PANJIM: Political analyst Trajano D’Mello on Wednesday alleged a scam by the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) in the Central government funds.
Information obtained under Right To Information (RTI) Act shows that over Rs 32.28 crore allotted under Assistance to States for Infrastructure Development of Exports were misused and used to repay the loan amount for payment of SEZ developers. Trajano said that to enable the GIDC to illegally use the funds, the new managing director posted on December 14, 2022, immediately sought approval to regularise Rs 6,35,50,397.00 under ASIDE Scheme to furnish utilisation certificate for the financial year 2012-13 and transfer money from ASIDE account, which was against the terms and conditions of the Central government funds received.
The GIDC managing director moved another note dated January 2, 2023, to seek approval to transfer funds of Rs 26,16,34,418.20 in the Goa-IDC treasury. Soon after another note was moved on January 12, 2023, and approval was sought to transfer funds of Rs 16,91,47,830.52 to Punjab National Bank, Panjim to cover up the outstanding PNB loan of GIDC, forgetting that the fund was meant for projects and not for loan purpose. The above notes moved by the managing director for the approval of the Minister for Industries, Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary-Industries and Chief Account Officer, and the Principal Secretary (Industries) without having any authority to regularise such Central government-aided scheme, and knowing well that only the State-Level Export Promotion Committee had the power to approve the projects.
Since a review meeting was scheduled by Government of India on January 18, 2023, another meeting was fixed to produce utilisation certificate of funds under ASIDE from December 14, 2022 to January 16, 2023, but till date the utilisation certificate has not been produced to the Central government by the GIDC, according to Trajano.
Trajano informed that FIRs that had been lodged and inquiries held against the governments in non-BJP ruled States, where funds sent for one purpose were utilised for another for violating guidelines, and further release of funds had been blocked.
“Failure to comply with the terms and conditions mentioned in the sanction letter, the whole/part amount will have to be refunded with 10 per cent per annum interest thereon. But here in Goa, the double engine ‘sarkar’ is allowing all these to happen according to its whims and fancies,”Trajano charged.