PANJIM: Even as some niggling issues remain to be sorted in Goa, for instance the Cortalim traffic chaos and the Mhadei diversion verdict by the Tribunal, 60 percent of Goa’s cabinet ministers are away from office, either sick, taking treatment outside the State or on private visits elsewhere.
This has been the case since February when Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar first fell sick and was taken for treatment out of Goa in March.
However, that time around the Chief Minister had appointed a three-member Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) which had some financial powers up to Rs 10 cr besides every minister had powers of up to Rs 2 cr. Unfortunately, some members of the three-CAC are in the list of absentees this time around.
The Chief Minister flew to US on August 10 and was due to be back on August 18. But his arrival has been delayed to August 22. In his absence, Principal Secretary to the CM, P Krishnamurthy, has been given charge of the administration and seems to be running the entire government in coordination with Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma.
Following the CM to US is Mapusa MLA and Minister Francis D’Souza, who is leaving Sunday night for treatment in the same hospital – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre – where Parrikar was admitted.
Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar is in Mumbai for treatment after brain surgery at Lilavati hospital. PWD Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar, is also unavailable after he underwent a surgery in Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai.
Besides this, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane are on private visits to Canada and New York respectively. Tourism Minister Babu Azgaonkar is in Goa but is unavailable for public due to a family function, as per his PS Vishal Kakode.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar says the government is taking the people of Goa for a jolly good ride. “First of all this government had no mandate of the people and different parties with different ideologies have connived to loot Goa. And now it has become insensitive and irresponsible too,” Chodankar alleged.
He says any minister come and goes without handing over charge which is highly deplorable. “The worst is the BJP regime has created Constitutional crisis allowing the Speaker to hoist the flag instead of any cabinet minister in absence of the Chief Minister,” he said.
Chodankar said that there are so many things happening around but some minister is sick, someone is or tour, holiday. “People of Goa are taken for a jolly good ride. For any action to be taken the people have to come on streets is this governance?” he asked.
