Grants & Schemes

Village Panchayats whose annual income is not more than Rs. 25 lakhs are eligible for financial assistance under this scheme to strengthen their administration.

From 2001-02, the State Government abolished octroi on petroleum goods that was earlier collected by municipal councils and village panchayats. In its place, the Government levies sales tax on petroleum products, and releases the corresponding amount to the respective Village Panchayats as special grants in three instalments every financial year.

The Goa Panchayat Parishad, established in 1983, receives Rs. 10,000 every year from the Directorate to undertake its activities. Mahila Mandals registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 receive unconditional grants to take up social activities and build awareness of Panchayati Raj participation among rural women — Rs. 1,000 in the first year after registration, and Rs. 500 every year thereafter. Both the Parishad and the Mahila Mandals are required to submit a utilisation certificate for the grants sanctioned to them each year.

Eligibility: any person born and residing in Goa whose annual family income does not exceed Rs. 25,000 and who does not own a house in their own name or in the name of any family member may avail of this scheme for construction, repair or improvement of a house.

Loan amount: up to Rs. 20,000, released in three instalments — Rs. 5,000 on sanction, a further instalment on the Block Development Officer confirming the construction has reached plinth level, and the final instalment on confirmation that it has reached roof level. Interest is charged at the rate fixed by the Government from time to time.

Recovery: the principal and interest are recovered in 20 equal annual instalments, the first falling due 18 months after disbursement. Applications go to the Block Development Officer, who forwards them with a recommendation to the Director of Panchayats within a week, along with title documents, Panchayat permission, a site plan, a model of the house, a photograph of the applicant, an income certificate, a residence certificate and a Mamlatdar certificate confirming the applicant and their parent were born in Goa. The estimated cost must not exceed Rs. 25,000, the work must be completed within a year of the first instalment, and the land and house are mortgaged to the Government for the duration of the loan.

A Village Panchayat may apply to the Government for a loan to start income-generating activities in its area, including coconut and cashew nurseries, orchards, vegetable farms, reclamation of waste land, pumping sets, tractors and agricultural implements for hire, poultry and piggery farms, dairies, guest houses, shops, markets and godowns, stone quarries, small and cottage industries, and other schemes suited to the area or approved by the Government.

The State Government funds Village Panchayats for acquiring garbage sites and developing collection and disposal facilities. Panchayats are required to segregate garbage at source into biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, with biodegradable waste processed through vermi-composting at constructed composting pits. The Government bears 98% of the cost of collection, transport, segregation, storage, processing and disposal for the first three years, after which the full cost passes to the Village Panchayat.

Under the Goa Panchayat (Grant of Financial Assistance to the Village Panchayats to deal with Plastic Garbage Menace) Scheme, 2007, an affected Village Panchayat may hire labourers at up to Rs. 150 per labourer for door-to-door plastic garbage collection or collection drives, and is entitled to Rs. 25,000 per annum for collection and disposal of plastic waste — or Rs. 50,000 per annum, covering compactor fuel costs, where a compactor has been provided.

Available to any person born and resident in Goa for at least 15 years, whose parents were born in Goa, whose total family income from all sources does not exceed Rs. 1 lakh, and who does not own a house — or owns one that needs repair. The Director of Panchayats is the sanctioning authority for rural areas, and the Director of Social Welfare for urban areas. Rs. 25,000 is sanctioned for construction of a new house and Rs. 12,500 for repairing an existing one; applications go to the respective Block Development Officer in the prescribed form.

A one-time grant-in-aid of Rs. 5 lakh for Village Panchayats affected by the halting of mining activity, to help tide over the resulting financial difficulty. Panchayats receiving this grant must utilise it within one year of drawal. Village Panchayats across Sanguem, Dharbandora, Quepem, Bicholim and Ponda talukas were covered under this scheme.

An infrastructure project of Rs. 1 crore is taken up in every Panchayat under this scheme. The Panchayat decides the project to be undertaken, which is executed through GSIDC, GTDC or a similar agency, with funds released to the executing agency in three instalments within 30 days of receiving the detailed proposal.

A provision to help Panchayats respond to calamities during the monsoon period, administered at the Panchayat level.