SHWETA KAMAT
shweta@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Industries minister Mahadev Naik has ultimately realised that he is neither a Maha-dev, who lords over the Investment Promotion Board (IPB), nor is he the main state actor who takes decisions.
Naik, who is the Vice Chairman of the IPB and Minister for Industries has not attended the last five meetings, feeling sidelined despite holding the key portfolio.
The IPB chaired by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has cleared 104 projects till date with a total investment of Rs 9354 crore. The Board has met 11 times, with its last meeting held on Monday. However, the Minister was not present for five meetings, including the latest one.
Highly placed sources confirmed that Naik has been avoiding IPB meetings and on some occasions has also not signed the minutes of the meeting. “He was not part of Monday’s meeting. He is vice-chairman of the Board along with the Minister for Tourism,” sources said.
Despite repeated calls, Naik was unavailable for comments, However, a close aide said the Minister feels slighted as the Chief Minister takes all decisions. “Apart from CM, all powers are vested upon the CEO (Ashton Godinho), with the Minister having no say,” sources said.
Naik had to face severe criticism over IPB granting in-principle approval to an alcohol and brewery plant at Admai in Sanguem taluka. The criticism had not gone down well with the Minister, who felt that he was being targeted despite it being a decision of IPB chairman Parsekar.
Incidentally, the transfer of the Managing director of Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) S V Naik, replacing him with Umeshchandra Joshi, has also irked the Minister who wasn’t consulted.
