ZPs not required for Goa: Babu
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, SEPT 30
Asserting that Zilla Panchayats were not required for a small state like Goa and ought to have been scrapped long ago, Panchayat Minister Babu Azgaonkar said the government has constituted a committee to arm the ZP bodies with additional powers since the district Panchayat bodies have now come to stay.
On the other hand, PWD Minister Churchill Alemao said that he cannot give any powers to the ZPs, and has left the onus on Chief Minister Digambar Kamat to devolve more powers to ZIlla Panchayats.
Both Churchill and Azgaonkar made their presence felt at the South Goa ZP meeting on Thursday upon an invitation from the chairperson to address their grievances on powers.
Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik also visited the ZP office earlier at the meeting.
Addressing the ZP members, the Panchayat Minister said that all the 40 MLAs should come together and tell the Chief Minister to give powers to the ZPs. “Our government feels that the ZPs should be given the powers, but how much should be given will be decided by a Committee headed by Power Minister Alexio Sequeira”, he said.
Azgaonkar, however, advised the ZP members not to wait for the recommendations of the Committee, saying that nothing stops the ZP or Panchayat membes or Councilors from approaching the Ministers for their developmental works.
“You can approach the PWD Minister, Irrigation Minister and other Ministers with your proposals. They will definitely take up the developmental proposals”, he said.
Saying that ZIlla Panchayats in other states have received powers given the vast size of the states, Azgaonkar said the situation is different in states such as Goa given their small size.
The Panchayat Minister suggested that the RDA scheme or other central government schemes can be implemented through the Zilla Panchayats and the Panchayat bodies.
In his address, PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao said he alone cannot give the powers to the ZPs, pushing the buck on the Chief Minister. “I cannot do anything. The Chief Minister should give the powers”, he said, adding that he don’t want to fool the ZP members with false hopes and promises.
Alemao, however, said that his doors are always open for the ZP members to come with developmental projects, saying he has not sent back anyone who have approached him for assistance.
Earlier, ZP Chairperson Maria Rebello told the Ministers to resolve their long-pending grievances of powers and functions. ZP member Daya Pagi also spoke.
