Rane govt slowly but steadily picking up pace BY HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, FEB 5 - The Rane government, which started its innings in rough weather seven months ago, seems to have overcome major political hurdles and picked up pace of governance lately.
Despite smitten by controversies, the Congress-NCP-MGP coalition government is slowly and steadily moving ahead. Recruitment in government service is one major issue that seems to have brought goodwill to the government. Unlike BJP's Pre-employment training scheme (PETS) wherein some candidates who were promised jobs were not absorbed in government service even months after completing their training, the present government has taken candidates on regular basis where vacancies existed. This is one factor that seems to have already had its effect on BJP. No wonder Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar supplemented by other BJP leaders are making all sorts of allegations against the Rane government. Parrikar has even made allegations of corruption in police recruitment. But the recruitment of 31 PSIs done by the BJP government wherein amendments were made in the recruitment process midway indicated how posts were filled during the four-and-a-half year period. Similarly, several other decisions have been taken, though not as fast as Parrrikar used to take, but there has been no projection. During the BJP rule, Parrikar was also the spokesman for the government. He was the face of the government and with convincing articulation, he had reached the nooks and corners of the State. In the present dispensation, Rane does not have the advantage of being media-savvy and also lacks the ability to put across government decisions in an articulate manner. It is no more a one-man show. Some ministers talk about the initiatives taken by them pertaining to their portfolios, something different from the BJP regime when they were hardly heard in the media. There is no doubt that Parrikar had full control over the bureaucracy and worked long hours pursuing his objectives well. One chief secretary who didn't toe the government line was shown the door but there was no controversy like the one that erupted recently when Kiran Dhingra was transferred to Delhi. Despite the handicaps, Rane government has taken several decisions including on Common Entrance Test, Convention Centre, Mono rail, DSS, Cyberage, Tillari, IT, Food park, SEZ, health sector, etc.