Panaji – Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on Tuesday in a letter to Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant demanded that the 60th year of Goa’s Liberation must be celebrated by helping the needy with 100 Crores Economic Revival Package and involvement of local Artists, Groups and Institutions. He has also stated in his letter that Government must focus on visionary plans for betterment of Goa and refrain from incurring huge expenditure when the State is in bad financial condition and people are suffering due to Covid pandemic.
“I object to the act of the Government to send the meeting notice to members of the Organising Committee of 60th Year of Goa Liberation constituted by the Government just on the previous day of the scheduled meeting. I received the notice of the meeting fixed on Tuesday December 1 at 4 pm at Porvorim on Monday November 30,” Kamat mentioned in his letter.
The Chief Minister himself has gone on record stating that the finances of the State are in bad condition. The Government is continuously borrowing money to meet with its revenue deficit Digambar Kamat wrote in his letter.
“The beneficiaries of the Social Welfare Schemes like Gruh Aadhar, DSSY, Senior Citizens, Persons with Disability, Seafarers have not received their monthly pensions for last 6 months. The beneficiaries of the Laadli Laxmi Scheme are also awaiting Government to release their assistance,” pointed Digambar Kamat in his letter.
After the outbreak of Covid Pandemic and collapse of Economy due to unplanned Nationwide Lockdown, the marginalized sector has suffered the most and has come under huge financial burden, Kamat inferred.
Kamat stated that he had earlier submitted I a “Road Map for Immediate Economic Revival of the State” to the Chief Minister with a request to announce an Economic Revival Package of Rs. 100 Crores for Goa but the Government has not taken any initiative to reach out to the marginalized sector whose suffering continues till date.
I strongly feel that the real tribute to all those known and unknown Freedom Fighters who sacrificed their lives and fought for Liberation of Goa will be by extending helping hand to the needy. The Government must curtail expenditure on celebrations and focus on providing basic facilities to the Common man, especially during these testing times Digambar Kamat has urged.
I urge that, present Government must immediately implement the said report which will help the State to overcome the current crises and will also be a step towards making Goa a Model State of India in this 60th year of its Liberation, Digambar Kamat wrote in his letter.
Digambar Kamat has also pointed out that his Government had given grants to the Municipalities and Panchayats as part of Golden Jubilee Celebrations to create Signature Projects in 2011.
The Goenche Daiz Scheme initiated by Congress Government is kept in abeyance since 2012. The said scheme was made to help small occupationists like Fulkar, Kakankar, Khajekar, Render, Poder, Motor Cycle Pilot, Gold Artisans etc. Today, when we mark 60 years of Liberation it is important that these occupationists are given help. I urge that Government must immediately implement the said Scheme stated Digambar Kamat.
He further appealed to the Chief Minister to ensure that all the pending applications of Children of Freedom Fighters are cleared on first priority, which will be a real tribute to the Freedom Fighters of Goa.
“State Level functions can be organized in association with Freedom Fighters Association, Department of Art & Culture, Goa Konkani Academy, Goa Marathi Academy, Institute Menezes Braganza, Goa University and various Social and Cultural Groups of Goa to mark the 60 years of Goa Liberation strictly with the participation of the local Artists & Groups and by engaging the services of the locals with minimum budget,” the Leader of Opposition opined.
