VASCO: Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho on Thursday said Rs 75 crore have been sanctioned for the panchayats through the 15th Finance Commission during the current financial year.
Godinho said, “Never before in the history of Goa that the 15th Finance Commission has sanctioned Rs 75 crore, following the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) manual and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) guidelines which are being formulated.”
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“For past many years the panchayats in Goa for the financial year were receiving Rs 36 crore, but it is for the first time they have received Rs 75 crore under the 15th Finance Commission”, said Godinho.
Refuting claims made by some that the panchayats’ powers have been taken away, he said the panchayats’ powers are not taken away or withdrawn by the State government.
“The only change in the technical cell will give technical sanction instead of PWD. The procedure as per the CPWD manual and CVC guidelines will be followed for carrying out development works”, Godinho informed.
“This will enable for quick development in the panchayats,” he said.
He said, “The panchayats will give administrative approvals as described in the earlier Circular dated 2006 and Clause 6 in the latest circular issued on July 31, 2020. The administrative approval powers for the panchayats funds will remain the same.”
As per the administrative approvals for the panchayat funds, the panchayats can take up developmental works under the funds up to Rs 10 lakh from Rs 5 lakh, he informed.
“The BDO will give administrative approval of up to Rs 2 lakh and the Director of Panchayats an approval from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. The government will give administrative approval for the works to the tune of Rs 5 lakh and above. As mentioned in the notification, the administrative approval powers for the 14th Finance funds will remain the same,” he said.
“The panchayat director will give administrative approval i.e. GIA sanction order to the works amounting to Rs 10 lakh. The administrative approval powers for Grant-In-Aid (GIA) funds will remain the same,” the minister added.
