Goa Budget: CAA, Mhadei water sharing to be main issues

Apart from the presentation of the state budget, contentious issue like the Citizenship Amendment Act and the ongoing dispute between Karnataka and Goa over the waters of the Mhadei river, are expected to dominate the budget session of the state Assembly, when it begins Monday.

The four-day session will see Chief Minister Pramod Sawant present his first budget, as well as the tabling of the report of the Comptroller Auditor General for the year 2019-20.

“We will raise issues such as Mhadei, CAA, drugs, law and order, unemployment, bad finances and demand for detailed discussions on the issues to find solutions. The Congress Legislature Party will have a floor management with other opposition members and ensure that the government listens to people’s voice,” Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat said.

Vijai Sardesai, president of the opposition Goa Forward party has said that a “united opposition would demand a detailed discussion on the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act as well as the Mhadei water diversion issue.

“We will seek time for a detailed discussion on these issues,” Sardesai said.

Sawant, who is gearing up for his first budget, has already said that it would not focus on just creation of jobs alone, but on rural development.

“Job creation cannot be the focus of a budget. The Budget focus is the state’s sustainable development. When we say sustainable development, it is all inclusive. We will focus on rural development,” Sawant said.

The Chief Minister has also received nearly 400 suggestions from the members of the public, through a specially created portal for inviting public suggestions for the budget.