After a long fought battle by the citizens and judicial process, the government began the e-auctioning process and with the Apex Court’s favourable decision, the mining industry will soon see vessels being loaded with iron ore at the Ports.
However, the tourism sector is in a mess with never ending issues plaguing the industry. From deaths due to drugs to brutal assault at nightclub, from illegal structures on the beaches to illegal hawkers, from dog menace on the beaches to hair standing loud music late into the wee hours. Not to forget the taxi problem and the recent shame smeared upon the State and the country by the taxi goons at the Mormugao Port by not allowing the tourists to leave for excursion by buses.
On the other hand, the State has witnessed a spate of high profile drugs and narcotics cases. The extent of the drug reach has pushed the parents to acknowledge that the problem of addiction in Goa is a reality. While, de-addicting Goa needs the unison of forces, the government has to shoulder the responsibility of leading the efforts in curbing the drug menace in the State and deal with the peddler-police-politician nexus.
The law and order has collapsed to the extent that Goa reported two incidents of attempts to kidnapping school children, one in Margao and the second in Mapusa, right outside the school premises. The last thing a parent should be worried about is children’s safety even when they are in school.
Responding to the rising crime rate, the Chief Minister said that migrants are setting up crime business in Goa. However, it is no secret who the migrant vote bank is supporting and who is sharing the dais of the associations and organisations formed by the migrants. Thus, instead of playing to the migrant gallery, the government should administer with an iron fist.
The year also witnessed a low in the politics of the State, with Goans irrespective of the party they support or belong to knowing that the eight defectors have deceived their electorate and it’s a shame that the ruling dispensation claims ‘it will strengthen the progress of the State under their party’s leadership’. One should not forget that without an opposition, the system of governance isn’t democracy but authoritarianism.
On the education front, over the last decade nearly 30 per cent of the government primary schools have been shut down. Earlier this year, the National Achievement Survey (NAS), 2021 revealed the poor performance of the Goan school students compared to the national averages. The Chief Minister announced that teachers will be recruited and rightly so they have been recruited but sadly only three-four months of the academic year remain and will that be sufficient enough to bring in the desired change.
This clearly indicates that despite being in power from 2012 onwards in the State, the Bharatiya Janata Party led subsequent governments have failed to focus on the education sector.
According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), Goa’s unemployment is on the rise and in November 2022 it stood at 13.6 per cent, one of the highest unemployment stats in the country, 70 per cent higher than the national average of 8 per cent. While it would be an ideal state of affairs to have a Swayampurna Goa with very low unemployment rate, but the fact is that educated Goan youth are running from pillar to post to get a placement suitable to their qualifications and aptitude.
However, the biggest blow this year has been to the freedom of expression, handed out by the government when the DD Kosambi Festival of Ideas conceived as a platform to unite and celebrate diverse thoughts was called off on the eve of its inauguration in November due to pressure from the right-wing organisations and the ruling party itself, as some of the speakers have been critical of them.
Despite the brut majority, the ruling dispensation is leading Goa into lawlessness and derailing the planned development agenda of the State, in an attempt to please every voter base. The government is on the back foot almost on every issue and the State suffers.
Therefore it is not enough only to seem to have justly governed the State but in truism reach out to the men and women, old and children, as citizens look up to you for their social and economic well being.
Goa@61 should be an opportunity to our political leaders to self-introspect and become publicly accountable.
