Mumbai: The leak of CAG report, which has
indicted top Congress and NCP ministers in Maharashtra for
irregularities in land allotments to their own institutions,
was discussed at the cabinet meeting here on Thursday.
According to the sources, Chief Minister Prithviraj
Chavan said that opinion of the Advocate General would be
sought on the report`s implications, and it would be tabled in
the legislature only after the opinion comes.
Sources added that most of the ministers wanted the
government to reject the report.
Some ministers said that as the government policy allowed
allotment of land to social/ educational institutions at
concessional rates, the CAG should not object if norms had
been followed.
Chavan also set up a cabinet sub-committee of eight
senior ministers who will discuss the matter with Advocate
General Darius Khambatta tomorrow.
Sources said that ministers also questioned "the
selective leak", especially when the government was yet to get
the complete report.
The report, accessed by the opposition last week,
indicted former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Industries
Minister Narayan Rane, Forest Minister Patangrao Kadam,
Agriculture Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, Co-operation
Minister Harshvardhan Patil (all Congress); PWD Minister
Chhagan Bhujbal and Krishna Valley Minister Ramraje Naik-
Nimbalkar (both NCP) for either land allotments, or for
procuring houses in Mumbai under the government quota.
PTI
