On Gandhi Jayanti, October 2, Gram Sabhas will be started in all the gram panchayats and their dependant villages of Chhattisgarh. Rural schemes and budget approval, approval of expenditure of last year, selection of work and beneficiaries and social audit will be done in these gram sabhas.
In the gram sabhas, villagers will be made aware of the implementation of the provisions of section 3 (2) of the Tribal and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Forest Rights’ Recognition) Act 2006.
Officers of Panchayat and Rural Development Department here on Monday said that a circular had been issued to all the district collectors of the state regarding organizing the gram sabhas. In the circular, it was instructed to prepared a Janpad Panchayat-wise time-schedule for conducting gram sabhas in each village panchayats and their dependant villages, so that gram sabha could be conducted at one village of the village panchayat at one time.
With such arrangement, sarpanch and secretary will be available in the gram sabha easily. 18 points have been prescribed for discussion in the gram sabha, according to which, at first action taken report on the implementation of decisions taken in the last meeting of the gram sabha should be presented.
In the gram sabha, proposal will be passed on the approval of sanctioned works under the backward area grant fund (BRGF) schemes in the year 2012-13 and 2013-14, their cost and expenditure on construction work and issuance of utilization certificate. Review of the progress of constructed and under construction toilets in villages will be done.
Headwise review of income and expenditure of the amount provided to the village panchayats during the financial year 2013-14, beside review of demand of work and the position of job made available to the villagers under MNREGA.
The other important points to be discussed at the Gram Sabhas are – recovery of panchayat tax and probable new taxes to be introduced, organisation of different ‘Melas’, markets and Kanji house and their implementation, social audit of pension schemes, nutritious food, health, sanitation, drinking water, PDS, midday meal, agriculture, horticulture, milk production and fisheries.
Development block level field staff of departments concerned and employees of the area should mandatorily be present at the Gram Sabhas.
In view of local needs, the collector can add other subject matters in the work schedule of the Gram Sabha. Consolidated report of gram sabha should be sent to the director, Panchayat before October 25.