MARGAO: The GPRIU convenor J Santano Rodrigues on Tuesday stressed on the devolution of powers to the panchayats under the 73rd and 74th Amendment and also on the importance of planning in the form of village and district development plans.
He was speaking at a meeting of all like-minded members of Goa Panchayati Raj Institutions Union (GPRIU) held in Curtorim Panchayat Hall to mark the 25th anniversary of Gram Swaraj Abhiyan and 73rd Amendment to the Constitution of India, Panchayati Raj Act.
An impressive rangoli of the Curtorim village map was drawn by the village women.
The meeting was organised with an agenda to commemorate Gram Swaraj Abhiyan Diwas, to discuss/deliberate the village development plans and district development plan as per Article 238 and 239 of Goa Panchayati Raj Act, 1994. GPRIU Convenor J Santano Rodrigues, Curtorim Sarpanch Rupesh Naik and others were present.
“The Gram Swarajya Diwas celebration at the Central Government level and the speech of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was impressive. However, what all percolates down to the panchayats has to be seen and is most important,” Santano said.
The GPRIU has in a letter to the Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho reminded him of the fact that till today the actual pace of devolution of powers is slow.
GPRIU said, “Most of the powers have been devolved on paper. The various functionaries are still accountable to their line departments and not to the panchayats. No attempt to harmonise the state laws with the Panchayat Raj Acts of the state has been made so far.”
