The Times of India             25.01.2014 

Rs 19.13crore sanctioned for municipality capacity building

PANAJI: The central government has sanctioned 19.13 crore for the 'capacity building' of Goa's municipalities in the next four years, urban development minister Francis D'Souza said on Friday.

D'Souza told mediapersons that his department had written to the Centre requesting for funds to strengthen the municipal councils in Goa, which he said lack administrative as well as technical staff.

The state government is in the process of now appointing 18 engineers to the 14 municipal councils in the state. D'Souza said that when the government sanctioned money to all 14 councils to undertake a signature project in their jurisdiction as part of Goa's golden jubilee celebrations, only two councils were able to plan or execute such a project. The councils did not have the capacity to plan or undertake such projects, he said.

D'Souza said community organizers have been appointed in all councils, except Margao, to prepare projects for the urban poverty schemes.

In addition to the two 100 ton/day garbage treatment plants planned at Calangute and Cacora, D'Souza also announced plans to build smaller garbage treatment plants in Bicholim (only for plastic waste) and one 10 ton/day 'plasma' garbage treatment plant at Ponda. He said the plant will generate about three megawatt of power from the processing of the garbage, which the company wants the government to purchase. The Ponda municipal council has shown willingness to build this plant, D'Souza said. The state has to look at treating around 500 tonnes of garbage daily and hence the need to build smaller plants, he said.