PANAJI
“He has tried his best to show a rosy picture,” Rane said, adding that a more detailed reaction would follow. Addressing a press conference after the tabling of the budget, Rane said that the budget is “in the air.” “What the government has not been able to do over the last four years, they are now claiming that they will accomplish in one year,” Rane said. “For instance, the government has increased the age limit for those who wish to enter government service to 45 years. The government is already burdened with 40-50,000 employees which can comprise a whole district in some states,” he said. Speaking of the increased taxes on the tourism sector, Rane said that it was unfortunate that there was nothing to boost tourism in the state which has seen a huge fall in the number of international arrivals. “More domestic tourists are coming, but there is nothing to bring in more foreign ones. Even for new investments in the state and to give a boost to any industry there is no provision,” Rane said. Rane also pointed out that the unemployment allowance promised by the government to the youth of the state back in 2012 has been forever consigned to the dustbin of history with it finding no mention in the final budget of the BJP government. Speaking further on the promises of 2012, Rane said that the BJP government has come full circle after promising to reduce VAT on petrol only to renege and have it restored to pre-2012 level.
