Goa Diary

Goa Govt Is Biggest EmployerNearly five percent of Goa's population of 12 lakh are employed in Government service, according to latest in...

Goa Govt Is Biggest Employer

Nearly five percent of Goa8217;s population of 12 lakh are employed in Government service, according to latest information. Between them, the 49,016 employees pull in some Rs 238 crore in pay and perks, with the average salary being pegged at Rs 6000.

That8217;s not the end of it. Employees hired by the State8217;s 13 municipal councils and 168 village panchayats have been left out of the census on Government staffers. Strangely, while several Government departments have identified surplus employees, other departments recruit more people to fill up vacancies rather than pick up the slack from elsewhere.

No wonder the Fifth Pay Commission granting huge pay hikes to Government employees threatens to bankrupt the Treasury.

Reporters Voting

As reported by this newspaper recently, the Election Commission has finally decided to conduct the forthcoming Assembly polls using electronic voting machines entirely.The EC has quite a task on its hand, conducting paperless voting inan entire state for the first time in India. Not only will election personnel, but also volunteers of different political parties and voters in general be given a crash course on electronic voting before polling day, which is likely to held at the end of May.

But will electronic voting be free of controversy? Unlikely, says a wag. Politicians who blamed the devils in rival parties for their defeat, will now blame the ghost in the machines8217;!

PUNE, OctDirectionless Govt

Three governments in six months and constant bureaucratic reshuffles ensured that the Goa administration could not print its in-house directory. Just when they heaved a sign of relief at the imposition of President8217;s Rule and printed the directory, Governor J F R Jacob spoiled the show by reshuffling all the bureaucrats just days before the publication was released!

Tailpiece

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Like Moose, the comic strip character who is all brawn and no brains, Goan strongman Churchill Alemao is worsted by others in a game of words.At afootball tournament where his Churchill Brothers team was playing, a sign read 8220;Churchill Bros 8211; Ultras of India8221;.

Alemao thought it was a compliment till a flunkey pointed out the meaning to him. Of course the sign was destroyed and the match all over by then!!!

8211; Shiv Kumar