Congress Alleges ₹4.40 Crore Prerana Din Scam, Accuses BJP Government of Misusing Tribal Welfare Funds

Goa Khabar: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) has accused the BJP-led state government of misusing funds meant for the welfare of tribal communities through allegedly inflated bills for the Prerana Din celebration held at Ambaulim in Quepem on May 25, 2026.

Addressing a press conference at Congress House in Panaji on Tuesday, GPCC Media and Publicity Department Chairman Amarnath Panjikar alleged serious financial irregularities in the expenditure incurred by the Directorate of Tribal Welfare, which functions under Tribal Welfare Minister Ramesh Tawadkar.

Panjikar claimed that approximately ₹4.40 crore was spent on the single-day event, with several expenditure items allegedly billed at rates significantly higher than prevailing market prices.

He demanded an independent investigation, a detailed audit of the expenditure and action against those responsible if irregularities are established.

Congress Questions Expenditure on Food, Transport and Publicity

Presenting details of the alleged expenditure, Panjikar questioned the justification for spending ₹59.75 lakh on food and refreshments, ₹33 lakh on transportation, ₹28 lakh on audio-visual production, ₹24 lakh on media promotion and ₹22.50 lakh on printing and branding.

According to the expenditure details presented by Congress, ₹18.50 lakh was charged for an outdoor German pagoda, ₹10 lakh for hospitality, ₹7 lakh for the sound system, ₹6.50 lakh for lighting, ₹5.50 lakh for generators and ₹4.45 lakh for LED arrangements.

Other expenses cited included ₹6.50 lakh for production, ₹4.50 lakh for stage setting, ₹6.75 lakh for dining and seating arrangements, ₹2 lakh for carpets, ₹80,000 for buffet arrangements and ₹3.70 lakh for press conference arrangements.

The party also questioned expenditure of ₹7.50 lakh on housekeeping and garbage management, ₹6.50 lakh on venue charges, ₹4.25 lakh on manpower, ₹2.80 lakh each on photography and videography and plant saplings, ₹2 lakh on mementos, ₹75,000 on gift hampers and ₹30,000 on stage performances.

Panjikar alleged that several of these charges were substantially higher than prevailing market rates and required independent verification.

“How can the government justify such enormous expenditure on a single-day programme, particularly when several individual items are allegedly billed far above prevailing market rates?” Panjikar questioned.

He said every major expenditure category, including food, transportation, publicity, audio-visual production, lighting and venue arrangements, should be independently audited.

Government Must Publish Original Bills and Work Orders: Panjikar

Panjikar demanded that the government disclose the original bills, quotations, work orders, vendor details, payment records and evidence of services actually provided during the event.

He questioned how expenditure of ₹59.75 lakh on food and refreshments and ₹33 lakh on transportation could be approved without publicly explaining the quantities, rates and procurement procedures involved.

“The government must disclose the quantities procured, the rates paid, the vendors selected and the basis on which these amounts were approved,” he said.

Panjikar maintained that the government should have no objection to publishing the complete expenditure statement if the money had been spent properly.

He alleged that the expenditure indicated a possible pattern of inflated billing that warranted a comprehensive investigation.

“Tribal welfare funds are public money, not a private treasury to be spent without scrutiny,” he stated.

Tribal Welfare Funds Should Be Used for Community Development

Criticising the BJP government, Panjikar said funds allocated for the development and welfare of Scheduled Tribe communities should be utilised to address their genuine needs rather than being spent excessively on ceremonial events.

He claimed that tribal communities in Goa continued to face challenges relating to constitutional safeguards, land protection, welfare schemes and development.

According to Panjikar, the government should prioritise protecting tribal lands, ensuring constitutional rights and delivering benefits meant for Scheduled Tribe communities.

“Tribal welfare cannot be reduced to grand stages, expensive hospitality and questionable bills. The government owes the tribal communities an explanation for every rupee spent from funds earmarked for their welfare,” he said.

He further alleged that public money intended for tribal development was being diverted towards expensive programmes and celebrations through questionable billing practices.

Congress Demands Independent Audit and Accountability

The GPCC demanded that the government immediately release the complete expenditure statement for the Prerana Din celebration and make all supporting documents publicly available.

The party called for an independent audit of the procurement process, vendor selection, expenditure approvals and payments made for the event.

Congress also demanded an investigation into the allegedly inflated bills and appropriate action against officials, contractors or other individuals if financial irregularities are established.

Panjikar said the government must explain whether competitive quotations were obtained, how contractors were selected, who verified the bills and who authorised the payments.

He specifically demanded answers from Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant and Tribal Welfare Minister Ramesh Tawadkar.

“Who prepared these estimates? Who selected the vendors? Who verified the bills? Who authorised the payments? Were competitive quotations obtained, and were the actual services delivered in proportion to the amounts claimed?” Panjikar asked.

He said these questions required clear and transparent answers from the government.

Congress Vows to Continue Raising the Issue

Panjikar urged Goa’s tribal communities to closely examine how funds allocated for their welfare were being utilised.

He asserted that Congress would continue demanding transparency and accountability to ensure that public funds earmarked for Scheduled Tribe communities were spent for their intended purpose.

Goa Pradesh Adivasi Congress President Ramkrishna Jalmi, Satyawan Talwadkar and Scheduled Tribe leader Chanda Velip were also present at the press conference.

The allegations have been made by the Congress party, and the claimed financial irregularities have not been independently established. The press statement did not include a response from the state government or the Directorate of Tribal Welfare.