MARGAO
A delegation of Goa Panchayati Raj Institutions on Friday called on Director of Panchayats Ajit Panchwadkar questioning the government over its failure to devolve powers and funds to the local bodies under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.
GPRIs Convenor J Santan Rodrigues and former Sarpanch Joseph Vaz drew attention of the Panchwadkar that the 73rd Constitutional Amendment clearly lays down the guidelines for the devolution of powers to the village panchayats.
“Not only has the government acted as per the amendment, but has taken steps to withdraw some of the powers enjoyed by these local bodies to satisfy vested interests,” the duo told the DoP.
That’s not all. They further pointed out that along with the devolution of powers, the government has also failed to devolve the funds to the panchayat bodies. Pointing out that the IInd Finance Commission had made suitable recommendations for the devolution of funds for the panchayats, they,
however, lamented that the local bodies are starved and they cannot even undertake bare minimum functions envisaged in the Panchayat Act, with some panchayats even find it difficult to pay the staff salaries.
Santan later told the media that the delegation also demanded to know from the DoP the reasons behind the failure to put in place the District Planning Committees till date. “We questioned the director why the government has till date failed to set up the IIIrd Finance Commission to ensure devolution of funds to the panchayat bodies,” he said.
The Panchayats Director has invited the GPRIs delegation for discussions on these issues at his next visit to the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative Complex next Friday. “The delegation raised a host of issues and based on the inputs my office will take them up with the government,” Panchwadkar told The Goan.
The DoP said he has told the delegation that the government has cleared the file for a hike in the salaries of the panchayat members.
He further said that the Minister for Panchayats Mauvin Godinho has cleared the file for the return of the Block Advisory Committees at the taluka panchayat level, adding that the government has notified the BACs with immediate effect.
