MARGAO
Convenor of Goa Panchayat Raj Institutions J Santano Rodrigues has made an impassioned plea to the people of Goa to vote for candidates who will fight for the devolution of powers to the panchayats.
Saying that people should not vote for candidates, who are eyeing the 2027 Assembly election, he said people should cast their vote for leaders who will demand true autonomy for local governance.
A former member of the South Goa Zilla Panchayat, J Santana Rodrigues had launched an initiative with the government to devolve all the powers and functions to the panchayats and zilla panchayats as per the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.
“The people should vote for the candidates who would ensure that panchayats have resources and powers to address local needs. They should prioritise grassroots development over party interests and press for constitution of District Planning Committees (DPCs) to ensure integrated planning,” he said.
