NationalFriday, 26 June 2026·The Hindu - National
Punjab raises Sarpanch honorarium to ₹10,000 per month from August 15, 2026
Punjab announced a ₹10,000 monthly honorarium for village Sarpanches from August 15, 2026, highlighting grassroots governance and Panchayati Raj.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In June 2026, the Punjab Government announced that every village Sarpanch in the State will receive a ₹10,000 monthly honorarium from August 15, 2026, as part of its rural governance push.
Key specifics
- ₹10,000 per month will be paid to each Sarpanch in Punjab from August 15, 2026.
- Bhagwant Singh Mann made the announcement at a Sarpanch Milni in Bhatinda, Punjab.
- The government said the earlier honorarium had been ₹2,000 per month before the new increase.
- Arvind Kejriwal called it a historic decision and said it was the first such move in the country.
- The statement linked the decision to Panchayati Raj Institutions and the fact that around 70% of India’s population lives in villages.
Exam lens
Question type: polity and local governance, match-the-following on Panchayati Raj terms, dates and amounts; key facts: Sarpanch, ₹10,000 monthly honorarium, August 15, 2026, Bhatinda, Punjab. TNPSC may ask which State announced a higher honorarium for village heads and from which date.