ZP, panchayat members to get govt salary

panaji: the state government has decided to provide monthly salary and allowances to the chairpersons and members of of two zilla panchayats and sarpanch and members of the 189 gram panchayats in goa with effect from april 1. briefing reporters after the state cabinet meeting, the chief minister, mr manohar parrikar, has said that the cabinet has approved the proposal over granting monthly salary to the elected members and those occupying its offices with a view to strengthen panchayat bodies and make them more responsive to the development and progress of the villages.the state will incur an additional expenditure to the tune of rs 3.6 crore annually. the gram panchayat sarpanch will get get a monthly salary plus allowance of rs 2000, while deputy sarpanch will get rs rs 1750, inclusive of allowance. the gram panchayat members will be entitled to get rs 1500 per month, inclusive of allowance. the zilla panchayat chairperson will get a salary of rs 3000 and an allowance of equal amount, while the deputy chairperson will be entitled for a salary of rs 3000 and an allowance of rs 2500, per month. the zp members will get a salary of rs 3000 and an allowance of rs 2000. replying to a question over the devolution of powers to the zilla panchayats, mr parrikar said the government would grant more powers to these bodies. stating that a proper administrative set up was required at the panchayati raj institution level, mr parrikar said the government would certainly give appropriate powers to these bodies once these zilla panchayat bodies structure was developed. the government was prepared to handover the functions in elementary education to zilla panchayats, but these bodies do not want teachers and manpower but only want repair works, mr parrikar remarked sarcastically. in such a situation if the elementary education was entrusted to zilla panchayats, there will be chaos and confusion, he opined. pointing out that a proper administrative mechanism has to be developed in panchayati raj institutions, mr parrikar said the state finance commission had already examined the issues pertaining to finances of local bodies and has submitted its report. the cabinet also approved rs 10-crore revisional land survey plan for goa and government intends to use global positioning system (gps) technique with the help of indian space research organisation (isro). the central government would provide 50 per cent of the total cost on re-survey exercise. mr parrikar said since the last land survey was conducted in 1972, the land maps have been outdated. he also said several developed areas are not on the land maps and justified the need for land re-survey. the survey is expected to be completed within next six months, he informed. replying to the use of gps technique, mr parrikar said this technique would help to get the accurate reference points of the land. the cabinet has also approved 40 posts to operate state-owned ambulances, besides another 37 posts of medical attendants and assistants for providing immediate relief during emergency. the state-owned ambulances are attached to trauma unit at goa medical college and they will cater to accident victims on the national highways. the ambulance-service will be linked with the wireless to fire service centres at pernem, ponda, verna, bicholim, and balli. the ambulance-service will operate in three shifts and coordination centre will be set up at gmc.