POWER TO
THREE >>
SUDIN DHAVALIKAR
(PWD and Transport Minister)
FRANCIS D'SOUZA
(Urban Development Minister)
VIJAI SARDESAI
(Town and Country Planning Minister)
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CURRENT RULES
OF BUSINESS
* Financial sanction up to the tune of Rs 50-lakh can be sanctioned by the minister concerned, while that between Rs 50-lakh and Rs 5-crore needed the approval of the Chief Minister
* Sanction above that amount was mandatorily taken care of by an expenditure committee headed by the Chief Secretary, a process which will continue
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Once the order comes we will know how exactly the government will be functioning and what powers we have. Once that is specified, it can move forward-------------------------------------------------
- Francisco Souza
PANAJI: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has delegated his powers for according financial sanctions for expenditure between Rs 50-lakh to Rs 5-crore to a group of three ministers -- PWD and Transport Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, Urban Development Minister Francisco Souza and Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai.
The Chief Minister, before his departure to Mumbai for a “further medical check-up” held a series of meetings as ministers, officials, CCP councillors and others streamed in to visit the Chief Minister before he departed to Delhi.
BJP leader Francisco Souza who was among the leaders to met the Chief Minister in the morning confirmed that the Chief Minister has verbally informed them of the arrangement of three senior ministers taking decisions which would otherwise be taken by the Chief Minister.
“The Chief Minister seemed healthy and spoke clearly. He has told us that all decisions between Rs 50-lakh and up to Rs 5 crore will be taken by the three senior-most ministers. We are waiting for the official order in this regard,” Souza told The Goan.
“Once the order comes we will know how exactly the government will be functioning and what powers we have. Once that is specified, it can move forward,” Souza added.
Emerging from the Chief Minister’s residence Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai informed that the Chief Minister communicated his intention to form a group of ministers and
“Basically financial decisions which are above Rs 50 lakh, somebody has to take them. There is a precedent to have a group of ministers taking decisions. It is like a cabinet advisory committee. Also, it is an interim measure, when he is seeking treatment, this is the suggested and this is the decided course of action,” Sardesai told waiting for media persons.
As per the current rules of business financial sanction up to the tune of Rs 50-lakh can be sanctioned by the minister concerned, while that between Rs 50-lakh and Rs 5-crore needed the approval of the Chief Minister. Sanction above that amount was mandatorily taken care of by an expenditure committee headed by the Chief Secretary, a process which will continue.
The Chief Minister’s role will be taken care of by the group of three ministers.
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Parrikar silences blazing guns within with formation of panel
A MASTER STROKE
Political observers say that by constituting the three member panel, the Chief Minister has sought to achieve two objectives in a single stroke --
* Give representation to leaders of all the three alliance partners
* Contain any resentment building against the PWD Minister
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MARGAO: Is the arrangement unveiled by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar before leaving for Mumbai
en route to the USA worked out following reservations expressed in certain quarters over PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar’s leadership in heading a stop-gap arrangement?
Even before the Chief Minister worked out the arrangement, by constituting the three-member panel
consisting of leaders of the three alliance partners, speculation was rife on Sunday that the PWD
Minister and MGP leader may not enjoy the privilege of heading any working arrangement despite his de facto status as No 2 in the Cabinet.
Political observers say that by constituting the three member panel, the Chief Minister has sought to
achieve two objectives in a single stroke -- first, giving representation to leaders of all the three alliance partners, and at the same time contain any resentment building against the PWD Minister in the political scheme of things.
Sources in the ruling coalition informed that the Sudin, though occupying the No 2 position by virtue of being sworn in after the Chief Minister, hardly enjoyed the confidence of the majority of ministers constituting the Cabinet. Most of the ministers, sources said, had in private raised an issue with the PWD minister, raising questions whether he would have able to carry along with him the ministers, including three Goa Forward party ministers comprising of Vijai Sardesai, Jayesh Salgaokar, besides Art and Culture Minister Govind Gawde, Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte and the Ministers from the BJP, including bete noire Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho and not to mention Francis D’Souza, who is the leader of BJP Legislature party in the Assembly.
Sources further said that a section of people connected to the coalition had also raised many an
eyebrow over PWD minister enjoying prominence in the scheme of things since the time the Chief
Minister was taken ill to Mumbai till his return home when the MGP has just three members in the
Assembly.
