CM Pramod Sawant deserves credit for getting gullible Goans to queue outside their MLAs’ offices, panchayat offices and municipal offices to collect Ujjwala Yojana forms. The promise of Rs 3,000 in financial assistance, equivalent to the average cost of three domestic LPG refills in a financial year before Ganesh Chaturthi, appears to have successfully diverted attention from his government’s failures in Goa. But what happened to the Zero Bill scheme launched by the same government in August 2021? It allowed families using less than 16,000 litres of water a month to receive free water. The scheme was abruptly discontinued in June 2026. Despite their past experience, many Goans appear to have fallen for another repackaged scheme. This is the same government that has failed to control inflation, provide decent jobs, ensure durable roads, uninterrupted 24x7 electricity and water supply, and maintain law and order. The latest scheme, offering financial assistance for three LPG cylinders a year, seems aimed at winning the support of women voters ahead of the Assembly elections. Instead of questioning the government over its failures and broken promises, people are queuing up for another pre-election sop. Goans should be asking whether this is genuine welfare or simply an attempt to win votes.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
