ASSEMBLY SESSION
PANAJI
Legislators on Friday urged the State government to step up the game at fair price shops to help Goans tide over the galloping inflation and high food costs.
Several members claimed that the services at these fair-price shops were not up to the mark and also demanded that the government add more items other than the standard rice and wheat to benefit Goans.
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao led the charge as almost every Opposition member painted the PDS fair-price shops in a poor light. Some MLAs like AAP’s Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, Congress’ Carlos Alvares-Ferreira and Altone D’Costa besides Goa Forward Party’s (GFP) Vijai Sardesai alleged that there is no proper supervision of the fair price shops and their functioning.
Alemao said the government has miserably failed to make the PDS efficient and effective. He said there still is a significant section of Goans utilising foodgrains from these fair-price shops and the government was duty bound to ensure the efficiency at the fair-price shops.
AAP’s Viegas suggested that the government also add more choices at the fair price shops and mentioned the locally grown parboiled rice besides other vegetables like okra (bhendo) and eggplant. He also urged the government to procure from local farmers the parboiled rice produced by them for sale through these fair price shops which he said will help promote agriculture in the State.
Siolim MLA, Delilah Lobo and Cortalim MLA, Antonio Vaz urged the government to restore the sugar and oil quota to Goan ration card holders as soon as possible.
‘Pay compensation for flood damage to fields promptly’
PANAJI: Several MLAs spoke of the need for the government to settle crop loss compensation to farmers in the very same financial year.
Former chief minister Digambar Kamat said the money should be paid to beneficiary farmers in the very same financial year.
Delilah Lobo also demanded a hike in the quantum of subsidies paid to farmers under various schemes of the Agriculture Department and to raise the upper limit of the assistance for farmers to fence their farm holdings to at least 75% of the cost.
