Dole-based economy: Recipe for disaster

In and out of governments, Goan politicians have only generated false promises and dubious welfare measures of ‘Rob Peter to pay Paul’

DR. JOE D’SOUZA | JULY 11, 2018, 02:42 AM IST

Every Goan today is quite concerned about  the economic meltdown of Goa and about the holistic and sustainable  development of this agrarian, green state of ours. 

K Sera Sera, a Konkani movie currently running in theatres across  Goa briefly portrays Goa’s livelihood and lifestyle,  wherein the director describes the two Goa’s of today - the widening  gap between the rich and the poor and the growing turmoil in the state.  The singing and dancing Goans and in contrast the struggling Goenkars.

In any strong and sturdy economy, the mantra is sustainability and  growth based development. 

Luizinho Faleiro is amongst a rare Goan breed of legislators, who reads and shares his views  through newspaper articles and press briefings. In one such essay in print, Luizinho suggests that the Parrikar government has to generate employment or give  unemployment dole or allowances, and that he would support the  government in this endeavor of generating a dole-based economy. 

A true  recipe for disaster! 

Since 1991, Luizinho has been dishing out policies and  proposals. As industries minister in the 90s, Luizinho had  proposed: “Job for all by 2000”. He became a minister again in 2006  under the Pratapsingh Rane government but nothing happened and I was  provoked to write an article “Jobs for all says Faleiro’s crystal ball”? 

I then had foreseen Luizinho’s utopia. In and out of governments, Goan politicians have only generated false promises and dubious welfare  measures - Rob Peter to pay Paul.

Whether the newspaper botched up Luizinho’s article or it is the  fault of the author, it is absurd that only at the end of the article  appears a line that the mantra and the methods to generate money for  unemployment allowances is with Luizinho! 

Is it the cart before the  horse, or it is failing to describe the role of Rama in Ramayana?  Luizinho should know that taxing the hard working and the already tax-paying class, with an additional burden of payments towards unemployed  youth is a ridiculous preposition. We must understand that Goans by and  large are paying huge taxes on their incomes, savings, commodities they  buy or sell. It is high time that those in governance now axe the taxes.  Our is the highest taxed economy. Besides, we pay commissions, cess and  are even made to pay under the table or facilitation charges.

The Goa government is not generating any income on the huge  investments made out of public money. Our taxes are going down the  drain. Huge roads airports, bridges, multilane express ways only favor  the rich. The rural poor and the urban senior citizens and children have  to live with the garbage gaunlet or stench of urine and commercial  discards by tourists and the business class. 

“Whose father’s what goes”, seems to be the Goan politician’s mantra. Generally, only 6% of the  population should receive dole - consisting of the weak and the infirm.  In Goa, those affiliated to political parties get Ladli Laxmi, Dayanand  Social Security, Griha Aadhaar benefits which constitute 30% of the  population, leaving the 6% truly and genuinely poor languishing, as  they are without political patronages. 

Our CM has created  several corporations and government enterprises, which are white  elephants involved in pleasure trips at cost of society. In  countries like Singapore the government uses corporations and  institutions under them to generate funds and give the citizens  dividends and privileged earnings from the profits generated on a  mandatory or compulsory basis.

In Goa, our municipalities continue to axe us with more taxes. Goa has been  blessed with abundance of natural resources. Sadly we have squandered,  plundered and polluted them all. To generate a vote bank, our politicians have  made our youth parasites and dole dependent. 

Goa already is in a debt trap and has no money for basic education  and health. Our CM, to take care of his health had to go to USA, and  other ministers run for treatment outside Goa as our health services are  in shambles. 

We invite  polluting industries such as coal and coke, generate sewage  effluents through cruise and casino boat operations and are killing the  primary sector of our economy in farming and fishing since our  agricultural lands are inundated or often loaded with hazardous wastes.  

The enteric bacteria and the biochemical oxygen demands of our water  bodies are dangerously high; catalyzing morbidity and mortality on human  and animal resources. Why do you think cancers are growing alarmingly  amongst our people? 

The governments - local as well as at the Centre are busy in tomfoolery. All our major projects like roads, garbage plants, bridges, etc are not generating any income. Our forefathers  recycled garbage, but today we have garbage all around with  non-functional garbage treatment plants, which are in reality white  elephants.  Very few who work for Goan environment know that during the Sao Joao  weekend alone, whilst Goans danced, sang and drank, there were hundreds  of hill cutting and land fillings going on. But Goans do not seem to pull up their socks - they are  happy with our CM dishing giant infrastructure projects and Congress  opposition in our Legislative Assembly, with seniors like Luizinho  Faleiro promising doles if Congress is ever voted to power in Goa. 

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