MARGAO: The Goa Panchayati Raj Institutions Union in a letter to the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has expressed surprise over RDA Minister Jayesh Salgaonkar’s statement proposing to convert the Rural Development Agency into a full-fledged Department.
The GPRIU said that the minister’s stand is contrary to the submissions the Government made in the court over the issues of devolution of powers and functioning.
It said, the minister said the RDA will be an independent department so as to implement welfare schemes for which Central funds are received.
“The minister instead of allocating the same to the local bodies as hitherto was being done, thus negated his own stand as Zilla Parishad member, who courted arrest in fighting for devolution of powers and funds to the local bodies,” said GPRIU.
“This runs counter to the assurance given by your previous RDA Minister Rajendra Arlekar, that he would consider giving the issue of devolution of powers/funds to the local bodies. The RDA Minister’s proposal runs contrary to the assurances given by the government to the High Court on the issue which tantamount to contempt of court. It is therefore, necessary that the local bodies know the exact stand of the Government,” it said.
“It would be in public interest to have an update on the points raised above for the benefit of the people at large,” GPRIU said.
