Team Herald
PANJIM: On August 28, Manohar Parrikar and Vishwajit Rane completed one year as MLAs of Panjim and Valpoi assembly constituency. As we look 12-months down the line in BJP and in the governance, Parrikar, State Chief Minister, was seen balancing himself between the administration and his health, while Rane, was busy sorting out the mammoth mess in Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) and Health sector overall.
Parrikar and Rane contested the by-polls in August 2017; post formation of the BJP led coalition government in March, last year. Parrikar had step down as Defence Minister to take charge of Goa, while upset Rane had resigned as Congress MLA after the party failed to form the government despite emerging as the single largest party during the polls with 17 MLAs.
The picture of Rane with teary eyes greeting Parrikar after joining the BJP and then touching his feet has become epitome of political role in the saffron party. Junior Rane has successfully battled the tag ditching Congress party, where his Father, Pratapsinh Rane, is increasing being alienated.
As we review the performance, Parrikar remained underperforming as Chief Minister and so also as MLA, while Rane scored brownie points.
Parrikar, who formed the coalition government after much horse-trading, in his first six months as Chef Minister was busy trying to maintain stability in the government that has alliance partners such as MGP, Goa Forward Party and Independents.
Pleasing the coalition members was seen to be priority of Parrikar in the first half of the year. Be it allocating important portfolios or declaring coconut as State tree or amendment to the Tenancy Act or holding back permission granted to controversial Vani Agro ltd at Sanguem, Parrikar bowed down to each and every demand of his coalition.
While he managed to get stability in the government, a sudden illness related to pancreatic ailment corned him in the second half of the year. In mid February, Parrikar fell ill and was shifted to Lilavati hospital for treatment. In March he left for USA for advance treatment, only to return in three months.
Post his arrival on June 14, Government started to function smoothly and a fiery Manohar Parrikar was witnessed during the monsoon session of the State Assembly held in July-August. However, this did not last long and he fell ill again, forcing him to leave for USA due to medical complications.
In all this, his constituency- Panjim- remained neglected totally. On the other hand, Vishwajit hovers around the Health care projects that he undertook along with the cleaning of mess in GMCH and also his recent stand during the controversial fish in formalin issue. By and large, Vishwajit’s performance in providing quick medical aid to the people in the form of refurbished 108 ambulances and new initiatives like two-wheeler ambulances will add up to his performance as the legislator and minister.
His success in reviving the super speciality block at GMC, re-launching of newborn screening programme, dedicated burn unit, re-starting kidney transplant, cancer unit, organ transplant, are some of his achievements that one talks about today.
Some of the initiatives in health sector like on the spot blood testing using machine and also providing service like emergency cardiac care to ruralmost part of the Goa are icing on the cake for Rane’s performance.
But his double role during fish in formalin issue will work as a blot on his one year long performance as FDA minister. The quick U turn on the issue to provide breather to the government and the statements of banning the fish import and export are two of his actions which were contradictory to each other.
The minister has miserably failed in putting in place the already plagued Women and Child Welfare department with Apna Ghar and Protection Home for women continued to be remaining in the news for all wrong reasons.
The over attention to Health Sector may have resulted in him neglecting two of his other departments.
However, back in his constituency, the people have been struggling to get over few basic issues as their legislator being busy in Panjim. The recent problem of wild bison fatally attacking two women and continued nuisance by Wild Animals to the crops and farms can be counted as a failure of Rane’s good governance claim.
On the other hand, the constituency still remains hungry for government jobs and also employment opportunities with Industrial Estates like Pissurlem which border Valpoi failing to grow on par with its counterpart like Verna.
