Haryana sarpanches stage protest against e-tender policy

Chandigarh: Sarpanches of several villages on Wednesday staged a protest in Panchkula against the Haryana government's e-tender policy for development works in rural areas.

Police were deployed in large numbers and barricades set up at the Panchkula-Chandigarh border as members of the Haryana Sarpanches' Association -- a body representing the village heads -- threatened to march towards Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's residence.

On Monday, a meeting on the issue between the Haryana government and the village heads failed to find any resolution.

After the recently held panchayat polls in Haryana, the newly elected village heads have been protesting against the e-tendering system, claiming that it would curtail their spending powers.

While Development and Panchayat Minister Devender Singh Babli reiterated that the e-tendering system would bring transparency and ensure quality in development projects, the Haryana Sarpanches' Association said they are against the policy.

The association claimed that the new policy would create "hindrances" in development works.

The village heads have also warned that they would continue their protest if the government did not accept their demands.

Last week, Khattar asserted that the e-tendering system in Panchayati Raj Institutions aimed to bring transparency in development works.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have also extended their support to the sarpanches.

Under the e-tendering system, village heads can approve development works up to Rs 2 lakh at their own level but e-tendering is mandatory for projects above Rs 2 lakh.