PANJIM: The Goa Legislature Secretariat spent Rs 24.96 lakh on the two day training workshop for MLAs held on June 27 and 28 at a star hotel in Panjim. This has been revealed in the information furnished to activist Adv. Aires Rodrigues under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Of the total expenditure incurred Rs 24.13 lakh was paid to Mumbai based NGO Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini which was entrusted the organising of the workshop. A further Rs 80,000 was spent on photography and videography, besides Rs 3,400 incurred on photo frames of MLAs Ulhas Tuenkar and Krishna Salkar.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
As per the information, this expenditure includes Rs 4.5 lakh spent on the travelling, honorarium, food and accommodation of the six speakers at the workshop – Rajendra Arlekar, Dr Anant Kalse, Dr Harish Shetty, Ram Naik, Desh Deepak Verma and Satish Mahana; Rs 2 lakh spent on stage decoration and mementos along with Rs 5 lakh spent on Tea and lunch for the MLAs during that two day event.
Interestingly the documents do not make mention of the rent paid for hiring of the premises at the hotel for the event.
Adv Aires Rodrigues on June 28 last year had sought a copy of the file notings and correspondence pertaining to the two day training workshop for MLAs held in June and also complete details of the expenditure incurred on the event.
The Public Information Officer (PIO) at the Goa Legislature Secretariat Mohan Gaonkar while declining to furnish the Information informed Adv Rodrigues that the disclosure of the information would cause breach of Privilege of State Legislature and would also be against Rule 37 (16) of the Rules of Conduct of Business of Goa Legislative Assembly. The PIO’s reply was upheld by the First Appellate Authority who is the Legislature Secretary.
Adv Rodrigues later moved the State Chief Information Commissioner Vishwas Satarkar, who by an order on February 13 directed the PIO at the Goa Legislature Secretariat to furnish Adv Rodrigues the information sought within 15 days and free of cost.
