PANAJI
The State government has spent almost Rs 100 crore, so far, to raise infrastructure for the ongoing decennial Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier. Anticipating Rs 300 crore financial support from the Centre, the government had earmarked only Rs 10 crore for the event.
Highly placed sources confirmed that the Public Works Department (PWD) -- the nodal agency for setting up infrastructure -- has spent Rs 100 crore on the event, with overall expenditure, expected to increase to Rs 150 crore.
The Department has diverted its annual budgetary provision for creation of the infrastructure that involves road repair, electricity, temporary structures like Pilgrim village and other amenities.
Sources said that PWD was given budget target of Rs 113 crore, of which Rs 100 crores have already been spent so far. “The government was expecting around Rs 150-Rs 200 crore from Centre as special assistance for the event. However, the Centre has already declined it,” sources said.
On the contrary, Centre has released Rs 140 crore to the State under the 'Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment’ (SASCI), sources said while maintaining that this is being provided to the State government in the form of a 50-year interest-free loan.
“State is expected to get another Rs 100 crore this year under the scheme,” sources said.
As per the information, since 2020-21, the State has received a whopping Rs 1,770 crore under the Scheme to boost the capital expenditure. Apart from this, Rs 350 crores was received as Special Assistance -- Rs 150 crore in 2021 and Rs 200 crore in 2023.
The data reveals that under SASCI, the State received Rs 97.66 crore in 2020-21, which went up to Rs 111.04 crore in 2021-22. Centre sanctioned Rs 572.75 crore to Goa under interest-free loan in 2022-23 and more Rs 849.65 crore last year.
The amount is to be spent on Capital investment projects in diverse sectors including health, education, irrigation, water supply, power, roads, bridges etc.
