Panaji, July 11: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) on Saturday accused BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Mhalu Shet Tanavade of neglecting Goa’s development by recommending

48.60 lakh from his MPLADS funds for the installation of LED High Mast Poles in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference, GPCC Media and Communication Department Chairman Amarnath Panjikar questioned the BJP MP’s priorities, stating that the people of Goa had elected Tanavade to represent the State and utilise public funds for Goa’s development, not for projects outside the State.

Panjikar said several schools, primary health centres, sports facilities, community halls, roads, public lighting and other essential infrastructure projects in Goa still require urgent attention. In such a situation, he alleged, diverting MPLADS funds to another State was unjustifiable and amounted to a betrayal of Goa’s interests.

The Congress leader also criticised Tanavade’s overall MPLADS performance, claiming that publicly available data shows that only 6 of the 29 sanctioned projects have been completed. He alleged that the MP’s project completion rate stands at 17.1 per cent, while fund utilisation is only 19.4 per cent, reflecting poor utilisation of public funds and misplaced priorities.

Panjikar further questioned Tanavade’s effectiveness as a Rajya Sabha MP, saying Goa deserves a representative who consistently raises the State’s concerns in Parliament, safeguards its interests and ensures maximum utilisation of development funds for the benefit of Goans.

The Congress demanded that Tanavade and the BJP clarify why Goa’s MPLADS allocation was spent on a project in Uttar Pradesh, whether all development needs of Goa had already been fulfilled, and why the MP had failed to fully utilise MPLADS funds despite the State’s pressing infrastructure requirements.

“Goa deserves a Member of Parliament who spends for Goa, speaks for Goa and fights for Goa. The people of Goa will not accept an MP who neglects his own State while funding development elsewhere,” Panjikar said.