PANAJI
The information obtained under the Right to Information Act has shown that the Industries Minister Vishwajit Rane using his special powers as the minister has appointed Ms Purti Patkar as one of the directors of Goa Industrial Development Corporation replacing prominent industrialist Shekhar Sardesai who was the lone industrialist on the board.
While releasing documents to the media Adv Aires Rodrigues has alleged that the appointment of Patkar is illegal and in contravention of the rules.
As per RTI document Industries Minister Vishwajit Rane on 24th October 2019 moved a note seeking the appointment of Ms Purti Patkar as a Director at the GIDC in place of industrialist Shekhar Sardessai.
"Directing that the order be issued by the Under Secretary, Vishwajit Rane in his note further stated that post-facto government approval may be taken. Accordingly by a notification promptly issued on 4th November 2019 by Kuldeep Ulhas Arolkar the Under Secretary Industries, Ms Purti Patkar was appointed as a Director at the IDC replacing Shekhar Sardessai. Surprisingly that notification was issued without routing the file through the Chief Secretary and the Chief Minister as required by the rules," said Adv Rodrigues.
As per Clause (hh) of Section 4 of the Goa Industrial Development Act, 1965, three persons having expertise in the fields of food processing/agriculture, biotechnology and pharma can be nominated by the government on the IDC board. As per the file notings obtained under the RTI by Adv Rodrigues, there was nothing on record to show that Patkar possessed any of that expertise in those required fields.
Earlier Vishwajit Rane who is also the Women and Child Development Minister had last year appointed Patkar as the Chairperson of Women’s Commission but she resigned within seven months. Patkar is currently also the OSD (Officer on Special Duty) in the office of Minister Vishwajit Rane.
The board of the Goa Industrial Development Corporation was last reconstituted on 28th September 2017 with Aldona MLA Glenn Ticlo as Chairman. Of the four nominated members on the board, Shekhar Sardessai was the only prominent and qualified industrialist. A party worker of Glenn Ticlo, Jaivant Shivaji Desai was also surprisingly appointed and accommodated as director. The three-year term of this very controversial board ends next month.
