Team Herald
PANJIM: The Cabinet Advisory committee (CAC) is likely to have its first official meeting next week.
Minister Francis D’Souza, a member of the committee said the meeting may take place next week on Wednesday.
This will depend on the Chief Secretary, who has to prepare and fix the agenda for the meeting. An informal meeting of the committee was held on March 7, when it discussed on the way ahead due to the forthcoming mining crisis.
Meanwhile the CAC, constituted as an interim arrangement to guide the State administration, has been granted powers to decide upon time bound and emergency matters in the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma in an office memorandum (OM) issued on March 8, said that “the committee is empowered to decide unanimously amongst themselves on certain important financial year ending issues and or other time bound/emergent matters with regard to which the administration may be required to take a decision upon in the absence of the Chief Minister”.
The CAC consist of PWD Minister Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar, Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza and TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai.
The Committee is restrained from issuing any order as regards any major or important matters concerning the portfolios of Finance, Home, Personnel and General Administration without approval of the Chief Minister.
“The approval of the Chief Minister shall be duly communicated by the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and in his absence Secretary to the Chief Minister by recording the decision/directions on the government correspondence including files/noted and by appending their signature thereon for disposal of the case thereto,” it added.
Government has also issued a separate order to the Principal Secretary to Chief Minister in connection with dealing with routine matters of administration including clearances of files/correspondence.
As per the memorandum, the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister shall forward daily reports of the happenings and events in the State covering all important matters to the Chief Minister and in case of doubts may seek his directions.
