MARGAO
Projects under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme have come under the spotlight for want of upkeep and maintenance.
With the scheme having no provision for maintenance, failure on the part of the local Municipal and Panchayat bodies to look at the upkeep and maintenance has rendered many a project under the MPLAD scheme defunct.
Otherwise, consider this. South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha had launched as many as three projects in the commercial capital at the fag end of his term in 2014. The projects include the CCTV surveillance cameras, to bring the commercial capital under the Big Brother; the development of the steps adjoining the Hospicio hospital leading to Monte Chapel; and the beautification of the open space in front of the Margao Civil and Criminal court complex.
All three projects saw the light of the day during the tenure of his successor Narendra Sawaikar. Sadly, eight years down the lane, the projects are all down and out for want of maintenance by the local Margao civic body, leaving the taxpayer’s money spent on the projects down the drain.
Take note, the local bodies, be it the Municipalities or Panchayats are mandated to look after the maintenance of the MPLAD projects since the MP sanctions funds for projects under the scheme upon requests from the local bodies.
In the instant case, sheer negligence and apathy by the Margao City Fathers and the Babus have left these projects down and out for want of maintenance. The civic body, which is spending a huge amount of funds on security services to man its premises and garage, did not even post security at the Monte Hill steps to keep the place free from vandals, responsible for damaging the area.
That’s not all. No Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) surveillance, installed across the city is functioning at the moment. Reason: The Margao Municipality has been dragging its feet to fund the maintenance of the cameras as a result of which the last of the 23 cameras, which were operating near the MMC building, turned defunct last month.
And, a visit to the garden in front of the Margao Civil and Criminal court building only brought to the fore the pathetic condition of the place, beautified just around eight years ago.
What’s interesting to note is that the Margao Municipality at its recent Council meeting adopted a resolution to approach South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha for funds amounting to Rs two crore to bring the commercial capital under the CCTV scanner again, not realizing that the funds spent by the MP on the same project have gone down the drain.
Sources in the know informed that many such projects launched under the MPLAD scheme across the state have also come under the scanner for want of upkeep and maintenance.
No audit on projects to throw light on status
MARGAO:
Is there an audit conducted by the District Collectors, who are the nodal officers in the implementation of the projects under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme?
Officials in the know pointed out that while several projects have been executed in the two districts since the MPLAD scheme was launched in the earlier 90s, there is no audit on the projects which would shed light on their status.
South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha said there’s no audit conducted of the number of projects, which would throw light on the status of the works executed by the MPLAD scheme.
Local bodies responsible for maintenance: South Goa MP
MARGAO:
Asserting that projects under the MPLAD scheme are sanctioned by the MPs upon requests received from the local bodies, South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha has reminded that the Municipal and Panchayat bodies are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the projects.
As he handed over a hearse van to the Raia panchayat under the MPLAD scheme, the MP said the local bodies should maintain the projects under the scheme since they are beneficial for the people at large.
Expressing his total disappointment over the state of the three projects launched in Margao in 2014, which now lie defunct for want of maintenance, Sardinha said the projects were sanctioned after the Margao Municipality had approached him to take them up.
“The MPLAD is a good scheme which helps the MPs to sanction projects beneficial to the people. But, one needs to understand that the scheme does not have a provision for maintenance. It is, for this reason, the MP sanctions the project based on a request received from the Panchayat and Municipal bodies,” Sardinha said.
