KV against withdrawal of IAP funds to 33 GPs

BHUBANESWAR: BJP Legislature Party leader KV Singhdeo on Wednesday said the State Government should seriously take up with the Centre a proposal from the Union Home Ministry to stop funds under the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) to 33 gram panchayats in Koraput and Nabarangpur districts where sarpanches were elected uncontested.  Raising the issue during zero hour, Singhdeo said such a proposal from the Home Ministry needs to be condemned. He referred to the statement of Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh who disagreed with the proposal saying that this would help Maoists grow in strength in the State. The BJP leader requested the Speaker to direct the Government to take the matter seriously and discuss the issue with the Centre. Or else funding to these panchayats will be stopped, he said and added, “We will play into the hands of the Maoists.”The issue was raised by Amar Prasad Satpathy (NCP) who said this would not help in any way to contain the Maoist problem in the State.