With the by-elections out of the way, the real test for Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and his hastily cobbled up coalition with leaders who cannot yet see eye-to-eye begins now. One can legitimately throw all pre-election promises out of the window and instead focus on the Chief Minister's budget speech as well as subsequent promises made during the assembly session as a yardstick to judge this government.
The yardstick is important because the 2017 budget speech is in many ways a promise to complete what had in fact been promised in 2012 but has yet remained unfulfilled.
Several issues lie at the top of this list, if Goa has to truly move forward. The vexed public transport issue which includes not just the buses but also the taxi issue which Parrikar has on more than one occasion promised to resolve but has failed to do so. Resolving public transport woes can go a long way in improving the daily lives of the working class Goan as well as the tourists. What's better is that it will make a tangible difference to the lives of Goans without the expenses that come along with building huge grandiose infrastructure and will be better for the environment.
The government has also taken upon itself the huge task of bringing a Transfer of Development Rights Policy in six months. If one listens to the Chief Minister and Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai pitch for this policy, it seems fantastic on paper. Working out the nitty gritty is easier said than done. More so for a government who for five years did close to nothing on the Regional Plan and having the opportunity of a full majority on its side. It makes Digambar Kamat's effort to bring out a complete regional plan from scratch seem all the more impressive.
The current dispensation has to now outdo, not only the previous Congress government of 2007 but also its own government from 2012-2017 without the luxury of a full majority.
As an added hitch is the need of Goa Forward supremo Vijai Sardesai to justify his decision to turn his back on his voters in the pursuit of power, which will be the driving force of his decision making leaving Parrikar to do the balancing act between Vishwajit Rane, Rohan Khaunte, Ramkrishna Dhavalikar and Goa Forward. It is still early days, and the government deserves some time to settle down, more so given that there was a by-election on its hands. But beyond this point there will be no excuses.
The yardstick is important because the 2017 budget speech is in many ways a promise to complete what had in fact been promised in 2012 but has yet remained unfulfilled.
Several issues lie at the top of this list, if Goa has to truly move forward. The vexed public transport issue which includes not just the buses but also the taxi issue which Parrikar has on more than one occasion promised to resolve but has failed to do so. Resolving public transport woes can go a long way in improving the daily lives of the working class Goan as well as the tourists. What's better is that it will make a tangible difference to the lives of Goans without the expenses that come along with building huge grandiose infrastructure and will be better for the environment.
The government has also taken upon itself the huge task of bringing a Transfer of Development Rights Policy in six months. If one listens to the Chief Minister and Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai pitch for this policy, it seems fantastic on paper. Working out the nitty gritty is easier said than done. More so for a government who for five years did close to nothing on the Regional Plan and having the opportunity of a full majority on its side. It makes Digambar Kamat's effort to bring out a complete regional plan from scratch seem all the more impressive.
The current dispensation has to now outdo, not only the previous Congress government of 2007 but also its own government from 2012-2017 without the luxury of a full majority.
As an added hitch is the need of Goa Forward supremo Vijai Sardesai to justify his decision to turn his back on his voters in the pursuit of power, which will be the driving force of his decision making leaving Parrikar to do the balancing act between Vishwajit Rane, Rohan Khaunte, Ramkrishna Dhavalikar and Goa Forward. It is still early days, and the government deserves some time to settle down, more so given that there was a by-election on its hands. But beyond this point there will be no excuses.
