The Chhattisgarh government is taking decisive steps to combat corruption within the panchayats. The former Gram Sachiv of Bhawanpur has been sentenced to civil jail for 30 days for failing to deposit dues. This action is part of a broader effort to address financial irregularities, with arrest warrants issued for other involved secretaries and Sarpanchs.
Administrative action, under the leadership of IAS officer Prakhar Chandrakar, targets those who have not settled outstanding dues related to construction projects. Alok Thawait, the ex-secretary of Gram Panchayat Bhawanpur, was jailed for failing to deposit ₹11,95,790. Warrants have also been issued to the secretaries and Sarpanchs of other panchayats, including Ganjaibhauna, Godihori, Reda, Amalipali B, and Jildi.
Panchayats that have made partial payments have been warned of imprisonment if they do not settle their remaining debts. The government’s strong action serves as a warning to officials involved in corruption that failure to pay outstanding dues will result in asset seizure and possible imprisonment.
Civil jail is a legal procedure used to force debtors to pay their dues through asset seizure or labor. This contrasts with criminal jail, where imprisonment is a form of punishment for criminal offenses.