JK panch, sarpanch urge Centre to ensure regular payment of honorarium

A few panch and sarpanch in Jammu and Kashmir have urged the Home Ministry to ensure regular payment of their monthly honorarium, which they say is very meagre, officials said on Wednesday.

A delegation of panch and sarpanch from Jammu and Kashmir met Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy recently and apprised him about the irregular payments of their monthly honorarium of Rs 2,500.

The minister assured the delegation that he would look into the matter and do the needful so that the panch and sarpanch in Jammu and Kashmir get their dues regularly, a home ministry official said.

Last week, when a separate delegation of panch and sarpanch met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, they urged him to enhance the honorarium to a respectable level.

Shah had assured them to consider the demand, the official said.

Panchayat elections in the state were held last year after a gap of six years. More than 35,096 panch and sarpanch were elected to 4,490 panchayats.

During the meeting with Shah, the panch and sarpanch were assured that those who are vulnerable to threats from terrorists will get police security and all of them will get an insurance coverage of Rs 2 lakh each.

The central government enhanced its interactions with the panch and sarpanch in Jammu and Kashmir since August 5 when the Centre announced the revocation of the state's special status given under Article 370 and its bifurcation into two union territories.