Pawan Kalyan Increases Independence Day Allowances for Panchayats

Hyderabad: In a significant move for Andhra Pradesh's local governance, Pawan Kalyan, the state's Panchayat Raj Minister, has dramatically increased the allowances for Independence Day celebrations. Previously, the panchayats received a mere Rs 100 for minor and Rs 250 for major panchayat celebrations. Under Kalyan’s new directive, these amounts have been raised to Rs 10,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively.

This substantial increase, announced by Pawan Kalyan via social media, represents a 100-fold rise in the budget allocated for Independence Day and Republic Day events. Kalyan framed this change as a vital step towards empowering panchayats, which had long been overlooked.

Kalyan highlighted that this adjustment marks a significant shift towards fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi's vision of Gram Swarajya (village self-governance). He also emphasized that this change reflects the commitment of the NDA Government in Andhra Pradesh, led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to enhance the role of local governance.

The increase in celebration allowances is expected to boost the participation and engagement of panchayats in national festivities, aligning with broader efforts to strengthen grassroots governance in the state.