Haryana News: Naib Singh Saini government of Haryana has taken an important decision to tighten the corruption spread in panchayats. Now sarpanch and punch will not be able to easily escape in cases of irregularities in development works or damage to the property of Gram Panchayat. The government is going to amend the sub -section (5) of Section 53 of the Panchayati Raj Act, which will make it possible to take long action on these officials.

Under the amendment, if any disturbance comes in the tenure of a sarpanch or punch, action against it can be done for 6 years from the date of disturbance or two years after being removed from the post, whichever is later. That is, if the scam comes out at the last moment of the tenure of a sarpanch and it takes a few years to the investigation, even if it has passed two years from the post.

The current law provided that the action could only be taken up to two years of withdrawing from the post or six years from the date of disturbance, which was earlier. Because of this, many times the sarpanch used to escape easily by delaying the investigation. Complaints used to come after withdrawing from the post and time was spent by not supporting the investigation, which led to the opportunity of legal action. The new proposed rule will strengthen this process and ensure compensation for the loss.

Along with this, the government has also taken a big decision regarding the Shamlat (shared) body land of the gram panchayats. Under the amendment made in 2023, arrangements were made to give ownership to the occupiers by legalizing the constructions up to 500 square yards built up to 31 March 2004 or before. But the condition in this was that the value of the land should not be less than the market rate while giving ownership.

Now the government has felt that it is not practical to decide the market rate of the land in every village. Therefore, by bringing a new amendment, it has been proposed that such lands will be able to sell such lands at the rates prescribed by the government. This will not only simplify the process, but it will also make it easier for the villagers to get ownership of the land.