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 a third extension till June 30.
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.
Speaking to Herald, D’Souza confirmed that the CAC’s term has been extended by a month.
Earlier, claiming that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar would return to Goa before June end, Dhavalikar had said that the decision to grant further extension to the CAC would be taken by Parrikar. “Whatever the Chief Minister decides about CAC would be acceptable to the cabinet,” Dhavalikar told Herald
He added, “Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will return to Goa by the end of June and the government will complete its term of five years under his leadership.”
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. The second extension was granted from May 1 to May 31. The CAC has so far granted financial approvals to projects worth Rs 400 crores.
Parrikar has been ailing since mid-February. He was initially treated at Mumbai before being shifted to USA on March 7.
