the goan I network
MARGAO
‘Apathy’ and ‘indifference’ of successive governments and Zilla Panchayats rendered the Constitutionally-mandated District Planning Committees (DPCs) defunct and confined to the papers since the DPCs were created in the state over a decade and half ago.
Rules mandate that DPCs meet every year to consolidate the annual plan prepared by the panchayat bodies and municipal councils in the district.
But, believe it or not, the South Goa District Planning Committee has met only four times in the last 16 years since the DPCs were created in the state. Records accessed by The Goan have revealed that the first meeting of the South Goa DPC was convened on July 20, way back in the year 2004.
The second meeting of the South DPC took place 7 years later in July 2011, indicating that the government and the ZP body of the day treated the DPCs with contempt. Sources in the know said that at the July 2011 meeting, the DPC had decided to set up a separate wing by appointing expert staff, either on deputation or on contract to make the DPC functional. The proposal was sent to then Director of Panchayats, but there was no positive reply from the panchayat higher ups despite several reminders.
If the DPC failed to consolidate any district plan for want of any plans received from the panchayat and municipal bodies after holding two meetings in 2004 and 2011, the third meeting of the DPC was convened in the year 2013. However, the third meeting of the DPC could not transact any business for want of quorum.
Incidentally, the fourth meeting of the DPC, South took place on October 30, 2014 at the fag end of the tenure of the previous ZP body. Again, strange as it may seem, the minutes of the October 2014 meeting are now scheduled to be confirmed by the present DPC on January 28, clearly indicating that the DPC headed by South Goa ZP chairperson Navnath Naik did not meet even once during the last five years.
The question that remains unanswered is whether the DPC meeting convened by the DPC Member Secretary and South Goa ZP CEO Agnelo Fernandes will serve any purpose. For, the DPC is required to consolidate a district plan for the entire district with inputs from the panchayats and municipal bodies by the end of January every year. Secondly, the term of the current ZP and DPC has almost ended with the government announcing elections for ZPs on March 15.
Incidentally, incumbent DPC member secretary Agnelo Fernandes had on July 4, 2019 written letters to the panchayat and municipal bodies to submit the annual development plans under section 238(1) of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 for 2019-20 so as to convene the DPC at the earliest. Information, however, revealed that only 12 out of the 88 panchayats spread across South Goa had submitted their plans.
INADEQUATE ATTEMPTS
1st meeting of S Goa DPC convened on July 20, 2004
2nd meet took place seven years later in July 2011. Proposal to set up separate wing for functioning of DPC by appointing expert staff, on deputation or contract sent to DoP. No reply received despite several reminders
3rd meet convened in 2013. Could not transact any business for want of quorum
4th meeting took place on October 30, 2014 at the fag end of the tenure of the previous ZP body Meeting now called on January 28. But will it serve any purpose considering the term of the current ZP has almost ended?
INEFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE
Incumbent DPC member secretary had on July 4, 2019 written to panchayats and municipal bodies to submit annual development plans so as to convene DPC at the earliest
Till date, however, only 12 out of 88 panchayats have submitted their plans
