Panjim: The Goa Legislature Secretariat spent Rs 24,96,500 on the two-day training workshop for MLAs held on June 27th & 28th last year at Taj Vivanta in Panjim. This has been revealed in the information furnished to Adv. Aires Rodrigues under the Right to Information Act.Of the total expenditure incurred Rs 24, 13, 100 was paid to Mumbai based NGO Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini which was entrusted the organising of the workshop. A further Rs 80,000 was spent on Photography and Videography besides Rs 3400 incurred on photo with frame of MLAs Ulhas Tuenkar and Krishna Salkar.

 

As per the information Mr. Rajendra Arlekar, Dr Anant Kalse, Dr. Harish Shetty, Mr. Ram Naik, Mr. Desh Deepak Verma and Mr. Satish Mahana were the six speakers for the training workshop on whom a total of four and half lakhs was spent on their travelling, honorarium, food and accommodation. Two lakhs were spent on stage decoration and Mementos while five lakhs were spent on Tea and lunch for the MLAs during that two-day event. Interestingly the documents do not make mention of the rent paid for hiring of the premises at Taj Vivanta for the event.  Adv. Aires Rodrigues on June 28th last year had sought a copy of the file notings and correspondence pertaining to the two-day training workshop for MLAs held on 27th and 28th June at the Taj Vivanta and also complete details of the expenditure incurred on the event.

 

The Public Information Officer (PIO) at the Goa Legislature Secretariat Mohan Gaonkar while declining to furnish the Information informed Adv. Rodrigues that the disclosure of the information would cause breach of Privilege of State Legislature and would also be against Rule 37(16) of the Rules of Conduct of Business of Goa Legislative Assembly. The PIO’s reply was upheld by the First Appellate Authority who is the Legislature Secretary. Adv. Rodrigues later moved the State Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Vishwas Satarkar who by an order on 13th February directed the PIO at the Goa Legislature Secretariat to furnish Adv. Rodrigues the information sought within 15 days and free of cost