the goan I network
MARGAO
The South Goa Zilla Panchayat is moving at a brisk pace to cap the tendering process of works amounting over Rs one crore in a bid to beat the election code of conduct which is expected to come into force around mid-February ahead of the March 15 ZP polls.
With most of the incumbent members of the South Goa Zilla Panchayat expected to re-contest the coming election, the Zilla Panchayat is rushing with the work to complete the tendering formalities to ensure that the over Rs one crore development works get the all clear signal before the coming into force of the election code of conduct.
Against the backdrop of the fact that Zilla members are aiming to go to the public with a list of development works to their credit, the ZP office seemed to have not let down the elected representatives by ensuring that the e-tender was floated right on time. In fact, if sources are to be believed, the ZP office has opened the tender on Monday and the office is busy with the task of completing the remaining formalities.
The task before the South Goa office appears clear, cap the tendering formalities at the earliest and issue the work order to contractors before the election code comes into force. For, the elected ZP representatives are quite sure that the development works proposed by them in their respective constituencies can start during the code if the work order is issued to the contractors before the code comes into force.
Sources in the know say that unlike the Assembly and Lok sabha elections when the election code comes into force with the election announcement by the Election Commission of India, the government announces the ZP election first while the election code comes into force after the notification is issued by the State Election Commission, giving enough room for the Zilla Panchayat members to complete their pending as well as ongoing works before the code comes into force.
The South Goa Zilla Panchayat was controlled by the BJP after the ruling party had formed the ZP body with the MGP after the 2015 polls, which were fought on party lines. The Congress had stayed away from the last 2015 Zilla polls in protest against the government decision to hold the election for the district panchayat body on party lines.
