the goan I network
PANAJI
Speaking to media persons, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavlekar said, “As far as the budget is concerned, the government has tried its best to state that they will fulfill the pending promises. There is nothing new in it. Secondly, it looks like a package budget wherein they have tried to provide financial packages to their MLAs in respective constituencies, may be because they were not able to give them cabinet berths. May be it is just to keep them happy.”
Speaking further, he said, “Considering the budget, it doesn’t look like it will look at all-round development in all 40 constituencies. There is no mention about the projects which will be either taken up or completed in the constituencies represented by Opposition MLAs. Even the VAT on petrol has
been increased.”
Agreeing with Kavlekar, former chief minister Digambar Kamat too said that the budget presented does not propose any new things.
“Most of the things which were introduced three and four years back, which have remained unimplemented, they are now saying will be completed. The best example is the South Goa District Hospital. Former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar was on record in Margao saying that it would be inaugurated on December 1, 2016, while in the budget speech on Friday, the chief minister has stated that it will be taken up on mission mode but completed in 2018. So for 6-7 years, people of South Goa have suffered. At least they should have said that it is the first priority and would complete and commission it within six months. Even VAT on petrol has been increased to 15 per cent. I think there is nothing new in this budget,”
said Kamat.
When asked if it addresses the government’s mantra of Goem, Goemkar and Goemkarponn, he said, “First of all, the word Goemkarponn has to be defined. It is easy to use any words. On one hand, we speak about
protecting Goa, while on the other if you go through the census, many
of the people employed in the State are non-Goans. How do you
justify this?”
