Team Herald
PORVORIM: The Goa Assembly on Monday passed The Goa Appropriation Bill, 2023, authorising the government to appropriate Rs 86,81,59,000 out of the Consolidated Fund of the State for the financial year 2022-23.
Tabling the Bill, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the monies were required for four departments – Rs 25 crore for General Administration Department (GAD) to deposit in the High Court; Rs 46.50 crore for Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) for ongoing Smart City works; Rs 15.31 crore for Women and Child Development for continuation of the Centrally sponsored scheme and Rs one crore for the Department of Rural Development.
However, the opposition criticized the government for tabling the Goa Appropriation Bill ahead of the State budget. Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said that it was mismanagement of the highest order. The Chief Minister will present the budget without general discussion, he said and demanded that the government should declare a public holiday on Ram Navami. He alleged that the government wanted money towards the luxury cars purchased by the GAD.
Opposition Leader Yuri Alemao alleged that the government is using public money to create its public-image building through event management, and added that the government had failed to fulfill the commitment given to the people.
