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MAPUSA
Claiming that things were under control, Cabinet Advisory Committee member and Urban Development Minister Francisco D’Souza on Thursday said Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was in constant touch with officers and added that the role of the three-member committee was only advisory in nature.
“The chief minister decides whatever he wants to do. You cannot question that. How is it done, why is it done, you cannot question. He’s in regular contact with the officers. With the modern communication system like video conferencing, email, telephone etc., keeping in touch is not a problem,” D’Souza told The Goan.
To a query whether under the new system more power rested with the bureaucrats than the three-member committee, he said only two key officials were involved in the process.
“Not all bureaucrats can be involved in this. Only the principal secretary to the chief minister and the chief secretary interact with the chief minister,” he said.
The Mapusa MLA said the chief minister has increased the financial powers of a minister to Rs 1 crore and the advisory committee would decide any works above Rs 1 crore and up to Rs 5 crore.
“A minister can give sanction of up to Rs 1 crore which earlier had to get clearance of the chief minister. It reduces the workload on the CM’s office. Next, the three-member committee will decide on issues up to Rs 5 crore,”
Order on Cabinet Advisory Committee issued, chief secy in ‘command’
PANAJI: The Chief Secretary has issued an order formalising the arrangement of a three-member ‘cabinet advisory committee’ as recommended by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in his letter to the Governor before his departure to the USA.
While a copy of the order was not available, Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma who is the signatory has informed that the order was on similar lines to what Parrikar had written in his letter to the Governor with the arrangements made in his absence.
“The three-member committee will work as defined by the Chief Minister,” Sharma said.
In his letter to the Governor the Chief Minister had said that he would himself preside over the Cabinet meeting either through video conference or through circulation (in which he grants his approval or rejection on papers while being away), or if that is not possible, he will nominate a minister to preside over the meeting.
