PANJIM: The code of conduct imposed for the June 11 panchayat polls will further delay the announcement of the government’s Common Minimum Programme (CMP), which has already been delayed by over a month.
The code imposed after the poll announcement by the State Election Commission (SEC) restricts the government from taking any policy decisions or releasing financial grants or recruiting staff. The code will remain in force till June 13, the counting day.
The code is also likely to impact the Revenue Department’s proposed plan to launch the Goa (Right of Citizens to Time-bound Delivery of Public Services) Act, this month. Further, the recent decision to lift the recruitment ban may also have to wait till the polls to end to be implemented. “Under the code, government cannot launch any initiative,” sources said.
The BJP-led coalition government was expecting to spell out its plans towards ‘sab ka sath sab ka vikas with Goenkarponn’ government on May 31, Statehood Day. However, though the election code has scuttled this plan, the coalition members – Goa Forward, MGP, Independents and Chief Minister – have met just once.
The only meeting to draft the CMP was held on April 19 at the Chief Minister’s official residence, and it was resolved to draft CMP with a focus on providing a ‘sensitive’ and ‘responsible’ government. “So far only one meeting has taken place, the next meeting may happen now or post the panchayat elections,” sources said.
