While the buzz from a trial room of a FabIndia store at Candolim and rantings of a minster’s wife in a meeting of a rabid right wing organisation with militant leanings, has kept news and social media feeds buzzing, it is time to move beyond the noise and look at developments of immense significance to Goa and its people.
The Zilla Panchayat elections are done and dusted and Chairpersons for North and South Goa have been elected. The next course should be all about how the institution of the Zilla Panchayat works according to the powers given to them under the 74th Amendment. The password to the success of the Zilla Panchayat, which so far has just been ornamental, with village level development spearheaded or stymied by the local MLA, is devolution. But devolution of powers is not in the Zilla Panchayat’s control but in the hands of the government. It is here that the Parsekar government must take a call. While his government by its deeds or misdeeds have squandered the euphoria that accompanied the huge mandate of 2012, its recovery lies not in making noises or statements but working in areas which really matter- Goa’s villages. The utter betrayal of not evolving a consensus and finalising a just people’s regional plan, can be partly offset if the government in Panjim/ Porvorim genuinely devolves powers to the Zilla Panchayat and cedes direct control over areas like primary health care, village infrastructure and primary education. The only reason why this appears almost impossible is due to the fact that over the years the government has not implemented the devolution mantra which underlines local self government. This is a law and not a prayer. And yet even after the conclusion of the Zilla Panchayat elections, the North Goa ZP Chairman has to go knocking on the doors of the panchayat minister and the Chief Minister for powers and funds. Why can’t both flow to the Goa ZP chairmen as a part of the system of local self governance ordained by law, and not a product of political largesse and magnanimity, because that is what self governance has been reduced to.
The government should see this as an opportunity to offset mindsets. The complete failure of taking the Regional Plan to the people, the real stakeholders, for a chance to decide on the development template of their villages, has been the big scar on the face of the government of change that the BJP promised to be. Devolution of real powers through the Zilla Panchayats is the next big chance for the government to make the institution of the ZP less ornamental and more real. Rural health, education and infrastructure can easily be handled by an empowered and financially supported Zilla Panchayat. This will benefit far flung areas whose people cannot travel to where the real power centers are. An empowered Zilla Panchayat can be a much more effective power centre than regional political straps who control governance and administration through their minions.
The BJP has no excuse. With the elections on party lines, it has a responsibility and mandate to deliver not on promises but what the Constitution ordains. This will also allow decision making with regard to proper facilities in the PHC’s and in the schools and allow stakeholder monitoring of rural projects. And the system, in any case, details the manner in which local governance can synergise with the state government.
However, the success of this will also depend on the people and the initiatives they take to push the government to let go and allow the real locals to govern.
