MLAs should stay off gram sabhas: AAP

Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday said that the Government that had failed to devolve any of the functions to Panchayats and ZPs, mandated under the 73rd amendment, had set an ‘evil eye’ on gram sabhas to hijack its proceedings. Questioning the intention of the government behind the move to amend the Panchayati Raj Act to allow MLAs to attend gram sabhas,
AAP General Secretary Pradeep Padgaonkar said that the legislators who were running away from assembly proceedings under the cover of covid were now out to intimidate members of gram sabhas to tow a particular line and cautioned that such a move will kill the constitutional spirit.
Padgaonkar said that both the congress as well as BJP in Goa had not given effect to the vision of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who had brought the
73rd amendment to the constitution and bestowed upon the Panchayats and ZPs several functions so that governance reaches the doorstep of people.
“The vision was to bestow power to the people at the grass roots level. Ministry of Panchayati Raj GOI had directed amendments to the Panchayati Raj Act in states to incorporate the amendments made under the 73rd amendments. However out of the 29 odd functions, the Goa government has earned the dubious record of not devolving even a single function to these local bodies. We had through a letter 2 years ago, drawn the attention of each and every Panch in the state to this sad state of affairs. Nothing changed. And now government wants to hijack gram sabhas” said Padgaonkar
Meanwhile Padgaonkar said that AAP was reiterating the charge by Party Convenor Elvis Gomes that Panchayats are used as doormats of politicians without devolution of powers and functions. He said that Aap is founded on the principles of Swaraj which includes empowering local bodies with devolution of the functions enshrined in the constitution.
“The Gram Panchayat Development plans (GPDP) are very important.
Legislators’ job is to legislate in the assembly and help the gram sabhas by getting the works proposed under the GPDPs. The constitution has created a dividing line between all the organs of government. It has to be respected”.
Padgaonkar appealed to all the Panch members in Goa to fight for their rights and not to get carried away by petty things.