Team Herald
PANJIM: Reacting to the State Budget, Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday stated that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has merely weaved a yarn of “jhumlas”, which has actually given no financial relief to the common man or industry.
AAP Goa Convenor Rahul Mhambre said that the government that is running on loans is just pushing the State into a debt trap.
Mhambre said, “The industry which is under tremendous burden of inflation and low business environment has got no relief whatsoever from the BJP government in the State.
“The common man who has suffered job loss and is faced with high utility bills like power and water has also not got any relief from the government,” he said. Terming the promised jobs wherein the Chief Minister said 37,000 jobs will be provided in the private sector and 10, 000 by the government as a mere lie, Mhambre asked why none of these jobs were provided in the last four years and are being spoken about now when elections are round the corner.
“The least the government could have done is reduced the prices of petrol and diesel which has not happened and because of this inflation is going to rise,” said Mhambre while terming the Budget as a big disappointment for the common man.
He said, “The scheme for subvention of interest to tourism sector and forming the corporation to restart mining in Goa are a very late after thought and should have happened long back and only then Goa would have been back on its track as far as mining sector is concerned.”
“Why did it take the Chief Minister so long to start the corporation?” he asked. He pointed out that promises made in the Budget last year like construction of Ravindra Bhavan in Mapusa and Canacona along with de-silting of Mapusa and Sal Rivers has remained only on paper with nothing tangible happening on the ground and demanded that the Chief Minister explain why these Budget promises were not implemented.
“The statement made by the Chief Minister in his Budget speech to appoint a consultancy firm for availing Central funds for various projects on success fee mechanism is only an indication of hollow the State administration under Sawant is performing. There is no mention of the mounting debt and leading State to debt trap, the Chief Minister must give a report about last Budget plan and execution,” said Mhambre.
