PANJIM: Happy Birthday Mr Parrikar. July 19, 2012. Yes, exactly two years ago to this day. Manohar Parrikar speaking in the assembly (The Herald quotes from the certified copy of the assembly proceedings): I am making it clear that…Regional Plan will be taking interest of the common people. Today, July 19, 2014 is the second birthday of that promise. But a promise that has never been kept.
This clearly has been Manohar Parrikar’s biggest failure to deliver. His biggest promise that has come a cropper, not once, not twice but on so many occasions that Herald actually lost count while piecing together documents, manifestos, press statements where the Chief Minister has promised two things: a) Grassroot participation of people in the Regional Plan planning process, through the gram sabhas, after the RP-2021 was suspended to remove all anomalies; b) Do away with the present plan altogether. This was emphasized by two words –“De-notify and scrap”. Neither has happened. All that has been left behind is trail of failed promises of the promise of people’s involvement and that of scrapping the current Regional Plan.
Jan 15, 2012: Janasampark Abhiyan document: Raised in the issues document of BJP’s Janasampark Abhiyan Jan 15-30, 2012: “The village gram sabhas and NGOs pointed serious errors and illegalities in the plan and expressed fears of far reaching consequences in the future as result of faulty plan. There is state-wide outburst for scrapping of Regional Plan 2021.”
Highlights of BJP’s Election manifesto 2012: “Regional Plan will be scrapped and a new one drawn up with people’s participation in a transparent manner.”
Feb 21, 2012: Narendra Sawaikar’s letter: Extract from BJP General Secretary and now South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar’s letter to Adv Satish Sonak, Co-ordinator India Against Corruption, in response to his letter “BJP is committed to empowering the Gram Sabha as envisaged in the 73rd amendment to the Constitution.”
March 12, 2012: Governor’s address in the first session of the 6th assembly: My government will de-notify the Regional Plan 2021 and formulate one in due consultation with stakeholders. My government firmly believes in grassroot planning and participation of people in all activities of the State.
June 15, 2012: RP to be kept open for 60 days for people’s reactions: Post-Cabinet meeting press briefing: The CM said he would come out with clear guidelines on the Regional Plan and keep it open for people’s reactions for 60 days. He said the following (i) “I am making it clear, I will give powers to all voters of the panchayat, whatever developmental model is selected by the village panchayat, will be selected; (ii) Whatever may be the RP, we will superimpose, whatever is the panchayat plan, this will go as per act, I’m trying to make it legal, then within 15 days, we will throw it open.”
June 15, 2012: Same press conference. The CM says, “I want to settle it (RP issue), before the next assembly session and will consult MLAs, stakeholders and NGOs like the GBA. He said villagers are free to restrict what they wanted but once plebiscite happened, they could not suggest changes mid-way.
Two years later, the RP 2021 has not be de-notified and construction projects, with 2021 as the base continue to be cleared, the GBA and other NGOs have made umpteen requests for meeting the CM in vain. No guidelines have been framed and the plan hasn’t been kept in any panchayat for even a single day. Goa has seldom seen such a big travesty, especially since commitments made in the assembly and to the cabinet have been defied.
