PANAJI
Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho has condemned Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan for opposing Goa’s GST compensation proposal and demanded an apology from him for
doing so.
Thiagarajan opposed the GST proposals of smaller states, including Goa, at the Central meet on the issue.
Thiagarajan at the GST council meeting on Friday said, “Why should one listen to smaller states so much? Why should Goa get so much attention? I have a large constituency. Madurai is my own constituency and is bigger than the whole of Goa. My votes should have more value.”
Godinho who represented Goa at the meeting said the State should get preference like other small states for availing the shortfall in revenue to be given for five years from July 2017.
Godinho said that his demand was objected to by the newly appointed Tamil Nadu minister, who said no undue importance should be given to small states.
Godinho informed that he has taken strong offense to this. “I want to remind Palanivel that he should refrain from conducting himself in a manner as a big brother versus small brother or big state versus small state. We all have equal rights. His attitude should be condemned by one and all right-thinking people. He should not target Goa,” Godinho said.
Meanwhile, Godinho said that compensation given to Goa as of now is Rs 840 crore, and what is due to us is almost the same amount.
HOUSE NUMBERS: Meanwhile, the Panchayat Minister said that all the houses which do not have numbers in the State will these and that the file has been sent to the Law Department.
Godinho, however, clarified that getting a house number does not mean they get legal status.
Giving house numbers will earn revenue to panchayats and municipal bodies, he said.
