The Goa Government has today released half page mega colored advertisements in all the newspapers congratulating Manohar Parrikar on his becoming Defence Minister of India. An already bankrupt and cash strapped State has high-handedly poured a further 15 lakhs of tax payer’s money down the drain. What a criminal waste of public funds. A very skewed and wrong decision by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on his very first day in office.
The Supreme Court has time and again come down heavily on wastage of public funds in the release of unnecessary and fruitless advertisements by the government. While reiterating that government advertisements should serve “public purpose” as opposed to partisan ends and political mileage, the Supreme Court on April 23rd this year set up a three member committee to formulate substantive guidelines on issuanance of advertisements after an intricate study of all the best practices in public advertisements in different jurisdictions. The committee comprising of Prof. (Dr.) N.R. Madhava Menon, former Director of National Judicial Academy, Mr. T.K. Viswanathan, former Secretary General of Lok Sabha and Senior Advocate Mr. Ranjit Kumar have been directed submit its report within three months. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires