Goa’s sports minister opts out of Brazil ‘junket’

PANAJI: Goa sports minister Ramesh Tawadkar will not be part of the delegation from the state which will visit Brazil for the Fifa World Cup 2014, while the five other MLAs, including two ministers, will dig into their pockets and pay for their trip.

After TOI exclusively published the report in its Thursday edition, opposition and civil society came down heavily on the state government's decision to organize a Rs 89 lakh junket to Brazil for six ruling legislators.

It has now emerged that only five legislators will be making the trip to the biggest sporting spectacle on earth, although they will fund their own trip.

READ ALSO: Goa ministers, MLAs edge out babus in Rs 89 lakh junket to Brazil

"I am not going because of personal reasons. The other five will proceed at their own expense. The state government is not spending any rupee on this tour," said sports minister Ramesh Tawadkar.

The touring party to Brazil will now be led by fisheries minister Avertano Furtado. The other members include power minister Milind Naik, besides MLAs Carlos Almeida, Glen Ticlo (both BJP) and Benjamin Silva, an independent MLA who is supporting the Manohar Parrikar-led state government.

"The state government's decision to send a delegation to Brazil was a right one but it sent the wrong signals across the country. There is so much that Goa has to do on the sporting front in the next couple of years and this visit to the World Cup would have been useful," Tawadkar told TOI earlier on Friday.

"Goa is set to be one of the venue for the Fifa under-17 World Cup in 2017. We have the National Games in 2016. Goa is becoming a sports destination now," said Tawadkar.

Fisheries minister Avertano Furtado, the first to move a note to the government asking permission for him and six other MLAs to visit Brazil, said it is not a climbdown following a huge outcry.

"We just decided to spend our own money for the Brazil trip so that there is no controversy," said the fisheries minister.

Chief minister Manohar Parrikar who until last night vigorously defended his decision to send six MLAs, including three ministers, to Brazil for the Fifa World Cup, was not available for a comment.

Fans cheering for Brazil during its match with Croatia on Thursday.

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