the goan I network
MARGAO
Flexing its muscles ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, members of the South Goa Zilla Panchayat on Thursday sent a strong message to the ruling government to either devolve funds or face their wrath in the ensuing election as they even threatened to field a candidate for the South Goa Lok Sabha seat.
Zilla members pointed out that if each of the 40 MLAs are entitled for Rs 25 crore for development in their constituencies, the government should at least provide Rs 1.25 crore grant to each of the 25 members of the district panchayat body.
Members led by former Chairperson Nelly Rodrigues warned that the Zilla panchayat members will be forced to field a joint candidate for the South Goa seat or might even decide to boycott the coming election.
Agitated ZP members cried foul over the state of affairs of the Zilla Panchayat with neither the funds, nor powers and functions being devolved to the district panchayat body.
Members, including Nelly, recalled that the BJP had promised Rs 50 crore of developmental funds for the district panchayat body when it was decided to hold the Zilla Panchayat elections on party lines.
“The situation has only gone from bad to worse in the last four years. Holding elections for the Zilla Panchayats on party lines not helped the bodies in any manner,” she complained, adding “leave alone the devolution of powers and functions, the government should at least provide development funds to the ZP members.”
ZP members directed their ire at the government during discussions on grants amounting to Rs 2.40 crore received recently, with the agitated members pointing out that each of the members may get only Rs 8-9 lakh in each of the 25 constituencies.
They demanded to know why the ZP members are being discriminated by the government when MLAs receive Rs 25 crore for representing the same number of villages. “The government can provide us funds from departments including the PWD, Water Resources department,” Nelly added.
The ZP members also sounded critical over the state of affairs of the Zilla Panchayat office and called for streamlining of the administration. They demanded to know why the Assistant engineer, PWD is not being relieved by the Executive Engineer despite being posted at the ZP office.
Members pointed out that though the ZIlla Panchayat office has been shifted to the Old Collectorate building, there’s no space for the elected members to sit and discuss their issues. Nelly also raised the issue of unspent funds in the Open Defecation scheme. While pointing out that most of the states have utilized funds sanctioned for the purpose, Goa has lagged behind. She demanded that the government should route the Open defecation scheme through the ZPs for better implementation.
‘Why should we settle for ` 15,000
honorarium when MLAs get ` 1 lakh’
MARGAO: South Goa Zilla Panchayat members expressed disappointment over the government’s decision to hike the monthly honorarium by 50% , demanding to know why ZP members should settle for Rs 15,000 when MLAs receive Rs One lakh as monthly honorarium. In fact, agitated ZP members shot down a resolution tabled by member Deepak Borkar to congratulate the government for effecting a hike in monthly honorarium. ZP member Govind Gaonkar and others pointed out that there’s nothing to congratulate the government for as their demand for Rs 50,000 monthly honorarium did not find favour with the ruling dispensation.
Vice-Chairperson Chitra Fadte later told the media that though the government has been doing good works on other fronts, members did not pass the congratulatory motion tabled by Deepak Borkar since the ZP-South has not benefitted in any way from the government’s schemes and policies.
