PANAJI
Public Works Department (PWD) and Transport Minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar is at the forefront of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s budget for the year 2017-18 with a total budget allocation of Rs 1,469.1 crore as capital expenditure under both the portfolios.
The importance of Dhavalikar as a minister is evident from the fact that there is no close second to him in Parrikar’s cabinet, when it comes to budget allocation on capital expenditure.
Even between PWD and Transport departments, it is the PWD with an estimated allocation under capital expenditure of Rs 1,326 crore, which has helped Dhavalikar in becoming the minister with the most budget allocated for state’s future development.
Of this figure of Rs 1,326 crore, PWD has been allocated Rs 794.3 crore in 2017-18 as capital outlay on water supply and sanitation and another Rs 520 crore as capital outlay on roads and bridges.
There are two parts of budget allocation “ revenue expenditure and capital expenditure. Revenue expenditure means day-to-day expenses like salaries, pensions and repairs, which are just for the upkeep of existing infrastructure and set-up.
Capital expenditure means investments for long-term purpose like investment in a bridge, hospital, roads and etc.
In short, capital expenditure indicates how much impact a certain minister can have on state’s future and development.
After Dhavalikar, next is Power and Social Welfare Minister, Pandurang Madkaikar, who has been allocated Rs 462.1 crores to him in 2017-18 for the both the portfolios, put together.
Even in Madkaikar’s case, it is the power department with an allocation of Rs 451.2 crores, which almost makes up for entire allocation.
Such huge allocation to power will hopefully take care of issues like power cuts and voltage fluctuations in Goa for both retail and industrial consumers.
Tourism and Sports Minister Manohar ‘Babu’ Ajgaonkar comes third in the list with a total budget allocation for capital expenditure at Rs 250.7 crore for 2017-18.
Tourism may be one of the significant contributors to state’s exchequer, but the government has only allocated Rs 116.5 crore for this sector in 2017-18. Of this, Rs 35 crore has been allocated towards beach safety management.
Ajgaonkar has also been allocated Rs 134.2 crore under sports portfolio for 2017-18. Then comes Vinoda Paliencar, who has been allocated Rs 196.2 crore for water resources department (WRD) and another Rs 22.9 crore towards fisheries.
Francis D’Souza, who has been given the charge of Urban Development, Law & Judiciary and Legislative Affairs, has been allocated a sum of Rs 217.9 crore under his portfolios as capital expenditure for 2017-18.
This is followed by recently sworn in Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, who has been allocated Rs 173.2 crore as capital expenditure for 2017-18. Of this Rs 70.2 crore have been allocated towards Goa Medical College and Rs 25.2 crore have been allocated for Goa Dental College.
