Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Friday said that the vacant cabinet berth would be filled before the Ganesh festival which falls on September 17.
He also hinted at dropping a minister from the present cabinet, thereby nominating a new minister. But that would be done after the Ganesh festival.
“Visarjan ye Chavticha payli jayna re, (Visarjan does not happen before the festival),” Parsekar said refusing to say anything more on the issue.
The Chief Minister was speaking in presence of his BJP cabinet colleagues and MLAs. Asked whether a senior or junior would be inducted in the cabinet, MLA Vishnu Wagh said, “Senior will be inducted and we don’t think any junior will have objection to that…our juniors understand.”
Parsekar had earlier hinted at promoting only a senior BJP MLA in the cabinet.
There is one vacant post in the 12-member cabinet after former minister Francisco (Mickky) Pacheco, now in jail, resigned.
Sources said Speaker Rajendra Arlekar, Deputy Speaker Anant Shet and Wagh are frontrunners for the cabinet berth.
Parsekar also said that the government is exploring the possibility of converting the Electricity Department into a corporation. He and Power Minister Milind Naik, are likely to travel to New Delhi soon to submit the proposal to the Union Power Ministry.
“There is no issue in exploring the possibility. For ambitious projects like underground cabling, huge funds are required. Once the department is converted into a corporation, we can get financial benefit of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 crore,” he said.
As per the Electricity Act 2003, the power sector has to be run by a Corporation and not department.
The chief minister, however, assured that the decision would be taken by protecting the interests of the workers.
