Dears, The Navhind Times seems to have gone into an "overdrive" to prop up the image of the incumbent Goa Government and to discredit the Panchayati Raj Insitutions in the run up to the release of the Regional Plan 2021 for Goa ...one year in the cooking this month!
Compare the news ...and headlines ...with the HERALD reports of the same [below]. Mog asundi Miguel Taking all along has delayed Regional Plan 2021<http://www.navhindtimes.in/news/goa-news/9497-taking-all-along-has-delayed-regional-plan-2021> Written by NT Network Tuesday, 09 March 2010 01:59 · PANAJI: The decision of the government led by Mr Digambar Kamat, to draw the Regional Plan 2021 in the “most transparent manner,” by taking all concerned into confidence, appears to have created “problems” for the authorities and delayed its finalisation and notification subsequently. The government had in October 2008 notified the draft Regional Plan 2021 and called for suggestions and or objections, a mandatory process before the plan is finalised and notified. Though the government was required to give 60 days time according to the Goa Town and Country Plan Act, for the people of the state to submit their suggestions and objections to the draft of the regional plan, it decided to not only extend the time limit on several occasions but also sought co-operation of the local bodies (panchayats and municipalities) in preparing a “foolproof” participatory plan. It is perhaps for the first time in the country that a regional plan is being prepared by taking all the stakeholders into confidence, but the move has delayed the process considerably as the authorities have to not only scan through the nearly 10,000 suggestions/objections received from general public, locals bodies and non-government organisations but also incorporate them in the draft plan before the plans was finalised. To make matters worse for the officials in finalising the plan, some of the panchayats have sought to turn the eco-sensitive areas into settlement areas, much against the guidelines. The T&CP officials, however, have the added task of incorporating the proposals onto the draft plans of the villages. As the scope of planning was increased due to the decision of the government to take all along, the T&CP officials had additional work to do as they had to train the government officials in guiding the local bodies in making their suggestions, etc which took considerable time and delayed the planning process further. Since the local bodies were taken into confidence for preparing the plan they not only had to be trained but guided at every stage and the differences among their members added to the woes of the T&CP officials, who had to be on their toes to settle the disputes and take everybody along. And though nearly one and half year has passed, around a dozen of panchayats are yet to submit their suggestions/objections and plans. In the initial stage only 116 panchayats sent their proposals for the plan and with subsequent extensions the number now stood at 177, according to the information provided by T&CP officials. In the meanwhile, some people tried to derail the process by seeking information about the proposals for the plans sent by the local bodies, and sensing the move the T&CP officials decided to prevent the people from flooding the office with RTI applications and had all the data collected, scanned and put up on government site, which in a way came handy for them and saved them from additional work they would have had to perform otherwise. The Chief Town Planner, Mr Morad Ahmed said that several local bodies have not adhered to the norms laid down in the process. He said in one case a panchayat with a population of just over 8,000 people (2001 census) in Pernem taluka has sought release of 70 lakh square metres of land for development, though its projected population was likely to increase by just a thousand people by 2021. The scanning process and the hosting of International Film Festival of India also took considerable time of around three months. The planning process was being done at the Maquinez Palace, which is used for hosting IFFI events, said Mr Puuturaju, senior town planner. He said that several panchayats have made proposals for settlement areas in eco-sensitive zones, including within 200 metres of Coastal Regulation Zone areas. He also said that the T&CP department has taken pains to include the settlement areas, which existed as long ago as 1971 (as indicated in land records) but not included in regional plan 2001, in the draft plan, which was not only a difficult task but also time consuming. The department officials are now busy scrutinising the inputs (suggestions, proposals, comments and objections) from people, NGOs, and others and incorporating them on the draft plans. They are hampered by non-availability of CAD operators in the state as the preparation of draft plans using the data was technical job to be performed by highly trained professions. Despite several attempts the department has not been able to get CAD operators. The scrutiny of inputs from three talukas is almost over and the drafts have been sent to specially constituted teams for finalisation, which would subsequently be sent to state level co-ordination committee for approval before the government gives its nod to the process. The specially constituted teams have to use the set criteria for finalising the plans and give reasons for accepting or rejecting a proposal. Lukewarm response to ZP polls<http://www.navhindtimes.in/news/goa-news/9453-lukewarm-response-to-zp-polls> Written by RAIKAR/ ABDUL BEIG Monday, 08 March 2010 01:21 · PANAJI: The indifference on the part of state government towards the Zilla Panchayats in the state, by way of holding back powers to these grassroots local government bodies, found its reflection throughout the ZP election conducted in the North district of Goa. Altogether 30 zilla panchayat constituencies in North Goa underwent polls on Sunday; however, 118 candidates as well as their supporters seemed to be the only ones interested in the electoral exercise, with most of the 4,53,209 ZP voters in the district opting to stay away from the polling booths. Interestingly, number of supporters of various political parties were seen moving with many candidates even though the polls are not contested on party symbols. In general, various areas in North Goa were seen dominated by political parties and certain individual politicians, thus drawing voters from these areas to polling booths. At other places, the situation was too gloomy to pull out voters from their houses, as these voters neither had any motivation nor will to vote. “The Zilla Panchayat concept just cannot work in Goa; it is clear waste of public time and money,” said one North Goa voter from Pale constituency. That explains the response to ZP polls in North Goa. In South district, though there was commotion in Velim constituency on Saturday night after it was reported that a minister was distributing cash to seek votes in favour of a particular candidate, voting on Sunday was largely peaceful. With voters trickling in regularly, polling officials were kept busy throughout the day. The locals, however, informed that there was not much enthusiasm among the voters of the ZP constituencies in South Goa, as is otherwise seen in gram panchayat or the assembly elections. Few vehicles were seen carrying voters to the booths in South Goa district and enquiries revealed that the vehicles belonged to the relatives or friends of the people who boarded them. Institution of Irrelevance<http://www.navhindtimes.in/opinions/9476-institution-of-irrelevance> Written by NT Network Monday, 08 March 2010 01:32 http://www.navhindtimes.in/opinions/9476-institution-of-irrelevance <http://www.navhindtimes.in/opinions/9476-institution-of-irrelevance##> <http://www.navhindtimes.in/opinions/9476-institution-of-irrelevance##> <http://www.navhindtimes.in/opinions/9476-institution-of-irrelevance##> PANCHAYAT institutions are supposed to be vehicles of socio-economic transformation in rural India. But the indifference of the people towards the elections to the Zilla Panchayats held in the state on Sunday explicitly underlines the fact that this institution is losing its relevance. Either in South Goa or in North Goa the voters lacked that element of enthusiasm as is otherwise seen in gram panchayat or the assembly elections. Peoples’ indifference is indeed the matter of concern for the future of the Zilla Panchayats. The reports emanating from the two districts make it clear that the indifference of the state government towards the Zilla Panchayats, by refusing to devolve the powers to this grassroot local body, found its reflection in the peoples’ averseness. Most of the voters had turned up because the local MLAs or other leaders wanted them to vote for particular candidates. Significantly, the role and nature of the style of functioning of the political leaders and parties also made the people to remain inside their homes. If the voters from Pernem are to be believed they opted to abstain from voting as they are depressed with the existing political scenario in the state. Certainly this would not augur well for the state or its political system. For quite some time the North Goa Zilla Panchayat chief, Ms Amol Morajkar has been harping on the issue that Zilla panchayats are irrelevant. The ZP’s key task was to prepare plans for economic development and social justice in the district and coordinate their execution. But ZPs have failed to play that role. The reason is they are not fully supported by the state government. They even did not receive adequate funds to undertake developmental works as envisaged in the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution. Ironically, even after two years of submission of the report by the State Finance Commission, the state government is reluctant to implement the recommendations for improving the functioning of panchayats and ensure that overlapping of developmental works does not take place at the level of gram panchayats and Zilla Panchayats. There is no denying the fact that over the years the Zilla Panchayats have become pocket boroughs of powerful state politicians who use them for their personal and political gains. writ on devolvement of powers to ZPs disposed HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 8 The Bombay High Court at Goa on Monday disposed off a writ petition filed by some outgoing Zilla Panchayat (ZP) members seeking directions to the State Government to implement Constitutional mandate that ensured more powers to ZPs. A Division Bench of Justices Naresh H Patil and R M Savant upon a statement made by Advocate General Subodh Kantak that report of II nd State Finance Commission (SFC) will be tabled before Goa Assembly in the monsoon session, disposed of the petition . The report of SFC which was ready in 2008 recommending devolution of powers as mandated by 73 rd amendment to Constitution of India, has been lying with government. Aggrieved ZP members led by outgoing ZP Adyaksha Amol Morajkar filed a petition before High Court after their repeated requests for more powers to ZPs failed to move the government. Adv Amrut Kasar who appeared on behalf of the petitioners argued that the government can’t escape from the responsibility of giving more powers to ZP as it amounts to violation of the provisions of Constitution. It must recalled that since ZPs bodies came to be elected in 2000, ZP members have fought with the government over devolution of powers. *BATTLE** OF BALLOT: 57% vote HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 7 *A 57.22 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections held on Sunday. Voters turnout for 48 constituencies — 30 in North Goa and 18 in South Goa picked up momentum in the afternoon after a poor response in the morning. This election, voting has been more by just 1.22 per cent as against in 2005, when 56 per cent voting was recorded. It must also be counted that election for Navelim constituency was postponed after the accidental death of one of the candidates whereas outgoing ZP member Nelly Rodrigues has been elected unopposed from Colva constituency in South Goa. Overall, voting in North Goa was little more than in South Goa where election was held for 18 constituencies. In North Goa per centage of voting was approximately 58.89 per cent as against 57.61 per cent. Voting in 48 constituencies started at 8 in the morning however till 10 am voting percentage was as low as 13 per cent . Voters started making it to the booths in large numbers only after 12 pm when 33 per cent voting was recorded and by 4 pm, 50 per cent voting was completed. Highest voting was recorded in Pernem taluka whereas among eleven talukas less voters turnout was witnessed in Mormugao with lowest turnout of 40.77 per cent -- -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Miguel Braganza, S-1 Gracinda Apts, Rajvaddo, Mapusa 403507 Goa Ph +91-9822982676;91-832-2255913 www.ofai.org www.pgsorganic.in Horticulture.Facilitation.Networking -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
