PORVORIM: Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai flagged and intensified his attack on the “lavish expenditure” of road shows by the Tourism department.
He also alleged that for the National Games, the Tourism Department spent more than the Information Department.
Tourism Minster, Rohan Khaunte, then took a swipe against Sardesai, citing that this is not 16B. “Speaker sir, this is not 16B…..this is not 16B,” Khaunte said.
At this the Fatorda MLA shot back, saying, “I will give you the full list.”
Recalling the late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s take on roadshows, Sardesai cited that he had asked to do a pre-audit on these jaunts.
“Manohar Parrikar (former CM) also said that accountability parameters were to be framed,” Sardesai recalled.
He pointed out that “Rs 63 crore had been spent on roadshows, of which Rs 34 crore was spent on foreign roadshows and Rs 29.84 crore in other parts of India.”
On this, the minister said that States like MP, UP Karnataka and Ladakh are international marts and B2B and B2C meetings are conducted there.
Sardesai also alleged that in four years, the tourism department officials had gone four times to Spain.
“How many tourists have come from Spain,” he questioned. “Do you have any return on the investment?” Vijai asked.
“We had decided to explore emerging markets in presenting Goa to the world,” Khaunte said, at which Sardesai countered whether Spain was an emerging market. To this, Khaunte said, “We don’t have the figures of tourists who arrived from Spain since Immigration does not share the numbers with us.”
Further asking a supplementary question, Sardesai said, “Earlier Vinsan Graphics was the son-in-law of the Tourism Department, and now Sean Advents, Advertising & Events has become the son-in-law.”
“The annual turnover of this company is Rs 60 crore,” Sardesai alleged.