Civitas Goa-The Centre for Democracy, Education and Human Rights, is to release the book
Panchayatantra--Powers and Functions of Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat Members on May 16 in Panjim. It will be released by ex-CM Luizinho Faleiro. Fr. Clive Telles, Provincial, St Jose Vaz Salesian (Don Bosco) Province, will be guest of honour. Social and environmental activisit Kumar Kalanand Mani will deliver the keynote address and speak about the book.
On the occasion, five Civitas Awards will be conferred, on the St Jose Vaz Salesian (Don Bosco) Province for its work with the poor and abandoned youth of Goa; Dr Meenacshi Martins, noted film and theatre personality, for giving policy inputs on health, substance abuse, women's and child rights; Judith Almeida, campaigner for environmental, civic and human rights; Tome Dourado, ad professional; and sports journalist Jose Antonio Jovito Lopes.
Panchayatantra's second edition comes out on its 18th anniversary. Authored by Dr Aureliano Freddy Fernandes, it raises serious concerns over Goa not giving powers to panchayats and zilla panchayats. It argues that the fight to save Goa should begin at the panchayat and zilla panchayat level, which have to be treated a "people's institutions" rather than political institutions.
The book maps the powers of the Central Level (President of India, Union PRaj Ministry); State Level (Chief Minister, Panchayati Raj Minister, Secretaries, Director, other officers); District Level (ZP Adyaksha, CEO, other officers) and Village Level (sarpanch, secretary, etc), according to the Goa Panchayati Raj Act and its latest amendments. The books also provides a 10-point roadmap on how panchayats can move forward not only for development, but to save Goa for posterity. Details:
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