Team Herald
PORVORIM: Government has decided to remove casinos from River Mandovi but till today no alternate feasible site has been finalised, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the State Assembly on Friday.
Parrikar also said that government is in process of drafting casino policy. There are total six offshore casinos currently operational in River Mandovi.
The submission has been made in a written reply tabled on the Floor of the House in two different questions tabled by Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavalekar and Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco.
“Government has decided to remove Casinos from River Mandovi but till today no alternate feasible site has been finalised and the matter is under examination,” Parrikar said.
The Chief Minister said that surveyors carry out surprise inspection to ensure the safety of vessels, crew, passengers, environment protection and any violation as per Inland Vessels Act, 1917 and rules framed there under.
The State’s total revenue collection from the off shore casinos is around Rs 2.37 crore in last three years. For the current financial year it is Rs 5.57 lakhs.
Earlier, Congress MLA Luizinho Faleiro demanded that the casinos be shifted into deep sea. “I would like to know when these casinos will be shifted out of River Mandovi?” he questioned.
“If in the current economic meltdown, State feels that these casinos be allowed to be functional for revenue, then they should be taken into deep sea,” MLA said.
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GAMING COMMISSIONER BY DECEMBER: CM
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar assured the House to draft rules for Gaming Commission by December, this year. Speaking during the Private member resolution, Parrikar said that by December end, rules for gaming commission will be notified and subsequently Gaming Commissioner be appointed. Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco had moved a private member resolution urging the House to resolve that Government appoint a gaming commissioner to check persons entering in designated gaming areas without tourist permit. Lourenco sought to know why there is delay in appointing the gaming commissioner, which the government had promised during its earlier tenure. He said that the commission is required to keep watch on the functioning of the casinos and to ensure that there is ban on entry of Goans. “Why is government in so much of love with casinos? I am really not able to understand it,” he stated.
