IMPHAL, April 26: A group of pradhan today lambasted the State level selection committee of the outstanding Gram Panchayat Award stating that the committee had wrongly shortlisted the winner.
The award for the Outstanding Gram Panchayat was distributed on April 24 during the National Pancyatat Raj celebration at the national capital.
Speaking at a press conference today at the Manipur Press Club, Bishnupur District CD Block pradhan W Borbati Devi said that the State Panchayat Performance & Assessment Committee (SPPAC) which is an independent body had selected six gram panchayats through a marking and grading system.
She said the six were selected from among 16 gram panchayats that had applied for the Panchayat Sashaktikaran Puruskar (PSP), Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puruskar (RGGSP) and Award for good work in the implementation of MGNREGS.
She identified the first six shortlisted GPs as Toubul Gram Panchayat, Wangoo Terakhong GP, Phayeng PG, Kyamgei GP, Waiton GP and Pangantabi GP.
Meanwhile, a state-level selection committee was supposed to shortlist three out of the six as the recipients of the awards; however, the committee selected only one out of the six namely Phayeng GP and two others which were not on the list, she said.
Subsequently, the three received their awards on April 24, she added.
Borbati said the selection process of the SPPAC was fair, but the state-level committee had violated the rule during selection of the final three.
If such trend continues in the future, it will only dishearten the gram panchayats, she added.
She further claimed that they will report the matter to the Rural Development & Panchayati Raj office and other concerned officials to take actions against the committee members.
It may be mentioned that the 2014-15 winners Toubul GP and Phayeng GP received Rs 15 lakhs each under PSP.