THERE is definitely something amiss about the Public Works Department Minister, Mr Churchill Alemao’s selective water tank distribution drive. We cannot call it a scheme because, as pointed out by the Fatorda MLA, Mr Damu Naik, there is no scheme in existence which allows the minister to make the distribution.
The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, who came to Mr Alemao’s rescue during the debate in the Assembly, came with a facetious explanation that the minister might have forgotten to formulate the scheme! Mr Alemao, with injured innocence, offered to resign if fraud was proved.
The debate exposed though that the minister had gone about distributing water tanks in a rather cavalier manner. Each tank was purchased at a cost of ` 4,000 and the expenditure incurred so far is ` 99 lakh. The distribution is likely to continue as a total of ` 2.5 crore was set aside for this exercise. There is no harm is distributing tanks to those who live in water-scarce areas to enable them to store this precious commodity. However, it needs to be done according to a policy approved by the cabinet. Government funds cannot be spent arbitrarily at the whim and fancy of a minister. The government functions under a set of rules with checks and balances. Whenever a need is felt to distribute funds or material a scheme is formulated. A lot more money was spent distributing free computers, but it was done only after a proper scheme was framed. This is done to identify the beneficiaries and then ensure that the goods go to the intended target group.
In his written reply, Mr Alemao said that a scheme had been formulated. But when asked to give details he attempted to hide behind the CPWD manual which, according to him, empowered the Chief Engineer to make monetary provisions for such emergencies. It just isn’t right to use an emergency clause to go on a distribution drive in ordinary situations. Although the Chief Minister vouched for the intentions of his PWD Minister (he said they were honourable and cannot be doubted), the Opposition did not think so. They wanted a probe by a House committee which was turned down by Mr Kamat.
There is an element of politics involved in distribution of free goods. The former education minister, Mr Luizinho Faleiro distributed cycles and free books to students. But he did it under the Sarvashiksha Abhiyan scheme. Perhaps, Mr Alemao was attempting to achieve the same end of gaining favour with the electorate, but without doing the hard work. Many citizens have benefited from government schemes. It has now become routine for the Art and Culture Minister to distribute free instruments to musicians. The government also gives a grant of ` 25,000 to anyone who wants to publish a book and up to ` 20 lakh to produce a film. All these distributions were made after much thought and sweat went into creating a scheme to ensure that money was not wasted. The CPWD rules might empower the chief engineer to act in case of an emergency, but the mass distribution envisaged by the minister has to be done through a scheme. The exchequer’s money is not a personal fund, it comprises taxes paid by citizens and must be prudently used. An immediate halt to distribution of the tanks until a review is undertaken and a scheme put in place, would send a stronger message about the good intentions of the PWD Minister.
