YSRCP Slams Pawan Kalyan Over Panchayati Raj Day Amid MGNREGS Wage Delays

YSRCP Panchayati Raj Wing State President Vennupusa Ravindra Reddy strongly criticized Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan for celebrating Panchayati Raj Day while MGNREGS wages have remained unpaid for over 11 weeks. He questioned how poor labourers, especially in drought-hit regions like Rayalaseema and North Andhra, are expected to celebrate when they haven’t received their rightful earnings since February 6.

Despite Pemmāsani Chandrasekhar serving as the Union Minister of State for Rural Development, the NDA coalition government in the state has failed to clear wage arrears, forcing lakhs of workers to migrate in search of livelihood. Ravindra Reddy accused TDP leaders of large-scale corruption in the appointment of Mates under the employment scheme, alleging that bribes of up to ₹15 lakh were collected per post, and fake wages were drawn using forged signatures—while genuine workers were sidelined.

With no new jobs initiated since April 1 and previous bills still pending, the state’s 47 lakh active job card holders are in distress. He further pointed out that the Ombudsman system, intended to check corruption in MGNREGS, has been non-functional for the past nine months—even pro-TDP media like Andhra Jyothy has highlighted this issue.

Ravindra Reddy also condemned the diversion of Panchayati Raj funds, citing the transfer of ₹500 crore and the failure to deposit ₹1,120 crore from the 15th Finance Commission into local body accounts. He decried the political targeting of Sarpanches, including the revocation of cheque-signing powers without due process, and the withdrawal of security from Zilla Parishad Chairpersons—violating G.O. Ms No. 431 issued by Chandrababu Naidu himself in 1997.

He demanded the immediate disbursal of wages, restoration of local body powers, reactivation of Ombudsman oversight, and reinstatement of gunmen to ZP Chairpersons. "A government that cannot ensure basic livelihoods has no moral right to celebrate Panchayati Raj Day," he said.