24 Sep 2020  |   05:36am IST

I took the decision as then Agri Min, not the CM: Vijai

Says a turf war between the Cooperation Minister and Agriculture Minister has resulted in a situation where the sugarcane farmers have been finished

Team Herald

MARGAO: While expressing happiness over the Government taking his decision forward, of transferring the administration of the Sanjivani Sugar Factory to the Agriculture Department, former Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant shouldn't say it is his decision.

Sardesai reminded Sawant that the decision had been taken by him as the former Agriculture Minister in the cabinet of former Chief Minister (late) Manohar Parrikar. 

He added that the cabinet decision that has come after a huge delay is like ‘old wine in a new bottle’ as the Sanjivani was in ICU when they took a decision and by the time the decision of the present Government came into effect, the factory has gone into the morgue.

"An officer who had vanished was suspended for having paid Rs 5 crores advance to the sugarcane cutting contractors who vanished. This Government has not done anything for Sanjivani as this officer has been taken back pending an inquiry," Vijai added.  

The Goa Forward Party president also alleged that a turf war between the Cooperation Minister and Agriculture Minister has resulted in a situation where the sugarcane farmers have been finished. 

"I make a charge that the people in the Government have vested interests as they have an eye on the land of the  Sanjivani Sugar Factory,” Vijai alleged.