PANJIM :Months after allocating all the Corporations to the concerned MLAs, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is yet to take a call on allotment of chairmanship of Goa’s Planning and Development Authority’s (PDAs), for which both BJP and Goa Forward party (GFP) are staking claim.
Parrikar last month appointed chairman of various corporations which are equally divided between BJP, MGP and GFP. However, the Chief Minister is yet to decide on the PDA chairmanship. He has to appoint a chairman for North Goa PDA, South Goa PDA and Mormugao PDA. The newly approved Mopa PDA, will also get a chairman.
Sources confirmed that the Minister for Town and Country Planning (TCP) Vijai Sardessai has demanded that except for North Goa, all PDA chairmanships be given to GFP, while proposing the name of BJP MLA Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo to chair North PDA.
It is learnt that he wants to retain a hold over all the three PDAs on the basis that each PDAs is part and parcel of TCP and hence cannot function independently of the Minister. Lobo is considered to be close aide of Sardessai.
BJP sources said that the party wants North Goa PDA to be with Lobo, while the Mormugao be handed over to former Minister and legislator Milind Naik. “Naik was former Minister and he has not be accommodated anywhere so far,” sources said.
Last time, NGPDA was headed by Lobo, SGPDA was headed by then Congress MLA and panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho and Mormugao PDA by Carlos Almedia.
While it is most likely that Lobo may retain NGPDA, SGPDA may go to GFP.
It is expected that the chief minister may issue appointmentorder of PDA chairman’s by this month end.
