Fishy fiscal propriety
Is Goa going broke? If the answer is no, it could well be getting there. A former development commissioner now back in Delhi once told me the direction in which the Digambar Kamat government was heading, it would hit financial road’s end sooner than later weighed down as it is by a hefty pension bill of an army of retired workers, not to mention the cost of government workers currently occupying table space. As on December 31, 2009 your government’s market borrowings were Rs 229880.23 (in lakhs) up from Rs 163111.72 the previous year. In other words, it borrowed Rs 66768.51 more from the market within the space of just 12 months. This kind of figure does not exactly spell fiscal prudence especially in a state where VAT collection is virtually nonexistent in major areas of the tourism and mining industries. How many restaurants and how many in ancillary services to the mining industry you know, give you a proper tax added on bill even if you ask for one. But I wager you also have an endless list of these and other traders that are plainly affronted if you ask for a bill, a proper one that is, not a hand written bit of notepad paper. By the way, market borrowing sources are those other than the central government and institutions that lend like LIC, NABARD, NCDC, REC, HUDCO and PFC.
The Beginning
At the end of 2007, its market borrowings were Rs 122735.8. In 2006 end it was Rs 100942.89. In 2005 it was Rs 99443.01 and in 2004 end it was Rs 96121.31. Clearly from 2006 its financial management went awry and its borrowings took a frenzied pace. This stands out clearly in all its borrowings from other sources too. For example in 2004 its loan borrowings from the central government stood at Rs 234332.44. By 2009 it went up to Rs 334970.12, a hike of Rs 100637.68. It also borrowed from the six institutional lenders named above. To cut a long and worrying story short by end 2009 it had borrowed Rs 593201.26 up from Rs 346755.77 borrowed in 2004 end. While no Indian state can claim to be financially prudent, point is our MLA’s discuss monitoring of fish sold in the market in the Assembly instead of fiscal discipline.
Deep Blue Sea
It could get worse if the environmentally dangerous Panjim-Vasco Sea Link Project is undertaken considering the consultant Louis Berger Group alone was paid Rs 89 lakh. There’s something between the Congress and the deep sea because successive governments have paid a total of Rs 21.60 lakh towards the Oceanorium project which might needed a lot more oxygen before it begins to breathe, if ever. For the record, Rs 10.60 lakh was paid to the Transaction Advisor and Rs 11 lakh spent to build a compound wall around the project site which so far has seen only rain fall and nothing else. There’s the River Princess calamity. Then there’s also Greenfield Mopa airport project which for sheer lunacy must rank second only to that scam of the century, the Commonwealth Games. National Games 2011 did you say? Yes, there’s that too.
They protest too much
What is with traders and shop owners in Panjim? They protest too much. This time it’s the Municipal Market Tenants’ Association protestations against the Corporation of the City of Panjim’s (CCP) pay parking around the municipal market. In the past, traders have protested every citizen friendly decision of the police traffic cell and the CCP to decongest the crammed city which gets crammed by the building so to speak. It’s bursting at the seams and the buildings keep coming in a wave. Traders in Panjim have usurped public parking space, some of them using devious ways like placing hand carts in front of their shops. In fact I wonder why the traffic cell even bothers to defend itself for the mayhem on the roads but more on that on another day soon. It’s also okay to take over entire pavements. Herald pointed out sometime ago how Kamat Hotel in Panjim conveniently allowed panwallahs outside because it helped their almost entirely tourist clientele forcing locals to walk on the road. The Panjim traffic cell pointed out how shop owners parked their own vehicles on 18th June Road from morning till closing time occupying most of the parking space. There are more blatant examples of appropriation of parking spaces. Do us a favour please, cut the crap and put a zip on that lip of yours.
Here’s really why
This will shock you for their brazenness. The CCP has been left holding a water consumption bill of Rs 12,06,952 and an electricity bill of Rs 62,20,833 which traders in the municipal market have refused to pay. That’s a total of Rs 74,27,785 of money owed to CCP which desperately needs funds. There could be more owed by way of nonpayment of both rent and maintenance charges. Oh yes, these guys are in a league of their own and more. In fact there’s a huge scam waiting to be exposed of the CCP can complete the government-ordered investigation into the scams involving the market which the Goa Infrastructure Development Corporation built.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com
Monday, August 23, 2010
The sell-out of Goa by its politicians
Calling the kettle black
The Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) having its own way in Goa is nothing new. It’s because our politicians, unlike those in other States, just hate to protect anything that is Goan or can be identified as part of Goa. Only recently, the MPT became an exception for the ruling Congress government because frankly it went a tad too far. Remember all those advertisements establishing MPT’s territorial rights in Goa. What impudence! If that happened in Mumbai, Shiv Sena goons would have taken violent action against the source of the irritant. In the sedate South, the DMK in Tamil Nadu would have said “mind it” and that would be that. You doubt that? Google Chennai’s dailies of June 30 and you will see a report with a picture of (workers) of the Chennai Corporation taking over land encroached upon by a 5-star hotel owned by Apeejay Surendra Park Hotels Ltd. In Kochi, there would be no cause for concern in the first place. Malaylees don’t take BS from anyone, outsiders particularly. Kerala said ‘no 60m wide highways’. It ended there. Not Goa, our politicians don’t want to upset the apple cart, if you get my drift. They don’t even protect their own turf.
Expansionistic MPT
The MPT has a slew of expansionist projects, none of which augur well for Goa. If given a free hand to do what it wants, it will not only change the demography, it will change forever the horizon over Baina Bay and Vasco Bay and in future over Betul too. Driving the engine behind it will be the Union Shipping Minister GK Vasan, the MPT will only be a means to an end though it will partake of the cake. Its plans forced the Congress to warn the MPT that implementation of these will change the demography of Vasco da Gama. Coming from the Congress it sounded really funny because that is something the Congress achieved on its own through its inequitable industrial policies, etcetera. I guess it needed to issue a sound byte Goans love to hear. But, using it selectively, is adding insult to injury because WE THE PEOPLE have been saying it for three going on four decades! Or, by saying that, was the Congress reserving its sole right to change the demographics of Goa. Instead of the sound byte, it might begin by finding out what the MPT is doing/has done with a rather large acreage of land leased to it, which it has admitted it failed to monitor. The MPT is sitting pretty on 68 Ha under the dock area in Headland and slopes at Mormugao. In Baina, Vasco da Gama the MPT took on lease 17 Ha. Between 1971 and 1985 various governments allotted it nearly 52 Ha, while the MPT managed to “reclaim” nearly 25 Ha of land. It is possible the government isn’t earning a rupee from this. The government of 1981 leased 3.62 acres to Goa Shipyard Limited and it’s possible it may not have signed a deed agreement till now. For the record, the government of 2007 also leased 10,958 sq mt to GSL.
Lost in Translation
Between March last year and March 2010 all it had achieved was write a series of letters to all concerned in New Delhi, formed a Group of Ministers; but did not even succeed in getting old Portuguese documents translated/researched to put a finger on the touchy subject of jurisdiction and what was inherited and by whom from the Portuguese. In fact, ex-advocate general Carlos Ferreira excused himself from the research and was replaced by lawyer Jose E. Coelho Pereira who apparently also opted out because the ball appears to be back in Ferreira’s court. The GoM met thrice, on October 22, September 26, and October 22 of 2008. So much for the Congress’ concern about demographic change. At stake is about 1,000-1,500 Ha of land and nearly 2.5 km of waterfront land. In other words, it could hit you up to the west of Cortalim.
Joker in the pack
I don’t mean this in a funny way because as if it had an ace in hand, the government got the toothless Goa State Pollution Control Board to dash off yet another letter to the MPT - asking it to consider the cumulative impact of their projects, include these in the EIA/EMP study, hold a public hearing and submit hard copies of the proposed 4 mmtpa coal/coke handling port terminal at berth no. 11. The board also asked MPT to deposit Rs 5 lakh with it towards holding the public hearing. That’s right your concerned government didn’t want to spend Rs 5 lakh on this when it has spent crores on consultancy fees. Yes, it’s the same Pollution Board that hotels in Colva show the middle finger to. The letter was written in May, 2010. No guesses where the MPT put that letter. And oh, in a moment of pique, the GoM voted not to ask MPT for NOCs to conduct any activity on land the MPT claims is theirs. In other words, the GoM proved to be just as toothless and wimpish as the board!
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com
The Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) having its own way in Goa is nothing new. It’s because our politicians, unlike those in other States, just hate to protect anything that is Goan or can be identified as part of Goa. Only recently, the MPT became an exception for the ruling Congress government because frankly it went a tad too far. Remember all those advertisements establishing MPT’s territorial rights in Goa. What impudence! If that happened in Mumbai, Shiv Sena goons would have taken violent action against the source of the irritant. In the sedate South, the DMK in Tamil Nadu would have said “mind it” and that would be that. You doubt that? Google Chennai’s dailies of June 30 and you will see a report with a picture of (workers) of the Chennai Corporation taking over land encroached upon by a 5-star hotel owned by Apeejay Surendra Park Hotels Ltd. In Kochi, there would be no cause for concern in the first place. Malaylees don’t take BS from anyone, outsiders particularly. Kerala said ‘no 60m wide highways’. It ended there. Not Goa, our politicians don’t want to upset the apple cart, if you get my drift. They don’t even protect their own turf.
Expansionistic MPT
The MPT has a slew of expansionist projects, none of which augur well for Goa. If given a free hand to do what it wants, it will not only change the demography, it will change forever the horizon over Baina Bay and Vasco Bay and in future over Betul too. Driving the engine behind it will be the Union Shipping Minister GK Vasan, the MPT will only be a means to an end though it will partake of the cake. Its plans forced the Congress to warn the MPT that implementation of these will change the demography of Vasco da Gama. Coming from the Congress it sounded really funny because that is something the Congress achieved on its own through its inequitable industrial policies, etcetera. I guess it needed to issue a sound byte Goans love to hear. But, using it selectively, is adding insult to injury because WE THE PEOPLE have been saying it for three going on four decades! Or, by saying that, was the Congress reserving its sole right to change the demographics of Goa. Instead of the sound byte, it might begin by finding out what the MPT is doing/has done with a rather large acreage of land leased to it, which it has admitted it failed to monitor. The MPT is sitting pretty on 68 Ha under the dock area in Headland and slopes at Mormugao. In Baina, Vasco da Gama the MPT took on lease 17 Ha. Between 1971 and 1985 various governments allotted it nearly 52 Ha, while the MPT managed to “reclaim” nearly 25 Ha of land. It is possible the government isn’t earning a rupee from this. The government of 1981 leased 3.62 acres to Goa Shipyard Limited and it’s possible it may not have signed a deed agreement till now. For the record, the government of 2007 also leased 10,958 sq mt to GSL.
Lost in Translation
Between March last year and March 2010 all it had achieved was write a series of letters to all concerned in New Delhi, formed a Group of Ministers; but did not even succeed in getting old Portuguese documents translated/researched to put a finger on the touchy subject of jurisdiction and what was inherited and by whom from the Portuguese. In fact, ex-advocate general Carlos Ferreira excused himself from the research and was replaced by lawyer Jose E. Coelho Pereira who apparently also opted out because the ball appears to be back in Ferreira’s court. The GoM met thrice, on October 22, September 26, and October 22 of 2008. So much for the Congress’ concern about demographic change. At stake is about 1,000-1,500 Ha of land and nearly 2.5 km of waterfront land. In other words, it could hit you up to the west of Cortalim.
Joker in the pack
I don’t mean this in a funny way because as if it had an ace in hand, the government got the toothless Goa State Pollution Control Board to dash off yet another letter to the MPT - asking it to consider the cumulative impact of their projects, include these in the EIA/EMP study, hold a public hearing and submit hard copies of the proposed 4 mmtpa coal/coke handling port terminal at berth no. 11. The board also asked MPT to deposit Rs 5 lakh with it towards holding the public hearing. That’s right your concerned government didn’t want to spend Rs 5 lakh on this when it has spent crores on consultancy fees. Yes, it’s the same Pollution Board that hotels in Colva show the middle finger to. The letter was written in May, 2010. No guesses where the MPT put that letter. And oh, in a moment of pique, the GoM voted not to ask MPT for NOCs to conduct any activity on land the MPT claims is theirs. In other words, the GoM proved to be just as toothless and wimpish as the board!
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Party Time - III
Carte du jour
The Minister for Revenue Jose Philip entertained modestly (remember, his flying too was moderate compared to his compadres) between April 2009-February 2010, the only relevance here for you as a taxpayer is he entertained some unnamed officials on June 5 and on November 6 he entertained a group of again unnamed police officers and officials of the Mormugao Port Trust, and District Collectors at a total cost of Rs 25,488 at Hotel La Paz. He threw his latest bash (January 7, 2010) for an unnamed group of councillors, officials and ‘dignitaries’. The La Paz bill is awaited.
That goes too for the Minister for Home Ravi Naik who kept a low profile unlike his other headline grabbing. Naik threw a dinner for “guests” attending the India Internal Security Conclave 2009 at the Majorda Beach Resort on September 24, 2009. Cost: Rs 90,000. On November 1 he threw a dinner for Diwan Chand (currently Special Secretary, Home) at the Fort Aguada Beach Resort that cost a whopping Rs 1,23,851. And a dinner for IPS probationers visiting Goa at the same hotel that cost Rs 1,38,076 on November 16. For your information, IPS and IAS probationers routinely visit Goa just like every other man or woman who draws a Government of India salary. Which is great if you own a posh hotel, posh restaurant or posh cab, right? But, do we have to wine and dine them at taxpayers cost? Ravi Naik thinks so, because he was back (February 28, 2010) to entertaining, this time a group of 80 unnamed officials at the Hotel Marriott. Bill awaited.
Typically, the Minister for Tourism (now ex) Mickky Pacheco entertained a group of Khazakstan delegates at the Park Hyatt on October 7, 2009. Cost: Rs 66,393. Put that down as being for the glory and good of that other fatted cow, the tourism industry. Proof of the pudding! How about this? Manohar Azgaonkar, the Minister for Panchayat threw a bash at Hotel Marriott on September 9, 2009 for delegates attending the “workshop of Principal Secretaries in charge of Panchayati Raj in Indian States” and some unnamed “others”. Cost: Rs 65,189.
Host with the most
It truly does pay to be a big cheese on holiday in Goa. Though, sometimes any kind will do, thank you. You are guaranteed at least one freebie dinner, sometimes two and no proof of your credentials is required. It’s enough if you play the part. Here’s proof of that and of Digambar Kamat’s parties that cost more than Rs 2L. He threw a Rs 3,73,024 dinner on June 27, 2008 for the chairman and members of the 13th Finance Commission and 100 other allegedly big wheels (producers etc) of the South Asian film industry at the Cidade de Goa. How did two very disparate groups come together in Goa, you ask? Could it be the trouble-free access to your easily available tax bucks? Or, that the government tried to kill two birds with one stone or, a combination of both. Remarkably, the same day the Minister for Finance (now ex) Dayanand Narvekar was also dining the chairman and members of the 13th Finance Commission at the same Cidade de Goa. Cost: Rs 87,943. That’s a total of Rs 4,60,967, but two dinners, same invitees? Was the government trying to get around its own self-imposed cap on partying following a series of similar exposures in this same column some time ago?
Open House
Kamat threw a Rs 2,00,227 do for 100 unnamed revelers at the Park Hyatt on August 12, 2008. On October 4, 2008 he blew Rs 3,99,800 on an Id-Milan jamboree at his official residence in Panjim. Amazingly, that night he threw a second, this time, Rs 2,48,460 dinner for some doctors from Maharashtra and Goa on the cruise boat Princess de Goa. On January 24, 2009 he hosted of all people on this planet, delegates of the 57th National Town and Country Planners Congress. That’s right, the same guys who give you the most grief (after politicians) with all their skewed planning. The Rs 3,51,854 dinner was held at Cidade de Goa. A Rs 3,88,927 dinner for delegates of the 12th Conference on e-Governance on IT at Hotel Inn Resort on February 12, 2009. A Rs 2,08,388 dinner at the Cidade de Goa for Jaime Lerner, an expert on urban planning from Brazil. This time guests of the DD Kosambe Festival of Ideas were invited to the dinner proving my point. Exactly a year later, February 12,2010, Kamat would host another dinner (see Party Time -1, July 25) for participants of the same DD Kosambe festival of Ideas at the same venue. So, was Lerner just an excuse to dine these guys? Makes you wonder.
Money for nothing
What’s more, the government’s Protocol Department might have inadvertently added a new dimension to VVIP to mean Visiting Very Important Persons. It incurred independently an expenditure of Rs 29,83,639 on accommodation and food for VVIPs visiting Goa between April 2008 and February 2010.
COST OF THE PARTY
Vishwajeet Rane Rs 4,54,282
Ravi Naik Rs 3,51,927
Aleixo Sequeira Rs 1,31,017
Manohar Azagaonkar Rs 65,189
Miccky Pacheco Rs 66,393
Jose Philip Rs 25,488
TOTAL: Rs 35,35,400
April 2008-March 2009: Rs 36,64,744
TOTAL: Rs 72,00,144
Protocol Department Rs 29,83,639
GRAND TOTAL: Rs 1,01,83,783!
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com
Monday, August 2, 2010
Party Time - II
Food for thought
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat spent Rs 22,07,748 entertaining between April 2009-February 2010. It was the turn next of Vishwajeet Rane, the Health Minister. But above the aroma of food, is a certain rot that could become like a resident rot (like decaying wood in your window frame) or like the fragile River Princess that will eventually break into two and become extinct only when its time is up to go to rack and ruin. Not a day before. Kind of dust to dust thing. I am talking about seven floating casinos and the pleasure boats dumping garbage in the Mandovi. In a few days time, August 4 exactly, the Bombay High Court (the only institution that works in Goa for the aam aadmi, the rest are all bakwas) will hear the writ petition challenging their expulsion from the Mandovi to outer anchorage at Aguada Bay. It’s funny but the official NOC of six (Pride of Goa, Arabian Sea King, The Leela, Casino Royale, San Domino, Caravela) expired during different months in 2009. The NOC of the Boa Sorte expires on August 23, that’s in three weeks. From this point of view, they are plying their trade illegally. But as this case could drag on for years, a status quo is perhaps what the owners want. Because they can use that as a reprieve and it will be business as usual for all. The government won’t win the case either because it will go out on a limb to lose it.
Here’s a thought. The insurance policies of six of the casinos expire this year. The policy on the Pride of Goa expires on May 15, 2011. I dunno, but I think the government could write to the insurance companies reminding them of the fact the NOCs have expired, thereby attracting possible legal implications. It might do to suggest that if passenger safety were compromised somehow it could lead to an insurance nightmare. It’s worth a try -- certainly better than all the government duplicity thus far. For the record, the insurance policy of the Arabian Sea King expires on December 22, 2010, The Leela – November 10, Casino Royale – October 15, San Domino – August 7, Caravela – December 22, Boa Sorte – November 2. So there.
You are what you eat
Rane threw his first bash on May 4, 2009, a lunch for a Health Advisory Committee catered by Kebab Corner at a cost of Rs 19,350. On June 28 he dined 40 delegates of Goa Medical College (GMC) meeting at Cidade-de-Goa. Cost: Rs 64,548. By the way Rane’s fave watering hole is the Cidade-de-Goa, where he threw another lunch costing Rs 36,995 for participants of a Health Advisory Council on July 4. Then there was this mother of all meals on August 2 for doctors of the GMC and DHS that cost you Rs 3,16,939 at Cidade-de-Goa. The justification, and I quote was “in respect of achievement and the new initiation of Government of Goa in the health sector.” (Chew on this too - On September 24, a year earlier he threw a party for 250 delegates attending a seminar on “Strategies for improving livelihood security of rural poor” on board the Santa Monica. Cost: Rs 3,10,250. Hiring the vessel cost an extra 25 grand. Food provider: NH 17). The next day, on August 3 he hosted another lunch for the Health Advisory Committee at NH 17. Cost: Rs 16,450.
No free lunch for the aam aadmi
Compare that with what the aam aadmi gets. Remember the damage caused to famers Bhagwan V. Naik and Sandeep L. Naik of Menkure village in Bicholim taluka by an elephant a couple of years ago. They each got a compensation of Rs 200 paid by cheque which must have made them even more distraught. By the cheque that is, not the paltry sum. Imagine the embarrassment of producing that to the bank and withdrawing the money a couple of days/ weeks later! And if you are wondering why I give a 2008 example? It’s only to make a virtual comparison. A 2010 comparison would be the Mopa land acquisition rate of Rs 60 per sq. mt that the government is going to give.
Barking up the wrong tree
You read about the thousand plus committees the government formed. This takes the cake. The Forest Department established seven committees between June 2007 and now. What is really amusing are names like this: ‘Identification of balance area of private forest’; ‘State level expert committee for identification of critical wildlife habitats’; ‘South Goa district committee’ – it was formed to identify private forest in South Goa; ‘State Board for Wildlife’; ‘Committee to review/ exam draft working plans of Forest Department’; ‘Governing body of State CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Management Planning Authority)’; ‘Steering committee of state CAMPA’; and ‘Executive committee of state CAMPA’. You ask but where’s the forest? Probably hidden under the forest of committees! The State Board for Wildlife has 39 members with the usual quota of MLAs (including Anil Salgaocar, the mine owner - an irony surely considering that it is excavation of mines that have destroyed forests!) and government babus (understandably). There’s also a cab owner who I think has a bar at Mollem and another, who is a pal of Filipe Neri Rodrigues, the Minister for Forests. But why the DG, Commandant, Coast Guard, Directors of Dabolim Airport, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Social Welfare? It’s like missing the trees for the forest.
Cost of the party
Digambar Kamat (April 2009-Feb 2010) Rs 22,07,748
Vishwajeet Rane (May-August 2009) Rs 4,54,282
Total: Rs 26,62,030
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat spent Rs 22,07,748 entertaining between April 2009-February 2010. It was the turn next of Vishwajeet Rane, the Health Minister. But above the aroma of food, is a certain rot that could become like a resident rot (like decaying wood in your window frame) or like the fragile River Princess that will eventually break into two and become extinct only when its time is up to go to rack and ruin. Not a day before. Kind of dust to dust thing. I am talking about seven floating casinos and the pleasure boats dumping garbage in the Mandovi. In a few days time, August 4 exactly, the Bombay High Court (the only institution that works in Goa for the aam aadmi, the rest are all bakwas) will hear the writ petition challenging their expulsion from the Mandovi to outer anchorage at Aguada Bay. It’s funny but the official NOC of six (Pride of Goa, Arabian Sea King, The Leela, Casino Royale, San Domino, Caravela) expired during different months in 2009. The NOC of the Boa Sorte expires on August 23, that’s in three weeks. From this point of view, they are plying their trade illegally. But as this case could drag on for years, a status quo is perhaps what the owners want. Because they can use that as a reprieve and it will be business as usual for all. The government won’t win the case either because it will go out on a limb to lose it.
Here’s a thought. The insurance policies of six of the casinos expire this year. The policy on the Pride of Goa expires on May 15, 2011. I dunno, but I think the government could write to the insurance companies reminding them of the fact the NOCs have expired, thereby attracting possible legal implications. It might do to suggest that if passenger safety were compromised somehow it could lead to an insurance nightmare. It’s worth a try -- certainly better than all the government duplicity thus far. For the record, the insurance policy of the Arabian Sea King expires on December 22, 2010, The Leela – November 10, Casino Royale – October 15, San Domino – August 7, Caravela – December 22, Boa Sorte – November 2. So there.
You are what you eat
Rane threw his first bash on May 4, 2009, a lunch for a Health Advisory Committee catered by Kebab Corner at a cost of Rs 19,350. On June 28 he dined 40 delegates of Goa Medical College (GMC) meeting at Cidade-de-Goa. Cost: Rs 64,548. By the way Rane’s fave watering hole is the Cidade-de-Goa, where he threw another lunch costing Rs 36,995 for participants of a Health Advisory Council on July 4. Then there was this mother of all meals on August 2 for doctors of the GMC and DHS that cost you Rs 3,16,939 at Cidade-de-Goa. The justification, and I quote was “in respect of achievement and the new initiation of Government of Goa in the health sector.” (Chew on this too - On September 24, a year earlier he threw a party for 250 delegates attending a seminar on “Strategies for improving livelihood security of rural poor” on board the Santa Monica. Cost: Rs 3,10,250. Hiring the vessel cost an extra 25 grand. Food provider: NH 17). The next day, on August 3 he hosted another lunch for the Health Advisory Committee at NH 17. Cost: Rs 16,450.
No free lunch for the aam aadmi
Compare that with what the aam aadmi gets. Remember the damage caused to famers Bhagwan V. Naik and Sandeep L. Naik of Menkure village in Bicholim taluka by an elephant a couple of years ago. They each got a compensation of Rs 200 paid by cheque which must have made them even more distraught. By the cheque that is, not the paltry sum. Imagine the embarrassment of producing that to the bank and withdrawing the money a couple of days/ weeks later! And if you are wondering why I give a 2008 example? It’s only to make a virtual comparison. A 2010 comparison would be the Mopa land acquisition rate of Rs 60 per sq. mt that the government is going to give.
Barking up the wrong tree
You read about the thousand plus committees the government formed. This takes the cake. The Forest Department established seven committees between June 2007 and now. What is really amusing are names like this: ‘Identification of balance area of private forest’; ‘State level expert committee for identification of critical wildlife habitats’; ‘South Goa district committee’ – it was formed to identify private forest in South Goa; ‘State Board for Wildlife’; ‘Committee to review/ exam draft working plans of Forest Department’; ‘Governing body of State CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Management Planning Authority)’; ‘Steering committee of state CAMPA’; and ‘Executive committee of state CAMPA’. You ask but where’s the forest? Probably hidden under the forest of committees! The State Board for Wildlife has 39 members with the usual quota of MLAs (including Anil Salgaocar, the mine owner - an irony surely considering that it is excavation of mines that have destroyed forests!) and government babus (understandably). There’s also a cab owner who I think has a bar at Mollem and another, who is a pal of Filipe Neri Rodrigues, the Minister for Forests. But why the DG, Commandant, Coast Guard, Directors of Dabolim Airport, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Social Welfare? It’s like missing the trees for the forest.
Cost of the party
Digambar Kamat (April 2009-Feb 2010) Rs 22,07,748
Vishwajeet Rane (May-August 2009) Rs 4,54,282
Total: Rs 26,62,030
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com
Wine and Dine
Party Time -1
They spent Rs 93,42,544 (see earlier Flying Circus series) flying over a relatively short period of less than two years. Nobody knows why really or what was achieved from it, except the flying was primarily to Mumbai and Delhi, some of it to holiday destinations and pilgrim centres. The Gods must be desperate, you’d think except your montris felt getting you to pay for their absolution was okay! Next they let their hair down and partied till the cows came home. Your montris of course are nonchalant, showing no remorse in spending your valuable tax bucks for their politicking, holidaying, dining and even when they play pilgrims. You can’t even call it valuable any longer considering the way it’s blown up, in this the latest example, all of Rs 72,00,144 spent to entertain so-called VIP’s between April 2008 and February 2010. For your information, the meaning of VIPs in Goa could be anything from a bunch of sarpanches to officials who came to the 26th Sub-Junior National Aquatic Championships. I did say sub-junior, that’s how underused your tax bucks are. Because you probably think your valuable tax money, ironically called ‘revenue expenditure’ in the lingua franca of government, is being spent on real development. You could also say misspent, but the word misspent like the word ‘development’ too has lost its meaning in Goa. I had almost forgotten, but there was also this little matter of Rs 29,83,639 that the Protocol Department spent on accommodation and food for all VIP’s visiting Goa. That’s a neat Rs 1,01,83,783 and cooking if you add the unpaid bills (explained below).
Let's Party Officially
On April 3, 2009 and twice on April 4 Digambar Kamat blew Rs 3,850, Rs 3,850 and Rs 10,135 on tea and snacks supplied by Kebab Corner at his little used official Altinho residence at what was described as “official meetings”. On May 26 he threw that aquatic championship bash which cost you Rs 50,000. The real shall we say beneficiary was Bhingi Caterer, Ponda. The next month, on June 7, Kamat hosted a dinner for so-called ‘dignitaries’ of the 2nd Marathi Film Festival, 2009 at the Goa Marriott. Cost: Rs 1,42,832. Let’s take a tea break here and try and understand the words ‘official’ ‘dignitary’ and ‘host’. In the jargon of government, ‘official’ means all-inclusive or all-embracing and no questions asked. ‘Dignitary’ well, if I explained that in writing it would need parental guidance for your reading. ‘Host’, in Goa, well, at least it does not mean someone who invites and entertains guests and pays for it. The Goa Marriott was the venue for his next dinner (July 13) in honour of the chairman and members of the 5th Western Region Consultation. Don’t ask. I haven’t a clue. Cost: Rs 43,705. He dined the Chief Secretary at the Taj Exotica on July 18 spending Rs 45,437 and hosted a “budget presentation” dinner at Taj Vivanta on July 24. Cost: Rs 23,285. For all the talking his ministers and Congress MLA’s did during the 12 working days of the Assembly Session from July 21-August 6, 2009, Kamat rewarded them with tea and snacks served up by Kebab Corner at a cost of Rs 72,000. He was back to entertaining the next day August 7, throwing a dinner at Cidade-de-Goa for Narendra Jadhav, member of the Planning Commission. Cost: Rs 62,357. Tea and snacks for god-knows-who on Independence Day at his official residence (no, not the Margao home, that’s his unofficial official residence). Cost to you: Rs 17,000. Provider: Kebab corner.
Party On
On August 30, he threw Jairam Ramesh, the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest and “others” a party that cost you Rs 1,00,689 at the Cidade-de-Goa. Obviously! While, I sincerely doubt Jairam Ramesh partook of the food with the same gusto as the “others”, I wager he was used more as a scapegoat for the shindig. Unfortunately we don’t get to know who went to the party but the environment must have been good. On September 1, Kamat offered his hardworking MLA’s tea and snacks at a Congress Legislature Party meet at Altinho. Cost: Rs 7,200. Provider: Kebab Corner. He dined Prema Cariappa, Chairperson, Central Social Welfare Board, Delhi at the Sun & Sand, Panjim on October 10 that cost Rs 28,153. The chosen one, the Cidade-de-Goa was again the venue (October 12) for a dinner for the Secretary, Information & Broadcasting. Cost: Rs 39,852. Then there was dinner (October 28) for newspaper editors at Hotel Mandovi that cost Rs 19,491 and dinner (November 2) for Justice Swatantar Kumar, Chief Justice, Bombay High Court at Hotel Vivanta that cost Rs 54,601.
……And On
Hotel Vivanta was ‘graced’ again by Kamat and his invitees on November 11, 2009, this time believe it or not, in honour of the Council of Young Political Leaders who toted up a tab of Rs 1,16,505. Perhaps they were unaware they were gobbling up your tax bucks. Google says this is an organization dedicated to promoting diplomacy and mutual understanding between cultures through exchanges such as these! What on earth were they doing in Goa? Kamat’s fave hotel, the Cidade-de-Goa was the venue for a costly jamboree in honour of delegates from the Information & Broadcasting Ministry during the International Film Festival of India closing on December 3, 2009. Cost: Rs 11,91,337. If you think that’s a lot of good money ill spent on a bunch of gatecrashers who have been coming every year, mull over this. Kamat blew Rs 1,04,419 on a do on board Noah’s Ark in honour of Prakash Jaiswal, the Union Minister of State for Home. I have no idea who the other party animals were but surely they, like Noah’s guests, must have been invited in pairs (male/female) not because the Mandovi threatened to flood; because Jaiswal alone couldn’t have consumed Rs 1,04,419worth of food and booze.
Till the cows come home
On February 1, 2010 Kamat hosted a dinner for Ajay Maken, the Union Minister for State for Home Affairs at Taj Vivanta. On February 12 a dinner for ‘dignitaries’ and speakers at the DD Kosambe Festival of Ideas at Cidade-de-Goa and on February 23, a lunch to host that so-called pre-budget consultation meeting again. To think they even have to gorge on chicken kebab just to break their heads on how to spend your tax bucks! The venue for this was NH-17, Porvorim. The bills for these are awaited and so I can’t share that with you yet.
The condensed month of February, 2010 ended with a Rs 71,500 dinner thrown at the Majorda Beach Resort for some unnamed invitees on February 26. There was no hiatus in Feb for him because the very next night Kamat had a do for the retiring Inspector General of Police KD Singh at the Park Hyatt. Bills awaited. That’s five parties in 28 days! Now Singh, if you remember is that cop who introduced Russian belly dancers to the Anjuna cops and only came to Goa to build his Porvorim home. What a farewell!
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com
They spent Rs 93,42,544 (see earlier Flying Circus series) flying over a relatively short period of less than two years. Nobody knows why really or what was achieved from it, except the flying was primarily to Mumbai and Delhi, some of it to holiday destinations and pilgrim centres. The Gods must be desperate, you’d think except your montris felt getting you to pay for their absolution was okay! Next they let their hair down and partied till the cows came home. Your montris of course are nonchalant, showing no remorse in spending your valuable tax bucks for their politicking, holidaying, dining and even when they play pilgrims. You can’t even call it valuable any longer considering the way it’s blown up, in this the latest example, all of Rs 72,00,144 spent to entertain so-called VIP’s between April 2008 and February 2010. For your information, the meaning of VIPs in Goa could be anything from a bunch of sarpanches to officials who came to the 26th Sub-Junior National Aquatic Championships. I did say sub-junior, that’s how underused your tax bucks are. Because you probably think your valuable tax money, ironically called ‘revenue expenditure’ in the lingua franca of government, is being spent on real development. You could also say misspent, but the word misspent like the word ‘development’ too has lost its meaning in Goa. I had almost forgotten, but there was also this little matter of Rs 29,83,639 that the Protocol Department spent on accommodation and food for all VIP’s visiting Goa. That’s a neat Rs 1,01,83,783 and cooking if you add the unpaid bills (explained below).
Let's Party Officially
On April 3, 2009 and twice on April 4 Digambar Kamat blew Rs 3,850, Rs 3,850 and Rs 10,135 on tea and snacks supplied by Kebab Corner at his little used official Altinho residence at what was described as “official meetings”. On May 26 he threw that aquatic championship bash which cost you Rs 50,000. The real shall we say beneficiary was Bhingi Caterer, Ponda. The next month, on June 7, Kamat hosted a dinner for so-called ‘dignitaries’ of the 2nd Marathi Film Festival, 2009 at the Goa Marriott. Cost: Rs 1,42,832. Let’s take a tea break here and try and understand the words ‘official’ ‘dignitary’ and ‘host’. In the jargon of government, ‘official’ means all-inclusive or all-embracing and no questions asked. ‘Dignitary’ well, if I explained that in writing it would need parental guidance for your reading. ‘Host’, in Goa, well, at least it does not mean someone who invites and entertains guests and pays for it. The Goa Marriott was the venue for his next dinner (July 13) in honour of the chairman and members of the 5th Western Region Consultation. Don’t ask. I haven’t a clue. Cost: Rs 43,705. He dined the Chief Secretary at the Taj Exotica on July 18 spending Rs 45,437 and hosted a “budget presentation” dinner at Taj Vivanta on July 24. Cost: Rs 23,285. For all the talking his ministers and Congress MLA’s did during the 12 working days of the Assembly Session from July 21-August 6, 2009, Kamat rewarded them with tea and snacks served up by Kebab Corner at a cost of Rs 72,000. He was back to entertaining the next day August 7, throwing a dinner at Cidade-de-Goa for Narendra Jadhav, member of the Planning Commission. Cost: Rs 62,357. Tea and snacks for god-knows-who on Independence Day at his official residence (no, not the Margao home, that’s his unofficial official residence). Cost to you: Rs 17,000. Provider: Kebab corner.
Party On
On August 30, he threw Jairam Ramesh, the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest and “others” a party that cost you Rs 1,00,689 at the Cidade-de-Goa. Obviously! While, I sincerely doubt Jairam Ramesh partook of the food with the same gusto as the “others”, I wager he was used more as a scapegoat for the shindig. Unfortunately we don’t get to know who went to the party but the environment must have been good. On September 1, Kamat offered his hardworking MLA’s tea and snacks at a Congress Legislature Party meet at Altinho. Cost: Rs 7,200. Provider: Kebab Corner. He dined Prema Cariappa, Chairperson, Central Social Welfare Board, Delhi at the Sun & Sand, Panjim on October 10 that cost Rs 28,153. The chosen one, the Cidade-de-Goa was again the venue (October 12) for a dinner for the Secretary, Information & Broadcasting. Cost: Rs 39,852. Then there was dinner (October 28) for newspaper editors at Hotel Mandovi that cost Rs 19,491 and dinner (November 2) for Justice Swatantar Kumar, Chief Justice, Bombay High Court at Hotel Vivanta that cost Rs 54,601.
……And On
Hotel Vivanta was ‘graced’ again by Kamat and his invitees on November 11, 2009, this time believe it or not, in honour of the Council of Young Political Leaders who toted up a tab of Rs 1,16,505. Perhaps they were unaware they were gobbling up your tax bucks. Google says this is an organization dedicated to promoting diplomacy and mutual understanding between cultures through exchanges such as these! What on earth were they doing in Goa? Kamat’s fave hotel, the Cidade-de-Goa was the venue for a costly jamboree in honour of delegates from the Information & Broadcasting Ministry during the International Film Festival of India closing on December 3, 2009. Cost: Rs 11,91,337. If you think that’s a lot of good money ill spent on a bunch of gatecrashers who have been coming every year, mull over this. Kamat blew Rs 1,04,419 on a do on board Noah’s Ark in honour of Prakash Jaiswal, the Union Minister of State for Home. I have no idea who the other party animals were but surely they, like Noah’s guests, must have been invited in pairs (male/female) not because the Mandovi threatened to flood; because Jaiswal alone couldn’t have consumed Rs 1,04,419worth of food and booze.
Till the cows come home
On February 1, 2010 Kamat hosted a dinner for Ajay Maken, the Union Minister for State for Home Affairs at Taj Vivanta. On February 12 a dinner for ‘dignitaries’ and speakers at the DD Kosambe Festival of Ideas at Cidade-de-Goa and on February 23, a lunch to host that so-called pre-budget consultation meeting again. To think they even have to gorge on chicken kebab just to break their heads on how to spend your tax bucks! The venue for this was NH-17, Porvorim. The bills for these are awaited and so I can’t share that with you yet.
The condensed month of February, 2010 ended with a Rs 71,500 dinner thrown at the Majorda Beach Resort for some unnamed invitees on February 26. There was no hiatus in Feb for him because the very next night Kamat had a do for the retiring Inspector General of Police KD Singh at the Park Hyatt. Bills awaited. That’s five parties in 28 days! Now Singh, if you remember is that cop who introduced Russian belly dancers to the Anjuna cops and only came to Goa to build his Porvorim home. What a farewell!
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com
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