Faleiro keeps plum posts with self

PANAJI, JUNE 16: Luizinho Faleiro who was elected Chief Minister on June 9 allocated the portfolios to his five ministers on Tuesday even...

PANAJI, JUNE 16: Luizinho Faleiro who was elected Chief Minister on June 9 allocated the portfolios to his five ministers on Tuesday evening. According to a late night communique issued by the State Government, Faleiro will keep home, finance, environment, town and country planning and information technology portfolios with himself.

Number two minister in the Government, Ravi Naik has public works department, housing, science and technology with himself. However, other important portfolios like industry, tourism, fisheries and youth affairs have been allotted to Churchill Alemao. Both Naik and Alemao are former chief ministers of Goa.

The controversial power ministry which in the Congress8217; earlier tenure was headed by Mauvin Godinho has been alloted to fresher Nirmala Sawant. She will also handle social welfare, protocol, women and child development. Former deputy chief minister who was instrumental in toppling the Pratapsinh Rane and Wilfred D8217;souza governments has been given his old ministry,irrigation. He also gets forests, labour, law and judiciary. The outgoing member of Parliament Fransisco Sardinha who was elected to the Assembly has been allotted health, river navigation, and food and civil supplies.

Meanwhile, The Chief Minister has not made heavyweight Ravi Naik his deputy.

Some portfolios like education, transport and information have not been alloted yet. The Congress party leadership has already cleared the induction of one or two ministers into the Cabinet. However, at least five MLAs who held ministerial posts in earlier governments are lobbying through Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the jobs.

The allotment of portfolios was delayed almost by a week due to the Trust Vote issue. Governor J F R Jacob had earlier directed Faleiro to hold the test of strength as per tradition, but since Faleiro clearly enjoyed the support of 21 members in the House of 40, on the advice of the Law Department.

Salaries for Kargil fund

The Goa house on Tuesday expressed solidarity withthe Indian soldiers fighting Pakistani intruders at Kargil. Several legislators including Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro and leader of the opposition Manohar Panikar offered to donate their first salaries as MLAs to the special Jawans8217; Welfare Fund.

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Named the Kargil Martyrs Fund, the fund will collect donations from the public and use it for the benefit of families of deceased soldiers. Prominent citizens of Goa will administer the fund.