Rupesh Samant

Daijiworld Media Network - Porvorim

Porvorim, Jul 2: Ahead of monsoon budget session scheduled later this month, independent MLA, Rohan Khaunte on Wednesday said that the budget which was presented in the earlier session needs to be revisited considering the sagging financial situation of the state.

Khaunte pointed out that chief minister, Pramod Sawant had presented a revenue surplus budget during the last session held in February, but considering the shrinking revenue resources and future projections, the budget needs to be 'revisited and reannounced'.

He said that the budget would be a revenue deficit one, and not revenue surplus as projected in the financial statement that was presented during the last session.

Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik has summoned the monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly from July 27 onwards.

Khaunte, who currently dons opposition benches, said that the budget which was presented during the last session has nothing to do with today’s scenario vis-à-vis COVID-19 outbreak.

“The economic situation in the state is grim, there are unemployment issues. We are in a very economically down situation.

Can we implement the same budget?” he questioned.

He said that the state government has failed to get grants from the centre. Sawant led government is on a spree of borrowings to pay for the salary liabilities, he said adding that the loans are not taken for capital expenditure.

“The last assembly session was held from February 3 to 7. After that COVID-19 pandemic started.

We have moved from green to red. Lot of things have changed for us,” he said.