MARGAO
South Goa Zilla Panchayat members on Tuesday sent a message loud and clear to the government that the district panchayat body is looking for devolution of powers envisaged under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, even as they appreciated the government for increasing the development grant over the last three years.
The ZP also congratulated Calangute MLA Michael Lobo for demanding more powers to the zilla panchayats.
At the ordinary meeting of the Zilla Panchayat chaired by Chairperson Navnath Naik, zilla member lamented that successive governments have only neglected the district panchayat bodies when it came to devolution of powers since the time ZPs were established in the state in 2000.
Members also pointed out that the BJP had promised devolution of powers to the ZPs when elections for the zilla panchayats were held on party lines, but in vain.
Replying to the demands of the members, Navnath Naik said the ZP members had been agitating since day one for more powers, but in vain. “Recently, I along with member Moreno Rebello called on the Union Panchayat Minister and handed over to him a memorandum demanding powers to the ZPs in Goa. The Union Minister was clear that the subject falls in the domain of the state government and he would write a letter to the Goa government on the issue,” Navnath said, adding that the Zilla Panchayats have not received the powers since the creation of the ZP bodies.
Sharing the concerns of the members, Navnath said that ZP members are insulted and ignored even at government programmes, saying they don’t even take the names of the ZP representatives at these functions. He, however, hastened to add that the present government has increased the development grant to around Rs 14 crore.
The meeting saw agitated members including Nelly Rodrigues slamming the ZP administration for the delay in tendering development works, saying it takes months for the South ZP to tender and execute the works. Members also demanded that only works whose estimates are above Rs five lakh should be e-tendered.
Curtorim ZP member Moreno Rebello charged that the government servants are working slow, saying many of these officials are no more government servants, but government lords. “No doubt, there are some good officials around, but nothing is moving. Development is not taking place due to red-tapism,” he added.
Nelly Rodrigues and others also demanded that the ZP administration issue notice to erring contractors asking them to show cause why they should not be blacklisted for defaulting in executing works on time.
The ZP meeting also condemned Congress MLA Pratapsing Rane’s toilet remark.
