Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Alleging that auctioning of SEZ land is another scam by BJP government, after it gave ‘interest’ to SEZ developers by borrowing loan, the GPCC president Girish Chodankar has demanded CBI enquiry into whole ‘scam episode’ by saffron leaders, failing which Congress has vowed to expose the entire manipulation done by present government.
He said SEZ developers after losing in the High Court had approached the Supreme Court and while the Apex court was about to pass order, Parrikar Government manipulated and done setting to pay, Rs. 256.56 Cr including interest of 133 Cr illegally to SEZ promoters. “I challenge the Government to show any court order to show direction to the Government to pay interest.” He said.
Chodankar on Sunday addressed a press conference in Congress House-Panaji along with Nazeer Khan, Tanvi Khatib and Thivim Block Convenor Uday Salkar and said that once Congress comes in power after the next assembly election, the whole episode of SEZ will be exposed and culprits will be booked.
He said that the manipulation before the Supreme Court order by the then BJP Government headed by Manohar Parrikar along with ‘legal experts’ of illegally paying a whopping Rs. 133 crores to the SEZ promoters was a clear case of Corruption and Malpractice. Now this corrupt legacy of Parrikar is carried forward by Dr. Pramod Sawant Government with a decision to auction the same land.
The BJP Government is now trying to auction SEZ land to promote its agenda to Sell Goa to Crony Capitalist friends of Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated Girish Chodankar.
Chodankar demanded that Industries minister Vishwajit Rane should come clean on the issue and explain within 7 days about his sources of income of assets he acquired after this deal was struck, failing which FIR should be registered against him.
He also demanded that the FIR should be lodged against Chairman of GIDC Glenn Souza Ticlo and then Managing Director for the scams.
He said that the Congress Government had Scrapped the three SEZ’s bowing before People’s Voice. “Our then Government headed by Digambar Kamat took a bold decision to Save the Land for posterity.” Girish Chodankar claimed.
We had warned the earlier Government headed by Late Manohar Parrikar and also the present government headed by Dr. Pramod Sawant over this issue. We had also written to CAG on this scam. Now they are indulging Scam within a Scam stated Girish Chodankar.
The Cabinet and GIDC Board resolution to pay around 256.56 crores, including 133 crore rupees of interest to the SEZ promoters was illegal as GSIDC rules does not permit to pay interest. We had objected on 18th June 2018 to this decision, however the corrupt BJP government sidelined it to loot people of Goa and taxpayers Putting further burden on state’s finance Girish Chodankar said.
GIDC is paying monthly installments of around Rs 4 crore to repay the Rs 200 crore short-term loan taken from the Oriental Bank to pay SEZ developers. Interest on this loan is calculated around Rs 1.1 crore per month. This is an additional burden on our exchequer pushed by BJP Chodankar said.
“GIDC has decided to auction around 5 lakh square meter of industrial land at Verna through e-auction to clear loans and to do this they want to appoint consultants. This is corruption within a corruption. Instead of auctioning this land, the Government must make small plots and provide it to Goan young entrepreneurs to set up their business. This will also generate employment, which the government has failed to provide. The BJP Government will not do this to push their Mission Commission.” Chodankar claimed.
