PANAJI
While the opposition performed their usual duty of criticising the government, the ruling benches, in a lighter tone, suggested that certain sectors should have received a higher budget allocation.
Independent legislators supporting the BJP, Aleixo Reginald Lourenco and Chandrakant Shetye, commended the government for allocating impressive funds to health, infrastructure, and a few other departments. However, they did not hesitate to point out the neglected sectors being water supply, agriculture, sanitation, and electricity.
“We needed more funds for agriculture and electricity,” Lourenco said, expressing disappointment over the reduced budget for agriculture in the current allocation.
Shetye shared similar views, emphasising that when Goa talks about Swayampurna Goa, the agriculture sector also plays a major role. “Insufficient funds are being spent on agriculture... We should prioritise this sector. There should have been a higher allocation for water supply and sanitation,” he added.
Meanwhile, GFP leader Vijai Sardesai once again highlighted wasteful expenditure, referring to the Goa government’s assurance for the construction of the tallest building, ‘Prashasan Stambh,’ to house government offices.
“Is this the same complex that has been promised to us at Patto since 2017? I fail to understand why we want to create another white elephant at a time when we should be advocating and practising cost-cutting. And why this obsession with being the tallest or the biggest? The government would be better off serving its people, including every Goan citizen, by making them the happiest in the country. This is something the government can easily achieve “ by listening to the people, respecting their sentiments, and taking care of their interests. It is crucial to prioritise these human factors rather than building concrete monstrosities,” he stated.
