Goa borrows Rs 300cr, Yuri slams govt for revenue slump

Panaji: Opposition leader Yuri Alemao criticised BJP govt on Tuesday for borrowing Rs 300 crore recently. He said chief minister Pramod Sawant has been unsuccessful in curbing the state’s reliance on borrowing.
Alemao said BJP govt’s decision to borrow more funds highlights its inability to manage the state’s finances effectively. He expressed concern over the increasing debt burden on the state and questioned govt’s fiscal policies.
“New borrowing proves Sawant has no plans to generate revenue and end loan dependency.Goa is reeling from a Rs 27,489 crore debt,” Alemao said. “Sawant had said he has done planning and financial management and that after two years, the state will not require loans. But in reality, he has no plans to make Goa Swayampurna in revenue.”
Alemao said govt debt stood at Rs 16,894 crore in the 2019-20 fiscal. He added that in 2020-21, it increased to Rs 20,729 crore, followed by Rs 23,271 crore in 2021-22. For the financial year 2022-23, Alemao said, the total debt rose to Rs 24,619 crore.
The opposition leader slammed govt for its inability to provide financial assistance to beneficiaries of social welfare programmes, attributing the problem to a lack of funds in the state treasury. He said the “cash-strapped BJP govt has spent more than Rs 600 crore on unwanted events”.
Alemao urged govt to take a more serious approach and implement strategies to maintain a stable financial position.