The South Goa Zilla Panchayat (ZP) members spent 30.65 per cent of the Rs 33.50 lakhs they spent on various projects in the last five years on creating infrastructure for religious places be it churches, temples, devasthans and even masjid.
In all an amount of Rs 12.7 crore was spent on creating an infrastructure for religious places, with Sancoale being the only exception as no such project was undertaken there which were aimed at appeasing the masses and getting goodwill for the ZP representative.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
In Usgao Ganjem constituency, where the highest number of such projects numbering 21 was undertaken utilizing Rs 67.61 lakhs. 44.89 per cent of the total Rs 1.50 crore used in the constituency was to prepare the infrastructure for religious places.
However in Betqui Candola, where the second largest number of such projects numbering 20 was undertaken utilizing Rs 85.77 lakhs which amounted to 83.42 per cent of the Rs 1.02 crore spent on the 24 projects undertaken in the constituency.
In Shiroda, where 19 such projects were taken up. The amount utilized for projects for religious institutes amounted to 69.75 per cent of the total Rs 1.35 crore spent on taking up 37 projects in the constituency.
The least such projects undertaken were at Velim where Rs 18.57 lakhs were spent on the four projects; followed by Navelim where Rs 24.40 lakhs were spent on the six projects including providing tombstones for the Our Lady of Rosary Cemetery at Navelim.
However, the least amount spent on such projects for religious places was in Curtorim where only Rs 8.66 lakhs were spent on 9 projects; followed by Raia where Rs 15.27 lakhs were spent on 12 projects.
The most amount spent on any one projects was in Raia constituency where pavers were provided for the Our Lady of Snows Church at Raia at the cost of Rs 13.44 lakhs; followed by Rs 11.66 invested in constructed a shed for Lakhaneshwar Temple at Mudkud in Cola constituency.
The least amount spent on any project was the Rs 36,987 invested in re-roofing the shed of Murhudev Devasthan at Tankwada in Usgao constituency.
Incidentally, works worth Rs 24.81 lakhs were undertaken for Our Lady of Snows Church at Raia, Rs 16.41 lakhs were invested in works for St John Baptist Church at Benaulim and Rs 10.91 lakhs on works for St Michael Church in Orlim.
Rs 10.82 lakhs have been utilized to provide facilities for muslim places of worship at three places namely preparing parking place for Nagamasjid in Curti, installing pavers for Jamatul Muslemeen Sunnat Masjid at Shiroda and asphalting open space for Masjid at Mardol.
