TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Projects rained in South Goa under Francisco Sardinha’s Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme during the last five years, but Ponda was virtually hit by a drought, with the taluka benefiting marginally in terms of projects under the scheme.
While Salcete, Quepem and other talukas in down South coming under South Goa Lok sabha constituency benefited immensely, only a handful of projects were executed in the three Assembly segments of Ponda, Madkai and Shiroda.
The constituency benefited by way of Closed Circuit TVs, cemeteries, computers, projectors to schools, public illumination et al under Sardinha’s MPLAD scheme.
A glance at the statistics revealed that the outgoing MP came close to fully utilising the funds under the scheme by executing around 185 projects during his five year term. While the MP was entitled for Rs 19 crore under the scheme, what was finally sanctioned was Rs 17 crore to fund the various projects recommended by the MP. So far, the office of the district Collector, the nodal officer under the MPLAD scheme, has received Rs 14 crore from the Centre, while the MP has recommended a host of projects at the fag end of his tenure, which will now be taken up for execution during the next term after receiving the final instalment.
Commenting on the MPLAD scheme, Sardinha said: “No doubt, I am pleased with the utilisation of the MPLAD fund, but the implementation could have been much better had there been expeditious clearances of projects at the level of the district Collector. Implementation of the projects under the scheme could not take off satisfactorily during the last six months because of the delays at the office of the district Collector. Much time was lost by the time the new Collector settled down this year”.
He added: “Though my tenure is over, whatever recommendations made and accepted before the expiry of my term will be executed first in the next term. No one can cancel the works recommended during my tenure.”
The MP, however, said he is not to be blamed if Ponda has pocketed only a few projects under the MPLAD scheme. “We can sanction the projects only if someone comes to you with a proposal. I had even written to the Panchayats and the Municipal Council in Ponda taluka to come out with proposals, but only a few came,” he said.
District Collectorate officials said the MP had laid much stress on the education sector during the first two years of his tenure, wherein schools and colleges benefitted by way of computers, projectors and copiers under the MPLAD scheme.
Incidentally, Sardinha was instrumental in getting the MPLAD scheme modified to include cemetery projects in the scheme. Around nine projects pertaining to extension of cemeteries has since been taken up by the MP during the last six months.
One of the major projects implemented in the constituency is the CCTV coverage of the major towns. Installed with much fanfare from the security and traffic point of view, benefits of the project, however, have not been exploited to the hilt due to teething problems.
While a portion of the funds went towards the development of open spaces, the development of the Hospicio steps leading to the Monte Chapel was one of the major projects executed in Margao at a cost of Rs 29 lakh.
