It is 18 long years that the City of Panaji Corporation Act 2002 came into force but a vital provision high-handedly remains unimplemented to the detriment of the now sagging City and its residents. Section 41 of the Act mandates that there shall be constituted Wards Committees for the City of Panaji.
Public participation is a vital in a democracy as it allows citizens to get involved in how their community is governed. The Ward Committees envisaged by law would act as a crucial link between Ward Corporators, the community and the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) while allowing members of the public to rightly influence the city’s much needed planning in a manner which best addresses their needs.
The Ward committees were planned to help improve communication between the CCP and the community besides playing an important role in being a link between the public needs and the CCP planning processes. Members who serve on these Ward committees would be well placed to ensure that resources are allocated to the most pressing needs in the Wards. The Ward committees would also participate in determining core CCP processes such as Integrated Development Planning, CCP budgeting and its performance management besides helping make sure that financial transfers from Central or State government is used for the purposes they are intended for while ensuring that the people of Panaji get the best services on all fronts.
Every provision of any law has to be enforced by the concerned authorities in toto as otherwise it would be acting in rank breach of law.
