VASCO: Sancoale sarpanch Ramakant Borkar has urged the government to work out a pension scheme for the panchas.
Speaking on behalf of Sancoale panchas, he said, “When MLAs and other elected representatives are receiving monthly allowances and pension, the same benefit should be extended to sarpanchas and Panchas.”
He was speaking to reporters after launching various developmental works including construction of retaining wall at Sateri Mata temple in Sindolim, Sancoale, development of open space at Lamani Colony in Zuarinagar and Bharatnagar colony in Vidyanagar, Sancoale, all estimated at Rs 19 lakh.
“The government has formulated pension schemes for MLAs and other elected representatives but there is no such scheme for the panchas, who too serve the people like any MLA and thus it would be appropriate that the government work out pension schemes for panchas,” Borkar added.
Borkar claimed that the state government needs to increase the Goa Schedule of Rates (GSR) from Rs five lakh to Rs 10 lakh as panchayats find it difficult to take up developmental works under current GSR fixed by the government.
“Though the GSR fixed by the government in 2012 has been revised and approved by the Public works department recently, however, the same needs to be approved by the Director of Panchayats. Still we feel that the new GSR would fall short in taking up developmental projects using panchayat funds, as the projects proposed by the panchayat need to be planned in phases,” he said.
