Fri Oct 03 03:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

**Odisha Panchayat Power Struggle: BJP Government’s New Rules Spark Outcry**

**Bhubaneswar, Odisha – October 3, 2025** – The political landscape in Odisha is heating up as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s recent amendments to the Odisha Panchayat Samiti Accounting Procedure are drawing sharp criticism from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress party. The new rules, approved last month, grant greater financial authority to government officials, effectively reducing the financial control and authority of elected representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).

Under the amended rules, Block Development Officers (BDOs) can now independently sanction bills up to ₹10 lakh, a significant increase from the previous limit of ₹2 lakh requiring approval from the Panchayat Samiti chairman. Similar expansions in authority have been granted to engineers for development projects, and administrative approval powers for Panchayat Samiti plans now lie with the Chief Development Officer of the Zilla Parishad.

The BJP government defends the changes, claiming they will expedite bill processing and ensure timely implementation of developmental programs. However, the BJD, which held a dominant position in the 2022 rural polls, views the move as a politically motivated attempt to undermine the authority of elected representatives, most of whom are aligned with their party.

“This is a conspiracy to downgrade the authority of elected representatives,” a BJD spokesperson stated. “The BJP is seeking to tamper with a legacy of strengthening the three-tier PRIs, a system nurtured by Biju and Naveen Patnaik.”

The BJD has also voiced concerns over the rebranding and alteration of its flagship scheme, Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha, now known as Bikashita Gaon Bikashita Odisha, with drastically reduced allocations for each panchayat.

Political analysts suggest that the BJP, emboldened by its victories in the 2024 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, is seeking to consolidate its influence at the grassroots level. By controlling the bureaucracy, the BJP can now implement development programs without relying on PRI members from opposing parties.

With panchayat elections due in 2027, the stage is set for a fierce battle between the BJP and BJD as both parties vie for control at the local level. The new Panchayat Samiti rules have become a key battleground, raising questions about the balance of power between elected officials and government bureaucrats in Odisha’s rural governance.

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