PONDA: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has said that “Nobody should worry over government loans.”
The chief minister made the remark on the sidelines of the function organised to inaugurate the flyover and Curti bypass, on Sunday.
Dr Sawant was responding to the criticism of former PWD minister Sudin Dhavalikar, who on Saturday alleged that the financial condition of the government was weak.
Dhavalikar had said that government has no money for clearing PWD bills due to which road works are pending. He demanded the government come out with a white paper about financial condition of the State.
Dhavalikar also questioned the recent issuing of security bonds to the tunes of Rs 250-300 crore.
In response to this, the chief minister said that as per the need and given yearly limit, the government is borrowing loans and spending on development.
“Nobody should worry that Union Minister Nitin Gadakari’s name was not on invitation and name plaque of flyover. It is Gadakari who sanctioned Rs 15,000 crore for infrastructure in Goa,” Dr Sawant said responding to another concern of Sudin.
The chief minister also responded to MGP local leader Ketan Bhatikar who had recently questioned government for sanctioning Rs 1.40 crore for completing the pending guest house project work at Curti. “Government knows where to spend the money and it needs no advice,” he said.
On the occasion, Cooperation Minister Govind Gaude (without taking name) said that Sudin dictated terms on Undir locals like Hitler on sewerage issue without hearing their side.
Gaude’s comment was in response to Sudin’s accusation that he (Gaude) is involved in halting the work on sewerage treatment plant at Bandora. “Being a minister he (Gaude) is expected to carry forward the government projects, but he is halting the project with the help of some locals which is not suitable to his position,” Sudin had alleged.
Rejecting the allegations of Sudin, Gaude said, “I just heard the side of Bandora locals on the sewerage project. The politicians and MLA must hear the voice of people opposing to any project.”
Gaude contented that the Bandora locals were not opposing the project, but their side was never heard. “The locals met me and thereafter PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar, too, gave appointment to hear their side,” Gaude said.
Sudin had also raised doubts over Gaude’s ability in managing Goa Dairy and Sanjeevani Sugar Factory. He also had questioned the logic behind suspending Sanjeevani Factory operation.
