Team Herald
PANJIM: As Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar extends his stay in the USA for his treatment, the three-member Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) of ministers has been granted another extension of a month till May 31.
The CAC comprising Public Works Minister Ramakrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar, Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai and Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza was constituted on March 6, as a temporary arrangement for a month, to guide the administration in absence of the Chief Minister.
“Chief Minister is pleased to direct that the arrangements made for the transaction of business of the Government vide the office memorandum of even number dated March 29, in his absence on medical ground shall be continued for a further period from May 1 to May 31, on the same terms,” the office memorandum (OM) issued by Chief Secretary IAS Dharmendra Sharma, reads.
Speaking to Herald, D’Souza said that the Chief Minister is likely to return to Goa by the end of May, until then the CAC will be in force. “I feel, CAC is doing a good job and there is smooth functioning of the administration,” he said.
The committee got its first extension on March 29 when its term was extended till April 30, with a modification in enhancement of financial powers from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore and that of an individual minister from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore.
As per the information, the CAC has so far granted financial approvals to projects worth Rs 150 crore, while it had recommended proposals worth over Rs 200 crore to the Chief Minister for sanction.
Parrikar has been ailing since mid-February. He was initially treated at Mumbai based Lilavati hospital before being shifted to USA on March 7. It is learnt that Parrikar’s treatment will be completed only by May 15, and a week later he is expected to return to India.
