PANAJI
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has raised a red flag over the persistent absence of State government-nominated Directors at Board meetings of the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), with crucial decisions -- such as those related to the allotment of plots, lease rent, and administrative and expenditure approvals -- being taken without the government's viewpoints.
More so, the Auditor also noted that the Board of Directors, representing Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GCCI), Goa State Industries Association (GSIA) and those having leased plots in the industrial estate, failed to recuse themselves in the decisions related to plots and regulations, citing conflict of interest.
In a communication to the GIDC Managing Director, the CAG said that “the responsibility of good governance vests with the Board, to ensure that all stakeholders’ interests are safeguarded”.
The CAG pointed out that from April 2022 to March 2024, Government Directors did not attend most of the meetings and were granted Leave of Absence. The absence of Official Directors was 81.82 per cent in respect of Finance Secretary, who failed to attend nine out of 11 meetings.
Similarly, the Industries secretary attended only two out of 11 meetings, while Director of Industries was part of four meetings. The Chief Electrical Engineer attended three out of 11 meetings during the two-year period.
“Their continued absence indicated the government’s perspectives were not adequately brought out on major decisions or resolutions,” CAG said.
“The government’s viewpoint was not available in deliberations on important matters such as allotment of plots, fixation of plot rate/lease rent, administrative approval and expenditure sanction for various works in the Industrial Estate, transfer/sub-lease of plots, swapping plots, adoption of final accounts, approval of budgets, etc,” it added further.
The Auditor said that despite conflict of interest, the directors, representing GCCI, GSIA, were part of the decision makings with regards to plot allotment, rates, regulations, etc.
The CAG has sought reply from the GIDC over the inadequate participation as well as conflict of interest with regards to certain directors.
