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Panaji: Revenue Minister, Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, on Tuesday, poured cold water on all the brouhaha over the reservation of jobs for Goans in the private sector saying the State's Employment Exchange is legally helpless.
Revenue Minister Cites A Ruling Of The Punjab & Haryana HC
Citing a ruling of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Monserate said such reservations are held to be unconstitutional. Monserrate who also holds the Labour and Employment portfolio made the statement in the Goa legislative assembly while replying to the discussion on the demands for grants pertaining to departments under his charge.
The House later passed these demands for Revenue, the two Collectorates, Labour and Waste Management departments, by a voice vote.
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Fatorda MLA, Vijay Sardesai, who had earlier raised the issue of discrimination against locals in private industries, walked out while Monserrate was replying alleging that issues he had raised were not objectively responded to by the minister.
Monserrate also said that there were 17 schemes in operation for the welfare of construction workers. He added that nearly two lakh workers are registered for the insurance scheme under ESI.
Action Initiated Against Scrapyards Operating On Agricultural Land
Meanwhile, Monserrate said that Collectors have initiated action against scrapyards operating on agricultural land by invoking powers under section 33 of the Land Revenue Code even as he promised a final scrapyard policy for the State soon.
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Bainguinim Waste Project
Three bidders have been qualified in the RFQ for the Bainguinim Waste Project meant to handle the solid waste of Panaji and some other areas of Tiswadi taluka. Monserrate said, the RFP tender for this Bainguinim plant will be issued soon and a site is being scouted for in Bicholim for a waste management project. In Pernem, a site at Tuem has been selected and the process to set up a waste management project there will begin soon, he added.
Monserrate said that efforts are on to speed up the processes involved in land partition and mutation. The services of the Revenue Department, he said, are now available online which has improved transparency and also efficiency.
