PANAJI
Leader of the Opposition, Yuri Alemao on Wednesday raised alarm over the spiralling net State debt and demanded that the government tighten the purse strings by halting the trend of granting post-facto finance department approvals to moneys spent on events.
"The cases of post-facto approvals are piling up. This should stop. Finance department otherwise blocks files for minor technical reasons. The post-facto approval option should be exercised only in emergencies," Alemao said, while participating in the discussion on the demands for grants pertaining to the Finance department.
Alemao claimed that the per-capita debt of the State is a whopping Rs 1.7 lakhs and annual borrowings of the government were violating the upper limits set for the State by the Centre via the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act.
He said, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who holds the finance portfolio, should prepare a calendar of events in advance and make proper budgetary provisions in advance.
"This post-facto approval should only be for emergency cases," Alemao said. adding that Sawant should bring out a 'white paper' on the reality of the State's debt and confirm once and for all if the FRBM limits of the State have been surpassed.
He said, payments to beneficiaries under the various social welfare schemes were getting delayed because of the Finance department which surprising had no qualms in granting post-facto approval to expenditure splurged on these government events.
On mining, Alemao questioned the government's strategy of conducing the auction of mining blocks on the basis of "old data" related to iron ore reserves which dates back to the Portuguese era.
Alemao, who had business interests in the mining industry, argued that when the Supreme Court had finalised a 20 million tonne annual cap for mining, the State had claimed that reserves would last for another 10-15 years but the new auctions of blocks were for rights lasting another 50 years.
"What data of iron ore reserves is relied to base these auctions on? Is it reliable?," Alemao asked.
Speaking on the demand related to civil aviation, Alemao recalled that he had averred in the House last year that Dabolim will become a 'ghost airport' once Mopa goes operational which was seemingly turning true.
A commercial pilot licence holder, the Leader of Opposition quoted the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) report which had suggested the unviability of the two airports when in such geographical proximity. He said, it is quintessential that the government come up with a "economic viability plan" to market Dabolim with a proper traffic distribution strategy for both the airports.
Earlier, Goa Forward Party's (GFP) Vijai Sardesai also seconded the fears expressed by Alemao about the quantum of the State's debt. He taunted the government for its penchant to hold PR events by suggesting that the Finance Department should be re-structure to have a separate division exclusively for granting approvals for events.
Sardesai also sought a "white paper" on the State's financial condition and raised concern that the net debt will have more than doubled to Rs 26,000 crore from what it was in 2016 by the end of the current financial year as per budget estimates.
Sardesai also raised the issue of Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) failing to meet completion deadlines of projects in as many as 54 out of 59 projects it is executing. He also raised the issue of the SGPDA wholesale market project which is being delayed endlessly.
Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas raised the issue of the finance department holding back approval of files related to projects proposed in constituencies represented by the Opposition.
He also suggested that the government make a provision for equitable distribution of funds for development projects executed through the GSIDC without any discrimination and demanded that a sports complex for his constituency and the panchayat ghar of Seraulim panchayat be cleared.
Revolutionary Goans Party's (RGP) Viresh Borkar faulted the Planning and Statistics department for having no compilation of data related to future projections of population growth, migration and carrying capacity of the State.
On the distressed mining sector, he said the government had failed to do any human resource mapping in the mining belt related to those who were involved in mining activity as well as ancillary businesses so that when the activity restarts they can be given priority.
Several other legislators both from the Opposition as well as the treasury benches also participated in the discussion and placed demands realated to development projects of their respective constituencies.
