The ruling and Opposition parties in Goa have played their parts to perfection in the State with the BJP welcoming and the Congress criticising the Union Budget. However, the industry in Goa praised the Budget saying it will spur investment as well as growth.
While the Goa BJP welcomed the announcement of an IIT, AIIMS and a convention centre in Goa proposed in the Union Budget, the Congress in Goa called Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s Budget a “private sector Budget”.“The Budget encompasses all the sections and states and initiates their development. I welcome and support the initiatives and the Budget of Modiji and his Government. It focuses youth, underprivileged women and focuses on development of all sectors,” BJP MP from South Goa Narendra Savoikar said.
The Congress, however, claimed that the Budget was aimed at pleasing the private sector in India’s commercial capital, Mumbai.“Only the interests of the Mumbai private sector are looked after well,” Congress Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik said.The setting up of Indian Institute of Technology and an All India Institute of Medical Sciences facility in Goa, as well as a convention centre to host the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) as well as other events in the State was announced in the Budget speech bringing much cheer.
The Congress’ Naik pour cold water on the IIT claims saying that the existing NIT was yet to be running fully fledged and was struggling to find land.“The Chief Minister should demand an amendment to the Central legislation and demand at least 10 per cent reservation for Goans (in the IIT),” Naik said, adding the setting up of a Convention centre on a public private partnership basis was not a grand concession.
Congress State spokesperson Durgadas Kamat chose to hit at the lack of a financial concession or a relief package made by Jaitley for those who have lost jobs and livelihood due to the mining ban.“There is no assurance on mining. The Goa BJP has used its marketing skill to fool the people of State with regards to financial relief or an economic package if Modi came to power,” Kamat said.
Even as the political parties sparred with each other, president of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Narayan Bandekar said that Jaitley’s fiscal document was a “fairly good exercise”, one which would help usher in the much needed investment in the infrastructure as well as defence sectors.
“Development of industrial corridors with emphasis on Smart Cities linked to transport connectivity and investment allowance of 15 per cent for 3 years to manufacturing companies which invest more than Rs 25 crore in plant and machinery will spur growth in manufacturing,” the GCCI president said.Commenting on the benefits in the Union Budget for Goa, Bandekar said that while a world class convention centre was a long-standing requirement for the State, he also said that provision of e-visa facility at Goa’s Dabolim international airport would help boost tourism in Goa.
“The Budget has proposed setting up of an IIT centre in Goa. This will definitely help improve Goa’s profile as an emerging education hub. Goa also stands to benefit from resolution of the mining impasse and changes MMRD Act and the State finances will improve with revision of mining royalties,” Bandekar also said.