the goan I network
MAPUSA
As in the past, vigilance awareness week was observed last week with much fanfare but the government has been dragging its feet to constitute vigilance committees at various panchayats in the State.
The observance of vigilance awareness week is part of the strategy to encourage all stakeholders to participate in the prevention of and to fight against the threat posed by corruption.
As part of the awareness programme, the directorate of vigilance has been mandated to hold awareness gram sabhas but no such panchayat-level campaigns have been observed in any part of the state.
“It is mandatory to organise meetings in gram panchayats inviting all stakeholders like the sarpanch, members of panchayat, self-help groups, students and citizens. Sarpanch or any dignitary could deliver a lecture on awareness against corruption followed by discussion. Anti-corruption messages in vernacular languages can also be displayed at the meeting,” said a circular issued by the Central Vigilance Commission.
As per section 6 sub-section (3) of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act the state government is empowered to constitute vigilance committees to oversee the quality of work, schemes and other activities of each panchayat.
Every year, government officials observe vigilance awareness week by reading the integrity pledge but no steps have been taken to form the vigilance committees in the panchayats for reasons best known to them.
Interestingly, the Assagao gram sabha on November 4 unanimously resolved to set up a vigilance committee for the village panchayat and to observe vigilance awareness week.
“The gram sabha resolves that the village panchayats must observe vigilance awareness week every year in collaboration with the Directorate of Panchayats and the Directorate of Vigilance. For this purpose the concerned departments must provide resource persons to give lectures and conduct demonstration and quality control tests, provide banners, posters and leaflets on the theme of the vigilance week so that vigilance awareness will be effective at the grassroots level,” said the resolution proposed by Owen Braganza, a resident of Assagao.
Assagao sarpanch Hanumant Naik informed the gram sabha that the panchayat body discussed the proposal and found that the vigilance committee could be formed only by the government.
“Although gram sabhas do set up various other committees like the GPDP, VDC, sanitary committee, etc it has no power to set up the vigilance committee. Only the state government has the power to set up the vigilance committee as per the act,” said Roland Martins, coordinator of GOACAN.
Ironically, the Director of Panchayats Gopal Parsekar said that panchayats can establish the vigilance committees on their own.
“The panchayats have the power to form the vigilance committees,” Parsekar told The Goan.
