PANAJI: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat on Saturday informed the state legislative assembly that cases related to assaults/attacks on foreigners would be tried on day-to-day basis and disposed off in a set time frame.

Responding to the issues raised by the members of the House during discussion on motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, delivered on the opening day of the five-day session, Mr Kamat said that he has already sought the co-operation of the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court in this regard and that the model used in Rajasthan could be followed in Goa also.
The Chief Minister further said that the state police have been able to detect all the three cases of assault on foreigners in the state in recent past, two in South Goa and one in North Goa, and action was being initiated against the accused.
Dealing on the issue of Regional Plan 2021, Mr Kamat told the House that the plan was expected to be finalised in about six months but since the issues relating to finalisation were complex it could take a little more time. He also said that in many cases the panchayats have made one proposal for development while gram sabhas have made some other proposal, and the authorities have to do a balancing act before finalisation. He further informed the members of the House that it was for the first time that such a plan, involving panchayat bodies and all the people was being prepared, hence the finalisation was taking a little more time than expected.
The Chief Minister said that no permission would be issued for permitting constructions in eco-sensitive zones. He also stated that in cases of talukas where there was not much problem the plans would be finalised soon and released for public comments.
Stating that despite facing some tough times during the financial year 2009-10 in view of implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations wherein the government had to incur expenditure of Rs 300 crore, he said despite the problem the government did not allow the developmental works in any of the constituency to suffer. He said that the central government’s “generosity” helped the state to tide over the tight situation, even as he thanked the central authorities for coming to the help of the state.
Dealing on the issue of revenue collection, the Chief Minister said that two major departments, the excise and the commercial tax, have not only met the set targets but exceeded them. He said the decision of the central Mines Minister to grant higher royalty helped the state tide over the financial “problems” that it would had otherwise faced. He also made a mention of having been able to solve the problems of traditional fishermen again with the help of central government, which treated Goa’s plea as a special case and gave its opinion that constructions of traditional fishermen in CRZ area were permissible, hence helping in their regularisation and saving them from demolition. As regards to mining issues, the Chief Minister said that his government would not renew leases till the state’s mining policy was finalised. He also said that his government would not permit mining in the evacuee properties.
Responding to a charge by the leader of opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar, that minorities were not recruited in government departments, he said that most of the jobs that were created were in the police department and were not to the liking of the members of minority communities as very few of them applied. He said that the government would go ahead with the sea link project only after the report was received from the consultant. Dealing on the issue of price rise, he said that the government would try to provide benefit to the people through the 50 co-operative societies, identified for the purpose.
Earlier, the leader of opposition told the House that mining was being carried out illegally on a large scale and pointed out that the central government has accorded approval to carry out mining in 100 more mining leases, which when operational would add another 40 million tonnes of ore and play havoc in the state and could saturate roads.
Mr Parrikar said that not a single project envisaged under public-private partnership has taken off in the state, even as he accused the finance department of being lethargic. He also pointed out the issue of several government buildings (including new district hospital) that have been constructed and not put to use. He also pointed out that most of the ministers were out of state 40 per cent of the time and wondered how the state administration was being run. He also said that substantial amount was being spent on travel of the ministers and the bureaucrats. He further said that many answers provided by the government in the assembly, particularly the home ministry, were wrong.
Stating that the allotment made for price intervention scheme was too less to give benefit to people, he demanded that the allocation be raised to Rs 40-50 crore so as to make the scheme really beneficial even as he said that the scheme has actually benefited the traders and retailers. Later, the members approved the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address by voice vote when the Speaker, Mr Pratapsing Rane put it to vote of the House. All the 53 amendments moved by the opposition benches were defeated.