MGP grabs lion's share in additional budget

PANAJI
The Goa Forward Party may take credit for the government's ‘Goemkarponn' fame, but in the State government's additional budgetary allocation it is the MGP that has gone forward with the highest claim.
When the government tabled and passed a Rs 990 crore supplementary budget in the recent assembly, adding to its Rs 16,000 crore budget for 2017-18, a whopping 30% or Rs 297 crore was allocated to PWD and Transport Minister Sudin Dhavlikar, even more than what Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar allotted himself (Rs 244 crore).
"This provision has been made for development works and this is a supplementary demand (Batch 1). You may consider that the State budget has been increased from Rs 16,000 crore to Rs 17,000 crore," said Parrikar, when asked to comment on the additional budget.
This Rs 990 crore additional budget has been allotted to 50 departments, of which 15 departments headed by nine ministers alone will stand to benefit from Rs 746 crore, leaving the remaining Rs 244 crore with the chief minister, who heads 35 departments.
Significantly, a sizeable Rs 279 crore of the Rs 297 crore allotted to Dhavlikar has been earmarked for PWD alone, with the remaining Rs 18 cr for the transport department.
When contacted, Dhavalikar was reluctant to provide further details on account of the Model Code of Conduct currently in force.
"In the new budget, the PWD has been allotted funds for the new sewerage and sanitation projects in the State. But since the Code of Conduct is in force, I cannot provide details on these projects," he said.
The third major beneficiary in the additional budget is Urban Development Minister Francis D'Souza with Rs 123 crore, followed by Tourism Minister Babu Azgaonkar (Rs 79 crore), Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane (Rs 57 crore), Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar (Rs 54 crore), WRD Minister Vinoda Paliencar (Rs 52 crore), Panchayats Minister Mauvin Godinho (Rs 36 crore), Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte (Rs 26 crore) and TCP Minister Vijai Sardessai (Rs 21 crore).
Incidentally, there has been no allocation to Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude and Housing Minister Jayesh Salgaonkar in the additional budget.
Of the Rs 21 crore allotted to Sardesai, the TCP department has been sanctioned Rs 17 crore, while agriculture gets Rs 4.5 crore.
When contacted, Sardesai said his earlier proposal of setting up the floriculture estate would now be included in this additional budget.
"The Goa Tinto project, development of wholesale fish market and Centre for Excellence for training of farmers will also be funded from this additional budget," said Sardesai.
In Khaunte's departments, it is the IT which gets the lion's share of Rs 20 crore, while the collectorates will be allotted Rs 6.5 crore. Incidentally, North Goa collectorate will get only Rs 1.25 cr, while the South will get a comparatively higher fund of Rs 5.36 crore.
MGP Minister Babu Azgaonkar has been allotted Rs 79, which comprises Rs 53.6 crore for tourism and Rs 26.2 for sports.
Goa Forward Party's Minister Vinoda Paliencar will stand to gain Rs 52 crore, of which WRD alone benefits with Rs 50.2 crore, while fisheries has to settle for Rs 2 crore additional funds.
Incidentally, Rs 68 cr has been allotted to schools and Rs 38 cr for higher education in the additional budgetary allocation.

MINISTER ADDITIONAL BUDGET
PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar Rs 297 cr
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Rs 244 cr
Urban Dev Minister Francis D'Souza Rs 123 cr
Tourism Minister Babu Azgaonkar Rs 79 cr
Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane Rs 57 cr
Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar Rs 54 cr
WRD minister Vinoda Paliencar Rs 52 cr
Panchayats Minister Mauvin Godinho Rs 36 cr
Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte Rs 26 cr
TCP Minister Vijai Sardessai Rs 21 cr

New projects included in additional budget
# Goa Tinto project at old Market, Fatorda
# Development of wholesale fish market in Fatorda
# Setting up of Floriculture estate in Goa
# Centre for Excellence for training of Farmers
# New Sewerage and Sanitation projects
# Amchi Baim and other irrigation projects