VALPOI
Poriem MLA Deviya Rane has demanded the release of compensation due from the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) to village panchayats within the jurisdiction of industrial estates in Sattari. Raising the issue in the Assembly, Rane said panchayats covered under the ‘Scheme to Provide Grant-in-Aid to the Village Panchayats in Industrial Estate’ are entitled to compensation from taxes and licence fees collected by GIDC from industrial units in their jurisdiction.
Under the scheme, panchayats are entitled to 90 per cent of the taxes and 95 per cent of the licence fees collected by the GIDC. Rane said the compensation has not been released regularly, affecting the financial management of the panchayats, which require funds for infrastructure, sanitation, roads, water supply, street lighting and other public amenities.
According to information placed in the Assembly, the last compensation to Pissurlem Panchayat was sanctioned on June 18, 2021. An amount of Rs 7,89,492 was sanctioned for 2015-16 and 2016-17. No further compensation has been received since then. Rane also said Honda Panchayat was yet to receive Rs 16,85,549 for the same financial years. She said industrial estates increase pressure on local infrastructure and civic services, making timely payment of the rightful compensation important.
Rane urged the Industries Minister to intervene and ensure the immediate release of the pending compensation to Pissurlem and Honda panchayats. CM Pramod Sawant assured the House that instructions would be issued to release the pending grants to panchayats within two months.
