Media Release

Margao, Nov 4: Shantaram Naik MP said here on Thursdy November 4 that MPLADS guidelines should be amended to facilitate buying of readily constructed premises like halls to the beneficiaries seeking community halls under the scheme.

Naik, who was distributing computers, copiers, printers, laptops and LCD projectors, to the educational institutions of South Goa, under MPLADS here further said that under the present guidelines, if a community hall is to be constructed for the benefit of the society, the project  has to be tendered under the tedious PWD procedure, which not only delays the completion of the project, but causes escalation of estimates to the extent of 30% to 40%. The situation, can be avoided,  if a readily constructed halls of standard quality are permitted to be negotiated by amending the guidelines.

Naik said that there must be an act of parliament to regulate the distribution and allocation of funds under MPLADS as it is not fair to distribute crores of rupees under an ordinary scheme of the government.

He said that the government has taken right decision to enact a law to regulate Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme,  which  is issued under Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Gurantee Act and Rules framed thereunder.

Naik also pledged that a minimum of 2% of the MPLADS amount should be made available to the MPs for distribution during natural calamities and in cases of exigency situations.

Naik appealed to the management of the institutions to whom the electronic items were distributed by him that they should see to it that each and every item is put to maximum use and that it should be ensured that maximum number of students take benefit of these items to increase their knowledge.

Collector of South Goa G P Naik appreciated the efforts of Naik of giving maximum projects for the benefit of education institutions in the state, specially from the institutions of rural areas. He said that there should be co-ordination between government and MPs to supplement each others efforts in the matter of giving electronic items to the institutions.

Altinho Gomes, general secretary of GPCC, in his welcome address appealed to the beneficiaries for better maintenance of the electronic items given to them under MPLADS so that they can be put to longer effective use.

Pandurang (Bhai) Naik, Sr Vandana, and Fr Romano Gonsalves spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries.

Damodar Korgoankar, secretary of GPCC, proposed the vote of thanks.

J T Vaz, chief organizer of Goa Pradesh Congress Seva Dal, Vijaya Sheldekar, president of Margao Block Congress Committee and Antonio Gaunkar, former MLA were present on the occasion.