Saibal GuptaKolkata, July 15 -- The West Bengal government is likely to table a Bill in the upcoming Assembly session starting from July 17 to strip elected gram panchayat pradhans of their financial powers and transfer those responsibilities to government officials through an amendment to the West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973.
The proposed amendment is aimed at strengthening financial oversight, enhancing transparency and improving accountability in the implementation of rural development programmes across the state.
Under the present system, gram panchayat pradhans exercise financial authority over several major rural development programmes, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and projects fun...