PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the next general assembly elections in Goa are expected to be held in February since the term of the current legislature ends in mid-March and the new House is to be constituted before that date.
Responding to pointed queries from journalists on the issue at a post-cabinet press conference on Wednesday, Sawant said it is the prerogative of the Election Commission of India to decide the schedule of the election.
"From what I know, elections are expected to be held in February next year. The term of the current assembly ends in mid-March," he said.
The chief minister meanwhile said that the cabinet has decided to form a common cadre for all government employees working at the three collectorates -- North Goa, South Goa and Kushavati.
In other cabinet decisions, Sawant said, electricity areas amounting to around Rs 12 crore have been waived pertaining to power connections where owners are either dead or untraceable for decades.
The dues were pending for nearly 30 to 40 years and were related to 9,525 connections.
In yet another decision, the cabinet decided to bring the subject of recruitment under the EWS category entirely under the aegis of the Personnel department instead of the earlier Social Welfare Department.
Sawant said the cabinet also decided to allot 2,729 square metres of land belonging to the Water Resources department (WRD) on a 40-year lease basis to the Jyoti School meant for children with autism.
