Village voices reject Regional Plan 2021

the goan I networkPANAJISharp voices against the Regional Plan 2021 echoed through at least ten villages across Goa with gram sabhas on Sunday either demanding outright rejection of the plan while others demanding several modifications. Disagreement was writ large on the faces of villagers as they pointed out that the recommendations submitted earlier on the Regional Plan had not been incorporated, while several others raised objections over internal roads. The strong objections in villages assume significance in view of the statement made by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar that the government will not impose the Plan on the people if they don t want the same. “If the people don t want, why should it be imposed on the people. If the people of Goa want it, let us accept the plan or do otherwise”, he had told the media last Thursday. Meanwhile, the TCP Minister Francis D Souza had said that the government will go ahead with the RP-21 after corrections. On Sunday, the Plan came in for severe opposition from Benaulikars with villagers pointing out that not a single suggestion and objection made during the participatory process finds a mention in the draft Plan. After much discussions, members demanded a special gram sabha on January 24 to discuss RP-21, while further seeking presence of the Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva at the meeting. The Guirdolim gram sabha demanded scrapping of the RP-21 on grounds that decisions adopted by the village-level committee and the Panchayat does not reflect on the Plan. Sarpanch Sonia Dias told The Goan that members were agitated that none of the suggestions made by the villagers have been incorporated in the Plan