Panjim/margao: The opposition parties have strongly condemned the State government move to hike various taxes and tariff on water and petroleum thereby imposing additional burden on common man, who is already hit hard due to COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.
The opposition including Congress, GFP and MGP have urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to immediately roll back the water tariff hike, and increased VAT on diesel and excise duty. “After getting badly hit by COVID lockdown and economic slowdown, common man, waiting for ‘Relief’, is rewarded with ‘Hikes in Tariff’,” Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat said.
The former CM urged the govt to immediately rollback the increased charges to provide much needed relief.
GFP president Vijai Sardesai condemning the decision, said the move is like adding salt to injury of distressed locals and business community, which were struggling to survive the pandemic. Questioning the rationale of increasing taxes, Sardesai reminded the BJP govt of the promise made by ex-CM (late) Manohar Parrikar’s of brining VAT on fuel to 0%, which gave the party a clear mandate in the 2012 polls. Welcoming that Prime Minister’s 20 lakh crore package and its mantra of self reliant India, GFP president said that his party’s anthem of Goem, Goemkar, Goemkarponnn since 2016 was actually the best manifestation of being vocal about local. “We are also eager to know how much of the 20 lakh crore package, will the Goa CM for the State,” he said.
The former deputy CM also asked the CM to make his ‘lazy and lousy finance dept officials’ to seek funds from the National Disaster Management Fund and not only use the Disaster Management Act’s penal provisions to trouble locals.
He also condemned the extra liquor charge on areas for both cities and coastal areas to be abolished, as there is no business and no tourism at present. Questioning the rationale of increasing taxes when businesses are bleeding, Sardesai said the hike would lead to decrease of revenue due to high costs.
Equating the promotional fee of Rs 25,000 for Feni, Goa’s Heritage drink – with the fee for whisky, he said the government ‘is actually making locals pay to promote Goan culture’ and further termed it as an anti-Goan decision.
Former PWD Minister and MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar also questioned the government’s intention to burden the common man, who is already reeling under crisis due to lockdown and economic slowdown.”One side, wherein PM is announcing package for revival of economy and to support the common man, in Goa, BJP government is looting public to fill its own coffers,” he said.
Dhavalikar further claimed that as per the govt notification issued on May 12, the water tariff hike is almost double, with effect from April 1. “As we have to use more water to wash hands and be hygienic to fight this deadly virus, this is not the time to put additional burden on Goans. Are they comparing water with liquor?” Dhavalikar added.
Reiterating their party’s demand for the immediate roll back of the increased tariff, Dhavalikar said, “Rather than imposing austerity measures on government and Minister’s spending, the CM is busy emptying pockets of common man.”
