Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Sep 12: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured Goans that his government will find a solution to the contentious Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, while asserting that the interests of Goa will remain paramount.
Speaking to reporters, Sawant said the facts and issues surrounding Section 39A, along with other environmental concerns, should have been discussed and addressed on the floor of the Legislative Assembly rather than outside the House.
“The actual facts and issues on Section 39A should have been answered on the floor of the House,” he said.
Without disclosing the government's proposed course of action, the Chief Minister said decisions would be taken keeping Goa's interests at the forefront.
“I will take decisions in Goa’s interest. There will be a solution to Section 39A,” Sawant said.
Section 39A has become a major subject of public debate, with concerns being raised over land-use policies and their possible environmental implications.
Sawant's remarks come amid wider discussions in the state over governance, recruitment transparency and land-use policies, which have remained prominent issues in Goa's political discourse.
The Chief Minister also strongly defended the government recruitment process conducted through the Goa Staff Selection Commission (GSSC), describing it as transparent, merit-based and beneficial to the state's youth.
He said the Commission had brought greater credibility and fairness to government recruitment and enjoyed the confidence of job aspirants across Goa.
While acknowledging that some politicians may have reservations about the system, Sawant said young people had welcomed the process because recruitment was conducted transparently and strictly on merit.
“For the youth of Goa it is a boon. No one can interfere. The marks you get in the test no one can tamper. Candidates themselves get to know what marks they get,” he said.
Sawant said the establishment of the GSSC and the government's decision to route recruitment for all non-gazetted government posts through the Commission were deliberate policy decisions.
According to the Chief Minister, the mechanism has reduced doubts surrounding government recruitment and strengthened public confidence in the selection process.
He also said the recruitment system had been institutionalised to such an extent that future governments would not be able to dismantle it.
“No government in the future will be able to change it,” Sawant said.
He maintained that transparent recruitment was a key expectation of the public and that the Commission had helped improve accountability in government hiring.
Sawant also said the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), an ally of his BJP-led government and the NDA, should continue with the alliance while recognising the limits of its present political strength.
He advised the regional party against spending time and resources conducting surveys in constituencies outside its existing political base.
“They should not waste time conducting surveys in other constituencies to test their strength,” he said.
Referring to reports of MGP surveys in constituencies including his own Sanquelim seat, Sawant pointed out that the party currently has only two MLAs and should recognise that as its existing strength.
Asked about speculation that the BJP was seeking to induct MGP's Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar, Sawant declined to comment directly.
“It is an internal matter between him and his party to handle,” the Chief Minister said.
However, he reiterated that the MGP should remain part of the BJP-led alliance while keeping its political realities in mind.
Sawant recalled that the MGP had contested the 2022 Assembly elections outside the BJP-led alliance and had attempted to build an alternative alliance with the Trinamool Congress.
“That experiment failed,” he said, pointing out that the party won only two seats.
“The only time they got three seats was when they were in alliance with us,” Sawant added.