Panaji, October 21, 2017 … The Government has taken the decision to declare the awards- Goa Konkani Akademi Literacy awards and the Bhasha Seva Puraskar for the year 2015 and 2016 as “null and void”.
Further, the Government has decided to constitute committee to be chaired by Director (HE) with Director (ART & CULTURE) and Director (OL) as members to work out a plan of action to centralize the awards and decide guidelines to the awards of the Directorate of Art and Culture, Goa Konkani Akademi, Goa Marathi Akademi, Kala Academy etc.
The Goa Konkani Akademi Literacy awards for the year 2015 and 2016 in 08 different categories and the Bhasha Seva Puraskar in 08 different categories were earlier recommended by the concerned committees. It was observed that the employees of Goa Konkani Akademi were in the selection committee for short listing of books and the same employees had recommended their own books for awards, thus showing a conflict of interest. The staff of Goa Konkani Akademi are also the beneficiaries of these awards and their opinion seemed to be biased they being the members of the selection committee.
One of the committee member of the Award for Poetry Section disclosed to the media, assuming that the award is given to the book “Sudhirsukt”. However, all the recommendations are sealed packed and in the custody of the Secretary of the Goa Konkani Akademi.
