Defending his decision to transfer Jaidev Sarangi, an IAS officer, from the post of commissioner of excise, chief minister Manohar Parrikar said that he did so after he found that the officer did not have proper information about excise and that "excise is slightly sensitive department".

In a sudden development on Thursday, the government transferred Sarangi and replaced him with an officer of Goa civil services, Menino D'Souza, who was director of panchayats. Sarangi was appointed excise commissioner less than a month ago.

This was the third excise officer transferred in less then three months after the Parrikar-led coalition came to power. Parrikar also said that transfers of government servants are his prerogative and added, "I feel that former panchayat director Menino D' Souza would be better officer. Sarangi has been asked to report to the personnel department and waiting for posting. "I will utilize him somewhere", Parrikar said.