Goa Congress to take note of scams in Kamat’s departments

PANAJI - Numerous scams in state government departments which are a part of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat’s portfolio have caught the eye of the Goa Congress leadership.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Subhash Shirodkar told reporters that the party “would take stock of the situation”, while expressing confidence in Kamat’s ability to ‘handle’ the scandals.

The scams in the mining, information and publicity and excise ministries, which are part of the chief minister’s portfolios, were exposed by the opposition in the state assembly.

Shirodkar said: “We will take stock of the situation. We will bring our concern to the notice of the government.”

“The chief minister has already instituted enquiries into the alleged scams. Let us see what they bring out,” Shirodkar said.

Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar had alleged a Rs.40 crore (Rs.400 million) scam in the excise department related to illegal alcohol deals, a multi-million rupee scam in the department of information and publicity on publication of books published to commemorate completion of two years of the Congress-led alliance’s government in the state and an illegal mining scam to the tune of several hundred crore rupees.

After the opposition’s charge, Kamat had ordered three separate enquiries into the scams, but no action has been taken against any accused official yet.