THE CHIEF MINISTER Manohar Parrikar in reply to an Assembly questions from Jitendra Deshprabhu and others, has claimed that the total expenditure incurred on IFFI infrastructure amounts to Rs 61.87 crores. Of this the claim is that Rs 59.95 crores was spent on IFFI infrastructure and the rest on hospitality extended to invitees. The lie is exposed in the Chief Minister’s replies to the questions by senior Oppostion leaders which indicate that the total expenditure on IFFI and IFFI related works may well exceed  Rs 130 crores even by conservative estimates. The accompanying table is based on replies to Assembly questions gives a break-up of tendered and sanctioned amount in respect of IFFI and IFFI related projects. It excludes expenditure by the Entertainment Society of Goa on the screenings and events on the Miramar beach and the payments to entertainers estimated at Rs 30 lakhs. Notable ommissions include expenditure on travel of invitees within Goa, river transportation, the cost of the Chief Minister’s party on Corjuem bridge, printing of stationery and other miscellanous items which could all add up to another Rs 16 crores. So the total cost on the work already completed and on-going work by GSIDC and other government agencies could be as high as Rs 130 crores or more.

Multiplex Mystery

There has been a lot of controversy over the multiplex. In reply to another question in the Assembly by Ravi Naik and Luisinho Faleiro, the Chief Minister has confirmed that the multiplex was indeed built by the GSIDC on behalf of the government. the construction license for the multiplex was issued on 14-4-2004 and construction work started very promptly the very next day. The fact is that the construction started much before the license was issued. The reply claims that the estimated cost of building the multiplex was Rs 20.99 crores out of which Rs 18.65 crores expenditure has been incurred so far. Though the government has spent only Rs 18.65 crores so far the government claims that the present value of the multiplex is Rs 23 crores.

The reply also claims that the multiplex is operated by the Entertainment Society of Goa through Inox Leisure Ltd. Presumably Inox Ltd has to pay a percentage of its earnings from  running the multiplex. Absurdly enough the reply to the question on the multiplex admits that the government has not maintained any record of even the screenings held by Inox, let alone the net collections. The Chief Minister, who answered the question in his capacity as Information Minister,  declined to furnish any information on the revenue earned from the running of the multiplex from entertainment tax and surcharge on the grounds the these figures were maintained by the Sales Tax Department. Never mind that the Chief Minister is also holding charge of the finance portfolio which controls the sales tax dept.

Delegates

According to a reply to another question by Victoria Fernandes, the government claims that it does not know how many delegates film stars and officials attended the film festival. Which is strange considering that the delegates were required to register and pay a delegate fee to the government. And surely since the government must have met the expenditure of both Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry officials and Directorate of Film Festival  officials it should know how many officials attended the film festival. Obviously the government does not want to disclose the information. The only detail provided is the number of foreign invitees to whom hospitality was provided. The number of foreign invitees according to the reply was 108. The government also claims that it has no information on the Film Bazaar. It has no information on the number of films and other material sold. It has no information on the volume of business transacted. It has no information on the cost of the Bazaar including the cost of construction of the air-conditioned Bazaar. The government claims it does not whether the bazaar was a success or not.

Financing IFFI

Everyone has been curious about how IFFI was financed. And more specifically, where the GSIDC found the money to execute the IFFI projects. An answer provided by the Finance Minister who is also the Chairman of the GSIDC to Francisco Sardinha gives some clues. The IFFI works were obviously financed by loans. The total out standings of the GSIDC stood at Rs 227 crores as on 31st Oct 2004.  The figure does not include or reveal additional loans, if any, taken by the GSIDC from commercial banks and Hudco between Nov 2004 till date. The government obviously has been dipping into the contingency fund and borrowing recklessly to meet IFFI expenditure. A reply to an assembly question on the outstanding debt of the Goa government reveals that between March 2004 and Oct 2004 the government borrowed an additional Rs 431 crores. Debts incurred since November 1 have not been divulged. It may also be noted that in the current Assembly Session the Government has sought supplementary grants of  Rs 96.27 crores for expenditure incurred from the contingency fund. Incidentally funds contributed to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund are part of the contingency funds.

Other Expenses

The replies to Assembly questions relating to IFFI also indicate some interesting highlights or low lights. Believe it or not the government which includes the GSIDC and all other agencies admit to have incurred an expenditure of a whopping Rs 11 crores on the improvement of the footpath between the Patto and Miramar and the lighting of the stretch. The government spent Rs 1.09 crores on the renovation of the old GMC complex and an additional Rs 38.39 lakhs on the demolition of the non heritage structure in the GMC complex. The total cost of demolitions including that of the partial demolition of the stadium exceed Rs 44 lakhs. The government also claims to have spent as much as Rs 80 lakhs on the nine pillars which it claims is of significance to Hindus and the illumination at the Ribandar Patto circle. Incidentally no figures have been given on how much the Times of India event management company was paid for entertaining the locals who could not get into the main IFFI venues. The Entertainment Society of Goa admits to have incurred an expenditure of Rs 30 lakhs.

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