AGARTALA, Nov 13 (TIWN): From now onwards Panchayat Secretaries will be given more power than earlier and they will report time to time what is happening in schools and offices.

Chief Minister Biplab Deb addressing in Officers meet at Nazrul Kalshetra has announced that and said. "If Headmaster is absent in the School, the school has to report to the Secretary".

Like Chief Secretary, Panchayat Secretaries will be given equal power in their locality.

However, with the announcement once again it may hit the dignity of the Govt Employees, who are generally much above / qualified than the Panchayat Secretaries even according to the constitution.

The panchayat is chaired by the president of the village, known as a Sarpanch. The term of the elected representatives is five years. The Secretary of the panchayat is a non-elected representative, appointed by the state government, to over see panchayat activities.