MARGAO
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Betalbatim Sarpanch Constancio Miranda whether his experience as a retired teacher helped him shoulder the responsibility as head of the village, Miranda said his experience indeed helped him to get the Panchayat work together and execute proper administration.
A retired headmaster, Betalbatim Sarpanch was the lone head of the village who was shortlisted for the hour-long virtual interaction with the Prime Minister on Atmanirbhar and Swayanpurna Goem programme, on Saturday morning.
“The moment I got an opportunity for the interaction with the Prime Minister, I was very much thrilled. I could not believe that out of the 191 sarpanchas, I had been selected for the virtual interaction. There was no end to my happiness”, he said, while thanking Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa, nodal Officer Levinson Martins and Betalbatim swayampurna mitra Arun Panchwadkar.
The Prime Minister further sought to know from Miranda how Atmanirbhar and Swayampurna Goem programme helped the panchayat reach out to the people. In his reply, the Betalbatim Sarpanch outlined a host of measures initiated by the panchayat with coordination from the swayammitra and the Nodal officer.
“Taking inspiration from you and the Chief Minister, we went about making our village atmanirbhar and swayampurna. After the appointment of the swayam mitra and the nodal officer, our panchayat was able to coordinate with various government departments to take various schemes to the people”, he explained to the Prime Minister.
He added; “We identified need-based schemes of central and state governments and based on that we identified various beneficiaries”.
Citing an example in the field of agriculture, the Sarpanch further explained to the Prime Minister that the panchayat with the help of local farmers clubs registered around 95 per cent of the farmers for the krishi cards and were able to bring under cultivation around 7.5 lakh square meters of land.
Similarly, he pointed out that supporting aid was provided to 49 people in the field of fisheries and was able to distribute kits and equipment to orphan girls below the age of 18.
When the Prime Minister sought to know if the Sarpanch had received government support in taking the schemes to the people, Miranda said the Panchayat registered villagers under the Prime Minister’s insurance scheme, asserting that plans are afoot to get the village covered 100 per cent.
The Prime Minister said his government had in the last seven years taken a number of initiatives to empower the common man, saying “people like you as a teacher is our strength -- having imparted education and protected the children will also benefit the village”.
The Sarpanch later told The Goan that the Panchayat had faced hiccups in the implementation of the Atmanirbhar scheme, but hastened to add that the difficulties were overcome with the cooperation of nodal officer Levinson Martins and Swayam Mitra Arun Panchwadkar.
Miranda said his biggest achievement was the restoration of the Gonsua lake, which was achieved with the cooperation of the people and the MLA Wilfred D’Sa.
