Goa despite being the smallest state is not only hosting India's highest paid Advocate General but the country's highest paid public servant.
The President of India is paid only Rs 1,50,000 a month, the Chief Justice of India Rs 1,00,000, a High Court Judge Rs 80,000 and the Attorney General of India equivalent to the salary of a Supreme Court Judge which is Rs 90,000. But the Advocate General of Goa Atmaram Nadkarni out beats them all, while he officially pockets upto a whopping eight lakhs a month besides Rs 75,000 per day for every official visit to New Delhi. This gross anomaly defies all logic as public funds cannot be allowed to be squandered in such a high-handed manner. It is contrary to accountability, transparency and good governance. Compared to the fees paid to other Advocate Generals across the country, the fees paid to the Advocate General of Goa is nothing short of a loot and plunder of the State’s exchequer which is already reeling in a financial crisis. What is further objectionable is that Atmaram Nadkarni despite being the Advocate General of Goa blatantly continues to be the legal Messiah for Sesa Goa- Vedanta which is one of those named in the illegal mining scam as per the Shah Commission report. This calls for a probe into the huge assets acquired by Atmaram Nadkarni. If the Government functions on the basis of sound legal advice it would go a long way to save the current unnecessary huge financial costs being incurred on legal fees to defend the wrong policies and decisions of the government. There is an urgent need for Goa to get an honest, competent and a sincere Advocate General who is not greedy to ensure that the temples of justice do not end up as dens of chicanery and jugglery. Aires Rodrigues T1 - B30, Ribandar Retreat Ribandar - Goa - 403006 Mobile: 9822684372