TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO: Panchayat Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Wednesday supported the demand for the devolution of powers and functions for the Zilla Panchayats, but was non-committal on the time frame to realise the long-pending demands of the two ZP bodies.
He further assured South Goa ZP members that he would take up with the government to shift the ZP office to the old Collectorate building.
Speaking at a quiz competition organized by the South Goa Zilla Panchayat at the Ravindra bhavan here on Wednesday, Parsekar agreed to the demands raised by ZP Chairperson Nelly Rodrigues and Sanguem MLA Subhash Faldessai for devolution of powers to the district Panchayat bodies. When the media later asked him for the time-frame for the devolution, Parsekar said ‘no time-frame can be given to solve the long-standing demands of the ZP bodies”.
He, however, said the government has set in motion the process of interaction with the two ZP bodies on the devolution of powers and functions, adding that the exercise will continue.
On the premises to house the ZP office, Parsekar felt the SGZP might be spending thousands of rupees as rent on the existing building. “Government will save money if the ZP office is shifted to the old Collectorate building”, he added.
Earlier, Sanguem MLA and BJP district President Subhash Faldessai made a strong case for devolution of not just powers and funds, but functions, including administrative staff to execute the works.
“We are doing injustice on the ZP members by giving them an annual development grant of Rs 5-10 lakhs for each constituency. Each of the ZP members are representing 3-4 Pancahyats. The system should be in place. Finally, our objective is to reach out to the people”, he said.
Earlier, SGZP Chairperson Nelly Rodrigues made an impassioned plea to the Panchayat Minister to give them funds and functions. “The previous government did nothing on our long pending demands. The present government has also not given any concrete to us in the last nine months”, he said, but exuded confidence that the government would give the ZPs the funds, functions and the administrative staff to execute works.
