This time 18 members will fly to Port Blair at a cost of Rs 18 lakh to learn about devolution of powers
TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO: After traveling to ‘God’s Own Country’, South Goa Zilla Panchayat members are now headed to the land of islands in the Bay of Bengal ~ known for its pristine and virgin beaches and rich forests ~ to study devolution of powers for the district panchayat bodies.
Call it a pleasure jaunt at government expense or simply a “study tour”, Zilla Panchayat members from the South are flying to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands on Saturday to study the pattern of devolution of powers, functions and funds under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.
Take note, ZP Chairperson Nelly Rodrigues says that Andaman & Nicobar Islands have been chosen for the tour, not because of its touristic importance, but to study how Zilla Panchayat is functioning in Port Blair. “Our government here says that powers cannot be devolved because of the size of the playing field and many players around. Port Blair is also small like our state. We are going there to see the playing field and how many players it accommodates in the playing arena,” remarked Nelly.
Sources said the study tour will cost the government around Rs 10 lakh since around 18 ZP members have okayed their participation. If Nelly is to be believed, the ZP members will participate in a workshop on decentralization and local self-governance at Port Blair.
Incidentally, this is the second tour organized for the Zilla Panchayat members during the current tenure of Nelly Rodrigues. Last time around the ZP members had travelled to Kerala and Kanyakumari ~ with the avowed mission to study ZP functioning.
Records revealed that South Goa Zilla Panchayat had in the past undertaken study tours for its members in the picturesque states of Himachal Pradesh, including Kulu Manali, Punjab, Sikkim etc.
ZP members say they had submitted their study reports to the state government upon their return from the tours, but admitted there’s still no change in the ground reality.
