Team Herald
PANJIM: After some stormy moments on Day 1 of the monsoon session of the State Legislative Assembly over the circular banning government officials/officers from visiting the residences of elected representatives, the Goa government on Wednesday decided to modify the order exempting MLAs and MPs from this.
“In view of the difficulties expressed by MLAs, the circular will be modified to exempt MLAs and MPs. There is no need of any fear or anxiety in the minds of anyone,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the House in response to a calling attention motion moved by Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavalekar. The Congress leader had expressed apprehension over the issuance of the circular stating the MLAs usually call the officers to solve the grievances of the people and for other public related works.
Before submitting his written reply to the motion, the CM held a meeting with Kavalekar and other MLAs in the morning who
expressed the difficulties as regards to the development and emergency works in their respective constituencies. The CM announced on the floor of the House that government officers will now be allowed to meet MLAs and MPs at respective offices only and not their residences.
“Calling a meeting at private residences is not proper but the officers can visit the office (of the MLAs and MPs) attached to the residence,” he clarified.
Parrikar also tried to put forth the amount of workload on the officers stating the work has increased manifold in the last few years. “The workload of the government officers has increased. Until a few years ago, many departments did not exist but today, there are several new departments. The work of the officers should not be disrupted by repeatedly calling them,” he stated, adding that the elected representatives should also maintain discipline and show responsibility.
Kavalekar, while raising the calling attention motion, requested the government to take into confidence all the MLAs before issuing any decisions/circulars, but Parrikar refused to do this.
Disruption on the first day of the session on Tuesday led to two adjournments after the Opposition benches demanded the withdrawal of the circular. The Congress MLAs also staged a boycott during the second-half of the session, except for Pratapsingh Rane, while Kavalekar returned thereafter. The CM had assured of a proper discussion through a calling attention motion.
