Govt to increase ZP funding & salaries
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 30 July 2012 17:12 IST
Goa government has agreed to increase the amount of funds to Zilla Panchayats.
Panchayats minster Laxmikant Parsekar told the Assembly today that the government would increase the allotted fund limit of Rs 50 lakh per panchayat.
The issue was raised by Sanguem MLA Subhash Phaldesai, former ZP member, stating that the funds are not enough for any kind of development works.
Parsekar however is planning to divide the works properly between the panchayats, zilla panchayats, PWD and RDA in order to avoid duplication of works.
While reply to opposition leader Pratapsing Rane, the panchayat minister assured to the House that the decision in this regard would be taken by the year end.
Parsekar however blamed the Group of Ministers formed during the Congress regime for not submitting any recommendations to the government in terms of financial disbursement.
The GoM was constituted by the erstwhile Congress government to study the recommendations of the second state finance commission and come out with a concrete policy in this regard.
Parsekar also agreed that the ceiling of Rs five lakh for any developmental work by the ZP needs to be increased.
When Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, another former ZP member, pointed out that each ZP cannot spend more than Rs 11 lakh for a group of five panchayats, the minister agreed to look into all these aspects.
The government, said Parsekar, has also decided to increase salaries where a ZP member would get Rs 10,000 instead of Rs 5000 per month, ZP vice chairperson Rs 11,000 instead of Rs 4500 and ZP chairperson Rs 12,000 instead of Rs 6000.
Curtorim MLA Alex Reginald Lourenco suggested that all powers of developmental works be given to the panchayats and municipalities while MLAs only legislate in the Assembly.
“It is a good thought, but has come five years late”, commented chief minister Manohar Parrikar, suggesting that it has come since the Congress is in opposition.
Lourenco felt that the government should be sincere enough if they call the change is a real Parivartan.
