PANAJI
The all-party meeting called on Tuesday to discuss year-long programmes to commemorate 60th year of liberation of Goa was cancelled by the government at the eleventh hour.
Opposition parties including Congress, Goa Forward and MGP had earlier announced that they would boycott the meeting.
The State government has asked Centre for Rs 100 crore to conduct various programmes in the State and across the nation.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat wrote to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant urging him to consider celebration of Goa’s 60th year of Liberation by helping the needy and involve local artists, groups and institutions using a minimum budget.
Kamat called upon the government to curtail the expenditure and to implement ‘Vision 2035’ document as well as Goenche Daiz scheme. The senior Congress leader also highlighted the need for an announcement of Rs 100 crore package to Goa’s marginalized sector.
“I object to the act of the government to send the meeting notice to members of the organising committee of 60th year of Goa’s Liberation constituted by the government just on the previous day of the scheduled meeting. I received the notice of the meeting on November 30,” Kamat mentions in his letter.
He said that he was neither contacted nor informed about inclusion of his name in the committee constituted by the government and suspected that the meeting had been convened as a mere formality as the agenda of the meeting clearly indicates that government has already made up its mind to approve the proposal submitted by the Department of Information and Publicity for the celebration of 60th year of Goa’s Liberation.
“I have been contacted by some freedom fighters, social activists, teachers, artists and others from all across the state who have raised apprehensions about the proposal of the government to spend huge amounts for organizing these celebrations during the ongoing Covid pandemic and its effects on the economy of the state,” Kamat wrote while pointing out that the government is on a spree to borrow money to meet with its revenue deficit.
“I strongly feel that the real tribute to all those known and unknown Freedom Fighters who sacrificed their lives and fought for Liberation of Goa will be by extending a helping hand to the needy. The Government must curtail expenditure on celebrations and focus on providing basic facilities to the common man, especially during these testing times,” the Leader of Opposition stated.
He has appealed to CM Sawant to ensure that all the pending applications from the children of freedom fighters are cleared on first priority.
