Andhra Pradesh Offers Up to ₹50 Lakh for Unopposed Village Panchayat Elections

Andhra Pradesh has raised cash incentives for village panchayats that elect their sarpanches unopposed. Ahead of the first phase of panchayat elections, the state government announced payments based on population, ranging from <b>₹15 lakh to ₹50 lakh</b> for eligible panchayats. The first-phase election notification is due on Friday. Panchayats with populations below 5,000 will receive ₹15 lakh, while those with 5,001 to 10,000 residents will receive ₹25 lakh. Panchayats with more than 10,000 residents will receive ₹50 lakh. The funds can be used for village development programmes.