A whopping Rs 2,000-crore is what MGP supremo Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavlikar is seeking to boost infrastructure of the electricity department he currently lords over.
What for? To implement underground cabling, build new sub-stations and install meters to ensure 100% metering in the State. Dhavlikar says he's picked Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to get the money from.
Now, JICA is no stranger to either Dhavlikar or Goa. In his heydays in the PWD, the current power minister presided over the affairs of the project to improve water supply and sanitation funded by a loan from the Japanese agency.
It was the same contract riddled with controversy of a bribery scandal with one of its contractors -- Louis Berger -- accused of making payouts to former chief minister Digambar Kamat and former PWD minister Churchill Alemao. Both Kamat and Alemao are facing court proceedings in a PMLA case filed by the ED while the latter even spent some time behind bars.
With the days of the 10% 'Zardari Tax' long over and according to a recent outburst by contractors in Bengaluru, the rates soaring up to "40 per cent", there's a Rs 800-crore bonanza which many say has the lion roaring again.
An U-turn which stuns all
The sudden alacrity with which Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane responded to the public outcry and decided to abandon his outlandish plan to open the floodgates for golf courses, film cities, farmhouses and business districts with 400 FAR for buildings, has stunned all and sundry.
Seemingly combatant till the end, Rane, stunned everyone with his sudden U-turn, delivered in a video message posted from the United States where he is on a private visit.
The debate is still inconclusive among media peers on what exactly prompted the change of heart from the Sattari political don. Some believe its got to do with the recent political developments of eight Congress legislators crossing floors to the BJP.
His eyes set on the chair, he did not want to take chances and be at a receiving end of a Statewide agitation at a time when the State's political cauldron is pregnant with an imminent cabinet reshuffle.
Whatever the reason, for once this is an U-turn nobody is complaining about.
Vijai, Luizinho pause
There are two politicians who are cynosure of all eyes -- Goa Forward Party's lone MLA Vijai Sardesai and the TMC's Rajya Sabha MP, Luizinho Faleiro. Everyone is wondering what these two 'chanakyas' are up to and the grapevine is agog.
We all know that both, Sardesai and Faleiro, aren't among that breed of politicians who will quietly accept an insignificant role for themselves on the sidelines of the political stage. Their current position on the chessboard isn't one that they will be okay with.
The duo, if the grapevine is to be believed, are frantically engaged in moves to make a 'ghar wapsi' (home-coming). Unfortunately for them, the Jaipur turbulence which has unsettled the 'High Command', has pushed all the secret, and not so secret, back channel negotiations to the pause mode.
Sardesai has not denied the possibility of a 'ghar wapsi' after after more than 10 years. Faleiro on the other hand has publicly denied any plans to say goodbye to his new found political mentor Mamata Banerjee.
But then, can we take politicians for their word?
Shahjahan, Taj Mahal
& Gaude's KA
It has come way too late but finally the Vigilance Department has recommended a probe into the Kala Academy renovation works, which was awarded without tender.
However, the timing has raised eyebrows as it has come at a time when rumours are doing the rounds that Govind Gaude could be one of the cabinet members to be dropped to accommodate Congress defectors.
A bulbul flying around 'Mahalaxmi' tells us that two ministers have already been identified, who would make way for two of the Congress defectors. However, identifying a third cabinet minister, has posed some difficulty.
Could it be the case that the Vigilance department recommendation for a probe into the KA renovation works breaks the logjam for Pramod Sawant?
Time will tell but Gaude, meanwhile, may have several questions to answer beyond merely offering the 'Shahjahan-didn't-call-for-tenders to build Taj Mahal' alibi.
Journalist receives notice
for ‘illegal’ house
The other day we had a special guest in our office who had an axe to grind against journos claiming that we only like to pick faults with politicians but when it comes to one from our own tribe, we scoot off with tails between our legs. So when we questioned about his accusation he fished out a document and slammed it on our table. It was a notice issued by a panchayat in Bardez against a journalist and his “illegal” house.The panchayat in its notice said that it had received a complaint against the journalist for having illegally constructed a residential house in a village bordering Mapusa.The notice also said that the panchayat had conducted inspection of the site and also instructed the concerned journo to take necessary permissions from the authority to regularise the structure and submit the necessary documents to the panchayat office within six months.Since the scribe failed to do so, the local body had to issue a fresh notice asking the reporter to submit all relevant documents/permissions/licences for the regularisation of the structure in question within 30 days failing which the office will take further action as per the law.Well, well, well. We strongly believe in reporting the truth or something that is closest to the truth. And who dare say that we point fingers only at politicians? When it comes to reporting the truth we have no favourites “ whether politicians or journalists. Do you get it, Sir?
Shubangi Vaigankar’s
days are numbered
All hands are at work to ensure a change of guard in the Mapusa Municipal Council despite resoluteness shown by the incumbent in the chair. In fact, local MLA Joshua D’Souza had only last week sounded the gong that action will soon be seen in the council to comply with the unwritten understanding of a one-year term in office at the top.
The party has also given the green signal to the plan. And once the party decides there is no other way but to accept the diktat of the top leadership.
It was the same diktat which came from the Centre to the local party unit to accept the eight Congress MLAs who recently jumped into the saffron brigade, whether you like it or not.
So, Shubhangi Vaigankar will soon have to pack her bags instead of trying to cling to the chair. Although Vaigankar appears to be in no mood to give in, the numbers are stacked against her as most of the ruling councillors are rooting for a change in leadership. It’s time for the good doctor from Mapusa to take charge of the civic affairs, it seems.
Of merit and jobs
for constituents
On switching from the Congress to the BJP, St Cruz MLA Rudolf Fernandes had said he has done so as he wanted to bring in development in his constituency and also to provide government jobs to youth. However, when reporters questioned him during a programme in Panaji about how many jobs he would be able to provide youth in St Cruz in four and half years, Fernandes said, jobs will be given on merit.Which begs the question whether jobs on merit cannot be claimed by residents of constituencies represented by MLAs in the Opposition? What was the need to join the ruling side, if his claim that that government jobs would be provided on merit is to be believed? Or is it a case of fooling the journalists too, just as they've fooled the Gods?
(Compiled by Ashley do Rosario with inputs from Agnelo Pereira and Manuel Vaz)
