Team Herald
PANJIM: Secretary to Chief Minister, Ajit Roy IAS had raised queries over the staff proposed to be allotted to former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane by virtue of him having been accorded Lifetime Cabinet status. This has been revealed in the information obtained under the Right to Information Act (RTI) by social, activist Adv Aires Rodrigues, from the General Administration Department (GDA).
When the proposal to create 18 posts as staff for Rane was placed before him on April 6, Roy in his noting advised the GAD to examine the requirement of personal staff for Rane to whom no specific work or task had been assigned. But Roy was overruled by other officials including the Chief Secretary and the Chief Minister.
As per the RTI documents, within days of the notification bestowing on Rane lifetime cabinet status, Rane on January 20, sent his chosen list of 17 staff he wanted to be appointed from January 7 which was the day that notification of lifetime cabinet status was issued.
Rane, on March 13, sent a revised list dropping former Director of Health Services Dr. Rajananda Desai, who he had earlier proposed as one of his Officer on Special Duty (OSD).
The order creating those 18 posts as staff for Rane with an annual financial implication of approximately Rs 1.15 crore was issued on April 22.
The file notings also reveal that the decision despite having wide financial ramifications was processed in a tearing hurry without even seeking the opinion of the Law department and clearance from the Finance department.
The order states that the posts shall be created from January 7, 2022, with Rane entitled to two OSD, one Advisor, one Under Secretary, two Private Secretaries, a Personal Assistant, three Junior Assistants, two computer-cum-telephone operators, two drivers, and four multi-tasking staff. The Goa cabinet gave its post-facto nod on April 26.
The Bombay High Court at Goa on April 25 admitted the petition filed by Adv Rodrigues challenging that lifetime cabinet status given to Rane and is now scheduled to further hear the matter on May 2 on interim relief.
