Panaji: Given the allegations of widespread irregularities in the recruitment of police sub-inspectors (PSIs), Goa Forward Party (GFP) has expressed surprise with the government’s move to go ahead and appoint 145 male and female candidates to the posts. GFP which had also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to halt the recruitment process said it will pursue “all remedies available” to challenge the appointments.GFP had highlighted the irregularities in the process to recruit PSIs, police constables and home guards which began before the state assembly elections. Though the government initially put the process on hold and even conducted an inquiry into the process, the home department headed by chief minister Pramod Sawant has given the go ahead to complete the recruitment process.“Even after I exposed the widespread irregularities of the mega police recruitment scam with irrefutable evidence, the DGP and Goa Police have defied the people of Goa by going ahead with the appointments. There’s no doubt the government has colluded. I will seek all remedies available,” said Sardesai.GFP has maintained that corruption in the police recruitment will lead to a deterioration in Goa’s law and order situation. “The government and Goa Police have chosen to betray the trust that many young aspirants had placed in them to uphold merit, fairness and justice in government recruitment. By going ahead with the list, they have become patrons of deceit,” he added.Even after I exposed the widespread irregularities of the mega police recruitment scam with irrefutable evidence, the DGP and Goa Police have defied the people of Goa by going ahead with the appointments
PANAJI: Given the allegations of widespread irregularities in the recruitment of police sub-inspectors (PSIs), Goa Forward Party has expressed surprise with the government’s move to go ahead and appoint 145 male and female candidates to the posts. GFP, which had also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop the recruitment process, said it will pursue “all remedies available” to challenge the appointments. GFP had highlighted the irregularities in the process to recruit PSIs, police constables and home guards, which began before the state assembly elections. Though the government initially put the process on hold and even conducted an inquiry into the process, the home department headed by chief minister Pramod Sawant has given the go ahead to complete the recruitment process. “Even after I exposed the widespread irregularities of the mega Police recruitment scam with irrefutable evidence, the DGP and Goa Police have defied the people of Goa by going ahead with the appointments. There’s no doubt the government has colluded. I will seek all remedies available,” said Sardesai. GFP has maintained that corruption in the police recruitment process will lead to a deterioration in Goa’s law and order situation. The government of Goa and Goa Police have chosen to betray the trust that many young Goemkar aspirants had placed in them to uphold merit, fairness and justice in government recruitment. By going ahead with the list, they have become patrons of deceit,” said Sardesai.
PANAJI: Revenue minister Atanasio Monserrate said on Thursday that there’s no question of a change of leadership in Goa, and that CM Pramod Sawant has got the mandate of the people. “He got a majority to form the government, he is our leader, and there is no question of change in leadership,” Monserrate said. Reacting to GFP president Vijai Sardesai’s statement that health minister Vishwajit Rane could be a good chief minister, Monserratre said, “Everyone is capable and not only one person. I am not capable of becoming chief minister.” Monserrate said that every state has a staff selection commission (SSC), and that Goa is the only state which does not have it. “What is wrong in having a SSC? It will have transparency in the recruitment process,” he said.
Panaji: Revenue minister Atanasio Monserrate said on Thursday that there’s no question of a change of leadership in Goa, and that CM Pramod Sawant has got the mandate of the people. “He got a majority to form the government, he is our leader, and there is no question of change in leadership,” Monserrate said.Reacting to GFP president Vijai Sardesai’s statement that health minister Vishwajit Rane could be a good chief minister, Monserratre said, “Everyone is capable and not only one person. I am not capable of becoming chief minister.”Monserrate said that every state has a staff selection commission (SSC), and that Goa is the only state which does not have it. “What is wrong in having a SSC? It will have transparency in the recruitment process,” he said.
Panaji: The war of words between GFP and BJP over the Niti Aayog’s findings continued on Sunday with GFP president Vijai Sardesai saying that BJP is making “ridiculous” claims instead of presenting facts. Sardesai also challenged BJP to present government data to counter the Niti Aayog’s findings.“The Niti Aayog has exposed that, of the double engine government, the lower engine in Goa is not working properly. The figures that I have shown are not mine but the Niti Aayog’s. BJP has not given a response to any of the seven points that I have raised,” Sardesai said.On Saturday, Sardesai had challenged BJP to defend Sawant’s performance as a chief minister and the saffron party took the bait, deploying industries minister Mauvin Godinho, MLA Daji Salkar and party spokesperson Giriraj Pai Vernekar.The three said that Sardesai’s allegations are driven by “frustration”, a charge the GFP chief said is ridiculous.“Three Pramod Sawant bhakts talking humbug won’t change facts. If you were loyal to Goa, you’d have used the press conference to present Goa government data. It’s Niti Aayog who’s frustrated because the Goa chief minister cannot rise to its expectations,” Sardesai added.“There’s nothing more ridiculous than to say that Prime Minister’s Niti Aayog exposed Pramod Sawant’s failures because Vijai Sardesai is frustrated,” the MLA said.He added that Godinho, who has been charged in the power scam, has no option but to defend Sawant due to fear of being prosecuted. “Godinho should realise that while he is defending the chief minister, Pramod Sawant is not defending him in the power scam case,” Sardesai said.
PANAJI: Citing the NITI Aayog's findings on Goa's unemployment figures, fiscal debt and the decline in the ease of doing business environment for small entrepreneurs, Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Saturday demanded that the BJP high command should sack chief minister Pramod Sawant immediately. GFP president Vijai Sardesai said that instead of accepting criticism, Sawant has accused the NITI Aayog, which is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of making mistakes. "NITI Aayog's findings point to Pramod Sawant's utter failure as chief minister. He must resign or be sacked," said Sardesai at a press conference. "The scathing report of NITI Aayog has exposed the repeated lies that all is well in Goa, and has pointed to serious and far reaching failures in Sawant's administration." Sardesai said that the state's finances have eroded due to Sawant's faulty fiscal policies, which is why the NITI Aayog has asked the state to give away government assets. The GFP MLA said that because of the government's fiscal policy, Goa will be burdened with heavy taxes while the development of the state will slow down. "The NITI Aayog's solution is to give away all the state's wealth, the assets, jetties, hotels, land, hospitals, etc. This is akin to selling the family wealth when you have no money. My demand is that such recommendations such as asset monetisation should not be accepted," said Sardesai. At the press conference, Sardesai cited two TOI reports to back his critique against the government. On Friday, TOI carried a report on the NITI Aayog's asset monetisation recommendations and on Saturday, TOI carried report on former AG J E Coelho Pereira's recommendations about the sale of land that was acquired and handed over to Zuari Agro.
Panaji: Citing the NITI Aayog’s findings on Goa’s unemployment figures, fiscal debt and the decline in the ease of doing business environment for small entrepreneurs, Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Saturday demanded that the BJP high command should sack chief minister Pramod Sawant immediately.GFP president Vijai Sardesai said that instead of accepting criticism, Sawant has accused the NITI Aayog, which is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of making mistakes.“NITI Aayog’s findings point to Pramod Sawant’s utter failure as chief minister. He must resign or be sacked,” said Sardesai at a press conference. “The scathing report of NITI Aayog has exposed the repeated lies that all is well in Goa, and has pointed to serious and far reaching failures in Sawant’s administration.”Sardesai said that the state’s finances have eroded due to Sawant’s faulty fiscal policies, which is why the NITI Aayog has asked the state to give away government assets. The GFP MLA said that because of the government’s fiscal policy, Goa will be burdened with heavy taxes while the development of the state will slow down.“The NITI Aayog’s solution is to give away all the state’s wealth, the assets, jetties, hotels, land, hospitals, etc. This is akin to selling the family wealth when you have no money. My demand is that such recommendations such as asset monetisation should not be accepted,” said Sardesai.At the press conference, Sardesai cited two TOI reports to back his critique against the government. On Friday, TOI carried a report on the NITI Aayog’s asset monetisation recommendations and on Saturday, TOI carried report on former AG J E Coelho Pereira’s recommendations about the sale of land that was acquired and handed over to Zuari Agro.
PANAJI: Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant must end his “indifference and lethargy towards state’s tourism industry” and support it by providing partial or full exemptions from taxes and fees to small and medium business operators, said Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Wednesday. GFP president Vijai Sardesai said that Sawant had promised to keep shack licence fees unchanged but the tourism department has gone ahead and increased the licence fees, which is a “disastrous situation.” “In spite of repeated appeals to roll back the hike and also after an assurance from the Chief Minister to that effect, the government has gone ahead and implemented the new fee structure,” said Sardesai. “Instead of providing such relief, the government has decided to increase the license fee to erect temporary beach shacks from Rs 65,000 to Rs 1.25 lakh per year.” The tourism department has also hiked the fees to put up deck beds and umbrellas on beaches from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 while an additional fee of Rs 10,000 will be levied for garbage collection. “As Goa’s tourism sector tries to recover from serious setbacks in the previous years and limps back to normality, there is uncertainty about the number of international and national tourists reverting to pre-pandemic levels,” Vijai. “Given this state of affairs, it is vital that the government support the industry by providing partial or full exemptions from taxes and fees to small and medium business operators across the state.” Sardesai said that around 60% of the beach shack owners have not paid the fees in expectation of a reduced fee structure. “This habitual indifference toward traditional Goan businesses by the BJP government will wipe the iconic shacks from our beaches and therefore tourists from our state. The season already looks bleak thanks to BJP’s double engine sarkar, with its new visa policy for UK visitors causing damage to Goa’s tourism,” said Sardesai.
PANAJI: Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant must end his “indifference and lethargy towards state’s tourism industry” and support it by providing partial or full exemptions from taxes and fees to small and medium business operators, said Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Wednesday. GFP president Vijai Sardesai said that Sawant had promised to keep shack licence fees unchanged but the tourism department has gone ahead and increased the licence fees, which is a “disastrous situation.” “In spite of repeated appeals to roll back the hike and also after an assurance from the Chief Minister to that effect, the government has gone ahead and implemented the new fee structure,” said Sardesai. “Instead of providing such relief, the government has decided to increase the license fee to erect temporary beach shacks from Rs 65,000 to Rs 1.25 lakh per year.” The tourism department has also hiked the fees to put up deck beds and umbrellas on beaches from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 while an additional fee of Rs 10,000 will be levied for garbage collection. “As Goa’s tourism sector tries to recover from serious setbacks in the previous years and limps back to normality, there is uncertainty about the number of international and national tourists reverting to pre-pandemic levels,” Vijai. “Given this state of affairs, it is vital that the government support the industry by providing partial or full exemptions from taxes and fees to small and medium business operators across the state.” Sardesai said that around 60% of the beach shack owners have not paid the fees in expectation of a reduced fee structure. “This habitual indifference toward traditional Goan businesses by the BJP government will wipe the iconic shacks from our beaches and therefore tourists from our state. The season already looks bleak thanks to BJP’s double engine sarkar, with its new visa policy for UK visitors causing damage to Goa’s tourism,” said Sardesai.
