We have known for long that the right arm of the Goa government often does not know what the left arm is doing, but a conversation with the Chief Minister revealed that the head of the government has not idea of what the rest of its torso is doing.
Let’s digest this. Chief Minister Parsekar woke up on Monday morning getting calls and messages of severe commotion and possible violence at the border check posts of Goa, especially at Dhargal, because of the imposition of entry fees levied on all commercial vehicles moving in and out of the state. So far this was restricted to out of Goa vehicles, barring those belonging to nearby states with which Goa had a special arrangement. As crowds surged and angry truck and other commercial vehicle drivers spewed venom at the government and the PWD, the Chief Minister wondered who took the decision because he didn’t remember clearing any file of this sort for the last six months. But the story gets even more bizarre. A notification stating that commercial fees would be levied, with specific details of the levies per trip, was issued on May 14. This was printed in the government printing press. A fortnight has passed but the CM had no idea that his government issued a notification.
While you take time to grasp this unreal reality, let’s look at the possibility of what could have happened and the reality of what has happened
Possibility 1: The PWD headed by Sudin Dhavlikar who already has visions of being CM and considers the Parsekar rule as a stop gap period he has to endure, is taking decisions as if his department is independent of the government and cabinet he belongs to.
Possibility 2: Mr Dhavlikar may have indeed informed the CM through different official channels while the PWD minster may just about prove, leaving the CM red faced.
Reality 1: The bureaucracy has shown extreme inefficiency and coordination and planning. Irrespective of what the personal relationship between the CM or the PWD Minister may be, the decision has several implications. This can’t be dismissed as the CM not knowing about a decision. This is a shameful bureaucratic display of professional laziness and ineptitude. This involves several touch points like the PWD department, the finance department- since additional revenue expected needs to be channelised and budgeted,- and then of course the Chief Minister’s office. The CM is in charge of at least two of the touch points- his own office (presumably) and the Finance department. How can the CMO and the Finance department claim they were in the dark about this decision or the notification of this decision?
Reality 2: There is the office of the Chief Secretary which vets each major decision of this nature and reports to the Chief Minister. Of course Goa is a past master at managing without full time Chief Secretaries and treats this post like that of a PI. Therefore if the Colva police station can have the Cuncolim PI holding additional charge, Mr RK Srivastava can hold the Chief Secretary’s post as an additional charge. No sweat to anyone, except when these incidents of lack of coordination become visible where the Chief Minister is hapless.
While ruling politicians and the Chief Minister will always be the subject of scrutiny and criticism, the bigger criticism of the Chief Minister is that he has not been able to have a tight control over his officers. Several handpicked officers, running key areas, of former Chief Minister Parrikar have left the state in quick succession.
Having said that, the buck must stop at the Chief Minister’s door. He cannot play victim and say sorry. He may have kept the notification imposing border fees for vehicles, in abeyance, but it sends a very wrong signal to the people of Goa when the CM has to criticize a decision of another minister which is, in reality, his Government’s decision. Admitting that he had no clue about this is an admission of his weakness and losing grip of the states administration.
At the same time the PWD minister must realise that he is a Minister of the Goa government, not the ‘Chief Minister’ of the MadKaim or the ‘Governor’ of the PWD department. Though the next assembly elections are in 2017, governance cannot be sacrificed at the altar of politics.
