PANJIM: Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho wants to put an end to the game of musical chair in panchayats played by the elected members to the local self-governing bodies.

Speaking to Herald, he said that the development of the panchayats is hampered as most of the time is wasted in deciding the sarpanch every year, which takes a lot of time.

He said “If you have sarpanch changing every year in all the five years, so much time is lost. First you resign, then, you are given 15 days to think over, and a date is fixed for election, which takes a month. So, all the manipulations should not be allowed to such an extent especially at the grassroots level.”

Stating that post the ensuing panchayat elections he would review the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, the minister said, “If we want a healthy Goa, then, the panchayats have to be strengthened. But along with powers comes responsibility. There can be no development without stability. I will review the entire Act and whatever it takes to bring stability I will do, including amendments to the Act.”

He further said that having one sarpanch for the entire term, calls for a lot of stability and good development without any interruptions. “It (panchayat) is the bottom, and if your foundation becomes weak, soft and shaky, then it speaks for the edifice for the democracy on which we thrive -- democracy itself becomes weak. We have to strengthen our panchayat raj system.”

However, the Minister on the other hand wants the Zilla Panchayats in the state to be abolished. Stating that it was a misfortune that the state did not represent against the District Level Panchayat body for the state, he said, “For a small state of Goa it becomes a three layered structure which was not necessary. Conflict of interest of areas where certain things overlap is always going to be there.”

Expressing a strong opinion that the Zilla panchayats should be abolished in Goa, he said, “Instead of having Zilla Panchayats, with the increase of population we should think of an increase in the number of MLAs which will bring more stability to the State.”