PORVORIM
Dismissing Opposition’s claims of ‘wasteful expenses’ on government events, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday informed the State Legislative Assembly that the government has effectively utilized about 20.3 percent of its full-year budget in the first three months “ April-June and 10 percent of its assurances have been implemented.
“We have compiled a booklet on the government’s one-year completion. All our achievements and completed projects, etc have been clearly mentioned in it. Anyone can verify. We are not just speaking but practically accomplishing our promises. Moreover, the expenses spent on events is to ensure that government initiatives and schemes reach out to the people, and it creates awareness,” he said while replying to the discussion on the Budget.
Reiterating that mining activities will resume this year, the CM also announced that the State will soon launch a Dump Mining policy, facilitating the e-auction of iron ore rejects in various lease-bound areas.
“Nine mining blocks are auctioned and remaining are in the process...The winning bidders are fast-tracking the process to obtain relevant permissions so that mining starts at the earliest. Dump Policy will be launched in a month,” he said.
On Mhadei, he reiterated his assurance that the State remains steadfast in not compromising on the Mhadei river diversion, and he is personally overseeing the case’s progress.
Sawant stated that various initiatives and reforms proposed in the Budget have already been set in motion by government departments while expressing confidence that by the end of the financial year, the entire 100 percent Budget will be utilized and all assurances fulfilled.
Speaking about the Budget allocation, Sawant revealed that until June, out of the total Rs 26,844 crore Budget, the State spent Rs 4500 crore on revenue expenditure and Rs 950 crore on capital expenditure. This amounted to around 20.3 percent of the Budget size with Rs 5500 crore approx utilized by June.
“Out of a total of 329 assurances, 32 had been completed and implemented within three months. As of June, 10 percent of the assurances were fulfilled, and the implementation of the remaining 175 was in progress,” he added.
Regarding concerns raised by the opposition about borrowings, he reassured that the State’s borrowings had remained within the specified limit.
“For the financial year 2022-23, the State borrowed only Rs 1850 crore from the market, well below the allowed limit of Rs 3585 crore. This year, so far, Rs 630 crore had been borrowed as against the borrowing limit of over Rs 4000 crore. Rs 670 crore was borrowed from SIDBI and Rs 550 crore from NABARD last year for infrastructure and tourism projects,” Sawant, also Finance Minister, said.
While acknowledging water scarcity in some parts of the State during the summer season, the CM assured that by December 2024, every household will receive a minimum of two hours of water supply daily.
Introducing green cess on non-Goan vehicles entering the State, proceeds from which will be used for infrastructure development and maintenance was another announcement on the floor of the House.
