Gram panchayat president sweeps taluk panchayat office to protest being bypassed in selection of beneficiaries for government scheme

Karunakara Shetty, the president, plans to continue sweeping the office of the Hosanagar taluk panchayat if higher-ups till the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department takes note of his protest and takes action against the ‘erring officials’

The president of Mudugoppa gram panchayat in Hosanagar taluk of Shivamogga district in Karnataka swept the office of the Hosanagar taluk panchayat to register his protest against officials bypassing the gram panchayat in the selection of beneficiaries for a government scheme.

Karunakara Shetty, the president, swept the office of the Hosanagar taluk panchayat on May 24. The video of him sweeping the office has gone viral in the taluk. Mr. Shetty plans to continue sweeping the office if higher-ups in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department did not take note of his protest and take action against the erring officials.

Mr. Shetty told The Hindu that under the MGNREGA scheme, areca growers are eligible to take up work in plantations. Each beneficiary would get funds to develop a plantation on one acre.

“A beneficiary would get up to ₹1 lakh, of which 60% is towards labour and the remaining 40% for materials, including saplings. The officials of Hosanagar TP have selected 35 beneficiaries bypassing the gram sabha and gram panchayat,” he said.

Alleging corruption in the process, Mr. Shetty said the officials got in touch with farmers and took money assuring them being included in the scheme.

“As per the rules and laws pertaining to panchayat raj, the beneficiaries have to be selected in the gram sabha and later the gram panchayat has to forward the names to officials. However, in this case, the officials selected the beneficiaries on their own and got the list approved by the Executive Officer of the TP. I have registered my protest and also have written to senior officials,” he said.

Karunakara Shetty chose to sweep the taluk panchayat (TP) office, as the TP officers had done the job of the panchayat. “When they have done the job meant for the gram panchayat, I am doing their job by way of sweeping the office,” he said.