PANAJI
The budget session of the Goa Legislative Assembly is slated to be held from March 27 with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expected to present the State's budget for 2023-24 on day one itself, government sources said.
Again, the session will be a short duration one of just five days from March 27 to 31, leaving the Sawant-led government susceptible to a critical onslaught from Opposition parties.
Earlier last month, the winter session was held which again was of just four days duration from January 16 to 19.
The Opposition had launched a full scathed attack on the government for resorting to short duration sessions, accusing Sawant of using it as a tactic to avoid legislative scrutiny and accountability of the functioning of his administration.
Led by Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao, the Opposition bloc had even opened up a confrontation of sorts with the Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar for doing away altogether with 'Private Member's business' during the winter session.
Also, with the Mhadei water sharing dispute with Karnataka flaring up and the government conceding a day's discussion on it without any extension of the session, the Opposition questioned the move to meaninglessly cramp up its business in just three days.
The government, however, had its way with holding the short winter session, facilitated in good measure by the brute 33 vs 7 majority it enjoys in the legislature.
Sawant meanwhile, has already embarked on the budget preparation exercise, holding review meetings with officials pertaining to performance of various departments with respect to the current fiscal's budget.
In the winter session, the government had got through the vote of the House supplementary demands for grants for several departments, over and above those of the 2022-23 budget passed last year.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader declined to make any comments on the short duration of the budget session, claiming that no communication has been received by him from the legislature department.
"We are yet to receive any official communication on upcoming Budget Session. I will react once we get Official Circular or Notification," Alemao said when contacted.
