Salcete block panchayat forum president and former Raia sarpanch Xavier Fernandes said they had elucidated various problems and hardships that panchayats face and gave the example of how panchayats have no provisions to sanction workers to carry out civic works the way municipalities have.
“Panchayats have no workers to perform civic duties, including collection of garbage or even disposal of animal carcass. The government should allow panchayat bodies to engage permanent labourers to carry out these civic functions,” said Fernandes.
He also lamented that the government had failed to implement Article 243 of the Constitution that states that the government should share revenue collected through taxes with the panchayat and municipalities.
Fernandes also said that the forum was of the opinion that the government should provide panchayats financial grants to engage workers as the minimum wages were not sufficient to attract workers and that there was a need to increase the honorarium given the amount of administrative work at panchayat offices.
The purpose to form the forum was to take up various issues affecting the Salcete panchayats and to oppose any decision or provision of the government which is against the interests of villages.
