Tillari irrigation project to be complete by Dec

Porvorim: Most components of the Tillari irrigation project including the main earthern dam are complete and the full project will be completed in all respects by year-end, water resources minister Dayanand Mandrekar told the assembly on Tuesday.
Mandrekar was replying to discussions on the demands of water resources, panchayats and art and culture.
Mandrekar said that work of the distributaries of the main canals and some portions of the distribution network are incomplete and all works will be complete by the year-end.
The minister said that his department has already enhanced finances to the water user societies by almost double the earlier amount. He assured that all problems pertaining to the societies will be addressed.
Speaking about the art and culture department, Mandrekar promised that the foundation stone for a Ravindra Bhavan at Mapusa will be laid at the earliest. There were technical difficulties earlier but almost 80% of the procedures are complete, he said.
Mandrekar refuted claims of corruption by chairman of the Ravindra Bhavan at Fatorda saying the budget was about 1.20 crore and charges that corruption of around 3 crore was happening could not be correct.
Speaking on panchayats and countering charges that large-scale illegal construction were coming up in Goa, Mandrekar said village panchayats were empowered under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act to remove illegal constructions. Otherwise, the complainant can approach BDO to seek directions to the panchayat to demolish the illegality.
The minister said that the issue of illegal constructions pertains to a number of departments including the revenue department.
Responding to the charge that the government was depriving the zilla panchayats, Mandrekar said that the government will honour its assurance before the ZP elections and devolve funds and powers to ZP bodies. He also clarified that salaries of panchayati raj elected representatives, which were pending, have been cleared.