Rane defends his decision, says it’s done as per law
PANAJI
Making no mention of the controversial Goa Town and Country Planning (Amendment and Validation) Bill, the Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday said that the withdrawal of all the bills were as per “law” and that the bills would be re-introduced with additional inputs, in the next session of the State Legislative Assembly.
Taking an indirect jib at the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and his cabinet colleagues’ recent statements that the bills were introduced in a hurry, Rane said, “Bills were introduced after proper study…I have done MBA…I simply don’t introduce amendments without proper study”.
Apart from the TCP Bill, there were three other bills that Rane, as a Minister, withdrew – Goa Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation Amendment) Bill, Goa Municipalities (amendment) bill and City of Panaji Corporation (amendment) Bill.
On Wednesday, Rane made his first statement, post withdrawal of the Bills – the move that raised several doubts with regards to rift within the ruling dispensation.
“Is there any rule that says I cannot withdraw Bills? Withdrawal power is with me and it is as per Rule,” he commented.
“Some feel I don’t have that much knowledge to get proper amendments and hence I have to take others’ advice …I think I have done study on amendment…there were various interpretations made,” Rane added.
“Whatever CM says, I have to accept it as he is my CM and the Minister cannot speak beyond that,” he went on to add.
Referring to the Municipality Bill and Goa Clinical Establishment Bill, the Minister said that the same would be re-introduced in the next session by making some additional changes.
“Some additional points need to be included in the act…like municipality and clinical establishment act—we will introduce it in the next session…we are not in a hurry …the suggestions of doctors have come and we will incorporate it,” he said.
Speaking during Head On, the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had admitted that lack of coordination between the TCP and the Law Department resulted in errors in drafting the bill and hence it had to be withdrawn considering public sentiments too. He also said that some bills came in a hurry.
As per government sources, Rane was asked to withdraw only TCP Bill that aimed to protect the TCP against judicial scrutiny of land conversions under the ODPs and take powers of planning and development authorities (PDAs) in case the ODPs are withdrawn after cabinet Ministers including Rohan Khaunte and Babush Monserrate raised strong objection to it.
