Goa government trips power works, may as well sit at home: Nilesh Cabral

PANAJI: Three days after chief minister Pramod Sawant rejected his proposal for compulsory pre-marital counselling, power minister Nilesh Cabral on Tuesday came down heavily on his own government and held Sawant’s finance department responsible for the electricity mess in the state by refusing to sanction infrastructure upgradation projects.
“Files are being sent back by the finance department with a note that the proposal should be sent after the budget, but no one knows when the complete budget will be passed.I am going to ask CM (who also holds the finance portfolio) whether I should work or sit at home,” Cabral said.
He said even after the budget is passed—currently it is only a vote on account that has been taken—the finance department will send another circular curtailing expenditure.
The power minister said that it had been decided by the state government to give priority to underground cabling of 33KV and 11KV lines, but the work has not progressed as planned.
“I am asked all the time and I keep assuring that the work is being done. I feel ashamed of myself. If we lay underground cables, our people will not be inconvenienced as much. I will ask the CM how works like underground cabling are to be taken up,” Cabral said. He said the issue wasn’t shortage of funds but the indifference of the finance department officials.
“I have told the CM that I will get the funds too. There is the Power Finance Commission and other such bodies, and the Centre has given them power to give funds to the states for electricity infrastructure. I have got Rs 1,400 crore sanctioned from them. But they require government guarantee,” he said.
Taking a dig at Sawant for his misplaced priorities, Cabral said the focus of the government should be to provide the basics of good water supply, good roads and reliable electricity, but the finance department was creating hindrance in delivering these necessities.
“If we cannot give three necessities—water, electricity and roads—then we are not proper. We have to work sincerely and deliver to the people. If I cannot work and deliver, then I should not be part of the political system. I want to tell the CM, and it is for him to decide whether his finance department understands,” he said.
Cabral also requested the CM for an urgent meeting with the finance department officials “after the cabinet meet on Wednesday to decide on the electricity infrastructure” issues.
The power minister said due to the finance department officials, staffers from his department were left to face the brunt of the citizens. “Work is not being held up by them. It is because of finance,” he said.
“If things are going to go like this and if files are going to keep coming back for no fault of the department, then where will the progress take place, and why should my department face the music? There are groups who are holding morchas and dharnas against department staffers. If the government cannot give the administration proper direction, then I do not know,” Cabral said.
He said the funds from the Centre for electricity infrastructure upgradation do not have to be paid back in the first three years.
“If you provide the electricity, then the people will also pay, and we will be able to recover the expenditure within 5-6 years. I think the CM does not know these issues,” he said.
The minister said individual departments did not have the free hand they need to carry out infrastructure works.
“When budgets are given, you should give a free hand to departments to do the work. After the budget, we have spent Rs 300 crore, but we are yet to get the money as the budget could not take place and it was only a vote on account,” Cabral said.