Will present budget on March 26: CM

Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said that he will present the state budget on the last day of the budget session on March 26.

Goa governor P S Sreedharan Pillai on Saturday summoned a three-day budget session of the legislative assembly from March 24.

“On the first two days of the assembly session, there will be a discussion on the governor’s speech. I will present the budget on the last day of the budget session (March 26),” Sawant told TOI.

The opposition said that govt fears facing it on the floor of the House.

Leader of the opposition, Yuri Alemao, said the decision to summon an assembly session for only three days in March suggests that BJP is afraid to face the opposition.

“It undermines the principles of democracy and erodes the rights of legislators. BJP’s dictatorial rule is also stifling the voices of activists by imprisoning them,” Alemao said.

He added, “Do they dare to debate on cash for jobs, land conversions, the Suleman Siddiqui case, Mhadei diversion, and accidents? They are afraid to face the opposition and the activists, hence they misused power and sent Rama Kankonkar behind bars. People of Goa will not forgive this dictatorial govt.”

Alemao went on to say, “I condemn govt’s decision to trim the assembly session. United opposition will expose this corrupt govt even during these three days of the assembly session.”

During the budget session, the opposition will try to corner state govt over various issues, including the job scam, Mhadei diversion, land grab, and unemployment.

The opposition has been criticising govt for limiting the assembly session for the past couple of sittings.

With the three-day assembly session, the opposition now has to wait for the monsoon session to raise various pressing issues, including the jobs scam, the escape of Siddiqui from the crime branch custody, and the Mhadei diversion.

Sawant assured the opposition that he would call for a lengthy budget session of the assembly. He said this to the opposition at the business advisory committee meeting.

The recently concluded two-day winter session was held on Feb 6 and 7. During the session, govt answered 236 questions, including 46 starred questions.


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