the goan I network
MAPUSA
Stressing that the government was falling into a debt trap and government was fudging figures to save its back, a rejuvenated joint opposition led by Congress on Tuesday said it would demand a half-an-hour discussion on the financial health of the State.
“The government is all at sea while answering queries on the financial status of the State. We received different answers to the same query on State’s fianances. While the debt was shown as Rs 20,412 crore to one query, the figure was shown as Rs 16,268 crore debt to a query of another MLA. We want to have a detailed discussion on the financial health of the State,” said Digambar Kamat, Leader of Opposition, while addressing the media in the opposition cabin.
Legislators belonging to
Goa Forward Party Vijai Sardessai, Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinod Paliencar, MGP’s Sudin Dhavlikar and Independent MLA Rohan Khuante were also present for the press briefing.
The opposition bid to hold the government to sword on the State’s finances during the Question Hour fizzled off after a question tabled by Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar was called just minutes before the end of Question Hour.
Trying to put the difference in answers in context, Kamat disclosed that to his question, State borrowings for 2019-20 was shown as Rs 1767.84 crore but to a similar question by Ponda MLA Ravi Naik, the amount was shown as Rs 2148.85 crore.
“Only the chief minister will be in a position to explain the difference in the two figures,” he said.
Showing another discrepancy in the figures, the Margao MLA informed that in the answers provided to questions, revenue receipts was shown as Rs 8985 and revenue expenditure as Rs 8475.01 crore, which shows there is surplus of Rs 510 crore.
“If there is surplus then why is the government borrowing? Clearly the figures must be forged,” he said.
According to GFP chief Vijai Sardesai, the policy of the government was to divert economic issues and give importance to emotive issues.
He said capital expenditure was shown as Rs 859.04 crore, but it was spent on paying salaries.
“This is blatantly illegal. We wanted to expose government today,” he said, adding that the opposition will seek discussion on financial health least expecting their wish will be granted.
He further pointed out that figures available with them show that government has only Rs 400 crore to run the government till March end, whereas it has to pay Rs 767 crore to various contractors and wondered how the government would manage.
