Goa’s political landscape has once again been shaken by allegations of a major broadband scam involving the state’s Information Technology (IT) department. Opposition leader Vijai Sardesai has accused IT Minister Rohan Khaunte and indirectly implicated Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in a scam worth Rs 182 crore. Sardesai’s claims centre on the controversial extension of the Goa BroadBand Network (GBBN) contract with United Telecom Ltd (UTL), a move he argues reeks of corruption and administrative misconduct.
Khaunte explained that the extension was necessary because all of the government’s e-governance projects rely on the internet and intranet services provided through the Goa Broadband Network (GBBN). Khaunte stated that the next three years of the extension would be used to develop a network connecting Goa using Central government funds. Khaunte also informed the House that issues raised by the CAG had been addressed and that Rs 131.21 crore had been paid to United Telecom Ltd and other contractors from April 1, 2020, to date. Additionally, he mentioned that the state government received Rs 12 crore as its share of GWAVE services revenue from United Telecom Ltd.
The Minister highlighted that the GBBN broadband initiative had connected 1,906 locations across Goa, including government offices and village panchayats. He emphasised the cost efficiency of the project, noting that while the government spends Rs 22.80 crore per year on the initiative, the revenue generated through GWAVE stands at Rs 12 crore. He also noted that aligning the State’s requirements with the Central government’s Bharat Net 3.0 scheme could save Goa Rs 784 crore in infrastructure and operational costs.
What Sardesai Said in Goa Assembly
In a fiery assembly session on Wednesday, Sardesai demanded a judicial inquiry into the alleged scam, threatening to take the matter to the judiciary if the government fails to respond. The GBBN contract, which expired in July 2019 after ten years of subpar service, was extended by a year rather than being put out for tender again. According to Sardesai, Khaunte, who held the IT portfolio at the time and continues to do so, noted in official documents the need for approval from the council of ministers—a process that was allegedly bypassed.
The extension of the GBBN contract has raised eyebrows, especially since a 2015 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report had criticised the network’s poor and unstable connectivity. Further complicating the issue were warnings from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to replace the service provider, as well as concerns raised by the Finance Department regarding technical deviations and excessive fees. Despite these red flags, the government chose to extend the contract until July 2027, a decision that Sardesai argued defies logic and raises suspicions of deeper corruption.
Sardesai questioned why the government would approve an extension worth Rs 182 crore when the Finance Department had clearly recommended against it. He suggested that the decision exemplifies a disregard for financial and technical norms within the IT ministry, pointing to a larger issue of corruption in the government.
In response to these allegations, Minister Rohan Khaunte stated that the “GBBN provides essential internet services for all e-governance projects in Goa. He added that the government plans to use the next three years to establish a viable network using central funds, with the aim of significantly improving services within two years. However, Sardesai’s allegations have cast a shadow over these plans, demanding greater transparency and accountability from the government.”
This is the second allegation Sardesai has leveled against the government in the span of three days. Earlier, he accused Chief Minister Pramod Sawant of giving concessions in revenue to the private company handling Mopa airport operations, which he claims will cost the state exchequer Rs 207 crore.
Comments
0 comment