Sarpanches demand release of Rs 1,121 cr Central funds
They said that despite repeated appeals to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and senior officials in the panchayat raj department, their pleas have gone unanswered for the past seven months.
Under the leadership of Dr Jasti Veeranjaneyulu, national vice-president of All India Panchayat Parishad and chief advisor to the Andhra Pradesh Sarpanches Welfare Association, sarpanchs from Guntur district, cutting across party lines, submitted a memorandum to district collector S Nagalakshmi during the 'Spandana' grievances redressal programme.
The sarpanches appealed to collector Nagalakshmi to facilitate the immediate release of the Central government's 15th Finance Commission funds, sent in December last year, to support the development of the panchayats.
Speaking to the media outside the collector's office, Dr Jasti Veeranjanelu expressed dismay that the Rs 1,121 crore released by the central government in December last year has yet to be credited to the panchayat accounts. He criticised the practice of merely issuing government orders (GOs) and administrative approvals without disbursing the funds, calling it unreasonable. He also stated that there is little hope of receiving another Rs 1,000 crore expected from the Central government in July of the current financial year.
Dr Veeranjanelu revealed that during a recent meeting with senior officials of the Union ministry of panchayat raj in Delhi, he was informed that the next tranche of Rs 1,000 crore would only be transferred if gram panchayats spent the funds received last year and submitted the utilisation certificates.
Collector Nagalakshmi responded positively to the sarpanches' concerns, assuring them that she would bring the matter to the attention of the government and take immediate steps for a resolution.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
29 minutes ago
- Hans India
6 chip projects okayed; to generate 27,000 jobs
New Delhi: The government has approved six semiconductor manufacturing projects so far with a cumulative investment of around Rs 1,55,000 crore, which are expected to generate more than 27,000 direct job opportunities, the Parliament was informed on Wednesday. The government introduced the 'Semicon India Programme', with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore for the development of the semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in the country, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, told the Lok Sabha in a written reply. Semiconductor manufacturing is a highly specialised industry requiring a complex manufacturing process. Therefore, most of the jobs created in this industry are skilled jobs. Further, as the semiconductor industry is a foundational industry, these units are expected to have a cascading effect on employment generation in the other sectors and the supply chain down the line. 'Under the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme, the fiscal support is provided to the approved startups and MSMEs. Out of 22 design companies approved under the scheme so far, 3 companies are in the state of Telangana,' the minister informed. Apart from the above, design infrastructure support has also been approved for 11 companies in Telangana. Moreover, under the Chips to Startup (C2S) programme, 22 institutes from Telangana are being supported with design tools, and 6 institutes are being provided financial support, Prasada said. Similarly, out of 22 design companies approved under the DLI scheme, so far, 3 companies are approved in Tamil Nadu. Design infrastructure support has also been approved for 6 companies in Tamil Nadu.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Jagdeep Dhankhar starts packing to leave Vice President Enclave—Take a look at his net worth, pension and relocation details
Jagdeep Dhankhar, who recently resigned as Vice President of India, is preparing to vacate the Vice President's bungalow, PTI reported on Wednesday. According to the report, the ex-vice president has begun packing up and is expected to vacate the vice president's enclave soon. Although public servants aren't required to reveal their exact asset values, media reports suggest that Dhankhar's total assets are estimated to be around Rs 8 crore. But let's find out more about his wealth, assets, and more. On Monday, the Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, resigned from his post, citing medical reasons. In his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, he mentioned that he was stepping down with immediate effect to 'prioritise his health.' According to an official who told HT that shortly after Dhankhar submitted his resignation at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday, the 74-year-old Dhankhar instructed his staff to begin packing up his belongings. 'The packing is still going on. And there is a sense of hurry,' the official said. Jagdeep Dhankar's net worth and assets Back in 2018, former and late Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a hike in the emoluments of the Vice President of India during his budget speech. According to that announcement, the salary of India's vice president is Rs 4 lakh per month. Along with this, he or she gets various perks, including free accommodation, personal security, medical care, train and air travel, a landline connection, mobile phone service, and staff. Moreover, following the retirement, "He or she 'shall be entitled to secretarial staff consisting of a private secretary, an additional private secretary, a Personal Assistant and two Peons and shall be paid actual charges incurred by him for the maintenance of such secretarial staff,' as per the Ministry of Home Affairs. Jagdeep Dhankhar's assets and background Apart from Dhankhar's salary, his income sources could also include earnings from agricultural land, pension, and interest on bank deposits. Dhankhar assumed office as Vice President on August 11, 2022, and resigned on 21st July 2025. He is the first vice president in India who resign mid-term. Before this position, he had been in distinguished careers, including: A lawyer practising in the Supreme Court and the Rajasthan High Court A Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Jhunjhunu (1989–1991) Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs (1990–1991) Governor of West Bengal (July 2019–July 2022) Jagdeep Dhankhar will get 50 per cent of his salary as pension According to the Vice President's Pension Act, 1997, after his exit, Dhankhar will be entitled to a pension that will be about 50 per cent of his salary, and along with this, he will get the provision of other facilities that will continue even after his resignation. Where is Dhankhar currently residing? In April last year, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, then 74, moved into his official residence at the newly constructed Vice President Enclave, a modern complex located on Church Road, just a short distance from the Parliament House, as per TOI. This Enclave, which also houses the Vice President's office, is a key part of the ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project, aimed at reshaping the heart of India's administrative capital. He stayed at the VP Enclave for nearly 15 months before resigning from his post. Where will he be shifted now? Since Dhankhar is now the former vice president, he is entitled to a government bungalow. A PTI report noted that an Urban Development Ministry official said, "He (Dhankhar) will be offered a Type VIII bungalow in Lutyens' Delhi or another area." Type VIII bungalows are typically assigned to senior union ministers or heads of national political parties. FAQs Q. What happens to his accommodation and salary benefits now? Post-resignation, he vacates the VP Enclave within 30 days and will shift to a Type VIII government bungalow in Lutyens' Delhi. Q. What exactly prompted Dhankhar to resign, and was it officially accepted? On July 21, 2025, Dhankhar submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, stating health concerns and the need to prioritise personal well-being under Article 67(a) of the Constitution.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Fake stamps, currency, diplomatic license plates: Ghaziabad man sets up fake Embassy for imaginary country, poses as Ambassador
A 47-year-old man has been arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police for running a fake embassy of a fictional country from a rented house in Ghaziabad. The accused, identified as Harshvardhan Jain, had turned a residence in the Kavi Nagar area into the so-called diplomatic mission of Westarctica, a self-declared micronation based in the unclaimed region of western Antarctica. According to UP Police's Additional Director General (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash, Jain wasn't just posing as a representative of Westarctica, he was allegedly acting as an 'ambassador' for several other obscure micronations as well, including Seborga, Ladonia, and an entirely made-up country he named Poulvia. For context, micronations are tiny, self-proclaimed 'countries' that declare independence but lack any formal recognition from established sovereign states or international bodies like the United Nations. In India's case, these entities hold no legal or diplomatic status whatsoever, making Jain's so-called 'embassy' completely illegitimate from the start. What makes the story even more unbelievable is the scale of the charade. Jain allegedly created fake diplomatic license plates, stamps, ID cards, and even printed currency. Authorities are investigating the scope of the fraud and whether others were misled or financially exploited in the process. For now, the bizarre episode serves as a reminder that not all embassies are what they seem — especially when they're operating from a quiet neighborhood in Ghaziabad. How did the fake embassies operate? Jain was allegedly appointed an advisor by Seborga, a village and a self-proclaimed principality in the region of Liguria, which is near the French border, in 2012 and an honorary consul by Westarctica in 2016. His office, which was in an upscale Ghaziabad neighbourhood, was converted into a fake consulate by hoisting flags of various micronations he represented. He also used four luxury vehicles that illegally sported diplomatic plates. The police found Rs 44.7 lakh in cash and foreign currency, with an exchange value of around Rs 30 lakhs, during the raid at the 'embassy.' 4 luxury cars were also found, including an Audi and a Mercedes, 20 fake VIP registration number plates of diplomats, 12 fake passports, two PAN cards, 34 stamps of different countries, 12 premium watches, a laptop, a mobile phone, and various other documents. What did the accused tell the police? During the investigation, Jain confessed to running an embassy to dupe businessmen and operate a hawala racket, said additional superintendent of police (Noida STF) Raj Kumar Mishra. 'During the investigation, when Jain was questioned about his work, including cars, other countries' flags, and diplomats' registration numbers, and asked to provide authenticity, he confessed that he was running a fake embassy to dupe businessmen and operate a hawala racket,' Mishra said. He added that 'Jain was running the fake embassy in Ghaziabad since 2016. Earlier, he used to operate from his father's home at KB-45, but around five months ago, he, along with his family, wife and minor son, shifted to KB-35 at a rent of Rs. 1.8 lakh per month, while his father stayed back at his home.' An Uttar Pradesh court has sent him to 14 days of judicial custody, after being produced there on Wednesday. How did the police uncover the embassy? According to the First Information Report (FIR), which was filed by UP-STF sub-inspector Sachin Kumar, the police told they have been receiving tips from various sources about a fake embassy, which was being operated in the Kavi Nagar area. 'For the past few days, police were receiving tips from multiple sources that a fake embassy was operational in Kavi Nagar, and the suspect used to move in vehicles carrying VIP registration number plates of diplomats,' the FIR said. 'He also installed flags of different countries on his cars and was involved in duping people by posing as an ambassador to these micronations.' Senior officials from UP-STF, on the condition of anonymity, mentioned about receiving inputs from a central agency. The FIR added, 'When central agencies were contacted to check the authenticity, it was confirmed that no embassy can be run without approval from the ministry of external affairs of India, and it is against the sovereignty of India.'
