Porvorim: Vijai Sardesai on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Goa government, alleging major financial irregularities, funding cuts and administrative failures affecting panchayats, infrastructure projects and the transport sector in the state. Sardesai claimed that grants to Goa’s panchayats under the Sixteenth Finance Commission of India have been drastically reduced from ₹368 crore to ₹174 crore, while ₹168 crore from the Fifteenth Finance Commission of India remains pending since 2022-23 due to the government’s failure to submit utilisation certificates. He demanded the immediate release of these funds for local bodies.
Sardesai also questioned the government’s claims of improving the business climate in Goa, stating that out of 105 proposals approved since 2021 by the Investment Promotion Board Goa, only eight projects have been completed so far. He asked whether the government had conducted any due diligence to understand why companies are facing delays, adding that the situation reflects poorly on Goa’s “ease of doing business”.
Raising concerns about the state’s economy, Sardesai pointed out that the Gross State Domestic Product of the manufacturing sector has declined from ₹22,246 crore in 2021 to ₹19,564 crore, indicating that the sector has not fully recovered from the COVID-19 shock and may face further challenges due to global uncertainties and ongoing conflicts.
Sardesai further alleged a major garbage management scam in Sancoale, claiming crores of rupees from public funds, including grants under the Swachh Bharat Mission and Finance Commission funds, have been misused. According to him, the waste treatment facility at Zuarinagar has become a “white elephant” producing no biogas, while wet waste is being transported to the Saligao Waste Management Plant. He also alleged that contractors are collecting illegal fees from residents and dumping garbage in paddy fields, and demanded a vigilance inquiry into the matter.
Highlighting another alleged irregularity, Sardesai claimed that non-Goa sleeper buses are exploiting a “leave and licence agreement” arrangement to register in Goa and avoid higher permit fees. He said Goa-registered buses pay ₹300 per seat while non-Goa buses are required to pay ₹600 per seat. However, nearly 300 non-Goa buses are allegedly registered locally through this mechanism, resulting in an estimated loss of around ₹3.89 crore annually to the state exchequer.
Sardesai also alleged a land scam in Loutolim involving a proposed cricket stadium project, claiming that approvals were granted within seven days of a panchayat resolution without proper agenda procedures. He alleged collusion between officials and a builder linked to a minister and said the land was taken over by the Sarpanch of Chicalim who is allegedly close to Minister Mauvin Godinho.
In another allegation, Sardesai claimed there was a ₹5 crore scam in the construction of a working women’s hostel at Cuncolim Industrial Estate. He said that after a ₹15.8 crore tender was awarded, authorities suddenly claimed piling work was required despite the site consisting of solid laterite rock. He questioned why IIT Patna was engaged to vet the drawings instead of IIT Goa and demanded a thorough probe into the matter.
Sardesai said these issues point to serious governance failures and called for immediate investigations and corrective action by the government.
