TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Congress has charged the Manohar Parrikar-led government of failing on all fronts as the latter completed one year in office, Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Subhash Shirodkar said that people have realized their mistake of voting this government to power. “The government has been exposed. It has come to power by fooling the people of Goa who got carried away with unrealistic assurances. It has failed to deliver,” he observed.
Congress demanded that Parrikar should specifically declare benefits and support system he claims to have provided in different sectors.
Shirodkar was talking to reporters after leading a delegation to Governor B V Wanchoo pointing out the inefficiencies of the one-year-old government in all its 29 departments.
The party alleged that Parrikar isn’t right to point fingers at others on the mining closure. “At one point of time he says he has closed mining. If he has the caliber, don’t say it is because of Congress. Poor people are suffering because of lack of governance,” he said.
The GPCC Chief also ridiculed Parrikar’s appeal to the local youth to go back to farming. “Parrikar wants people to take on farming as a profession. What are the efforts of the state government in making this profession viable? How much support price has he given for crops in the last one year?” he questioned, claiming that farmers have not been paid anything.
Law and order is in shambles, Shirodkar said citing the rise in crime in the State. The party also attacked the government on increased house tax, power and water tariffs and neglecting panchayats and infrastructure.
The failure to implement various schemes for the Scheduled Tribe community was also highlighted.
“There was a budgetary allocation of Rs 300 crore for ST community, but hardly Rs 30 crore is spent on them. Applicants from the community had applied for various schemes in 2011 but their forms are still pending,” Shirodkar claimed.
Former Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane cited government’s failure on the health front as well. He alleged poor performance of the 108 Ambulance since last one year among other lapses.
“There are no free medicines in the primary health centres or community centres…The ICU and Operation Theatre has not been commissioned in the Asilo hospital, there is no operation theatre in Ponda hospital and neither are any surgeries taking places. Good doctors from Asilo were transferred to Ponda but there are no nurses…why are local purchases increasing?” he said pointing out failures in health care.
The senior Congress leader questioned as to why the Parrikar government was not serious in upgrading health infrastructure and medical equipment. “Health services have deteriorated. The government has miserably failed in agriculture and industrial sector as well,” he said, citing almost all round decline.
