MARGAO
With little over a year and a half to go for the Zilla Panchayat polls scheduled next year, anxious South Goa Zilla Panchayat members have pushed the panic button over the delay in the execution of development works proposed in their respective constituencies.
They pointed out that the district panchayat body is yet to receive the Rural Infrastructure Development (RID) funds to take up the developmental works. The ZP had received an amount of Rs 12.5 crore under the RID head for the previous financial year, with each member receiving Rs 50 lakh to take up development in their constituencies.
Members also demanded utilisation of the Octroi revenue fund amounting to Rs 1.15 crore lying with the Zilla Panchayat to usher in development projects across the 25 constituencies.
At the first meeting helmed by newly-elected chairperson Sanjana Velip on Wednesday, members cutting across party lines called upon the administration to expedite the tendering of works so that the ZP body issues the work orders to the contractors for execution.
Members openly pointed out that implementation of the development works had slowed down after the speed with which the works were implemented in the first three years. They feared that many development works may get stalled with a little over a year to go for the ZP polls next year.
Some members blamed the engineers for the slow pace of work, including the preparation of the estimates. They urged the chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar to streamline the administration to ensure that engineers prepare the estimates on time.
CEO Sankhwalkar told the members that the ZP had not received the RID fund yet.
Velip later told the media that she had taken cognisance of the sentiments expressed by the members, adding that she would hold a meeting with the ZP officials and staff soon.
