the goan I network
MARGAO
The powers that be may have on their agenda the Scheduled Tribes staying within the Margao Municipal jurisdiction, but the civic body has been caught napping by the Audit on the question of utilising grants received under the Tribal Sub Plan for the benefit of the ST communities.
A glance at the Audit report compiled by the Indian Audit and Accounts Department indicated that while as many as four Municipal wards were eligible for accessing grants under the Tribal Sub Plan, the Margao Municipality proposed and received grants for only two development works in a lone Municipal ward, estimated around Rs 19.97 lakh during the four-year period 2013-17.
Incidentally, the Municipality had undertaken 11 development works for Rs 61.63 lakh during the same period in the four Municipal wards from grants received from the Department of Urban Development, with the Audit slamming the civic body saying the lack of foresight and inaction deprived the municipality of government assistance
for the welfare of the ST
communities.
The MMC sought to defend itself with a reply that no proposals were received from the elected representatives for development works during the period and the 11 development works were carried out from grants-in-aid received from the Department of Urban Development. The MMC went a step further to assure that development works in the four designated wards would be taken up using Tribal Sub Plan funds in the future, but the Audit was categorically clear that the Municipality’s reply is not tenable as the civic body has failed to access the Tribal Sub Plan grants due to its inability to submit proposals for development works in the four Municipal wards to the Department of Urban development, which indicated inadequate planning and foresight.
That the Municipality was found dragging its feet in accessing funds under the Tribal Sub Plan for the benefit of the Scheduled Tribes was evident in the Audit report when the civic body decided to take up two development works in ward No 9. However, as no proposal was forthcoming from the Municipality to access the grants, the department requested the Municipality between February 2014 and June 2014 to expedite its proposals for granting of administrative and finance approvals thereto. The Municipality finally submitted in June 2015 its proposal for undertaking the development works in Ward No 9 at an estimated cost of Rs 25.44 lakh, to which the department accorded in July 2015 administrative approval.
The four Municipal wards of the Margao civic body were eligible for grants as Special Central Assistance under the Tribal Sub Plan scheme towards the construction of public toilets, community halls, maintenance of roads/footpaths, construction of mini markets, development of parks/gardens/roads, playground, maintenance of street lights, drainage/gutters.
Sadly, barring the 2-3 works carried out in ward No 9, the Margao Municipality had failed to access the grants under the Tribal Sub Plan meant for the benefit of the Scheduled Tribes, though many parts of Fatorda, including Borda, Agalli, Chandrawado, Fatorda and Marlem
plays host to a significant ST population.
