Hike in BDO’s Bill Passing Power from Rs. 2 Lakh to Rs. 10 Lakh as Curtailment of Panchayat Samiti Power, Calls It an Undemocratic Decision: BJD

•  A move to usurp the powers of elected representatives and exercise them directly
•  Encouragement of bureaucracy through enhancement of BDOs’ powers
•  Targeting “PC collection” for BJP leaders by keeping BDOs under pressure

Bhubaneswar, 11/09/2025: The State Cabinet yesterday approved a move to enhance the financial powers of Block Development Officers (BDOs) in Panchayat Samitis, raising their bill approval limit without countersignature from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh. Today, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) strongly criticized this decision and warned of launching a state wide agitation against it.
Addressing a press conference at Shankha Bhavan, MLA Dr. Arun Kumar Sahoo and Party Vice President & State Senior Media Coordinator Shri Pratap Jena denounced the Cabinet decision as undemocratic and unconstitutional.
Dr. Sahoo stated that during the tenure of the Naveen Patnaik Government, Panchayat Samitis had been significantly empowered to strengthen grassroots democracy. In sharp contrast, the present BJP Government is attempting to undermine these institutions and erode the authority of elected representatives. This move is nothing short of a direct assault on the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, he said.
He pointed out that earlier, any bill exceeding Rs. 2 lakh required the countersignature of the Panchayat Samiti Chairman. Under the new rule, however, bills up to Rs. 10 lakh can now be approved solely with the BDO’s signature. Since most works executed by Panchayat Samitis fall within this bracket, the change effectively sidelines Panchayat Samiti Chairpersons. By stripping elected representatives of their powers, the Government has dealt a severe blow to democracy itself. This is in clear violation of the Constitution, which mandates that Panchayat Samitis function under the stewardship of elected representatives, Dr. Sahoo emphasized.
He further added that this politically motivated move targets Panchayat Samitis because the majority of Chairpersons belong to the BJD. The BJP Government has deliberately curtailed their powers to impose bureaucratic dominance. Ironically, the same BJP that once opposed ‘Babu Raj’ is now actively promoting it, he remarked.
Highlighting a pattern of anti-democratic actions, Dr. Sahoo recalled how under the Bikashita Gaon, Bikashita Odisha Yojana, District Collectors were given authority to reject Panchayat decisions, while MLAs were empowered to recommend up to 40% of project proposals. This makes it abundantly clear that the BJP Government is systematically centralizing power, weakening grassroots institutions, and depriving elected representatives of their rightful authority, he said.
Shri Pratap Jena added that the very essence of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system lies in the decentralization of power to the grassroots level. By keeping BDOs under political pressure and control, BJP leaders intend to misuse them as instruments for PC (percentage commission) collection in Panchayat-level works. This is a regressive and dangerous move, he stated.
Concluding the press conference, the Biju Janata Dal reiterated its strong condemnation of this anti-democratic decision and demanded its immediate and unconditional withdrawal. The party warned that if the Government fails to revoke the decision, the BJD will mobilize Block Chairpersons, Panchayat Samiti Members, and Sarpanches across the State to stage mass protests on the streets.