TEAM HERALD
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
PANJIM: Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane on Tuesday castigated the State government for presenting an unrealistic Budget 2013-14, stating that figures produced in the plan are just based on assumption, with no clear-cut strategies on how to achieve the targets.
Rane said that the targets projected are unlikely to materialize and the State might not be in a position to achieve the Budget goals. “The proposals such as 12 percent GDP growth and six percent growth in agriculture are unrealistic. Government has not spelt out any strategies to achieve these proposals. While it has predicted certain revenue estimates from sectors such as tourism, industries, transport, commercial tax, there are no plans on how to achieve this,” Rane said while speaking during the general discussion on the State budget.
Rane expressed displeasure over government failure to produce figures pertaining to GDP growth for the year 2012-13. He also questioned several figures highlighted in the Economic Survey of Goa 2012-13 which was tabled in the House on Monday.
“The figures particularly related to milk production are unacceptable. Government claims that there has been 50 percent increase in milk production since introduction of Kamdhenu scheme, about hardly five months back,” he said adding ‘the figures produced by government departments are not authenticated’.
The Valpoi MLA said that many proposals made in Budget 2012-13 are yet to take off. “The previous budget focused on overall development of State but in reality the development has regressed. Most of the funds have been spent on social sector,” he observed.
Rane said that the reckless proposals of the government have caused people to lose faith in the Manohar Parrikar-led government. The Congress legislator claimed that ‘Congress government left a well consolidated State with respect to revenue and expenditure when they laid down power’.
