Manohar Parrikar resumes work in Goa’s secretariat

Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday resumed work at his office in the state secretariat, a day after returning from the United States, where he underwent treatment for a pancreatic ailment for three months. The chief minister started his day with a visit to the Devki Krishna temple at Khandola village in North Goa, 15 kilometres away from Panaji, to seek blessings of the deity, the chief minister’s office (CMO) said. Devki Krishna is the family deity of Parrikar.

The chief minister then drove back to Panaji, where he visited the Mahalaxmi temple.

Thereafter, he went to his office in the state secretariat at Porvorim on the outskirts of Panaji, where he chaired a meeting of senior bureaucrats and police officers to take stock of the law and order situation in Goa. The meeting was attended by senior officials, including state chief secretary Dharmendra Sharma and Director General of Police (DGP) Muktesh Chandar. State Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai, of the Goa Forward Party, who met Parrikar on Friday said that the chief minister would be holding a cabinet meeting on Monday. “The chief minister told me that he would be holding a state cabinet meeting on Monday (18 June). A discussion was also held on having the monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly, tentatively, from 19 July onwards. The session would be for 12 days,” Sardesai told reporters. Sardesai added that he had advised Parrikar to take care of his health and to not overwork.

MGP legislator Dipak Pawaskar, who represents the iron ore rich Sanvordem constituency, said that Parrikar had told him that a meeting to discuss the state’s mining woes would be held on Monday or Tuesday. “I met the CM at around 3.30 pm. Our discussions centred around mining, protection of miners and financial help to truck owners who are part of the mining sector,” Pawaskar told reporters.

“He (Parrikar) said that he will call for a meeting on Monday or Tuesday to discuss the issue. All MLAs from the mining belt, the Advocate General and Director of Mines and Geology would also be called,” Pawaskar said. In a half-a-minute long video released later, Parrikar assured the people of Goa that he will “always be there for the welfare and development” of the state and will continue to serve them.

He thanked the people for their prayers for his speedy recovery. “I am back from the USA after taking the treatment. When I was there, all of you prayed for my speedy recovery and health,” he said. “With your blessings and prayers, I am back in Goa and resumed the work. I hope that your blessings will always continue with me…I would like to assure you that I will always be there for the welfare and development of Goa. I will continue serving the people,” the CM said in the video.

Parrikar, 62, returned from the US last evening after his three-month long treatment there.

Parrikar had left for the US on 7 March. Before leaving Goa, Parrikar had formed a cabinet advisory committee to guide the state administration on governance and other issues, in his absence.