PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said the government is working towards banning the entry of locals into casinos.
“I sincerely believe that gambling is not good. If we can, we should remove it from the State. It is human nature to gamble that is why we cannot eradicate it completely, but definitely we cannot encourage it,” Parrikar said in a television interview, on Friday night.
He added, “That is why we had decided on a policy to ban Goans from going to casinos. Lot has been done about it and in the days to come there will be complete ban on locals going to casinos.”
Parrikar also said the government will relocate offshore casino vessels from River Mandovi to another location. The Chief Minister, however, said the State government will not shut down casinos immediately, as companies have invested in it.
Assuring a solution to the garbage problem, Parrikar said, “In the last two and a half years we have seen garbage problems which have emerged in a big way. That is why I have given thrust to garbage disposal and treatment in my recent budget. The process has already started. We will start working from July on it. We already have a garbage treatment plant. I am proud to say that the power generated from garbage has been sent to state power grid.”
Parrikar ruled out any financial crisis in the State due to various issues like ban on sale of liquor along highways and the crippled mining industry. “We have projected 11% GDP growth in the recent budget, but I feel we will go up to 14-15%. GST regime will help Goa as it is a consuming state. Tax and services contribute to the revenue,” he said and added, “After the mining ban was lifted, we have started 20 million tonnes production.”
On the liquor highway ban he said, “I don’t think it will have much of an impact on revenue. I believe we will find a solution for that. We are also trying to rehabilitate establishments which are affected with the Supreme Court order.”
