PANJIM: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar’s simplicity and austerity drive ends in front of his bungalow — actually two bungalows. Goa’s new chief minister has neatly sidestepped the government’s own rule of no one having more than one official residence, by converting the CM’s official Mahalaxmi’ bungalow, into a camp office, and declaring the bungalow he has lived in as health minister as the “official” CM’s residence”. And why did he do it? Because he felt that the health minister’s bungalow was ‘lucky’ for him and has said so informally to officials and journalists
Well, he surely is a lucky boy. And while at it, he is riding his luck again, by ordering his government to renovate ‘Mahalaxmi’, at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. At ‘Mahalaxmi’, the chief minister will hold official meetings and meet the general public.
This is for the first time in the history that the General Administration Department (GAD) has issued orders turning the chief minister’s official residence ‘Mahalaxmi’ into the CM’s camp office. And guess who has signed the allotment order? Under Secretary (GA) Prashant Shirodkar, arrested in the Ruby Residency building collapse case, and now out on bail.
At the same time, the bungalow bearing No F-0-2, type F situated at Altinho, admeasuring area of 160.06 square metres, has been also allotted to Parsekar as his official residence. This bungalow is called ‘Sateri’, which was allotted to Parsekar, during his tenure as health minister in the Manohar Parrikar-led cabinet. As per norms, he had to surrender the residence to the new minister, once elevated.
“Sanction of the government is hereby accorded to allot the official residence, earmarked for the chief minister i.e. “Mahalaxmi” Bunglow at Altinho to Shri Laxmikant Parsekar, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of Goa, Secretariat, Porvorim, to use the same as camp office to hold official meetings and meet general public and government bungalow bearing No F-0-2, type F situated at Altinho, Panaji admeasuring area of 160.06 square metres as official residence,” the order signed by Shirodkar reads.
Interestingly, Shirodkar is the same officer, who was arrested in the Ruby Residency collapse case at Canacona that claimed 31 lives and injuring several others. He is on bail and now reinstated by the BJP led government – a zero tolerance to corruption.
“Mahalaxmi” has been the official chief minister’s residence for decades now. If one can remember, Parsekar, soon after being elevated as chief minister, had taken possession of the bungalow, even before taking over charge of the chief minister’s office, on November 10.
When contacted, the chief minister’s office confirmed that the chief minister is currently residing at his Sateri bunglow, as the chief minister’s residence — Mahalaxmi is under renovation. “Chief Minister will be shifting to his official residence by end of next month,” he said. However, the GAD order, a copy of which is with Herald, does not mention any time period for which the Mahalaxmi bungalow is allotted as a camp office and the new bungalow as his official residence.
Meanwhile, the PWD Chief Engineer Dattaprasad Borkar confirmed that the chief minister’s official residence is currently under renovation, with total expenditure expected to be around Rs 50 lakh.
