Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant in his budget speech highlighted certain key achievements and proposals for the forthcoming financial year. Prime News Goa gives you a glance at these.
Goa’s percentage of expenditure towards scientific research is 0.7% of GSDP, which is the second highest in the country.
Goa Institution for Future Transformation (GIFT) has been constituted to function as a ‘think tank’ of the Government. Reputed academicians, professionals and industrialists would be put on this institution to guide the Government in policy making.
Notified the ‘Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program’ to involve dynamic youth in public administration system in the thematic areas of Health, Education and Renewable Energy. Propose to engage more such fellows for better governance outcomes for which a provision of Rs. 80 lakhs has been earmarked.
Good governance public grievance cell 100% right of citizens to time bound delivery of public services act
Health: A state of the art Tertiary cancer Care Center is under execution at Bambolim with a total outlay of Rs. 247 crores. It will offer advanced surgical and medical oncology treatment for all types of cancers in the State of Goa.
Starting of D.M. and M.Ch courses in super speciality which is first of its kind in the State.
Starting of a cardiac cath-Lab for heart patients in South Goa District hospital is underway and a Neurosurgery unit in south Goa District hospital will be commissioned soon.
Propose to open two critical care blocks of 50 beds each at GMC and South Goa District Hospital with an outlay of 23 crores each from the PM-ABHIM scheme.
Goa is in the elimination phase of TB, malaria, filaria and leprosy due to the sustained efforts of the health services team.
Food& Drugs: Goa has been awarded by FSSAI as the best performing State in the country in the Food Safety Index, for the third consecutive year. Propose to open a branch office of Food and Drugs Administration in South Goa Margao.
PWD: State will also be the first State in the country to achieve real time monitoring of the water supply system and the tender is already invited for its implementation in this financial year.
Will continue to implement the scheme “Save Water to get Free Water” wherein 16,000 litres per month is made available free of cost. Weekly, 1 day is earmarked to sort out the billing issues at all the Sub Divisional offices of Water Supply Divisions.
Government aims to increase the sewerage connectivity target from 17% to 28% in this year. The sewerage projects at Colva, Kavlem, Baga, Mapusa will be commissioned in this financial year. The allocation to the sewerage sector is Rs. 372.87 crores.
To implement flood control measures in the areas badly affected on Mhadei river, Chapora river, Mapusa river and Khandepar river, propose to implement a comprehensive ‘Flood Mitigation project’ for these rivers at a cost of more than Rs. 100 crores.
Under World Bank aid, to warn and alert about impending disasters such as cyclone, Tsunami, etc., 38 Early Warning Dissemination Towers have been envisaged along the coast line, of which 23 towers have been installed and commissioned.
Following the footsteps of Central Government’s “Catch The Rain Programme”, propose to introduce a “Community Participatory Programme in Water Harvesting” to encourage and promote community participation in Water Harvesting. A registered Group Farmers/ Youth Club/ NGO can take up construction of Water harvesting Structures which will be supported with assistance to the extent of 80 % of the cost of the structure.
Transport: Government has plans to construct modern bus stands on PPP basis at Panaji and Margao. Also plan to undertake up gradation of various bus stands for which a capital outlay of Rs. 20 crores has been provided.
Government will start undertaking remote enforcement through a sophisticated “Integrated Traffic Management System” which will provide live real time data to capture violations and enable the Government to penalize the violators remotely as per law.
Civil Aviation: The construction of Mopa Airport is expected to be completed, commissioned and dedicated to the nation by August 2022 in commemoration of the 75th year of India’s Independence.
Ports & River Navigation: The construction of a state of the art Terminal building for Captain of Ports at a cost of Rs. 25.18 crores will be completed by the end of this year. Process of commissioning the first Solar Hybrid Electric Green boat for inland water transport by the end of April 2022 to reduce environmental pollution. Also, 2 more conventional ferry boats are under construction and will be soon added to the fleet of 35 ferry boats to replace the older ones.
Renewable Energy: Biomass Briquetting Plant having capacity of 20 tonnes per day constructed at a cost of Rs. 5 crores will be commissioned shortly. Propose to expand the same and encourage more such plants in the state.
Industry: Under the Scheme for Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) 7 clusters have been taken up: two Paddy clusters for North and South Goa, Chilly cluster, Jaggery cluster, Multi Fruit cluster, Food Processing cluster and Coir cluster.
Propose to formulate a “Logistics Policy” in the financial year 2022-23.
Handicrafts, Textiles & Coir: Under the Central Scheme, Govt received in principle sanction of Rs. 10.00 crores by Ministry of Textiles, Govt of India for setting up Kunbi Craft Village in South Goa.
Labour & Employment: Government is in the process of implementing one new Maternity Benefit Scheme for female industrial workers belonging to SC/ST for proper postnatal care
Skill Development: Government will launch an “Entrepreneurship Policy” which would help youth to opt for self-employment and help them identify focus areas, banking linkages, robust market linkages and initial hand holding to ensure sustainability of their venture.
Agriculture: An “Incubation Center” is proposed for processing of coconuts, vegetables and fruits at Government Agriculture Farm, Salcete at a cost of Rs. 2.60 crores which would greatly help our young Goan farmers.
Propose to provide an online platform for facilitating the farmers to sell their agricultural produce and value added products. The same would be launched shortly.
Tribal Welfare: Commenced the work for establishing the Tribal Research Institute as well as Tribal Museum and aim to complete the work speedily.
Education: Propose to set up/upgrade science labs initially in 350 schools, vocational labs in 71 schools and 20 new Atal Tinkering Labs. Upgradation of computer labs in schools will be taken up in a phased manner to cover all the schools in the State. I also intend to upgrade sports facilities in 350 schools.
Higher Education: Government will establish a “State Research Foundation” for which provision of Rs. 6.50 crores has been earmarked.
Government also intends to establish ‘State Education Technology Foundation’ in the state of Goa to encourage all higher education institutions and teaching faculty members.
Government has notified the Indian International University of Legal Education and Research of Bar Council of India Trust at Goa Act, 2021, whereby international law universities and arbitration centers will be established in the state of Goa in near future.
Sports and Youth Affairs: To ensure the availability of grassroot-level sports infrastructure in the State, government, with the support of the Central Government will establish two Khelo India District Centers at Peddem Sports Complex and PJN Stadium Fatorda for Hockey and Football respectively.
Rural Dev: Propose to make the Rural Development department and “URBAN LIVELIHOODS MISSION” as the single point of contact for 26 all the applications and disbursals for rural and urban SHGs, which will extend the benefits of various schemes run by multiple departments.
Propose to implement “Startup Village Enterprise Programme” in the talukas of Canacona, Quepem, Pernem, Bardez and Bicholim focusing to promote micro enterprise activities like broom making, grocery shops and likewise retail businesses for which a provision of Rs. 50 lakhs has been made.
Forest: A “Nagar Van” has been developed alongside Chapoli Dam in Canacona for conservation of valuable bio-diversity of the region. This Nagar Van is one of the potential ecotourism projects which will promote Hinterland Tourism in Goa.
Come up with “Eco-tourism Policy” which will lay emphasis on active participation of local people to provide them gainful employment opportunities.
Waste Management: An initiative to recycle used clothes will be taken up in 2022-23 where the general public can deposit used clean cloth items to the designated collection points and in return get cloth bags made out of used cloth. This initiative will not only help in recycling of used cloth but also in reduction of use of plastic bags.
Government will set up a ‘Waste to Art Park’ at the cost of Rs. 10 crores by utilizing some of the scrap unserviceable items which would add touristic value and at the same time allow recycling of some of the waste.
Info & Publicity: Propose to organize the long pending “Konkani and Marathi Film festivals” in 2022 for which a provision of Rs. 1.50 crores has been made and for conducting IFFI and other activities by ESG in 2022, a provision of Rs. 16.00 crores has been kept.
Archives & Archaeology: Government proposes to frame a “Heritage Policy” for the State.
Tourism: Part of funds received for Goa Liberation will be used for:
Developing a digital museum at recently inaugurated Aguada Jail,
• Restoration of Cabo-de-rama Fort on the lines of Aguada Jail
• Construction of “Goa Haat” along with developing a mobile application for sale of local handicrafts.