PANJIM: “Anna was only officiating. I have appointed a director of sports,’ was how Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar reacted, when asked about the apparent demotion of V M Prabhudessai, also known as Anna in most circles.
“What I found is that he has no control over his department,” he said adding, “He could not handle it. During the last two years, Prabhudessai could not handle the department.”
The chief minister said that even during the Lusofonia Games preparations it was the Sports Secretary Keshav Chandra, and the sports minister 2who had done the major portion of the work with other officials, with two engineers chipping in.
Giving examples of his alleged incompetence, the chief minister gave an example of some contract workers. He said that there are 630 workers on SAG contract and the department does not know what is happening with them. “Whether they are working or not, nobody knew. I had written on the file that by May-end if no action is taken to solve this problem then strict action would be taken against the director,” he claimed. In another case, he gave an example of almost Rs 7 crore material being bought on a approval of Rs 25 lakh.
“He could not set it right,” he said alluding that this was the reason why he had to take action, while trying to defend the decision after being accused of targeting Prabhudessai – who was said to be close to the sports minister at one time – for apparently leaking out the news of the foreign jaunt.
Prabhudessai has been posted back as deputy director of sports and youth affairs.
Until Saturday, Prabhudessai was the director of sports and youth affairs and was also holding charge as executive directorate of Sports Authority of Goa (SAG).
Y B Tavde, Chief Officer of Mormugao Municipal Council has been named to take charge as director of sports and youth affairs.
The `study tour’ foreign junket for the soccer World Cup by Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado, Power Minister Milind Naik, Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida, Velim MLA Benjamin Silva and Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo had gone viral with media going hammer and tongs on the issue just on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi making his maiden tour to the state.
