the goan I network
MARGAO
Government’s failure to disburse octroi duty over the last one year to the village panchayat dominated the gram sabha of Velim VP on Sunday.
The meeting chaired by Sarpanch Savio D’Silva saw members questioning the government’s rationale for not disbursing the octroi funds to the panchayat over the last one year.
The issue was raised by former Sarpanch Melvyn Sanches, who contended that the government cannot withhold the money to the panchayat body. Members demanded to know whether the government had diverted the octroi funds for other developmental works.
The gram sabha asked the panchayat to immediately write a letter to the government to clarify on the cctroi payments to the local body.
Velim Panchayat was receiving around Rs 50 lakh grant from the government as octroi disbursement before it was discontinued for the last one year.
The gram sabha also discussed the burning issue of solid waste management in the village.
Sarpanch Savio informed that the panchayat was spending around Rs 3.5 lakh amount on solid waste management and what the panchayat was getting in return from the government was just Rs one lakh.
He further pointed out that last year, the panchayat had received only Rs 50,000 from the government. It’s becoming difficult for the panchayat to spend funds on solid waste management, he added.
The gram sabha has resolved to ask the panchayat to immediately dispatch a letter to the government to hike the grants.
