the goan I network
PANAJI
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and D’Souza on Wednesday held a meeting with the officials of all 14 ULBs, including the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP).
Speaking to mediapersons, D’Souza said, “In the coming session, I am planning to undertake it, if not the entire Act, then at least a part of it. We want to make several improvements to the Act. Presently, ULBs do not have powers to transfer municipal property. Most of the states have already done it. We also want to make it mandatory for the councillors to declare their assets and liabilities, just like the MLAs do it.”
The meeting also resolved to form a committee under the chairmanship of Sandip Falari to look into the matter of regularisation of municipal workers and come out with a concrete solution. The information provided by the ULBs in the State revealed that there are about 500 municipal workers who have put in more than seven years
of service.
Nonetheless, ULBs have also been asked to go cashless within the next six months, after which all payments related to salaries and wages to the staff and also daily wage and contract labourers would be made through their
bank accounts.
Speaking further, D’Souza said, “As regards transfer of lease and subletting of premises of ULBs is concerned, we are enacting a new Act. These are mainly the ones which have been sold, sub-let or leased out by people but municipalities that does not fetch any revenue. We will charge them transfer tax, take security deposit, and also recover the
pending dues.”
The meeting also discussed filling up of vacancies in the ULBs.
“As regards vacancies in municipal cadre, we have asked the same committee to look into the existing vacancies “ how many vacancies are sanctioned, how many are filled and those yet to be filled,” said D’Souza.
The ULBs have also been asked to utilise their funds, failing which they will be reverted into the
government treasury.
“If the existing funds are not utilised, no new development grants will be sanctioned. Presently, funds amounting to Rs 56 crore have been unutilised. Seven years have passed, but golden jubilee grants given by the Art and Culture department have not been utilised. CM has given them six months, or else it would be transferred to the government,” he said.
