GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO
Holding Zilla Panchayat polls on party lines seems to have not benefitted the district Panchayat bodies in terms of the devolution of powers, function and funds envisaged under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment in the last five years.
Other than a marginal rise in the allocation of government funds during the current term, devolution of powers, functions and funds still remain a far cry for the Zilla Panchayats despite the tall promises made by BJP leadership in the run up to the 2015 polls to arm the district panchayat bodies as per the Constitutional provisions.
A glance at the financial statement compiled by the South Goa Zilla Panchayat has revealed that the ZP body was in receipt of development funds amounting to Rs 48 crore during the current five-year term. Besides, the South ZP received government grant to the tune of Rs 24 crore for the administration, taking the total amount of government funds to the South ZP body to Rs 72 crore.
Given that the South ZP body comprises of 25 elected members, equal division of the development grant amounting to Rs 48 crore implies that each member was entitled to development funds of little less than Rs two crore.
Zilla panchayat members, however, termed the Rs 48 crore development grant as meagre, though increased marginally in the current term, taking into account that each of the 40 MLAs were provided Rs 25 crore grant for a single financial year to take up developmental projects in their respective constituencies.
Incumbent zilla panchayat members contended that the Rs 48 crore development grant provided by the government during the five-year term was just a fraction of the amount demanded by the elected members. In fact, the south zilla panchayat had made a strong case for a Rs 50 crore annual grant for the body, but in vain.
Says former South Goa Zilla
Panchayat chairperson Nelly Rodrigues: “No doubt, the development grant received was little higher during this term compared to the previous three-terms. But, the development grant of Rs 48 crore hardly helped the members to take up development in their constituencies”.
Nelly pointed out that zilla members had pinned high hopes on the government to devolve powers, functions and funds last time round, because the elections were held on party lines, but in vain. “The elected members did led delegations to the government and the Chief Ministers ruling the State during the last five years, but what we received in return were promises for higher fund allocation”, she said.
Zilla panchayat members pointed out that holding ZP polls on party lines gagged the ruling members from raising issues concerning devolution of funds, powers and functions. “Unlike the past, when ZP members had even taken the government to the court, ruling ZP members were cautious in their approach in demanding powers and functions, lest they antagonized the party bosses and the powers that be”, remarked a member.
As far the powers and functions are concerned, the least said the better. No Power and function were devolved to the district panchayat body during the five-year term. It was only during the brief stint of then Panchayat Minister Rajendra Arlekar that the government was toying with the idea of handing over the Rural Development Agency (RDA) department to the zilla panchayats, but the proposal met with a natural death for obvious reasons.
Take note, south Goa zilla panchayat’s ambitious Zilla Bhavan proposed during the previous term has failed to take off till date. The state of affairs plaguing the Zilla Panchayat is evident by the fact that ZP office was shifted to the Old South Goa Collectorate building only recently when the inauguration had taken place five years ago.
