PORVORIM: CM Pramod Sawant said the the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) board will be restructured and public representatives will be included on the Board.
In the presence of the Urban Development Minister Milind Naik, Sawant said that he is in agreement with the sentiments expressed by the Panjim MLA and the process to restructure the smart city board is underway.
“I agree with what you (Babush) are saying that the Board has only bureaucrats on it and if the actual needs are to be taken into consideration then the public representatives should be a part of the Board. The process to restructure the board has already begun with public representatives on the Board and the Panjim MLA as well as the CCP Mayor will also be a part of the Board,” said Sawant.
Responding to the query raised by the Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat over the non-disbursement of octroi received from the petroleum companies to the local governing bodies, the CM said “I acknowledge that octroi has not been paid to the municipalities as well as the panchayats for the last three years. I will check with the Finance Dept and will ensure that the amounts will be disbursed.”
He added that the govt will formulate a policy for regularising the daily wage workers and the contract employees working in the municipalities for more than five years. “There are some workers working in the municipalities for more than 12 years. We have to consider all of them”, he quipped.
He added that the draft for the Municipality Act is ready and will be circulated for suggestions of the members.
Meanwhile, Milind stated that officers in the dept do not communicate the pending works and therefore taking up the follow-up becomes a hurdle. “Our officers also don’t tell us at times what is pending or has to be taken up. I don’t know why”, he said.
He added that the govt will provide funds from the 14th Finance Commission to the municipalities to complete the projects taken up under the Golden Jubilee Year funds.
Responding to Kamat’s demand to provide digital certificates and do away with the long procedures by simplifying the procedures for issue of certificates at the municipalities, Milind said “The process to issue digital certificates from municipalities is underway and within three months all municipalities will begin issuing certificates online.”
