Mrs. Jacinta Aranha - New President of the Belle Grama Panchayat

By Dr. Eugene D’Souza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 04 July 2010: After twenty-five years of long journey in politics and dedicated social service, Mrs. Jacinta Aranha, the Gurkarn of Edmeru’s St. Anne II Ward had her reward in the form of being elected as the President of the Belle Grama Panchayat. A reluctant entrant into politics twenty-five years ago, this unassuming, simple, down to earth, approachable and amiable lady deserves the position that she presently holds. People of the Belle Grama Panchayat have great expectation that under her leadership their life would be better off as far as the basic local amenities are concerned.

Jacinta, born on 2nd June 1952,  is the fourth  among six children, three sons and three daughters, of late  Daniel and late Mercine Mathais. Among her three brothers, eldest Ambrose Mathais is the Gurkar of St. Roque I Ward, Noel is the Gurkar of St. Roque II Ward. Jacinta’s last brother Joseph and two sisters-Hilda and Margaret are  in Mumbai with their families.

Jacinta had her primary education up to 5th standard at the United Basel Mission School at Mattar, higher primary in the Church Aided Higher Primary School and high school education in St. Lawrence High School, Moodubelle. She passed the SSLC examination in 1970 and completed PUC studies from St. Mary’s Junior College, Shirva. While in school and college, Jacinta did participate in various curricular and extra-curricular activities, throw-ball being her favourite sports.

As parents were keen to settle down Jacinta, she was given in marriage to Daniel Aranha of Edmeru in 1971 at the young age 19 years. As Daniel was working in Merchant Shipping, Jacinta had to look after her in laws and take care of the activities associated with the jasmine flowers.

Mrs. Jacinta and Daniel have been blessed with three sons. The eldest son Joy Prakash who has a diploma in Computer Science is presently working in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya in Africa. His wife Nancy and their two children live in Udupi. Second son Vijay works in merchant navy. He is married to Julie and has twin daughters who stay with Jacinta and Daniel. Third son Kenneth is an engineer and works in Dubai.

When asked about her interest in social service, Mrs. Jacinta said that she has been sensitive to the needs of the poor people right from her childhood. Without the knowledge of her parents and later her in laws, she would secretly help the poorer people by providing them food or other things of daily need. She mentioned about a blind poor old woman from her neighbourhood whom she used to help. Thus, Jacinta developed a sense of social service which gradually enabled her to gain popularity among the people which eventually brought her in the political limelight.

Mrs. Jacinta has been active in Parish organisations such as the Parish Council of which she has been a member for the past 30 years with a break of five years in between. Even now she is the Gurkarn of St. Anne II Ward and an ex-officio member of the Parish Council and the Catholic Sabha.

Realising the popularity and political potential of Mrs. Jacinta due to her quiet social service, in 1983, the then Post Master of Kattingeri and the President of the Local Congress Committee, Mr. Bernard D’Souza (son of Monnu Master) suggested that she should contest for the Belle Mandala Panchayat. However, Jacinta politely declined this suggestion as she had the responsibility of looking after her in laws and bringing up children. She felt that her priorities are towards the family. However, Mrs. Jacinta assured Mr. Bernard that she would think over his suggestion for the future.

Once again in 1985, Mr. Bernard reminded Jacinta that she should contest the election for the Belle Mandala Panchayat from Kattingeri I Ward. This time, Jacinta who had enough time to think about her responsibilities both in the family and politics said ‘yes’ to the offer of Mr. Bernard and was elected unopposed for the first time as the member of the Belle Panchayat. When asked about the reaction from her mother-in-law and husband Daniel about her foray into politics, Mrs. Jacinta said that they neither whole heartedly supported nor vehemently opposed her decision to join politics. They conditional support and said that if after fulfilling her family obligations without any hindrance she had any time, she could carry on her political activities.

After the end of the five years term as the member of the Belle Mandala Panchayat, Mrs. Jacinta Aranha was elected as the member of the Belle Grama Panchayat for the second time in 1990. However, in 1992, when Udupi Taluk Panchayat elections were announced, Mrs.  Jacinta was persuaded by her supporters to contest the Taluk Panchayat elections which she won comfortably and became the member of the Udupi Taluk Panchayat for five years term up to 1997.

Mrs. Jacinta Aranha had a break from active politics from 1997 after the end of her Taluk membership term till 2005 as she did not contest the 2000 Belle Grama Panchayat elections. However, she continued her social work and political activities.

Earlier in 1991, in order to mobilise the women of her area who had no exposure to community life and interaction with other women, Mrs. Jacinta undertook to organise them through an organisation and along with likeminded women of the area such as Vinootha Shetty and Meera Lobo founded the Jyothi Mahila Mandal with forty women members. Mrs. Philomena Aranha became the first President of the Jyothi Mahila Mandal. Thereafter, Mrs. Jacinta served the mahila mandal in the capacity of its President for two terms. In 2000, Mrs. Jacinta donated three cents of land on which a building for the Jyothi Mahila Mandal was constructed with fifty percent of financial assistance from the Lions Club of Moodubelle. At this centre women and girls were given training in sewing and embroidery and other trades which would help them in gaining some kind of livelihood.

After a break of around seven and half years, Mrs. Jacinta Aranha once again contested the Belle Grama Panchayat election in 2005 and was successful in representing Kattingeri I Ward in the Panchayat.

As the member of the Panchayat representing Kattingeri I Ward, Mrs. Jacinta worked for the betterment of her ward. She identified the hay-roofed houses and helped them in getting government funds to have tile roofs. She also endeavoured to provide basic amenities in her ward such as toilets, water supply and roads. She popularised social security schemes such as old age pension and helped the needy people to acquire these facilities. As the member of the Udupi Taluk Panchayat she was instrumental in opening five Anganwadis in surrounding regions and a bus-stop at Edmeru. She  helped poor couples to get them married and even conducted an inter-caste marriage for which there was opposition from both the boy’s and girl’s families. She persuaded the poor parents to send their children to school, organised medical camps for poor and also conducted community gatherings to bring about communal harmony and healthy interaction between people belonging to different communities.

In the Belle Grama Panchayat election held on 8th May 2010, once again Mrs. Jacinta was successful and out of 20 members, 11 Congress backed candidates won the election with the possibility of having the Congress backed administration in the Panchayat after five years of BJP backed rule. For the President’s post the name of Mrs. Jacinta Aranha had been making rounds as she was the senior most member of the Panchayat. However, the issue was clinched in her favour as the post came under reservation for general category women members and Mrs. Jacinta became the unanimous choice of the Congress backed members of the Panchayat.

The election formalities for the post of President of the Panchayat was held on 25th June 2010 and Mrs. Jacinta won the election by getting 11 votes as against 9 votes polled by her rival BJP supported Candidate, Mrs. Ranjani S. Iyer. Mrs. Jacinta took charge as the President of the Belle Grama Panchayat from 25th June 2010. Along with Mrs. Jacinta Aranha, Mrs. Sujata Suvarna was elected as the Vice President. Mrs. Jacinta will continue as the President of the Panchayat for two and a half years.

After being elected as the President of the Belle Grama Panchayat, Mrs. Jacinta Aranha was felicitated by the Moodueblle Parish Community, Jyothi Mahila Mandal, Edmeru and by the Congress workers and supporters following the victory rally on Tuesday, 29th June 2010 at Lion Seva Bhavan.

When quizzed about the programmes that she would take up for the development of the villages covered by the Panchayat, Mrs. Jacinta Aranha said that it will be her endeavour to complete the projects which are still pending from the earlier administration especially those projects which are being funded by the state government. There are still a number of wards under the Panchayat jurisdiction where people face drinking water problems to which her administration will give special attention.

Elaborating on the task of the Panchayat to which she would like to give special attention, Mr. Jacinta Aranha said that cleanliness in the Panchayat area especially in the township and around the educational institutions will be her priority. Repair of the market area and providing clean surroundings is on the agenda of the works that she would like to undertake. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA) will be implemented seriously in order to provide employment to the needy people. All the social security schemes of the central and state governments would be implemented by identifying the needy persons in different wards.

Mrs. Jacinta Aranha attends her office in the Panchayat on three days in a week-Monday, Tuesday and Friday between 10.30 am to 1 pm. Anyone can meet her at the office with their grievances and problems which she can handle. There is no restriction for anyone who would like to approach her. When I was in her office to take her interview for Bellevision, a number of people met her with their varied problems. She listened to them patiently and advised them how they should proceed to get their grievances redressed and problems solved. It is hoped that under the Presidentship of Mrs. Jacinta Aranha, the Belle Grama Panchayat would be able to register progress and become a model Panchayat.

Highlighting  role of the media, Mrs. Jacinta Aranha had a special word of appreciation for Bellevision for the coverage that it had given impartially and promptly during and after the Panchayat elections. She has made an appeal through Bellevision that the readers can send their views and suggestions which would enable the new administration to give better governance to the people under the Belle Grama Panchayat jurisdiction.

Bellevision once again congratulates Mrs. Jacinta Aranha on being elected as the President of the Belle Grama Panchayat and wishes her good luck in providing good governance to the people of Moodubelle, Padubelle and Kattingeri.