Federation seeks CM's intervention on grants to local bodies

The Federation of Village Panchayat Presidents today said that local bodies at the village level did not really enjoy the power, with the officials denying powers to them to decide on anything.
Talking to newsmen here, President of the Federation, Muniyandi and General Secretary, Sheik Mohammed said Tamil Nadu government had earlier allocated 10 per cent of its revenue as grant to the local bodies but now deducted Rs 1500 crore from the grant, through out the state, they said.
Many of the local bodies were struggling to carry out the development activities and regular functions due to deductions in the grants.

The Chief Minister should intervene and take action regarding giving grant to the local bodies taking into consideration the interest of the villages, they urged.
Charging the BJP government at the Centre of trying to paralyse the 100-day Employment Guarantee programmes, they demanded the government to extend Employment guarantee programmes to 200 days and pay the workers at Rs 250 a day.