Panaji: The director of panchayats has issued a memorandum to the block development officers (BDOs) to direct village panchayats to prepare annual development plans. The plans will focus on spatial planning by local bodies as per Section 238 of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act 1994 with respect to the implementation of the 73rd/74th amendment of the Constitution.After the amendment introducing spatial planning in the Goa Panchayati Raj Act, citizens have urged the chief secretary to initiate the preparation of annual development plans.The director of panchayats, acting upon a letter from the Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA), directed BDOs to inform the panchayats within 30 days and report compliance.GBA members met the director and the deputy director of panchayats to conduct training programmes and empower panchayats to prepare the annual development plans. These plans will be sent to the zilla parishad and then to the district planning committee. The district planning committees will then send their plans to make the state-level plan.“GBA calls upon the people to be aware of the planning process and participate to ensure sustainable development. GBA will be monitoring the process, taking necessary steps to ensure participatory planning is successfully implemented,” said GBA convenor Sabina Martins.
