the goan I network
MARGAO
At a time when gram sabhas are witnessing thin attendance from the members, the Camurlim panchayat has come out with a novel method to increase public participation at the village gram sabhas “ by holding ward sabhas.
An initiative of Sarpanch Basil Fernandes, the panchayat has kicked-off its ward sabhas with a meeting in ward no 2 on Sunday. And, if the sarpanch is to be believed, the ward sabhas will be held every quarterly in the village in the run up to the main gram sabha. The panchayat has fixed similar ward sabhas in three other wards in the next three days.
Explaining the concept, Basil informed that the ward sabhas has been given a try, primarily to involve the people in discussions of ward issues, before they are taken up at the ordinary gram sabhas. “We had noticed for some time now there’s been a declining trend of public participation of the villagers at the gram sabha. This has resulted in a handful of people attending the gram sabhas and taking decisions. The panchayat also could not find out what’s lacking in the wards when members do not turn up for the gram sabhas to air their grievances,” he said.
He exuded confidence that people will attend the quarterly gram sabhas once they discuss the issues plaguing their locality at the ward sabhas. “The objective behind the entire exercise is to increase public participation at the gram sabhas. I am confident that the novel idea will ensure increased turn out for the gram sabhas,”
he added.
