PANAJI
As Goa grapples with a rising number of road accidents, the BJP-led government has proposed road safety audits, structural audits, and fast-tracking the filling up of potholes as part of road improvement cum safety initiatives. For this, it has earmarked Rs 50 crore in its Budget.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has given a big financial push to the public works department (PWD) by increasing the total budget outlay by 10.75 per cent. The allocation is made towards public infrastructure development including roads, buildings, water supply, and sewerage is Rs 2,976.55 crore.
“My government will focus on new road improvement initiatives including comprehensive road safety measures, pothole filling on a fast-track basis, condition survey review of all bridges/culverts, road safety audit scheme, annual Maintenance Contract for road safety equipment including crash barriers. A financial provision has been made for this with an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore. Planned improvement of riding quality surface for 1,000 km work is being done at a cost of Rs840 crore,” he said.
This year, the government intends to spend Rs 1,600 crore on 677 projects related to roads, sewerage, and water supply.
The government has proposed 10 works worth Rs 350.34 crore under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund, which would be taken up on a 100 per cent reimbursement basis. The Chief Minister is confident that the proposals would be approved by the Central at the earliest.
The government is focusing on making Goa a Smart Water Utility State and achieving the Non-Revenue Water Reduction Programme. For this, it plans to implement a Pilot Project at a cost of Rs 1.50 crore including advanced metering infrastructure, replacement of age-old water supply pipelines which have outlived their useful life, GIS network, geo-tagging up to consumer level, and smart water management.
Besides this, the government has decided to undertake works to improve the water supply system by updating Water Treatment Plants at a cost of Rs 100 crore.
“Government has decided to complete 100% sewer connections in the places where sewerage projects are underway. We aim to complete the work within the next year at a cost of Rs 250 crore,” CM said.
The government also proposes to construct a model housing complex for government officials having B and C type quarters by spending Rs. 20 crore at Altinho.
A provision of Rs. 42 crore is also made to complete the refurbishment and renovation as well as daily operations and maintenance of Goa Bhavan in Mumbai, Goa Sadan, and Goa Niwas in Delhi within this year.
