New Delhi : As per List II (State List) of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, ‘Panchayat’, being ‘local government’, is a State Subject. Accordingly, all matters relating to Panchayat including payment of salary to members of Gram Panchayats are within the purview of State Governments.
The Ministry of Panhayati Raj seeks to transform Gram Sabhas as vibrant democratic institutions at the grass-roots level. In this regard, a detailed advisory has been issued to States in August 2021. As the role of Ward Members of Gram Sabha is important for the efficient functioning of the Gram Panchayats, States have been advised that Ward Members of the Gram Panchayats should invariably be made members of various Sub-Committees of Gram Panchayats. Further, in order to incentivize participation of the Ward Members in these Sub-Committees, payment of honorarium/sitting fees up to Rs.1000/- per month has been suggested from the own source of revenues of the Gram Panchayats or from State Government’s assistance to the Gram Panchayats. In case of services provided by the Gram Pradhan/Sarpanch to these Committees, the honorarium/sitting fees for such services have been suggested to be upto Rs.5000/- per month from the own source of revenues of the Gram Panchayats or from State Government’s assistance to the Gram Panchayats. The Central Finance Commission’s grants are however not to be used for payment of such honorarium/sitting fees.
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Kapil Moreshwar Patil in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
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