MAPUSA
While Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai labelled the State government as an “event managed sarkar”, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao smelt a scam of crores of rupees, as an unyielding opposition on Tuesday slammed the government for spending a huge amount of taxpayer’s monies on event management.
The opposition demanded a House committee to investigate the tendering process employed in organising various events in the last three years.
Fending off the criticism, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the House that proper procedures were followed while tendering all the events in the State.
“The government has borrowed Rs 6,000 crore from the market to spend on event management. It’s a colossal waste of public money. Looks like everyone in this government is following the Shahajan model of tendering process,” Sardesai said, adding, “Appoint a House committee to investigate the tenders floated in the last three years.”
The Fatorda MLA also hit out at the government for giving post facto approval to crores of rupees spent on event management.
“The government spent Rs 58 lakh to celebrate two years of the Pramod Sawant government while the cabinet gave post facto approval to the expenditure. Was the State government not aware that they are completing two years? Then why did they give a post facto approval,” he queried.
The opposition also questioned the role of the Department of Information and Publicity while appointing the event management agencies.
“There seems to be a blue-eyed boy in the Department of Information and Publicity where tenders are issued to the same person/agency,” Alemao said.
Suggesting a scam of crores of rupees involving event management by the State government, the Cuncolim MLA said in one particular case, the work on the event was started before the tenders were opened.
Stating that the tendering process for all the events was done as per proper procedure, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the government had organised various events such as ‘Sarkar Tumchia Dhari’ and ‘Azadi ka Amrut Utsav’ which was an ongoing programme.
He further said all the events were tendered and given post facto approval.
Earlier, Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira raised the issue of the events organised by the government during the Question Hour.
In a written reply, the government informed only 11 events were organised and it spent Rs 4.28 crore on the opening ceremony of the 60th Goa Liberation Day function in 2020, Rs 9.35 crore on the National Women’s Parliament, Youth Parliament and Panchayat Parliament held in 2021 at Bambolim stadium, Rs 8.71 crore on the closing ceremony of 60th Goa Liberation Day function at Bambolim stadium in 2021, Rs 2.60 crore on two Tiranga rallies held in 2022 (bill under process, not yet paid), Rs 51 lakh on the celebration of International Yoga Day on June 21, 2022, Rs 90 lakh on 35th Goa Statehood day celebration on May 30, 2022, at New Darbar Hall, Raj Bhavan.
