the goan I network
MARGAO
30 village panchayats in Salcete countryside may be flush with funds, courtesy grants from the 14th Finance Commission.
Sadly, development works have not kept pace with the proposals mooted by the Panchayat bodies on the ground despite availability of funds. Reason: Acute shortage of engineers at the disposal of the Salcete Block Development Office in recent times.
In fact, inquiries by The Goan have revealed that the Salcete BDO office is manned by only two engineers, with one engineer already promoted as Assistant engineer, when the sanctioned strength is pegged around four engineers. In the absence of engineers, the preparation of estimates to float tenders to execute development works has been going on at a slow pace, resulting in the slow utilization of the grants.
When The Goan called up Salcete BDO A Shirwaikar to shed light on the complaints made by Panchayat bodies that utilization of the 14th Finance commission grants have been slow for want of engineers, the BDO said his office presently has only two engineers, whose brief is not only to prepare the estimates for the developmental works, but to conduct inspections vis-Ã -vis illegal constructions and demolitions.
“The two engineers attached to my office are bogged down with conducting inspections of illegal constructions and carrying out demolitions. This has affected the work of preparing estimates
for the development works”, Shirwaikar said, while virtually expressing his helplessness in the matter.
Officials in the BDO office pointed out that the if the Panchayats have cried foul over the delay in preparing the estimates for the development works, they are fully justified in saying so as the two engineers cannot meet the demands of the Panchayat bodies. “The time has come for the Director of Panchayats to review the number of engineers required at the BDO offices for the preparation of estimates. More grants and funds at the disposal of the Panchayat bodies would mean additional works proposed by the Panchayats”, the official remarked.
Convenor of Goa Panchayat Raj Institutions, J Santan Rodrigues said the government has reduced the grass-root local self-government bodies to a farce. “How can the government expect the panchayats to utilize the grants when they have no technical cell and have to rely on the engineers at the BDO office to prepare the estimates”, Santan questioned.
He said if the government is serious in empowering the Panchayat bodies, the powers and function envisaged under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment is implemented in letter and spirit.
