PANJIM: While its alliance partners Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) and Shiv Sena have promised to withdraw grants to English primary schools, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) has chosen to avoid the issue, as well as that of casinos in its manifesto, leading to speculation that the alliance could be finding it difficult to agree on issues.
Speaking on the MoI, MGP Chief Ministerial face Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar said, “Medium of instruction is an old issue. The issue of stopping grants is a small thing and will be decided later when we sit together. I have a long term vision. If you see most of the English medium schools don’t get grants. As per Supreme Court guidelines one cannot incorporate language as an issue and that is the main reason we decided not to incorporate it in our manifesto.”
On the issue of casinos, Dhavalikar said, “At this stage it is impossible to stop casinos and also difficult to relocate or amend or change the Act to discontinue all casinos. If we close down the casino industry or shift them to another place, all the casinos will go for arbitration to the Supreme Court. But we promise that in future we will not allow more casinos.”
The MGP manifesto promises that all contractual staff of PWD shall be accommodated under the labour society within three months from the day of formation of government. The manifesto pledges special financial aid to the poor, upgradation of services at health centers. “We will regularise contractual, ad-hoc staff and para teachers appointed by the government, following due process in all departments as per merit,” he added.
The manifesto also promises that the Tenancy and Mundkar Act shall be simplified so that all cases will be resolved, safeguarding the interests of tenants and landlords within a couple of years by providing special mamlatdar courts.
An initial backing of Rs 75,000 per hectare shall be provided to bring more area under sugarcane cultivation, says the manifesto.
Dhavalikar further said that employment generation will be promoted by non-polluting industries like IT, food processing, tourism and agro.
On the mining front, MGP has assured that mining would be regulated as per Supreme Court guidelines. MGP also wows to fight the increasing drug menace wherein laws will be made more stringent with the help of the Centre and a special narcotics cell would be set up to check spread of drugs.
