Is it our ego or the minister's ego which is stalling development in the council? Before every council meeting, the Canacona MLA is being sent an intimation and the notice goes to him seven days in advance. Has he attended any council meeting?”
Prathana Naik Gaunkar,
CMC Chairperson
CMC lambastes Tawadkar for 'ego' statement
Chairperson says minister has failed the council at every point
THE GOAN NETWORK
CANACONA
The ruling group at the Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) has hit out at Canacona MLA and Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar for claiming that ‘ego’ problems with the ruling group had deprived development in the municipality.
Addressing a news conference on Monday in the cabin of CMC Chairperson, the ruling group consisting of CMC Chairperson Prathana Naik Gaunkar, Deputy Chairperson Samita Dhuri, Chaya Komarpant, Divakar Pagui and Shamsunder Dessai said the minister had made the disparaging remarks during the Revolution Day function at the Martyr’s Memorial at Chaudi, Canacona.
“After garlanding the Martyrs Memorial in her presence, the minister blamed the ruling councillors, stating that ‘ego’ problems with the ruling group of cCouncillors is depriving development in the municipality,” said Gaunkar.
“Some of the media also published his statement against the CMC. The minister should stop making such type irresponsible statements against us.
“Is it our ego or the minister's ego which is stalling development in the council? Before every council meeting, the Canacona MLA is being sent an intimation and the notice goes to him seven days in advance. Has he attended any council meeting?”
“There could have been a lot of difference had he attended even a single CMC meeting. We could have solved many problems together, instead of blaming us as a non-performing council,” said the chairperson.
Gaunkar insisted that while the council can make policy decisions, its implementation is the sole discretion of the administration.
“The minister's ‘ego’ of keeping himself away from council matters, including the garbage issue, and his inability to provide a full-time chief officer has only weakened this council. Our CMC has had 8 chief officers in the last 4 years, and we failed to get implementation of the various resolutions passed by the council,” she added.
“Recently, he launched the Deen Dayal Swast Yojana in Canacona. Ask him if any of the ruling group of councillors or even for that matter, the ward councillor from where it was launched, was intimated or invited. How do we approach people to avail the scheme, when even the first citizen of the council is not informed nor invited,” asked the CMC chairperson.
Added Dhuri, “Our Canacona council is blessed to have our local MLA as a minister, and our minister should not play politics in bringing development to the council. If only councillors are involved in development, then why should we also have an MLA? It should be a joint activity.”
Councillor Divakar Pagui also addressed the news conference.
