
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar has demanded a comprehensive probe into alleged misuse of Central Finance Commission grants to village panchayats in Telangana. On July 30, he…
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar has demanded a comprehensive probe into alleged misuse of Central Finance Commission grants to village panchayats in Telangana. On July 30, he wrote to both the Central and State governments, claiming funds were spent against established rural guidelines and that sarpanches faced administrative pressure to violate norms. He submitted evidence with his complaint.

Union Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh forwarded the complaint to State Panchayati Raj Minister Danasari Seethakka. However, Panchayati Raj and Rural Employment Commissioner Divya Devarajan issued a statement the next day, calling the allegations factually baseless. Bandi Sanjay said violating fund guidelines undermines village development and the financial autonomy of local bodies, urging a fair inquiry based on sarpanch complaints.
Telangana has seen repeated friction over fund devolution between the State and Union governments, especially after the bifurcation. The Central Finance Commission grants to panchayats bypass the State government, creating a direct fiscal link to the Centre that local politicians often challenge. Nearly 12,000 gram panchayats in Telangana receive these tied grants, with Rs 2,500 crore allocated in the current cycle. The outcome rests on whether the Centre forms a probe committee or the state government resists. The next signal to watch is if Rajiv Ranjan Singh replies to the Commissioner's denial.
Source: thehansindia.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.