INDIA: Goa Government To Table Report On Tourism Junkets

Parsekar had assured the House that any state-sponsored tour would have pre-audit conducted by experts.

The Goa government today assured the Assembly that it will table a detailed report on pre-audit exercised on foreign tours conducted by it. Congress legislator Digambar Kamat while raising the issue, questioned the rationale to conduct ‘junkets’ with officials who are not concerned with the Tourism Department, to foreign countries under the guise of tourism.

“Goa has its own brand across the globe. You don’t need to introduce the state by hosting such junkets,” Kamat said during the question hour. He drew attention to the fact that a total Rs 19 crore was spent in the last three years on such junkets, while accounts worth several more crores were yet to be settled by the Tourism Department. ”Roadshows (to promote Goa) were held in places like Los Angeles, New York, Nepal and Japan where we need not advertise our destination,” he said.

The former Chief Minister demanded that the Tourism Department should table in the House pre-audit of these junkets and detail reports that have been submitted to them by delegations post tour. Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar replying to Kamat’s query, said tours to foreign countries were not new to Goa and that even during Congress’ regime such tours were conducted. ”Even when you (Kamat) were the Chief Minister for five years, you were hosting such tours of magnitude more than what we hold,” the minister said.

He said the department has been conducting pre-audit as assured by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar in the Assembly in August last year and assured the members that pre-audit and detailed reports related to various junkets will be tabled in the House in the current session. Parsekar had assured the House that any state-sponsored tour would have pre-audit conducted by experts. Parulekar had said that a state-level marketing committee evaluates the requirement of hosting such events (like roadshows) before a delegation is sent.