PANJIM, NOV 30
North Goa Zilla Panchayat (ZP) has threatened to move contempt petition in the High Court, if State government does not delegate powers to them as per its assurance given to the Court.
At a meeting held in the Secretariat Conference hall, chaired by North Goa Zilla Panchayat Chairman, Pandurang Parab, the members resolved to make presentations to Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava over the government’s failure to delegate full powers to the ZP members as per the Panchayat Raj Act despite giving an assurance in the High Court.
The members have decided to give a month’s time to the government to come to the conclusion, failing which a contempt petition will be filed before the Court.
“We will be meeting Chief Secretary with our representation today. A month’s ultimatum will be given to the government to decide over the issue,” Parab told Herald.
A copy of representation asking devolution of powers and functions to ZP will be also forwarded to the Goa Governor Dr S S Sidhu and Minister for Panchayat Raj.
It may be recalled that the State government had assured High Court that Second Finance Commission report is ready and will constitute a committee, which will look into the powers of the ZP.
The ZP members alleged that since formation of committee under chairmanship of Power Minister Aleixo Sequeira, it has failed to meet even once to decide over the matter.
“It’s been six months now since the committee is formed. Every time, when we ask, the committee replies saying that the Director of Panchayats is yet to submit the report,” Saligao ZP member Michael Lobo said adding that the report will give a range of functions to ZP making it a powerful institution to reckon with.
The ZP member’s representation claims that the government and its competent authorities have totally neglected the ZP in the Panchayat Raj System in Goa.
“Most of the powers have been devolved on paper and actual power devolution to ZP is less and in fact zero,” the representation reads adding that the various functionaries are still accountable to their lien departments and not to ZP.
The members during the meeting also pointed out that the extent of powers and funds transferred from the State to ZP is very small.
The meeting resolved to allot Rs 15 lakh each to all 30 ZP members for carrying out developments in their areas for the financial year. This is the second phase of allotment. In the first phase, Rs 7 lakh each were distributed. The ZP has recently received a total budget of Rs 4.68 crore from the government for the current financial year.
