General who fought a silent battle

THE GOVERNOR WHO FOUGHT A SILENT BATTLE IN AN ECOLOGICAL HOTSPOT
Paying tribute to a decade-old decision we need to value more
Goanet Reader
Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:38:23 -0700 By A Correspondent
The post-independence history of Goa has had some good periods. One brief but golden period was Lt. General J.F.R. Jacob's term as Goa's Governor from April 1998 to November 1999, during which time he oversaw a number of short-lived governments.
The highlight of this period was the imposition of President's rule in the state during the first half of 1999. During this period, the Governor ruled with a team of only three people; the Governor himself and his two advisors Alban Couto and M.N. Buch.
During Lt. General Jacob's rule, the secretariat was made accessible to ordinary citizens and surprise visits were made to bus stands, local hospitals and the Collector offices. Corruption was completely eliminated. Significant improvements were made to infrastructural facilities related to power, water, transport and medical health. Night landing facilities at Dabolim airport were established.
Lt. General Jacob had inherited a state which was on the brink of financial crises after previous governments borrowed huge sums of money from financial institutions. By the time Lt. General Jacob's rule had ended, he raised enough money to pay back all these loans. He went a step further by securing a grant of Rs 50 crores from the center to improve state administration.
Several press reports which were issued during the end of President's rule focused on calls by the public to extend this rule in the state. At the same time, Lt. General Jacob was always non-partisan in his approach so he stepped aside, thus paving way for a democratically elected government in June 1999.
THE GOVERNOR WHO FOUGHT A SILENT BATTLE IN AN ECOLOGICAL HOTSPOT
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