Telangana Sarpanches JAC demand monthly SFC grants, Rs 25,000 honorarium

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Sarpanches Association Joint Action Committee (JAC) has demanded that the state government release State Finance Commission (SFC) grants to Gram Panchayats every month. Additionally, the JAC wants the Sarpanch honorarium increased from Rs 6,500 to Rs 25,000 because living costs are rising and the job entails many responsibilities. Survi Yadaiah Goud, Founding [...]<strong>HYDERABAD:</strong> The Telangana Sarpanches Association Joint Action Committee (JAC) has demanded that the state government release State Finance Commission (SFC) grants to Gram Panchayats every month. Additionally, the JAC wants the Sarpanch honorarium increased from Rs 6,500 to Rs 25,000 because living costs are rising and the job entails many responsibilities. Survi Yadaiah Goud, Founding State President of the Telangana Sarpanches Association JAC, said the government should release SFC grants to Gram Panchayats every month. As a result, he explained, delays in receiving grants have made it hard for new Sarpanches who started in 2026 to manage basic services such as sanitation, drinking water, street lighting, drainage, and road maintenance in their villages. He said the state government has not released SFC grants to new Sarpanches even after ten months. Therefore, he stressed that these grants should be given to Gram Panchayats every month. <h2><strong>JAC opposes diversion of CFC grants </strong></h2> Survi Yadaiah Goud also criticized the state government for diverting Central Finance Commission (CFC) grants meant for Gram Panchayats to other uses, such as paying electricity bills. He said this is unfair. Instead, he asked that grants from the Centre be used only for the Panchayats and credited to their accounts on time. He said the government must stop using panchayat grants to pay electricity bills. The association also said that the current Sarpanch honorarium of Rs 6,500 is too low. Sarpanches work for village development and are always available to villagers. For this reason, Survi Yadaiah asked the government to raise the honorarium to Rs 25,000 each month. He said this is necessary because living expenses are higher now and the job entails more duties. <h2><strong>Key demands of Telangana Sarpanches Association JAC </strong></h2> The main demands of the JAC are: release SFC grants to Gram Panchayats every month, use CFC grants only for Panchayats and not for other things, stop using panchayat grants to pay electricity bills, pay all the grants owed to Gram Panchayats right away, clear unpaid bills for past development works done by Sarpanches, raise the Sarpanch honorarium from Rs 6,500 to Rs 25,000, give Gram Panchayats the funds, powers, and authority they need, and solve problems faced by the new Sarpanches. Overall, these demands aim to strengthen Gram Panchayats and improve village development. "Our main goal is to make sure Gram Panchayats get their grants, Sarpanches are respected, and villages develop. Furthermore, in addition to giving SFC grants every month, CFC grants must be used only for Panchayats. The government should be fair and raise the Sarpanch honorarium to Rs 25,000," said Survi Yadaiah Goud. The association warned that if their demands are not met, they will start stronger protests to fight for their rights and for the welfare of Gram Panchayats across the state.