A welcome ceremony, which included music and flowers, accorded to a government officer in Goa as he took charge of a new post on Monday, has landed him in hot water.
Dr Ajay Gaude, the incumbent Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, took additional charge as Executive Director, Sports Authority of Goa (SAG), on Monday morning. As he made his way to the office on the first floor of the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim, some staffers, colleagues and well-wishers showered flowers to welcome him, and arranged for music and drums to be played.
Later in the day, however, the senior scale Goa Civil Service officer was issued a show-cause notice for “unprofessional behaviour”. Goa Chief Secretary Dr V Candavelou issued the notice to Gaude and sought an explanation within three days.
The notice said, “It has been observed from social/news media that Dr Ajay Gaude, senior scale officer of Goa Civil Service, while taking charge of the post of Executive Director, Sports Authority of Goa, has given undue publicity, which included ceremonial floral welcome arrangements along with playing of drums.” The notice said that such behaviour “amounts to conduct unbecoming of a government servant”.
“Therefore, you are hereby required to show cause as to why disciplinary action should not be initiated against you for such unprofessional behaviour,” it said.
Gaude told The Indian Express that he got to know about the notice from media reports. “The necessary submissions shall be made to the honourable Chief Secretary,” he said.
New sports policy
Earlier in the day, after taking charge as the SAG Executive Director, Gaude announced plans to draft a new sports policy for the state by December 2025. He said the current policy dates back to 2009 and stressed the need to revive and modernise the framework to offer better support to the athletes and for the development of sports across the state.
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Gaude said Goa would soon host several sporting events, including the Chess World Cup and the Asian Gymnastics Championships, adding that such events would help to promote the state as a destination for sports tourism.
