Panaji, Sep 8 (IANS) The Goa government is to “pursue” the union information and broadcasting ministry over being left out of organising the 2010 International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Wednesday said.
Kamat’s statement comes after the union ministry snubbed the Goa government by virtually pushing out the state authorities from the organisational scheme of things for the 2010 IFFI.

Kamat said he would personally pursue the ministry to reconsider its position. Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), which co-organises IFFI along with the IB ministry’s directorate of film festivals (DFF), Kamat said that he would meet IB Minister Ambika Soni to redress the matter.

“The members (of the ESG board) suggested various things which would be put across to the DFF,” Kamat told reporters after a meeting of the ESG board in Panaji.

Earlier, a board member said that the DFF was completely edging out the state government vis a vis organising the prestigious film festival.

“This is simply not accepted. We will not accept the memorandum of understanding in the present form. As per this MoU, state authorities are nowhere in the picture as far as organising this festival, which is happening in Goa,” the member said.

The MoU being referred to is a document signed annually between the DFF and the ESG, which specifically charts out the respective responsibilities to be shared by the state and central government authorities.

Parallel activities organised by the ESG as part of IFFI celebrations during the last few years, have been riddled with allegations of corruption, with several members of ESG’s governing council being named in alleged scams by the opposition.