Goa govt denies allegation of revenue loss in Mopa Airport Development Authority construction license fee

Goa Government has refuted the allegation of revenue loss regarding Mopa Airport Development Authority (MADA), who according to MLA Rohan Khaunte issued a construction license without taking license fee.

The State government termed the allegation 'baseless' and in a statement said that the representation of GMR on construction license fee charge is pending before MADA for a decision.

Khaunte had made the allegation of revenue loss to the government as Mopa Airport Development Authority (MADA) has issued a construction license without taking license fee.

According to the government, the various allegations made by MLA Khaunte regarding MADA are "incorrect and misleading".

The allegation of revenue loss to the government as MADA has issued construction license without taking license fee is incorrect as the representation of GMR on construction license fee charged is pending before MADA for a decision, the government statement said.

The statement further informed that GMR is bound by the decisions to be taken by MADA on its representation on the construction license fee. GMR has given an undertaking to that effect to MADA. GMR has already spent hundreds of crores of rupees on the project and Government has a bank guarantee of Rs 62 crore from GMR, it added.

The allegation that Director Civil Aviation/Member Secretary MADA being the nominee Director on the Board, himself has submitted the representation for revision of construction license fee is totally baseless, read the government statement.

The representation submitted by GMR is a management decision of GMR and has not yet come before the Mopa Airport Development Authority.

The construction of Mopa Airport is a project of national importance and first of its kind in Goa of that magnitude, said the government.

"Ease of doing business is an essential requirement to attract investors to Goa for specialised projects like an Airport. Creation of Mopa Airport Development Authority through a State Act is essential for ease of doing business and provides a single-window mechsm to give various approvals as required for the development of the Airport," stated the government.

Under the MADA Act, the Authority is empowered to exercise all the powers under State Acts, which are otherwise vested in the Competent Authority under the relevant law or rules, regulation, bye laws, notifications issued thereunder so as to give clearances for development of the Mopa Greenfield International Airport, it added.

( With inputs from ANI )