Telangana state assembly to take up State Panchayat Raj Bill 2018 for discussion today

Telangana state assembly will take up the crucial State Panchayat Raj Bill 2018 and Municipalities Bill 2018 for discussion today. The much awaited and one of its kind Panchayat Raj bill proposed to create over 4300 new Panchayats in the state including 1311 Scheduled Agency Panchayats and strengthen the Panchayat Raj system. 

The bill proposed to make habitations with a population of about 500 into Gram Panchayats. With this, the total number of Panchayats in the state will go up to 12 thousand 741. Telangana State government has introduced the Panchayat Raj Bill 2018, which proposes to empower the rural administration, in the Assembly yesterday. 

The Bill sought to increase reservations for Panchayats from 5 years to 10 years and reservation system will



be re-worked based on the ratio of the population of the communities concerned while exempting the proposed Scheduled Gram Panchayats in Agency areas from rotation of reservations. 

The bill also sought joint check power to Surpanch and Upa-Sarpanch and leave scope for co-option three members. Powers will be given to District Collector to take action against errant Sarpanches and a Tribunal also will be formed for appeal.

The Telangana Municipalities Amendment Bill 2018 also proposes to merge major gram panchayats with adjoining urban local bodies. 136 villages will be made part of 41 urban local Bodies of 5 municipal corporations and 36 municipalities. The Bill also sought to constitute 71 new municipalities by merging 173 villages.