Team Herald
PANJIM: The group of three wise men, or G3 or officially christened as the Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) are actually without the three portfolios which are totally empowered – Home, Finance and Personnel.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has restricted the committee from looking into crucial portfolios he holds, including Finance, in his absence.
In his letter to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha informing her about the arrangements made during his absence, Parrikar has said orders on major/important matters regarding Finance, Home, Personnel and General Administration should not be taken until his approval.
“No order shall be issued…as regards any major or important matters concerning the portfolios of Finance, Home, Personnel and General Administration until the same are approved by me and my approval is duly communicated in the matter as I have directed the Chief Secretary,” the letter states.
However, the CAC comprising Ministers Ramkrishna Dhavalikar, Vijai Sardesai and Francis D’Souza is empowered to decide on certain important financial year-ending issues but this too comes with a rider. The committee here has been asked to consult the Department of Finance before taking any decision on financial matters.
The CAC had its first informal meeting wherein the ministers met to understand the scope of their work and discussed various issues like the present mining crisis.
Assuring to live up to the expectations of Parrikar’s new arrangement, Sardesai said they are a stop-gap arrangement and one should not expect all powers. “We have a CM who is heading this government. He is indisposed and as such, he has handed over powers under Rules 16 and 17 of the Business, which is being complied with. Firstly, the intention is to see nothing impedes (in CM’s absence) the functioning of government particularly in view of the financial year end. We are a stop gap arrangement until March 31, 2018. Why should we suddenly expect all power be with us, however, in case of emergency we have the power to decide in consultation with Chief Secretary and/or PS to CM,” he told Herald.
Sardesai has extended full cooperation on behalf of the CAC claiming “we all should be supportive of CM.”
In a bid to ensure smooth functioning of the administration in his absence, Parrikar on Monday formed the CAC comprising three senior ministers, representing the coalition government, including the BJP.
BJP’s Francis D’Souza also said that by and large the CM will directly deal with the matter either telephonically or through video-conferencing. “The decision of the CM (to constitute CAC) is to put a collective leadership in place. He will anyway deal with many matters directly through video conferencing, telephone or other medium. Parrikar’s PS will clear routine files and correspondence, and important matters will be handled by the three CAC ministers,” he elaborated.
The seniormost leader of the cabinet Dhavalikar was, however, not available for comments despite repeated attempts by Herald.
