DAY-1 WITHOUT CHIEF MINISTER >>
* Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister P Krishnamurthy will clear the routine files and correspondence that is directed at the Chief Minister’s Office* Other important matters will be dealt with by the three-member ‘cabinet advisory committee’ that is yet to be officially formed * A crucial topic of discussion at the BJP MLAs meeting was the impending problems to be faced by the MLAs representing the mining belt
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MAJOR CONCERN AT TWO
MEETS: MINING PLIGHT
* At the informal cabinet advisory committee meeting, the need to take legal opinion before placing any proposal with the cabinet was discussed * Those present at the meet were of the opinion that a special team of mining belt MLAs be formed to help take the issue forward for a resolution
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PANAJI: With Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar expected to be out for an extended period after he landed in the USA at 5:30 pm IST, the State Administration has begun to take stock of the situation with former Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza chairing a meeting of all BJP MLAs along with the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister P Krishnamurthy.
The three-minister cabinet advisory committee too had its first ‘informal’ meeting on Wednesday to chalk out the way forward.
Speaking to The Goan, D'Souza said that, while Krishnamurthy will clear the routine files and correspondence that is directed at the Chief Minister’s Office, other important matters will be dealt with by the three-member ‘cabinet advisory committee’ that is yet to be officially formed.
At the meeting, eight BJP MLAs besides independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar were present and were briefed about the way forward. Ministers like Alina Saldanha, Pandurang Madkaikar, were not present but other MLAs and some ministers like Mauvin Godinho were present.
A crucial topic of discussion at the meeting was the impending problems to be faced by the MLAs representing the mining belt and that a special team of mining belt MLAs have to be formed to help take forward the issue of a resolution to the issue.
The three minister led cabinet advisory committee also met informally for the first time on Wednesday with D'Souza informing that they discussed the mining issue and the need to take legal opinion before placing any proposal before the cabinet which is to be approved before sending to Delhi for the consideration of the central government.
The first formal meeting of the cabinet advisory committee is expected only after the official order sanctioning the legitimacy of the three-member committee is expected to be issued by the Chief Secretary on Thursday.
While speaking to The Goan on the day the Chief Minister had left for Mumbai, D'Souza had said that unless official sanction for the three-member committee is accorded, it would be difficult for the three-member committee to take any decision until its scope and function is defined.
With the Chief Minister stating that none of the matters of his department be acted upon in the absence of his prior instructions, the pace of government is expected to significantly slow down.
Earlier the Chief Minister, while presenting the budget had promised the new schemes and fresh tax proposals would be announced before the end of March.
However, it is now increasingly unlikely that ministers will have any direction to follow other than pass grants under existing schemes.
“The orders, which will arrive on Wednesday, will make things clear over how we are going to move forward,” a minister who did not wish to be quoted said.
