Guna (Madhya Pradesh): Laloni Gram Panchayat of Guna, Madhya Pradesh has sold the Gram Sarpanch post(village head) for Rs 23 lakh through an auction in the village. Outgoing Sarpanch Hargovind Meena informed ETV Bharat that he was elected as sarpanch for consecutive 26 years and this time he decided to sell the sarpanch post for the development of the village. He also informed that the money will be used to make a grand Govardhan temple in the village while Rs 15 lakhs allotted for the village's development will also be used for the same.
Two women candidates Kantibai and Shyamabai were in the fray for the post of Sarpanch, Meena suggested the village to chose the sarpanch through an auction rather than an election as the village will save a great sum of money that could be used in the development of the temple. The villagers decided that whoever gives more money for the construction of the temple, will be elected as sarpanch. Shyamabai started the bidding for the post of Sarpanch with Rs 20 lakhs, while Kantibai won by making a bid for Rs 23 lakhs.
69-year-old Kantibai Meena made the highest bid and the villagers elected Kantibai unopposed as their sarpanch, as well as several women have been elected unopposed on 13 panch posts. Laloni Gram Panchayat has become a Pink Panchayat after the Sarpanch and Panch were elected unopposed. If elected unopposed, the panchayat will also get Rs 15 lakh. The state government has decided that if a woman wins unopposed in these posts, then Rs 15 lakh incentive amount will be given by the Government.
Meena, the outgoing sarpanch of the village, said, "The biggest temple of the village is to be built. It has been lying unfinished for the last several years. For this reason, the whole village was gathered for its construction. After this, a Panchayat was organized and it was decided that the Sarpanch would be elected unopposed in the village so that the temple could also be constructed. The project of the temple is very big. Temple construction work will be started from these Rs 23 lakhs earned in the auction. This temple will be built in about 5 bighas of space and the land is already procured. At the same time, the Rs 15 lakhs that the panchayat will get if elected unopposed, will also be used to build a CC road in the temple. So far 38 lakhs have been garnered, while the rest of the money will be collected from other people in the society," he added.
