Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, March 04: The Pramukh, Panchayat Samiti Diglipur Mr. Dipankar Mistry along with other elected representatives of the PRIs of Diglipur have jointly written a letter addressed to the Lieutenant Governor, A & N Islands, Raj Niwas, Sri Vijaya Puram and the Chief Secretary, A & N Administration, Sri Vijaya Puram and raised a host of issues and demands in pertinence to the functioning of the PRIs.
According to information, The Pramukh, Panchayat Samiti Diglipur Mr. Dipankar Mistry on 17/02/2025, all the PRIs of Diglipur block, members of Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti and 15 Panchayat Pradhans of Diglipur area, unemployed cooperative societies, NGOs and general public reportedly staged a Dharna in front of the Administrative Building, Diglipur and after four days of pen down, on 21/02/2026, all the PRIs of Diglipur block, members of Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti and 15 Panchayat Pradhans of Diglipur area, unemployed women workers, NGOs and general public reportedly staged a Dharna and Chakka jam in Subhash Bazar of Diglipur. But till now reportedly no action has been taken on their issues by the District Administrator of North and Middle Andaman, the letter read.
Speaking to Andaman Sheekha Daily, the Pramukh, Panchayat Samiti Diglipur Mr. Dipankar Mistry said that keeping it in mind, in coordination with all the public representatives of North and Middle Andaman, it has been decided that on 05/03/2025, all the Panchayat Raj Institutions, Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti members of Dignipur, Rangat and Mayabunder blocks and the Pradhans of 15 Panchayats of Diglipur area will march past (Chalo Port Blair) to the capital Sri Vijaya Puram and on 06/03/2025, a mass dharna (Raj Niwas Gherao) will be held in front of Raj Niwas under the leadership of lone Member of Parliament from A & N Islands Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, he said.
The key demands which they are reportedly going to raise in their dharna are providing essential fertilizers like DAP and Urea to the Farmers of Diglipur by the Agriculture Department, to resume the diversion of Commercial and Residential (Houseside) Lands, which was halted long back, to immediately open the Sub District Hospital in Diglipur, to build a new Quarry site and the timely renewal of the existing quarry site in Diglipur to avail the commercial or domestic earth cutting permit on time, Re-Establishment of Executive Engineer, PRIs) office in Diglipur, North Andaman, issue of Work Orders to Un-employment Co-operative Societies etc., they said.
Speaking on Separate Directorate for Panchayati Raj Institutions in A & N Islands, Pramukh said that the three-tier Panchayati Raj system was implemented in Andaman and Nicobar Islands along with Kerala in 1994. But Andaman and Nicobar Administration has merged the Panchayati Raj Directorate with Rural Development Directorate under order number 2166 dated 29/06/2004 for unknown reasons, he alleged.
Further, he mentioned that in the past the Panchayati Raj system was formed with the aim of developing water demands, which focused on local self-governance, decision making and resource allocation. But, now when all the PRIs of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are struggling to get back their powers, the Rural Development Authorities are forcing them to implement all the centrally sponsored rural development schemes.
It is also to be noted that in 2018 the charge of Secretary (RD, Panchayat) was assigned to the Deputy Commissioner (South Andaman) as Additional Chief Secretary, he said. However, reportedly due to his being busy in various departments, it reportedly became impossible for the authority to conduct works of the PRIs in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. As a result, there is reportedly a shortage of resources and Administrative lapses have led to issues in the PRI systems which have negative impact on both the public and the PRI Members, the Pramukh alleged. Hence the charge of Secretary (RD/Panchayat) should be given to any competent IAS Administrator to ensure smooth management of PRIs, the Pramukh argued.
Throwing light on Devolution of powers to PRIs, Mr. Mistry said that, as per 73rd & 74th amendment to the Constitution, the Pradhan, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad have been reportedly empowered to discharge their functions in close coordination with all concerned departments of the area under the administrative and financial control. The PRIs should be developed in a totally separate manner with the cooperation and consultation of the departments concerned, he maintained. The present law has reportedly completely abolished the earlier provisions regarding establishment of PRIs, he argued.
Moreover, the agreements made between the Regional Development/Panchayat Department and all the concerned departments of Panchayati Raj in 2023 and 2024 to formulate a state policy for transfer of funds to Panchayati Raj Institutions have reportedly neither been implemented nor any suitable policy has been formulated for transfer of funds to Panchayati Raj as per the legislation and Nicobar Panchayat Regulation 1994, he further said.
Enhancement of Honorarium to PRIs also found a place in the host of demands of the PRIs, the Pramukh further added.
Meanwhile, the elected public representatives of the PRIs of entire N & M Andaman District are reportedly proceeding to Sri Vijaya Puram in wake of their proposed part of program “Chalo Port Blair”, Mr. Mistry further informed.
