30% govt employees involved in other business: Minister

PANJIM: Government servants directly or indirectly involved in other business have come under the radar of the BJP-led coalition with Labour & Employment Minister Rohan Khaunte claiming that at least 30 per cent of the employees fall in this category. 

In view of this revelation based on his inquiry, the minister has proposed that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant form a task force to crack down on these employees paving way for ‘fresh blood’ to get into the government sector. 

“As per my estimate, 30 per cent of government employees are involved in running side businesses. I will write to the CM seeking for a special task force and also float sentinel-like scheme (Traffic Sentinel) to expose government servants indulging in side business. The informer will be given rewards too,” the minister said. 

Khaunte pointed out how government servants involved in such side businesses have been lax in performing their actual duties, which reflects in the poor administration. 

“If a person has a side business and a job, it is good, but he cannot afford to do both, he has to either run the side business or remain in service. There are deserving candidates who are waiting for government jobs, if we need to give proper administration and governance, it becomes important that people who are responsible as government employees at various levels give deliveries as public servants to the people of Goa,” he added.  

The minister referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent move on compulsory retirement of some errant government staff, stating it was needed in Goa too. 

“It will allow the State to run its administration effectively, create new employment opportunities. If there is fresh blood there will be freshness,” he said, as he suggested that the proposed action against government servants-cum-businessmen should be time bound to ensure accountability in the State administration.