Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: The demand for greater powers and increased financial support for Zilla Panchayats dominated the South Goa Zilla Panchayat meeting, with members urging the Goa government to strengthen district-level local bodies to improve development across their constituencies.
At the meeting chaired by South Goa Zilla Panchayat Chairperson Sidharth Gauns Desai, members expressed concern that the current annual allocation of ₹40 lakh per member is inadequate to carry out meaningful development works.
BJP member Mohan Gaonkar said the sanctioned amount is exhausted after executing only a few projects, leaving Zilla Panchayat members with little scope to address public demands. He pointed out that while village panchayats actively undertake development works, district panchayats have limited authority and depend almost entirely on the annual grants provided by the government.
Gaonkar appealed to the state government to devolve more powers and allocate higher funds to the Zilla Panchayats. He also suggested that certain development works and funds currently handled by other government departments could be entrusted to district panchayats, enabling them to play a more effective role in local governance.
Responding to the concerns, Chairperson Sidharth Gauns Desai said the South Goa Zilla Panchayat would formally convey the members’ demands to the government. He stated that district panchayats could be given a greater role in implementing rural development programmes and expressed confidence that Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant would examine the issue of enhancing both powers and financial resources for the elected bodies.
Desai also said discussions are underway on assigning responsibilities related to community farming to the Zilla Panchayats as part of the decentralisation process.
Members further highlighted that they do not even have the authority to issue life certificates for beneficiaries of various government welfare schemes, describing it as another example of the limited powers currently vested with district panchayats.
The meeting also took note of a circular issued by the Tribal Welfare Department requiring prior departmental approval before development works are undertaken in Scheduled Tribe areas.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the seven South Goa Zilla Panchayat members representing Kushavati district met Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant seeking additional financial assistance and a separate administrative status.
Led by Chairperson Sidharth Gauns Desai, the delegation pointed out that although the members belong to Kushavati district, they continue to function under the South Goa Zilla Panchayat. Dharbandora ZP member Rupesh Desai said the delegation requested separate recognition for Kushavati members along with enhanced funding to accelerate development in the district.
The delegation also sought an extension of the South Goa Zilla Panchayat office within the existing building and additional grants to undertake more public works. According to Desai, the Chief Minister assured the members that their requests would be given due consideration.
