01 Dec 2021  |   07:02am IST

Ministers, MLAs appoint kin for govt jobs: Oppn

Files petition before Goa Lokayukta alleging confusion in the process taken by the Goa Public Service Commission
Ministers, MLAs appoint kin for govt jobs: Oppn

Team Herald

PANJIM: The Goa government stood exposed over the alleged job scam. The Opposition has made revelations on how some Ministers and legislators have misused their powers to accommodate their close-ones in government jobs. 

The government has promised recruitment at least four times in the last five years with promise of 10,000 jobs first made in the 2019 by-elections and Lok Sabha elections followed by 2020 Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections and municipal elections. 

The process of releasing advertisement and recruitment began only ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections. Although the recruitment process has started, Congress President Girish Chodankar accused ministers, MLAs and ruling party office-bearers of giving preference to their private secretaries, relatives and close ones for jobs.

It all began when Deputy Speaker Isidore Fernandes’s son Raymond almost got selected for the post of Awal Karkun but forged university documents got his appointment revoked. In another instance, the Congress has filed a petition before the Goa Lokayukta alleging confusion in the process taken by the Goa Public Service Commission (GPSC) after Rajesh Patnekar's son Himanshu topped the junior scale officer’s merit list. However, the BJP rubbished the allegations and his appointment still stands. 

Water Resources Minister Felipe Nery Rodrigues’ private secretary scoring cent percent marks in the Legal Metrology Inspector's examination has raised eye brows. A candidate from the Chief Minister's constituency has also got a brownie point. All these allegations are made by Chodankar as the Opposition demands scrapping of these posts and starting the recruiting process afresh. 

A large number of people from Valpoi and Poriem constituencies being recruited in the Directorate of Health Services has often been a centre of discussion with no action being taken. Now, St Andre MLA Francis Silveira has taken advantage of the upcoming polls trying to garner attention from the people by making promises he will ensure youth from his constituency are prioritised for the posts in the Goa Medical College (GMC). Irony is that his personal secretary has been appointed as accountant in the Directorate of Accounts. 

It has also come to light that jobs in the Electricity Department are not being given to other MLAs and instances like in many departments has left many legislators unhappy.

IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar