TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The education sector in North Goa got a huge boost under Shripad Naik’s Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme during the last five years with more than 50 per cent of the funds sanctioned for providing digital equipment to schools and higher secondary institutions and a few colleges, the sitting MP said.
Unlike the previous terms of Naik as MP where more thrust was given towards construction of community and multipurpose halls under the MPLAD scheme, Naik seems to have concentrated more on providing computers, laptops, UPS, LCD projectors, printers and digital cyclostyling machines in the first two years (2009-11) as MP under the 15th Lok Sabha.
It was only during the last two years that construction projects for community halls, multipurpose halls, crematoria have dominated the list of projects under MPLAD.
Sources say that it was only after 2011 that the funds under MPLAD were enhanced by the Center from Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore.
While Naik has tried to do justice to all the six talukas in North Goa, Bicholim however seems to have got maximum benefit of projects under MPLAD, followed by Sattari, Pernem, Bardez, Tiswadi and Ponda.
While Naik claims that he has tried to fully utilize funds allocated under MPLAD during this term amounting to Rs 19 crore for around 280 projects, data released by the North district office reveals that 170 projects have been sanctioned during the last five years.
“I have recommended as many as 300 projects and the remaining would be cleared and undertaken even after this term concludes,” Naik said.
His list of projects shows sanctions towards supply of artificial limbs numbering 22 to the Goa Medical College, construction of at least four school buildings, construction of gutters, drains, open areas, auditorium, old age home, health center, supply of ambulance and street lighting.
The earlier trend of providing vehicles such as ambulances and school buses under MPLAD seems to be minimal as maintenance of the vehicles was found to be a major problem and as on date most of the ambulances seem to have been auctioned off as scrap, an official in the North District Collectorate said.
With the revision of the scheme, MLAs seem to have found it much easier to get sanction of projects providing equipment for schools and educational institutions.
The projects recommended by Naik and pending approval after the enhancement of the MPLAD find include construction projects.
“These projects are in the pipeline and are awaiting completion of formalities required under the scheme,” a Collectorate official informed.
Naik is optimistic that all projects recommended by him will be completed and funds utilized under the scheme.
