Now, Goans get to know their CM’s humane side

GOA: A painter was promised financial assistance from the government, but a group of retired teachers were not that lucky. Residents of Goa got to see the humane as well as firm side of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Monday morning during his first interaction with the public since taking over the hot seat on June 8.

He achieved another first on Monday when he held his first cabinet meeting, although nothing significant came out of if. “I don’t want to call it a darbar. Let's just call it CM meets the public,” said Kamat while briefing reporters about the cabinet meeting later.

Kamat met 46 people and is likely to meet as many on Tuesday at Margao, where he will also interact with the public every week to redress their grievances.

While his predecessor, Pratapsing Rane did not meet the public, Kamat’s former boss Manohar Parrikar used to hold darbars, though not every week, when he was at the helm of affairs. Kamat crossed over to the Congress from the BJP in 2005 causing the fall of the BJP government.

The people who registered for Monday's meeting had myriad problems. While some were ng for jobs, others had health-related problems or were hopping for some financial assistance.

One group of retired teachers, who missed out the extension on the retirement age, hoped meeting the chief minister would make a difference, but Kamat was firm about on bending ruled for anyone.

A 30-something painter, who grew up in an orphanage, met the CM hoping to get financial assistance. By evening, Kamar approved the relevant file, which was moved in the secretariat.