The Goa Cricket Association (GCA) in its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday came up with two vital decisions that keep it in the line of functioning as prescribed by the Lodha Commission formed a couple of years ago.

The AGM on Sunday decided to appoint Chirag Kenkre as internal auditors of the association thereby introducing a three layered accounting system; previously, GCA had an internal audit and the BCCI audit. With the appointment of Chirag Kenkre, GCA has a three layer auditing system in place now.

The AGM has also decided to have an active website, similar to the BCCI website, where all administrative matters of GCA will be visible to the public.

“All important decision, appointments, income and expenditure and administrative matters will be hosted on the website on day-to-day basis,” stated GCA Acting President Suraj Lotlikar, at a press briefing after the AGM.

“The AGM also thanked Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Sports Minister Babu Azgaonkar, PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar, TCP Minister Vijay Sardessai and Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte for giving Dhargal land on lease to GCA to build a cricket stadium,” stated Suraj.

“The AGM has also decided to appoint the selection committee for the various age groups in Goa with effect from the next season onwards to cut out talk of bias in selection. There has been lot of loose talk on selection committee members and hence this decision at the AGM,” added Suraj.

“The GCA will be developing six more playing fields in Goa depending on the release of grants by BCCI. The fields will be developed in Bicholim, Sanguem, Dhargal, Panjim Gymkhana, MPT and Goa University so as to enable the lads an opportunity for more match practice. Players in Goa lack match exposure. Goa has lacked cricket playing fields and the AGM has decided to resolve this matter by developing these playing fields,” disclosed Suraj.

“The GCA had spoken to BCCI about the viability of taking a ground on lease to build a stadium and since we received a No Objection from BCCI, GCA went ahead with the lease deal with the Goa government,” stated Suraj, while addressing a question from the media.

“The Goa government has Rs 7.5 crore of GCA money. It will not be a problem to pay the remaining money. Money is not the issue. The issue was the availability of land. Now that it has been solved, we take our next steps,” disclosed Suraj.

“We at GCA have not been happy with our results at the national level and for that reason we have already identified boys in the Under 16 and Under 19 category who will be sent to Hyderabad for a month and a half for specialised training. A programme is being chalked out to polish talent in our youngsters and we have found a good base in Hyderabad,” stated Suraj.