TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: With the Manohar Parrikar government dragging its feet in devolving powers and functions to the zilla panchayats, the South Goa Zilla Panchayat on Thursday has asked Parrikar for a parting gift in the form of financial grant before the term of the body ends in March next.
In fact, South Goa ZP Chief Nelly Rodrigues made a humble plea to the Chief Minister to sanction Rs 2 to 3 crore from the contingency funds.
“The term of the present ZP members expires in March. We could not get the powers and functions envisaged under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. At least, the CM should give us a parting gift by sanctioning funds. Make us happy wit-h some funds so that we may end our term on a smiling note,” she said at a meeting of the ZP held on Thursday.
ZP member Daya Pagi, while congratulating Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for completing two-and-a-half years, said the Chief Minister is not a confused man, but has confused the entire State with his policies. “I am congratulating Parrikar because he gets angry if you talk against him. Parrikar is however confused on one issue as he speaks one thing on dual citizenship, while his ministerial colleague Sudin Dhavalikar calls for confiscation of properties of Goans who have registered their births in Portugal,” he said, while saying that the Chief Minister has failed to devolve the subjects envisaged for the zilla panchayats.
Meanwhile, the ZP South, launched projects including LCD projectors, CCTVs and devices to check diabetes and malaria. Plans are also afoot to organise a programme to felicitate 4 to 5 prominent personalities from each of the 20 ZP constituencies.
