Team Herald
PANJIM: In a major boost to the finances of village panchayats, the State government is contemplating doubling the grant-in-aid given to them annually, which could be utilized for improving basic services. The government has also decided to release Rs 10.50 crore octroi compensation grants to nearly 64 panchayats that has been pending for the last one year.
Also, all 189 panchayats will get new fulltime secretaries within a fortnight.
Panchayat Minister, Rajendra Arlekar took these decisions after a detailed review of the department and the financial positions of the panchayats. The grant-in-aid to panchayats is provided apart from the annual Rs 1 crore infrastructure grant.
Speaking to Herald, Arlekar said, “Currently aid is provided based on proposals submitted by the panchayats. The amount varies somewhere between Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh. Nothing can be done with such a small amount,” he said.
The minister said that grant-in-aid is basically provided for improving the basic services. “For infrastructure, we provide grant up to Rs 1 crore,” he added.
In another decision, the minister decided to release Rs 10.5 crore octroi grants to 64 panchayats, which has been pending for the last one year. “Octroi is tax collected by the commercial department and has to be released to panchayats annually. For the last one year, it was pending. The amount will be released soon,” Arlekar said.
Recently, a few panchayats from North Goa had slammed the government for its failure to release the octroi grant thereby hampering progress.
Further, in an attempt to settle the crucial issue related to full-time secretaries, the government has approved appointment of secretaries in all 189 panchayats in the next 15 to 20 days. During the monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly, the House had witnessed a heated debate on the government failure to appoint fulltime secretaries, thereby hampering the functioning of the local self-governing bodies.
