Parrikar cannot sign files fearing secondary infection, says RTI reply
Panaji, May 5: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, currently undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer in a US hospital, cannot sign government files due to risk of infection, a RTI petitioner said, citing official documents.
City businessman Kenneth Silveira, who obtained the February 28 memo signed by Parrikar through the Right to Information Act, has now filed a complaint with the Goa Police's Crime Branch claiming signing of government correspondence and notings by Secretaries to the Chief Minister's Office instead of Parrikar, who is medically unfit to hold office, was illegal, and requesting a probe.
The February 28 memo, released to the media during a press conference here on Saturday, has Parrikar say: "I have been advised by the doctors treating me to avoid physical contact with files for the time being on account of possibility of secondary infection as part of ongoing treatment.
"I have therefore authorised principal secretary to the Chief Minister and in his absence Secretary to the Chief Minister to record my decisions/directions on the government correspondence including files/notes and append his signature for disposal of the same till further orders."
In his complaint to the Crime Branch, Silveira, who was arrested last month for uploading up a false Facebook post hinting at the Chief Minister's death, has also said it was illegal for government files to be endorsed by representatives designated by the Chief Minister, especially when the latter was "unfit" to hold office.
"The Crime Branch should probe as to how government business, especially which passes through the CMO can be legally allowed to happen, when the files are not endorsed by Parrikar, but his secretaries," he told reporters after filing his complaint.
While Crime Branch officials have acknowledged the receipt of the complaint, CMO sources said, that the current arrangement was legal in every way, although of a temporary nature.
"The Secretaries mentioned in the Chief Minister's note have been authorised by the Chief Minister to sign on government correspondence in his behalf. This is a temporary arrangement only, until Parrikar returns," a CMO official said, on condition of anonymity.
Parrikar, who was first hospitalised in a local medical facility on February 15 for stomach pain, was rushed to a New York-based health facility last month.
While there is no official confirmation of the severity of his ailment, both from the local BJP unit as well as the CMO, the latter through informal statements released to the media, has maintained that Parrikar is suffering from "mild pancreatitis".
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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
