TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Their penchant for training programs held out of station is well known, even though they have defaulted time and again in attending training programs hosted by the All India Institute of Local Self Government, Mumbai, right here in Goa in the past.
Call it simply a junket or a plain study tour, an 11-member team of Margao city fathers along with a lone official is leaving for Ahmedabad, Gujarat, by flight on Saturday. The purpose behind the visit is simple: To undergo three-day specialised training program on Municipal Finance and Budget Formulating, beginning from November 18-20.
Herald inquiries have revealed that the annual Margao municipal civic budget is normally finalised by the civic administration before it comes before the council meeting for approval. But one finds an overwhelming majority of city fathers part of the touring team than officials, sources said.
Besides elected representatives the training program is meant for the benefit of deputy municipal commissioners, chief officers, ward officers, municipal accounts officers, senior and middle level municipal officials. But the touring MMC team constitutes of city fathers rather than officials.
Civic officials admitted that the entire cost of the study tour will be borne by the state exchequer. So confident were the Margao city fathers that they had booked the air tickets even before the government could give the approval. When Herald contacted the Director of Municipal Administration Elvis Gomes on Thursday he had informed that the proposal was sent to the department for approval.
Rough estimates have put the total expenses of the study tour to Rs 1.50 lakh.
