PORVORIM
Collection of garbage, installation of CCTV cameras, illegal borewells, road cutting by PWD, street lights, etc featured during discussions in the gramsabha of Penha de Franca panchayat held on Sunday in Nana-Nani park.
The sarpanch of Penha de Franca Swapnil Chodankar welcomed the gathering and panchayat secretary Rupesh Halarnkar read out the minutes of the last gram sabha.
The sarpanch mentioned that since the wires of most of CCTV cameras were tied to electric poles, they have removed those cameras as per the directions of High court.
Augie D’Mello said that the installation of CCTV cameras are needed for the detection of crime and to find out who throws the garbage in open spaces. "Hence Panchayat has to install CCTV cameras at some strategic locations.
"Panchayat should also think of installation of CCTV cameras based on solar energy." said D’Mello.
Agnelo Pereira said that PWD has dug internal roads everywhere in Porvorim to lay underground electric cables. But after laying the cable they don’t tar that portion of road on account of which vehicle riders can’t drive the vehicles smoothly. Hence PWD officials should be advised to do tarring of that portion of the road as soon as work is completed . "The panchayat should identify illegal borewells in the panchayat area and take appropriate action against the culprits,' said Pereira.
Olavo Fernandes mentioned that on July 7, 2024 there was landslide at his house at Malim. The officials of Disaster Management has visited his house but so far the debris has not been cleared. "The debris may be cleared and a retaining wall may be constructed behind my house," said Fernandes.
Panchayat Secretary Rupesh Halarnkar later presented the proposed budget of Penha-de-Franca Panchayat of Rs 7.52 crore for the year 2025-26. In the proposed budget, the panchayat has shown grants from the government at Rs 67.50 lakh , which includes 15th Finance commission grants (Rs50 lakh), matching grants (Rs 4.25 lakh) and garbage grants (Rs 4.20 lakh).
Income for the year 2025-26 by way of taxes and fees has been projected as Rs 3.81 crore which comprises house tax (Rs 65 lakh) and professional tax (Rs 1.5 crore), garbage fees (Rs 65 lakh)construction licence fees (Rs 35 lakh), sanitation and health fees (Rs 8 lakh) and Market fee/sopo (Rs 22 lakh).
On the expenditure front, Rs 1.79 crore has been earmarked for public works which include construction of drains and roads (Rs 50 lakh), maintenance of open spaces and gardens (Rs 15 lakh) and construction of protection and retaining walls, footpath ( Rs 25 lakh). Administration expenses are at Rs 1.06 crore.
For sanitary and public health and family welfare a provision of Rs 1.64 crore has been made, out of which Rs 1.34 crore is for door-to-door garbage collection , and Rs 10 lakh for desilting of drains and gutters. An amount of Rs 9.75 lakh has been earmarked for social work.
