the goan I network
MARGAO
Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho’s suggestion to scrap Zilla Panchayats and instead increase the size of the Assembly from 40 to 60 seats may have come as food for thought to some, but it has not gone down well with ZP members.
Zilla members felt that the solution to the ZPs lies with the devolution of powers and functions as per the 73rd Constitutional Amendment and not by scrapping the local bodies.
In fact, ZP members went to the extent of saying Goa may not even require a 40-member Legislative Assembly if the local self-government bodies are armed with powers.
Incumbent South Goa ZP chief and BJP leader Navnath Naik was clear in saying that ZPs play a different role in the development of rural areas.
He went to add, “In fact, questions may be asked whether Goa really requires a 40-member house. The number could be 30,” Navnath suggested.
Former South Goa ZP chairperson and four-time ZP member representing Colva, Nelly Rodrigues, echoed similar sentiments. She went a step further saying there’s no political will to devolve powers and funds to the district bodies, adding the question of scrapping the ZPs will not arise if these are armed with Constitutional powers.
Referring to government’s decision to sanction Rs 25 crore to each of the 40 constituencies, Nelly said, “The ZPs would have taken strong roots had even a small percentage of these funds were devolved to the district bodies,”
“Whether ZPs are required or not in a small state like Goa is one thing, but have successive governments done justice to these bodies since inception in 2000,” she questioned.
While questioning whether the government has implemented the recommendations of the Finance Commission, Nelly demanded to know why successive governments had failed to formulate the district planning committees.
Former Curtorim ZP member and Convenor of Goa Panchayati Raj Institutions (Goa PRIs) J Santan Rodrigues said instead of talking about scrapping the ZPs, the government would do well to devolve all the powers and functions to the bodies.
“Let the MLAs see for themselves the functioning of the district panchayat bodies after they are devolved with the powers and functions,” Santan said, adding, “I can assure you Goa may not even require a 20-member Legislative Assembly if the local self-government bodies are given the Constitutional powers.”
Santan recalled how the ZPs had been waging a battle in the courts and outside to get the Constitutionally-mandated powers and functions. “When we had knocked the doors of the courts last time, the government had promised to work out a mechanism to devolve the powers by constituting a committee, a promise which has not been fulfilled till date,” he added.
Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho, however, said he had only made the suggestion to scrap the ZPs as a food for thought.
“I had just made the point as a food for thought. Government has not taken any decision in this respect,” he added.
