People’s participation in the planning process is gaining ground in the State. In the past few days there have been numerous calls for people to pitch in with their suggestions on development. In North Goa the Mapusa Outline Development Plan (ODP) has been kept open for comments, while in Calangute-Candolim a large number of people gathered for a meeting on the land use map for the villages that will be used to draft the ODP for the two villages. While Candolim panchayat has accepted the transition into planning and given its nod to the ODP, Calangute panchayat is still to give its approval to the plan’s formation.
The 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution that provide for people’s participation, and in a much larger invitation to planning the Directorate of Panchayats has now called on all 190 village bodies in the State to prepare development plans and to do so with inputs from the people. This is one move that could get almost the entire population of the State living in the rural areas involved in planning. The gram sabha meetings have already proved the heightened awareness among the people of what is good for the village and how they want to see their village develop. This move could take the participation a step forward.
People’s involvement in the planning process does have its advantages. Roughly people’s participation in planning and local governance gives the ordinary residents of the village the opportunity to assess their needs at the micro level and plan accordingly. One of the benefits of this is that there is transparency in taking decisions and it also reduces the opportunities for corruption as the authorities are then accountable to the people. A very democratic involvement of the people in planning will therefore lead to fewer law suits and challenges to government decisions. It is also a means of empowering the common man and woman whose role in a democracy is otherwise limited to voting in an election.
There is, however, a danger involved in this and that is delays in formulating plans and giving clearance to projects. Take the Regional Plan 2021 for instance that is yet to be finalised. The government has given itself numerous deadlines to finalise the plan but the land plan is yet to meet government and people’s approval. The task force is now sitting and sifting through various suggestions, comments and applications for conversion of land, before the plan will be finally cleared and notified. Here it is the duty of the authorities that are tasked with planning that involves people’s participation to ensure that this does not lead to procrastination. Such delays could well defeat the purpose of people’s participation in planning.
While the call has been given out for participation in planning, the government and its agencies have a big role to play to ensure that the people begin to believe that their participation is making a difference to the planning process. At the same time the people who get involved should be aware of what is required from them. Here, NGOs could have a role to play in preparing people for their participation in the planning process.
Across the world there are efforts being made to include citizens in planning and as partners in progress. India is not the only country that has seen the potential in this. Goa could take the lead to show the rest of the country how to make a success of citizens’ involvement in planning. There are a lot of opportunities. Last week itself there were three calls that went out for suggestions. But it is not just a matter of receiving applications and suggestions, it involves taking the next step forward and reassuring the people that their views are important and are being taken into consideration. It is when the government is able to sincerely do this, that the 73rd the 74th Constitution amendments will have truly reached the people.
