The Shadow Council for Margao had given an Ultimatum to the Margao Municipal Council to declare before the 15th of August 2019, the date on which the felicitation of SSC students from the high schools of Margao shall take place.
On account of the failure of the Margao Municipal Council to announce the date of felicitation program for the SSC students, whose awards of 2 years are pending, the Shadow Council for Margao, as announced earlier, held a protest by Begging below the Margao Municipal Council building.
It is not the scholarship amount that is important for a child, but timely felicitation, further encourages and motivates the child to perform even better in the future, Mr.Coutinho stated.
The SCM states that it appears that the council has developed a heavy heart to spend Rs. 20,000/- per year which forms the award amount of 20 students from 20 different schools in Margao. But on the other hand derive unique pleasure in squandering public fund’s on A/C dustbins, Ghost worker’s, pleasure jaunts etc.
“We simply fail to understand the reason for such delays every time. While if a study tour is announced, this Council within 24 hours will get the approval from the government and also purchase flight tickets”, Mr. Laurel Abranches charged.
Mr Savio Coutinho, during whose tenure, in 2009 the awards were incepted stated that, ” we ourselves feel ashamed that we have to remind this Council time and again over the distribution of the award’s”.
It may be noted that the successful students who passed out in April 2018 and April 2019 are yet to receive their award’s.
It may be noted that with the exception of using schools for rallies and cleanliness drives, the council has no connection with the schools in the city. And for this very purpose the council had decided in 2009 to incept an award for ”1 student from every high school within the city limits of Margao, who scored the highest marks in Social Studies”.
There are around 20 high schools within the city, and with an award of Rs 1000/- per student, the award amount is just Rs. 20000/- per year.
SCM members Radha Kavlekar, John Gonsalves, Agostinho Gama, Domnic Coutinho, Edward Lourenco, Felix Dias and Iftiyaz Sayed participated in the protest.
The team later went to the chamber of the Chairperson and met the acting Chairperson Tito Cardozo in a bid to hand over the amount (in the form of coins). Acting Chairperson Mr Cardozo while admitting the lapse on the part of the Council, assured to immediately complete the felicitation program. Mr. Cardozo further assured to make arrangements for the necessary funds while refusing to accept the coins amounting to Rs.153/-.
