Team Herald
PANJIM: The five-day-long Budget Session of Goa Legislative Assembly will begin from February 3 (Monday) with Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant scheduled to present the financial statement for 2020-21 on February 6.
The session is going to be a litmus test for the Sawant-led government, as the opposition – Congress, Goa Forward Party (GFP), MGP and Independent MLA joining hands to put a joint force in the floor of the House.
The session will culminate on February 7. The House will discuss the Motion of Thanks to Governor’s Address, which was tabled in the House on January 7, during a special day-long session. The opposition benches will move an amendment to Governor’s address.
The Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) report for the last fiscal ending March 31, 2019 which was adopted by State cabinet recently would also be placed during the upcoming session.
The opposition has moved around 20 calling attention motion on issues like Mhadei, mining, unemployment, financial position, Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), along with other subjects.
GFP has moved for two and half hour long discussion on Mhadei, CAA and reservation for schedule tribes in the State Assembly.
Sawant-led government enjoys support of 30 MLAs in the House including 27 from BJP, two independents – Govind Gawade and Prasad Gaonkar and NCP MLA Churchill Alemao.
The opposition benches comprises five Congress MLAs, three from GFP, one from MGP and Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte.
Sawant, who will be presenting his first ever full-fledged budget, said that it would be on lines with the central budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Sawant will have to do a balancing act of revenue and expenditure as main source of income for the state, which was mining industry, has ceased to exist. The state is also witnessing sluggish tourism industry.
Government has received over 400 suggestions for the Budget on their online portal.
Meanwhile, Private Universities Bill, Bill amending Investment Promotion Act, are likely to be tabled during the session along with others.
Chief Minister will also present annual report of Goa Lokayukta.
