GOACAN recommends setting up of websites in all panchayats

Oherald: Margao: Sunday, 09 August 2020.

GOACAN has called upon the Directorate of Panchayats (DoP) to ensure that the task of getting all Village Panchayats to have their own website and Citizens Charter which is to be completed in a time bound manner.

In a letter to the Director Narayan Gad, GOACAN has pointed out that several panchayats have still not yet launched their websites and have not yet prepared their Citizens Charter.

It may be recalled that the Goa State Information Commission (GSIC) in its order had directed the Director of Panchayats to ensure that each and every Village Panchayat has a well formatted and user-friendly website displaying all information held with the public authority in the public domain while also taking steps to implement Section 4 (1) (a) and 4 (1)(b) more so, in view of the order passed by the Hon’ble High Court of Bombay at Goa in Writ Petition No. 42/2019 as this in turn will help reduce RTI applications and also lead to better transparency, accountability and openness of governance.

GOACAN stated that setting up of a website and the preparation of a Citizens Charter for each panchayat would be the appropriate step during COVID-19 pandemic.

The NGO also said that it will benefit and make effective functioning of the several village committees.

The NGO further highlighted that the website will help bringing various departments closer to beneficiaries in the village.

GOACAN has recommended that the DoP appoints a Nodal Officer to take this task ahead by coordinating with GIPARD and the Departments of Information Technology, Public Grievances, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs. The Nodal Officer could also provide guidance to the panchayats on financial assistance, design and content for the Website and Citizen Charter.

GOACAN has also requested that the DoP to begin this exercise by first updating its own Citizens Charter http://panchayatsgoa.gov.in/uploads/Charter_Latest.pdf and Website http://panchayatsgoa.gov.in/index.php  so that its new look can be ready by August 15.