PANAJI
The State government has approved a revised one-year pattern of assistance for urban local bodies and the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), with fresh norms for grant release and utilisation.
Director of Municipal Administration Brijesh Manerkar issued separate notifications covering municipalities, the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) and GSUDA. The revised policy replaces earlier notifications.Municipalities can receive grants for development works; salaries of common cadre and deputation staff; honorarium for elected representatives of B and C class councils; pre-monsoon works; monsoon fire services; infrastructure; solid and disaster management; land acquisition; court orders; statutory dues; and capacity-building programmes.
Assistance will also continue for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe schemes and daily-wage solid waste workers. To seek grants, civic bodies must submit resolutions, project reports, technical approvals, budget provisions and ownership documents to the Directorate of Municipal Administration. Releases will depend on fund availability and project priorities.
Salary grants will be released in six-monthly instalments. Development, solid waste and disaster management grants must be used within a year of sanction, with utilisation certificates submitted within two months of spending. Accounts and grants will be subject to mandatory audits by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Director of Accounts and Directorate of Urban Development.
GSUDA will receive annual grants for central schemes including AMRUT 2.0, SBM 2.0, PMAY 2.0 and Deendayal Jan Aajeevika Yojana-Shehari, besides State urban development programmes. Grants can also fund staff salaries, office expenses and government-approved projects. Assets created from government grants will vest with the government and cannot be disposed of or diverted without prior approval. GSUDA’s accounts will be audited by a qualified chartered accountant and government auditors.
