MARGAO: The gram sabha of Betalbatim panchayat on Sunday passed a resolution to renovate the panchayat ghar and has asked the panchayat to take up the matter at the earliest.
At the meeting chaired by Sarpanch Maria Perira, the villagers highlight the problems of the existing panchayat ghar which has no panchayat hall.
Panchayat officials pointed out that they currently operate on the ground floor and occupy the space meant for the library building and are thus in requirement of larger premises.
It was also pointed out that every time the panchayat has to hold a meeting they have to pay Rs 2,000 to use the hall of the social club building and how this would not be an issue if they had a panchayat hall of their own.
It was decided that the existing building used as panchayat ghar would be upgraded and have a hall on the first floor along with other facilities for administration. It was also resolved that the renovation would be done under panchayt funds and that the panchayat should give the gram sabha a deadline for the same.
Other issues that dominated the meeting were development and maintenance of the village infrastructure like construction of drainages and the problems the village residents were facing during the monsoons and water-logging were discussed.
On the issue of forming village committees based on the recommendations of the 14th finance commission that were issued to the pancahyat by the director of panchayat, the gram sabha members felt that the panchayat body should constitute the same at the next panchayat meeting.
This was due to the fact the attendance of the gram sabha were not very high and that the process would be expedited this way. The gram sabha members however called for holding of meetings of existing committees like village development and vigilance.
