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Goa minister kicks up row by writing to PM on financial woes

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

A letter written by Goa Planning Minister Dayanand Narvekar to the Centre, accusing Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of treating Goa as Delhi's colony and neglecting its financial woes, has created a flutter in the coalition government in the state, which is supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party from outside.

Chief Minister Wilfred de Souza reacted strongly to the unilateral action of his ministerial colleague and number two in the cabinet. He has ordered an inquiry into the act of indiscipline, which, he feels, has deliberately been committed to create a rift between him and the BJP.

Narvekar, who was among the ten Congressmen who split from the Pratapsing Rane government, has been trying all methods to embarrass de Souza since he was not allotted the crucial portfolios of PWD and finance. He has been also trying hard to head a Congress government by once again splitting the Goa Rajiv Congress, which had split from the Congress earlier.

This action however has angered the chief minister, fearing that all his lobbying for a one-time central grant of Rs 1.5 billion would go waste due to the letter. After getting a sympathetic nod from Vajpayee, he is now planning to personally meet Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha in this regard.

Narvekar has accused the Centre for giving a pittance to Goa in spite of the tourist state contributing around Rs 20 billion in terms of foreign exchange and Rs 2 billion as the central tax collection. The assistance is reduced to Rs 600 million from Rs 1.1 billion granted in 1991-92, he adds.

While Narvekar has warned to wage a state-wide agitation if the same attitude continues, de Souza has now clarified that the state government is not protesting against the Centre. With state treasury going dry, he hopes the Centre would oblige him by releasing the grants as soon as possible.

The issue has taken a serious turn since no funds are available for developmental works with any department. As pressure mounts on the CM to drop Narvekar from the cabinet, the three-party co-ordination committee is expected to meet shortly to resolve the issue.

More reports on Goa