Team Herald
Chandor: Chandor-Cavorim gram sabha on Sunday approved a deficit budget for the ensuing financial year while Sarpanch Eugenio Fiel Dias apologised thrice for transgressions and also promised to convene a special gram sabha before the next ordinary gram sabha scheduled in April.
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At the outset, the villagers protested against the failure to include people’s correspondence in the agenda for the ordinary gram sabha as mandated under the gram sabha rules.
The sarpanch was compelled to promise to convene a special gram sabha to discuss people’s correspondence at which besides the proposals given for the meeting, fresh proposals will also be considered and the said gram sabha would be held before April 2025.
Further some of the villagers whose proposals were rejected pointed out that the letter informing them that their proposals were rejected were dated February 6, 2024 when Eugenio was not the sarpanch.
“This means that the sarpanch is either forging documents or is so careless that he does not even read what he signs,” said one gram sabha member.
The Sarpanch while admitting that it was a mistake due to oversight, once again apologised to the gram sabha.
The villagers again pulled up the sarpanch for presenting the budget proposal for 2025-26 without presenting the Audit Report for the previous year to the villagers.
“The Audit report shows the mistakes and suggests corrections in the budget and hence is necessary while discussing the budget,” argued the villagers.
The sarpanch once again apologised and assured that the Audit Report will be presented to the villagers at the next gram sabha.
Meanwhile, the gram sabha approved a Rs 86.5 lakh deficit budget for the next financial year even as it proposed a revision in fees for transfer of house tax and trade license.
The budget has provided a sum of Rs 3 crore from the Sports Department towards construction of a pavilion and changing room at the only ground in the village which the Sarpanch who is an accomplished footballer, said was a project he is committed to.
Following a demand from many villagers, the sarpanch agreed to maintenance of the said ground so that its pitch is levelled and usable.
While admitting that the panchayat has nearly Rs 1.80 crore in unutilised funds, the sarpanch promised to reduce this amount and urged people to give their suggestions for developmental works to be undertaken by the panchayat.
