Team Herald
MARGAO: The Congress has demanded that the chief minister release white paper on the financial status of Goa immediately. The party has alleged that the BJP pushed Goa into bankruptcy and the State needs to come out of it.
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Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President (GPCC) Girish Chodankar said that the admission by Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant that the financial condition of the State is not good is a clear vindication of Congress’ stand that the BJP government has pushed the State into bankruptcy and there is financial emergency in Goa.
“We were raising these issues since November 2019, but the CM always tried to ridicule our claims. Truth always prevails, and the calamity of Coronavirus has now compelled the CM to accept the reality,” he said.
Chodankar demanded that the chief minister immediately announce austerity measures for the next three years by completely putting a stop on foreign tours, promotional events and other wasteful expenditure such as construction of memorials etc and focus on providing relief to people in need.
“We must collectively find means to come out of this problem at the earliest. We must involve experts in financial management who are ready to volunteer,” he demanded.
“We demand that the chief minister should come out with white paper on the exact financial condition of Goa with details of amount available in contingency fund, balance in CM Relief Fund, present liabilities of Goa government including those of various Corporations and others,” Chodankar demanded.
Congress has also demanded that CM announce his governments’ plans and preparation to handle the situation if the lock down is extended. “How will government compensate the small businessmen and daily wage earners?” Chodankar questioned.
He said that the “statement of CM is shocking” and that the CM was making mockery of Opposition when they were pointing at the factual condition and advising him to start austerity measures.
“The community survey proposed by CM is illogical, ill planned and without consulting experts. If implemented, so far safe, Goa will become Coronavirus destination as 7000 employees will come in direct contact with four lakh families in three days. We reiterate our demand for community screening to be followed by testing. CM needs to make proper homework on Bhilwara Model and should not push Goa into phase-3 of corona pandemic,” Chodankar said.
