Study begins to help draw economic revival plan for local bodies

Panaji: The directorate of higher education and the Goa Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development have begun a study in rural and urban areas of the state to work out an economic revival plan for local bodies.

The revival plan aims at making village panchayats and municipalities   self-sustainable post the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had wide-ranging impact on the state economy.

The state government has taken a decision to prepare the economic revival plan to revive economic growth and create livelihood opportunities for the people.

Twenty-five colleges have been entrusted with the study work on 191 village panchayats. Teachers and faculties members coming under the directorate of higher education have been roped in for the study in the municipal areas.

Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’,  GIPARD director Michael D’Souza said  the initial study may be completed by the colleges by May 30 and village panchayat wise plan by June 15, 2020.

The objective of this comprehensive exercise involving the local community in the process is to collect data on different aspects such as socioeconomics, institutions, resources, livelihood, etc from village panchayats and municipal councils in Goa, to analyse the potential for revival of sectors like  agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, horticulture, tourism, micro small, medium entrepreneurship, traditional means of livelihood, etc and to study the possibilities of institutional strengthening at the village level.

The primary data is being collected through questionnaires to individuals from villages and also through focused group discussions.

The group discussions will involve village development committees, self-help groups, farmers, senior citizens, entrepreneurs, professionals, students, fishermen, vegetable vendors, etc.

Some 191 questionnaires, one from each panchayat, will collect village details, and all 1550 ward members will be asked to provide ward-level details.

Village panchayat details will be filled in by the panchayat secretary through online mode and ward details will be collected through the visits and interactions with ward members by colleges in rural areas.

The faculties of the higher education are exclusively carrying out this study in all 14 municipal areas.

Reports on panchayats for the economic revival plan will be compiled by the GIPARD. The directorate of higher education will compile reports on municipalities.