Funds crunch leaves gram panchayat power bills unpaid

In villages, a group called the gram panchayat takes care of clean streets, drinking water and streetlights.

To do this work, the panchayat needs money, and it also has to pay electricity bills.

But many gram panchayats in two areas called Karimnagar and Jagtial do not have enough money.

They have not paid their electricity bills for a long time, so the unpaid amount has grown very big.

The electricity company sent letters asking them to pay at least 15 percent of what they owe.

The panchayats say the state government has not given them the money it promised.

Some panchayats have paid part of the bills, and others are asking to be excused from paying.

Villages also need money for cleaning during the rainy season to stop diseases like dengue and malaria.

Officials say the panchayats should use special funds from the central government to pay the bills.