil stepped outside, he was ambushed. A brief scuffle broke out, but Kumbhalkar overpowered him and stabbed him multiple times,' said Katlam. Patil was rushed to a nearby private hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Both accused were produced in Saoner court, where Kumbhalkar was remanded to police custody till June 21 and Kokadde till June 19, for further investigation. The murder is also believed to be linked to the political rivalry between Patil and Kokardde in the area. However, police officials maintain that the land scam exposure appears to be the main motive. BJP leaders staged a 'rasta roko' protest demanding swift justice and immediate arrest of all those involved in the conspiracy. The agitation was led by local MLA Ashish Deshmukh and district president Manohar Kumbhare, who accused the authorities of failing to protect a whistleblower. Deshmukh has also demanded that the case be heard in a fast-track court. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the region to prevent any law and order issues.
Mint
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Chandan Roy credits Panchayats 'simplicity' and 'relatability' for its massive success
Patna (Bihar) [India], June 18 (ANI): Actor Chandan Roy, who ruled the hearts of the Indian audience with his debut performance in the widely acclaimed web series 'Panchayat', opened up on the factors that contributed to the show's success and massive popularity among audiences. Panchayat is a comedy-drama series starring Jitendra Kumar, Raghubir Yadav, and Neena Gupta in the lead roles. Chandan Roy portrays the character of Vikas Shukla, a quirky office assistant at the Gram Panchayat in the fictional village of Phulera, in the series. In an interview with ANI, the actor highlighted the factors responsible for the success of 'Panchayat'. In an era dominated by Bollywood masala and mainstream commercial movies, Roy believes that it was 'Panchayat's simplicity that won the hearts of the viewers. "That is its simplicity. Right? You can't eat masala and all these things every day. You will have to come back to rice, lentils and khichdi," Roy said, using a food analogy. "And I have given such an example, don't think of me as a chef," he joked. "So, I feel that the more you are filled with simplicity, the more you will be natural, the more people will like you." He further stated that the second factor contributing to the show's success was the character's relatability to the Indian audience. "And in Panchayat, what I feel is that all its characters, you feel that these are from around my house, or you start seeing yourself in it. I think this is the best and most beautiful thing about Panchayat. You never feel that its hero is going to Switzerland and dancing with a beautiful heroine. It doesn't feel like that. His heroine goes and meets him at a photo estate or at a samosa shop. Just like we all have met or will meet. So, this story feels very personal. I think this can be the reason behind the love that Panchayat received," said Chandan Roy. The actor noted that this sense of familiarity makes the show feel deeply personal and may be the reason behind its emotional resonance with the audience. The upcoming fourth season of 'Panchayat' is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on June 24. Chandan Roy said the upcoming season is his personal favourite and offered a glimpse into the elements that will define the new storyline. "So, it's coming on the 24th. I think it will come till the night of the 23rd. So, just watch, and you'll know what's going to happen and what's not. But yes, I want to share one thing with all of you. Season 4... Personally, it's my favourite. More than Season 1, 2, and 3. I'm not saying this just because I want you to watch it. I'm genuinely saying it," he said. The actor didn't hesitate to drop hints about what sets the upcoming season apart. "There's a twist. I mean, the nature of Panchayat, its essence, is that this time we're playing around a lot more. We're blowing small things out of proportion, and this is something that happens a lot, especially in North India. Under the peepal tree, near the betel leaf shop, by the tea stall. We're bringing all these elements much more into season 4. So, I hope you will really enjoy it." 'Panchayat' series is directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra. (ANI)
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
With eyes on Himachal panchayat polls before 2027 litmus test, AAP makes fresh start
After drawing a blank in the 2022 Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a campaign to rebuild its base in the state, setting its sights on the Gram Panchayat elections slated to be held in December before facing a litmus test in the 2027 Assembly polls. AAP newly appointed Himachal Pradesh in charge Rituraj Gobind Jha addressed around 300 party workers gathered from across the state at the Community Centre in Summer Hill, Shimla, on Sunday, making it clear that 'the party is here for a long haul and Arvind Kejriwal will be the face of AAP in Himachal Pradesh'. A two-time former MLA from the Kirari Assembly constituency in Delhi and the party's national spokesperson, Jha, outlined the party's immediate priorities: 'Our first task is to demand a party office from the Congress-led state government. 'It is our constitutional right as a national party.' 'The second is the formation of district and Assembly-level units across Himachal,' said Jha, who was appointed the state party in charge on May 22. Acknowledging the previous efforts were 'inconsistent', he noted, 'I am the 18th in-charge of AAP in Himachal. No one before me lasted for more than six months, but I'm here to stay — at least until the 2027 Assembly elections.' Jha accused the state government of 'hesitating to allot a party office' to AAP. 'The Congress fears the AAP will cut its vote bank, but we will fight for our rights,' he said. When a party worker asked whether the AAP would contest the upcoming Gram Panchayat polls, Jha said the decision would be taken after consulting local volunteers and leaders. He, however, confirmed that the party would contest all upcoming polls including the 2027 Assembly elections and Municipal Council elections. The AAP in charge also announced that district-level committees and public meetings would be held in each district and Assembly segment from July 1. The six-hour-long Pradesh Karyakarta Sammelan (state workers' gathering) also saw party workers expressing their grievances, especially voicing concerns over 'neglecting dedicated workers, lack of women representation and dissatisfaction over the functioning of local leaderships'. Concluding the session, Jha said, 'I was expecting more complaints. I will take up all these issues with the party leadership to resolve them.' AAP Himachal co-in-charge Vijay Phulara and other local leaders also attended the meeting.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
KRV demands refund of defrauded money under NREGA works in Shirgaon GP
Belagavi: The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) and union of Kannada organizations protested on the premises of the Deputy Commissioner's office on Monday. They alleged that a fraud was committed by creating fake bills under the NREGA and Employment Guarantee Scheme in Shirgaon Gram Panchayat of Chikkodi taluk, where crores of rupees were misappropriated. They submitted a memorandum to the district administration demanding stringent action. The KRV activists, who gathered at the deputy commissioner's office premises, complained that the gram panchayat president, panchayat development officer, engineer, and the tahsildar of Shirgaon gram panchayat created fake bills and fake attendance under the NREGA and Employment Guarantee scheme, looting crores of rupees of govt money. Under this scheme, the unemployed workers were not provided work. After completing the NREGA works using earthmovers, they created false attendance and pocketed the money. Condemning this mismanagement and demanding a proper investigation, they protested in front of the Chikodi Taluk Panchayat office. They rued that no officer is paying attention to this matter. Therefore, the district administration should immediately pay attention to this matter and conduct a proper investigation. The protesters demanded that the district administration refund the defrauded money and take strict action against the guilty. KRV district unit president Deepak Gudaganatti, Sanju Badigera, Chandrakanth Hukkeri, Anil Navi, Santosh, and Shivaji participated in the protest.
