‘Involvement of multiple agencies leading to confusion’
Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that the Zilla Panchayats often demand more powers for them, however show apathy towards sending their proposals to the central government as regards various projects like say rural development, fishing, cow rearing and so on.
He also said that the North Goa Zilla Panchayat should lose no time in identifying land for the construction of the North Goa Zilla Panchayat Bhavan.
“This headquarters will stabilise the working and planning of the North Goa Zilla Panchayat,” he added.
Earlier, the Chief Minister released the District Panchayat Development Plan of the North Goa Zilla Panchayat, in the presence of the Minister for Panchayats Mauvin Godinho, Secretary for Panchayats Menino D’Souza, and the chairperson of North Goa Zilla Panchayat Siddhesh Naik, during a function at the Institute Menezes Braganza, in the city.
Speaking further, the Chief Minister said that there are multiple agencies like the state administration, village panchayats, and Zilla Panchayats, besides schemes like Member of Parliament Local Area Development, and Member of Legislative Assembly Local Area Development, and therefore there is often confusion during sanctioning of funds for various projects under
these agencies.
He also informed that the district-level planning committee has been constituted and it will soon discuss the District Panchayat Development Plan of the North Goa Zilla Panchayat.
Godinho said that the Zilla Panchayats should display their will to work, for the funds to be made available for these works. He also maintained that the Zilla Panchayat members could be given adequate powers to impose fines on those who haphazardly dispose garbage in their respective jurisdiction.
The chairperson of North Goa Zilla Panchayat Naik said that the District Panchayat Development Plan would be executed within a year’s time, after seeking inputs from the stakeholders adding it will not be restricted to
construction of roads and drainages, but also improving community places and educational institutions. He then shared the proposal of the North Goa Zilla Panchayat to adopt 30 underprivileged government schools and develop them into model institutions.