A total of 35 sarpanchs in Maharashtra have lost their lives to Covid-19, Governor BS Koshyari was informed on Monday. A delegation of 14 sarpanchs, including six women, led by Datta Kakde Patil, regional president of Sarpanch Parishad Mumbai, met Koshyari at Raj Bhavan and sought that kin of the deceased be provided financial assistance.

The delegation presented a memorandum to the governor demanding that funds received by gram panchayats under the 15th Finance Commission be spent only for development purposes and creation of infrastructure in villages. The delegation also said a well-equipped “sarpanch bhavan” must be built in Mumbai.