the goan I network
PANAJI
All eyes are now on Monday’s Cabinet meeting at the ministerial block, Porvorim, the first since Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar returned from his over three-month treatment in the United States.
There is an air of expectancy with a host of crucial issues on the agenda since there was no Cabinet meeting during chief minister’s absence. While ministers are looking forward to the meeting, the chief minister will go for a routine medical checkup in the morning before heading for a meeting with his Cabinet colleagues at 4 pm.
The Cabinet meeting assumes significance in view of the fact that key proposals have been pending for chief minister’s approval.
Two ministers will not be making it to the Cabinet briefing “ Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza who is on a foreign tour and Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar who is undergoing treatment in Mumbai for a brain stroke which he suffered early June.
Among the key issues to come up for discussion will be mining with the Cabinet likely to give its nod to a proposal for filing an intervention petition in the Supreme Court soon after mining companies file their review petition in the apex court.
It may be noted that the Central government has also decided to file a similar intervention petition favoring restart of mining. Also expected to figure on agenda is the resumption of recruitment process which has been held up during the absence of the chief minister. The budgets and several schemes of departments are also likely to come up for discussion and approval of the chief minister.
Meanwhile, sources informed that Power Minister Madkaikar who is undergoing a treatment in Mumbai for a brain stroke is responding well after a recent surgery, but will not be able to take charge of his portfolio soon.
The chief minister will have to take a decision on temporarily reallocating his power portfolio to another minister, a discussion on this issue is also likely to figure at the Cabinet meeting.
