PANJIM: The Goa Cricket Association laid down the roadmap for the development of cricket in the state as they have decided to invest in the infrastructure as well as outreach for the association, in their annual general meeting on Sunday.
Altogether 80 clubs were present for the AGM wherein GCA decided to develop several cricket stadiums across Goa including the Dhargal Stadium and also have transparent way of accounting with three layers of auditing process.
Speaking to the press GCA President Suraj Lotlikar said, “We have decided to have transparent way of accounting as we are building a stadium as well. We will have three layered auditing system. We have appointed internal auditors Chirag Kenkre Associates and retained our statutory auditor. GCA will be governing by the rules of business. With this there will be total transparency in the accountancy of GCA.
“We (Managing Committee) have decided to have an active website. Everything will be posted on the website, like all the tenders, the process followed and also all the payments done to various vendors, including annual accounts,” he added.
It can be recollected that, the then Finance Minister Narvekar in the Digambar Kamat government, took around 136000 sqm of land at Thivim on lease for 36 year lease in 2010 at a lease amount of Rs 1.05 cr.
Following the opposition from the villagers, the government backtracked and decided to revoke all permissions. Thereafter, in 2013-14, the GCA under the president ship of Vinod Phadke deposited Rs 7.5 crore with the government for a land at Dhargal but the government did not give land and the idea was then scrapped.
However, GCA has finally got the green light for the same as they are building the stadium at Dhargal and are awaiting certain clearances from the authorities concerned.
“We are thankful to the government and CM Manohar Parrikar, Sports Minister Babu Azgaonkar, Vijay Sardesai and others as all of them have driven this and supported us to get the allotted land at a very nominal price on lease,” Suraj said.
“This cricket stadium will be green field cricket stadium. We just have to decide whether it will be a Built operator and transfer stadium or straight away build stadium on our own.
We will finalise on this,” he further added.”
“We are paying the government 19 crore as guarantor money which they will pay us back once the lease is over or adjusted. Lease rent we are paying 1 Rs per square meter. The 19 crore will be paid in two installments,” Suraj explained.
The amount of 7.5 and 1.3 crore paid for Dhargal and Tivim respectively will be adjusted in the 19 crore.
It is learnt that it has been taken on lease for 33 years, renewable for two terms i.e 99 years.
“Dhargal is more suitable to us as the new Mopa airport will be coming up there and besides that we the new express highway will also be ready,” revealed Suraj.
“We have planned to develop seven cricket grounds. Few will be owned by us, others we will take it on lease. Bicholim, Dhargal, Goa University, Colvale Housing Board, Sanguem, Panjim Gymkhana and MPT (still in talks) are few grounds,” Suraj added.
The GCA president said that the entire league system will change wherein more thrust will be given on U-14, U-16 and U-19 leagues which will witness two, three and four days to get good crop for Ranji Trophy.
“Later we will start a cricket academy under the cricket developmental council which will be a 50 bedded academy catering to U-14, U-16 and U-19 in a three year batch with all the facilities will be made available to them,” he concluded.
It has been also decided in the Annual general meeting that the selection committee will be appointed by the general body.
