In fact, some of the present lot of councillors had gone on a govt sponsored junket to Jaipur, followed by a pilgrimage to Shridhi, Aurangabad, Mumbai and now Hyderabad, in the last four years under the guise of study tours and capacity building programmes. Take the case of the junket to Jaipur. Around 16 councillors went on a three-day study tour on good governance on June 29 to July 1, 2011. The junket cost the State exchequer Rs 3.72 lakh. The city fathers had another training programme the same year in September – this time to Shirdi, where 17 councillors headed to Shridi by bus to attend a capacity building programme for elected councillors and civic officials. MMC statistics further reveal that a junket costing Rs 1.58 lakh was undertaken to Aurangabad on August 22-23 for a study on eco-housing and green buildings and sustainable economic development for urban bodies. Around 12 councillors attended the programme. A number of councillors had headed to Mumbai for a study on solid waste management a year ago, again at the cost of the civic body. While the Margao city fathers are quick to accept out of station study programmes similar programmes hosted by the same agency in Goa hae received lukewarm response.
Junkets not new to MMC
Margao city fathers’ junket to Hyderabad may have brought the MMC under the public scanner, but junkets under the guise of study tours are not new to the A Class Municipal body.
