PANAJI
A unified opposition is set to lock horns with the State government on key issues during the curtailed three-day assembly session which begins
from Wednesday.
The State Budget 2021-22 is expected to be passed, while 605 questions -- 197 starred and 408 unstarred -- will be raised in the assembly over the next three days.
Former governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had summoned a three-day monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly from July 28.
Legislators of the three opposition parties convened a floor coordination meeting on Tuesday to chalk out strategies on the floor of the house.
Those present at the meeting in the assembly complex included all legislators from Goa Forward Party Vijay Sardesai, Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinod Palyekar, MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar, the opposition leader and one independent legislator Prasad Gaonkar.
Incidentally, only the opposition leader represented the Congress, while four other Congress MLAs Reginaldo Lourenco, Ravi Naik, Pratapsing Rane and Luizinho Faleiro did not attend the meeting.
All opposition MLAs have decided the strategy to corner the Government on a number of key issues, including the high Covid-related deaths, unemployment and the
state economy.
They have already criticised the decision to curtail the assembly session to three days and have accused the BJP government of an undeclared emergency in the State.
The 605 questions to be raised during the three-day session include 197 starred and 408 unstarred questions.
As per the business listed for Wednesday, 29 papers will be laid before the House, while 10 bills will be introduced. The Mining Corporation Bill is also likely to be passed in the assembly.
Three ordinances, ‘The Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation of Single Window Clearance Ordinance, 2021’, ‘India International University of Legal Education and Research of the Bar Council of India Trust at Goa’ and ‘The Goa Agricultural Tenancy (Amendment) Ordinance 2021’ will be tabled on Wednesday.
The House will also pass a condolence motion to mourn the demise of 26 distinguished personalities from Goa and other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the Goa Forward Party (GFP) President Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday said his party and the Congress would make coordinated efforts to corner the State government on various issues like high deaths due to Covid and unemployment in the assembly.
Addressing media persons, Vijai accused the BJP State government of being allergic to democracy. “When their power minister can do a stage show of a debate with a minister from other state, why can’t the government have a full-fledged debate with own legislators?” asked Sardesai while ridiculing the government’s decision to have a curtailed assembly session on account of the Covid pandemic.
“Free electricity is not the focus of issues in Goa. The focus is on environment preservation and Goa wants pollution-free clean electricity,” said Sardesai.
Sardesai said he would raise the issue of Covid mismanagement on the floor of the House.
“Many Goans have died because of lack of oxygen supply and this will be highlighted. Mismanagement of funds and unemployment issues will also be highlighted,” said Sardesai.
The GFP supremo said the state economy has been so grossly mismanaged that a serious social and economic disaster is awaiting Goa.
“There is no plan, either in the short term or long term, and to fix this we are borrowing vast amounts of money,” said Sardesai.
