Unity is important for development of the Village: GPARD trainer

The activity of preparing the Social Recourse Map was conducted pn behalf of Goa Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (GPARD) by trainer Elsa Fernandes. Herald spoke to her and asked her about her role in the Candolim VDC meeting. She explained that her role is to get the positivity moving between villagers by conducting the planning process as an activity which helps them interact with each other. “A neutral external person helps in bringing various groups together and showing the way forward,” she said

While highlighting that there is a lot of funds which have come to Goa and are meant the development of the Panchayat, she said that the in order to receive it villages need to prepare their Gram Panchayat Development plan. She credited the State agency GPARD for doing its part in spreading awareness, however, she pointed out that there are a lot of funds that have not reached the accounts of the Panchayat and therefore they remain unutilised instead of being used for the development of the villages. “All the village Panchayats have to take note of this and push for the preparation of GPDP.”, she stated

Emphasising the need for unity among the villagers, she stated that there is a some negativity because of political situation but the only way forward it everyone has to work together in the village. “That way something positive will come out of this process and also the Panchayat will receive the much-needed funds”, she said

 Elsa's own village St Cruz successfully completed the exercise of preparing the Village Development Plan and even received Rs 50 lakhs as development fund under the scheme.