Staff Reporter
Panaji
An administrative standoff has emerged within the Goa government between Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vishwajit Rane over the appointment of the Chief Town Planner (Planning) in the TCP department.
The dispute centres around contradicting orders issued by two different departments, each appointing a different official to the same crucial position.
The Personnel Department, headed by Sawant, issued an order on May 5 appointing senior Town Planner R K Pandita to the role of Chief Town Planner (Planning) in the TCP department, which is under Rane’s ministry. The order was signed by Under
Secretary (Personnel) Durga Kinlekar.
However, just a day
later, on May 6, the TCP
department, headed by Rane, issued a separate order appointing Vertika Dagur to hold the additional charge of Chief Town Planner (Planning) alongside her existing duties, signed by Deputy Director (Administration) Nadia Ashraf Ali Shekoli.
This contradiction has caused confusion and speculation among state bureaucrats, with both orders directly conflicting over who holds the
post.
The position of Chief Town Planner (Planning) became vacant following the suspension of the outgoing Chief Town Planner Rajesh Naik. Naik’s service extension ended on April 30, 2025, and he was suspended on the last day of his tenure over alleged irregularities regarding the underassessment of land conversion fees under section 17(2) of the TCP Act.
The TCP department has three Chief Town Planners, further complicating the matter.
Asked about the issue on Wednesday, Rane acknowledged the situation, stating that it had been discussed with the Chief Minister. “Soon you will come to know about it,” he said.
This standoff is the latest in a series of tensions between Sawant and
Rane, two senior BJP leaders in Goa, which have occasionally come to the surface in the past.
The ongoing conflict has raised concerns within both political and administrative circles.
