Digambar 'thinks' Arvind not involved in mining scam
PTI, PANAJI | 08 July 2012 12:45 IST
Goa's former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat today evaded queries about Arvind Lolienkar, who headed the mines department during his regime and currently facing charge-sheet for illegalities in the mining sector.
"You will come to know once enquiry against him is completed. Why should I make any statement?," Kamat questioned when asked about the vigilance enquiry initiated against Lolienkar for allegedly allowing illegal mining.
When asked whether Lolienkar was involved in any corruption, Kamat vaguely said "I dont think so".
Responding to chief minister Manohar Parrikar's statement that the Kamat government had not paid dues of National Thermal Power Corporation and Reliance Energy Limited running into crores of rupees, Kamat said that he would need to check up with the power department to find out whether the dues really existed.
"Power is purchased by the department. Once bills are raised, they are promptly paid by the government," the former chief minister said.
Very interesting. I may have been wrong to assume that the Finance Minister would be aware of the dues of various departments. It is not that difficult to find out even if the depts did not raise the bills. You only had to find out from Finance when the last bill was raised. :-)