Hyderabad: In a move aimed at preventing delays in critical village works, the state govt has fixed a seven-working-day deadline for upa sarpanches to sign cheques and approve expenditure proposals in gram panchayats.The decision comes after repeated complaints that development works, sanitation services and drinking water projects were being stalled due to disputes between sarpanches and their deputies.The panchayat raj and rural development department acted after receiving numerous representations from gram panchayats. Minister D Anasuya Seethakka had directed officials to address the issue, following reports that some upa sarpanches were withholding signatures because of political differences, local rivalries and other disputes.Following the minister’s directions, panchayat raj commissioner D Divya on Thursday issued orders authorising district collectors to act against upa sarpanches who unnecessarily delay signing cheques or approving expenditures through digital signatures.Under the new guidelines, upa sarpanches must sign bill-related cheques or approve expenditure proposals within seven working days of submission. If they fail to do so without a valid reason, the district collector will conduct an inquiry.Officials said several instances had come to their notice where payments were held up because upa sarpanches refused to sign cheques. Some cases reportedly involved social and political tensions at the village level, while sarpanch associations said personal rivalries and local power struggles were often responsible for the delays.The govt introduced the joint cheque signing system between sarpanches and upa sarpanches under the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018. Earlier, cheque signing authority was shared between the sarpanch and the panchayat secretary.As per the latest orders, collectors will examine whether there were genuine grounds for withholding approval. If an intentional delay is established, action will be initiated under the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act.The govt has also empowered collectors to transfer cheque-drawing authority to another statutory functionary if an upa sarpanch is found to have deliberately stalled payments. The power may be delegated to the panchayat secretary, mandal panchayat officer or mandal parishad development officer.The orders follow complaints from several gram panchayats that bills remained unpaid even after sarpanches had completed their part of the process. Sarpanch associations had represented to the govt that such disputes were affecting village development and delaying essential public services.Officials said valid objections to payments would continue to be examined, but expenditures could not be blocked indefinitely without justification. The govt has directed district collectors, additional collectors and district panchayat officers to ensure strict implementation of the new rules.
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