PANJIM: Political analyst Trajano D’Mello on Thursday filed a complaint before the Goa Lokayukta against Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) officials demanding investigation for the acts of corruption and misappropriation of public funds amounting to crores of rupees allocated under Assistance to States for Infrastructure Development of Exports (ASIDE) were misused, which were used to repay the loan amount for payment of SEZ developers.
The complainant has demanded investigation against managing director of GIDC Pravimal Abhishek Polumatla, IAS; GIDC Chairman and MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho and Chief Secretary Puneet Goel for allegedly committing corruption, misappropriation of public funds and misuse of public office under the provisions of The Goa Lokayukta Act, 2011 and the rules made thereunder. He also prayed that the above officials should not be allowed to continue to hold office any further for their allegedly indulging in corruption and misappropriating the fund allocated by the Central government for the projects that were already completed and funded.
The complainant has made the Director of Industries, Trade and Commerce, the Principal Accountant General, Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade, Under Secretary (Personnel) and Under Secretary (Industries) as respondents.
According to Trajano, the four respondents namely Abhishek, Lourenco, Godinho and Goel had indulged in corruption and had misappropriated the fund allocated by the Central government for the projects that were already completed and funded.
The complainant stated that the GIDC for the years 2002-03 to 2013-14, had received an aggregate amount of approximately Rs 63.38 core. The ASIDE scheme was delinked from the budgetary support of the Government of India in the year 2015-16. As of March 31, 2019, the unutilised amount from the said scheme which was to be utilised for the purpose of completion of existing projects form the list of project approved or in case the State wants to invest in other projects with the said money, prior approval as aforementioned had to be acquired, instead the said unutilised amount was placed in a Fixed Deposit.
The complainant stated that, as on 10.01.2023, i.e. seven years after the discontinuation of the ASIDE Scheme, the GIDC MD was left with a principal amount of Rs 12,93,89,384 and with that had earned an interest of Rs 19,34,45,064.20. Trajano further stated that the GIDC managing director was liable to provide for Utilisation Certificate as to where this tax payers money was being utilised by them to unjustly enrich some members/directors or any other personnel by the GIDC MD.
The complainant stated that , the GIDC MD without having any authority to regularise any work pertinent to Centre’s aided scheme went ahead and approved the proposal to recoup ASIDE funds and referred the file to the GIDC and the Minister, who though aware of all the facts, approved the proposal without having any authority to approve the said work.
The complainant stated that the GIDC had a loan of Rs 16,91,47,830.52 with the Punjab National Bank and the GIDC MD and chairman prematurely encashed Rs 26.91 crore from 16 out of the 20 FD accounts.
