TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The state will go ahead with the construction of a six-lane bridge across River Zuari on its own, if the Centre fails to give its approval to Goa’s bridge proposal by June 30, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said Thursday.
Parrikar said that the tenders would be invited thereafter.
“If by June 30, the Center does not give its approval, we will not wait anymore and will invite tenders for the same in April,” the chief minister said, at the interactive pre-Budget discussion, organised by Institute Menezes Braganza.
Recalling his assurance to complete the construction of the bridge within 36 months of coming to power, Parrikar said “I have not completed 36 months yet but I know that by now the work should have been started.”
The project has hit a roadblock with the 60-40 percentage sharing of finances yet to get the Centre’s nod. The approval for the bridge has however been received.
The chief minister also announced that he has set May 30 as a target to inaugurate Aldona-Calvim bridge, which was supposed to be completed within eight months of taking office, as assured by BJP government.
“Seventy five percent of work on the bridge is completed,” he stated. The Rs 54.85 crore bridge is 494 metre long having a carriageway width of 7.5 metres and a navigation span of 120 metres.
Parrikar also assured to begin the construction of four-lane road from Panjim to Old Goa and the tenders for it would be invited shortly.
The chief minister said that an 8000 seating indoor sports facility would be constructed next to Goa University by September 2013, end.
Wants to present zero-balance budget for 2014-15
PANJIM: The State government is planning to place zero-balance budget for the financial year 2014-15, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said Thursday.
Parrikar said that the budget would stress on curtailing unnecessary expenditure. “Wastage of money needs to be reduced,” he stated.
Speaking about the forthcoming state Budget 2013-14, Parrikar said that employment generation would be a major focus of the Budget.
Earlier, while addressing Goa pre-budget interactive session, Joint Secretary Budget Anand Sherkhane also spoke about the concept of zero- balancing budget. “Under this the departments would be asked to come out with a proper work plan justifying the need, the distribution of money and implementation of work,” he said.
