PANJIM: It’s Ponda Works Department (PWD) for Minister Ramakrishna alias Sudin Dhavalikar, whose public works department has spent nearly Rs 200 crore on the developmental plan works in Ponda taluka which houses all three MGP constituencies -Ponda (Lavoo Mamledar), Priol (Deepak Dhavalikar) and Marcaim (Sudin) for the financial year ending March 2013. The department spent over Rs 740 crore on development of all 40 constituencies during that fiscal.
Mamledar’s Ponda constituency seems to be pet favourite of our PWD Minister, where it has showered over Rs 144.57 crore alone, this obviously includes 25 MLD water treatment plant on Mhadai River Ganjem-Ponda, at a cost of Rs 75 crore. The minister spent only Rs 22.18 crore in his constituency Marcaim while in his brother Deepak’s constituency Rs 29.26 crore.
PWD has approximately spent Rs 747.07 crore in all 40 constituencies. Not to everyone’s surprise, while PWD spent Rs 196.03 crore in the MGP-led three constituencies, Congress’ nine constituencies together witnessed development of Rs 94.89 crore, of which Rs 47 crore were spent on Jennifer Monserrate’s Taleigao constituency, while her husband-Atanasio’s constituency St Cruz witnessed development of only Rs 64 lakh. Dabolim has reported development of Rs 4 crore, a reason to upset local Congress MLA Mauvin Godinho, who is always seen castigating PWD Minister for failing to carry out developmental works in his constituency.
The MGP Minister, who is an ally of the Manohar Parrikar-led BJP government has ensured to please his alliance colleagues by spending Rs 473.10 crore in BJP constituencies. Tourism Minister Parulekar’s Saligao constituency witnessed worth Rs 50.59 crore development work while Parrikar’s Panjim, the capital city witnessed Rs 36.44 crore development. While development in every BJP constituency runs in crores, St Andre development works was of only Rs 59 lakh. The reason could be its local MLA Vishnu Surya Wagh’s confrontation with the BJP, which post-Lok Sabha election seems to have been resolved.
As promised by the government, nearly Rs 72 crore were spent on mining rich constituencies like Bicholim, Curchorem, Mayem, Poriem, Valpoi, Quepem, Sankhali and Sanvordem. Similarly, the tourism dominated constituencies – Calangute, Pernem and Mandrem reported development of Rs 54.87 crore.
The constituencies led by Goa Vikas Party, which has also extended its support to the BJP-MGP alliance government reported development of Rs 16.26 crore.
The six Independent legislators, five of whom extended their support to the government, could not get much. The development together in these constituencies – Porvorim, Fatorda, Velim, Bicholim and Benaulim, was of Rs 19.25 crore, with least spent at Fatorda – Rs 84 lakh.
Some of the major works undertaken in these constituencies include construction of new roads and hot mixings, improvement of water supply scheme to Zuarinagar, maintenance and repair of Sada sub-jail, water supply project for Corporation of the City of Panaji under JNNURM, water treatment plants, widening and resurfacing of road from NIO circle Dona Paula to GMC Bambolim, etc.
Apart from all the constituency wise development, PWD spent Rs 1.84 crore on preparing DPR and bid document of four land bridges including approaches across river Khandepar on NH-4A.
