CAG raps Goa govt over spending on unrelated work at IT park

Goa govt spent Rs 10.65 crore, espite the Bombay High Court bench staying land acquisition for the project

A CAG report has accused Goa government of spending Rs 10.65 crore on unrelated activities at IT park near here, despite the Bombay High Court bench staying land acquisition for the project.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) 2012 report, tabled on the floor of the House yesterday, pointed out that state-owned Info Tech Corporation of Goa Limited (ITCGL) went ahead and executed various community development works since October 2006 onwards which were not at all connected with the proposed Information Technology park, whose land acquisition was stayed by the High Court.

Work costing Rs 7.69 crore were completed by March 2008 on unrelated activities like development of gardens, cricket grounds, widening of road, paving of Church steps and others, the report observed.

The IT park was planned in Soccoro village at the periphery of Panaji city.

CAG has mentioned that ITCGL stated that the works were necessary to attract investment at the proposed IT park and continued to incur expenditure on these works till May 2009 which amounted to Rs 10.65 crore.

In May 2012, the state government communicated its decision to withdraw the proposal to set up the IT Park.

"Thus, expenditure of Rs 10.65 crore on community development works, without vacation of stay order, was not in the best interest of the ITCGL and was avoidable," the CAG has said.

A state-based NGO, Goa Foundation, had moved the High Court against the proposed park in October 2006 stating that a part of it was under forest area.