*Coalition Govt looting panchayat raj funds after Sarpanch tenure ends*

Tadepalli, April 9: YSRCP Panchayat Raj Wing State President Vennapusa Ravindra Reddy strongly condemned the coalition government for conspiring to loot Panchayat funds immediately after the tenure of elected Sarpanches ended on April 2. Addressing the media, he criticised the government for issuing hurried GOs on April 3 under the pretext of “water security” with the sole intention of diverting public funds to benefit TDP leaders. He questioned why Rs. 1,026 crore released by the Centre under the 15th Finance Commission was deliberately withheld for months and is now being mobilised through Special Officers to facilitate misuse.

He stated that the government has failed to conduct local body elections, has not finalised BC population data or reservations, and is intentionally extending Special Officer rule to enable large-scale financial diversion at the village level. At the same time, former Sarpanches who executed legitimate works are being denied payments, while bogus bills are allegedly being cleared in favour of TDP leaders. He questioned whether public funds are being treated as personal property by N. Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan.

Ravindra Reddy further stated that the government had earlier blocked utilisation of the Rs. 1,026 crore funds even for essential drinking water and sanitation works, causing severe mental distress to Sarpanches despite funds being available in accounts. He warned Special Officers and officials not to sign fraudulent cheques under political pressure, stating that legal action would be pursued and they would be held accountable in courts.

He also said the government's vendetta against 8,500 Panchayat Secretaries appointed during the YSRCP regime, highlighting that their salaries were reduced from Rs. 28,250 to Rs. 25,250 through GO 60, causing a monthly loss of Rs. 3,000 per employee. He demanded immediate withdrawal of GO 60 and restoration of salaries as per GO 91. He concluded by asserting that the coalition government is systematically undermining local governance, enabling corruption at the grassroots level, and trampling the rights of former Sarpanches, and warned that YSRCP will continue to fight against these irregularities.