PONDA: The Volvoi Panchayat on Friday complained that their development works files under Fourteenth Finance Commission are kept pending for approval at Directorate of Panchayats office Panjim for a very long time and demanded the Chief Minister should urgently look into the matter.
Acting Deputy Sarpanch Nilkant Naik fears that the money sanctioned under the Fourteenth Finance Commission would revert back to the Central government coffers for the reason non-utilisation of fund and that finally unnecessarily the panchayat body would be blamed and indicted for non-utilisation of fund.
“Ours is very small panchayat and it is now six months past the development works files are pending at the Directorate of Panchayats office for the approval,” he said.
“We are frequently visiting the DoPs office but there is no response from the officials. If we go on wasting our time in visiting the DoPs office several times then how we would able to conduct our development works,” he added.
Naik said, “The development work files are for construction of Shigmo Mand, improvement of pathway and construction of footpaths.”
“If we can’t utilise our money then what is the use of it?” questioned the acting deputy sarpanch.
“We have around 10 lakh fund of Fourteenth Finance Commission in the bank and there was direction to use it before Fourteenth Finance Commission came into force. I don’t know whether files are pending for approval in exchange of getting commission,” Panch Digamber Tari informed.
He said, “The locals would blame us if the money reverts back to the Central government coffers without utilisation. Even our local MLA Govind Gaude called the concerned staff over the phone but the files are still waiting for the approval despite his interference.”
“The Chief Minister should take proper action into the matter and provide justice to the panchayat,” he added.
