OPPN MLAs HAVE NOTHING TO BOAST ABOUT >>
CHUCHILL ALEMAO(Represents Benaulim)
* Can't not cite any major project taking shape in Benaulim, barring hot mixing of the roads in the last one year
DIGAMBAR KAMAT
(Margao MLA)
* Hot-mixing of works that have been taken up in Margao were sanctioned prior to the 2017 Assembly election
LUIZINHO FALEIRO
(Navelim)
* Expected many works to take concrete shape in his constituency over the last one year, but only a few have crystalized till date
REGINALDO LOURENCO
(Curtorim)
* Not a single project, not even roads, have been taken up in Curtorim constituency during the last one year
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MARGAO: Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai’s “positive political compromise” might have helped him bring a host of development projects in Fatorda, but Salcete’s countryside has nothing to cheer about in the last one year after the minority heartland had rooted for the secular forces in the 2017 Assembly poll.
While a couple of projects have taken shape in Fatorda and many others will see light of the day, Salcete MLAs have nothing to boast about as these opposition represented constituencies were virtually treated with apathy, neglect and indifference at the hands of the coalition government during the last one year.
Even NCP MLA Churchill Alemao, representing Benaulim, who took pride in saying that development works to tune of Rs 100 crore has been sanctioned for his constituency, could not cite any major project taking shape in Benaulim, barring hot mixing of the roads in the last one year. “I expect the government to tender works and issue work order to works estimated Rs 65 crore. Presently, only hot-mixing of roads have taken place in my constituency”, he conceded.
Margao MLA Digambar Kamat has been forthright in saying that the commercial capital has suffered on the development front over the last one year. “The district hospital is still incomplete and Hospicio is crying for attention. Work on the KTC bus stand is yet to commence, while the parking lots are yet to see light of the day”, Kamat said, while saying that hot-mixing of works that have been taken up in Margao were sanctioned prior to the 2017 Assembly election.
Kamat’s Navelim counterpart, Luizinho Faleiro said while he had expected many works to take concrete shape in his constituency over the last one year, but only a few have crystalized till date. He, however, said that he has used his personal contacts with the Ministers to usher in the development of his constituency. “Except the Zuari and Mandovi bridges, there’s an economic meltdown in the state. First, there’s a meltdown because of mining, the GDP has plummeted. Industries are closing down shutters. The unemployment of the educated is going up and there’s no hope for government jobs”, Faleiro said.
Three-time Curtorim MLA, Reginaldo Lourenco, a bitter critic of the coalition government headed by Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, lashed out at the ruling dispensation for ignoring the opposition constituencies in Salcete. “Not a single project, not even roads, have been taken up in my Curtorim constituency during the last one year. The Nuvem bypass is being hot-mixed again, but roads in my constituency are a neglected lot. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s promise to sanction road works to the tune of Rs 15 crore in every constituency has hit a block. File containing the proposals are not moving forward”, he rued.
Former Minister and three-time Velim MLA Filipe Neri Rodrigues said nothing has taken place in Velim constituency, be it on the infrastructure front or on the question of providing jobs to the unemployed youth. “Not a single tender has been floated in Velim constituency. Except work on the highways, I cannot see any development in the rural areas in the minority areas of Salcete. Not a single job has been provided to the unemployed youth from my constituency’, Filipe Neri said.
First time MLAs from Salcete, Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa and Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias said that their constituencies have been utterly neglected by the government on the development front. Says Nuvem MLA Wilfred: “The government has not even tendered the road works proposed to be taken up under the Rs 15 crore development grant. I hope that the promised works are tendered immediately so that work commence soon in my constituency’, he said.
MLA Clafacio echoed similar sentiments. “I have been able to carry out only maintenance works over he last one year. Most of the promised works are not tendered and I fear that by the time, the PWD completes the process, the rains might set in”, Clafacio apprehended.
