MARGAO: "Instead of increasing the tax on the excise license and hike in liquor prices the government should first take action on the illegalities on liquor which is happing in large numbers," demanded Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco. He also said that the government should catch hold the tax evaders with regard to liquor supply.
Reginaldo further said that the excise department should come clean on illegalities happening at the department level, resulting in heavy losses to the government revenue.
According to him, there are large numbers of illegalities happening in Goa with regard to the liquor business. There are people selling the liquor directly to the other State without paying taxes and people for the excise department are fully involved in helping those outsiders.
"Such type of illegalities needs to be stopped. There is no harm exporting liquor to other States, provided they should pay all the taxes to the Goa government. And Chief Minister should first stress on such issues rather than increasing the price on liquor," he stated. Meanwhile, when asked about the Zilla Panchayat elections he said that there are political leaders within the Congress party who are engaged in doing conspiracy against him.
He said, "I am a Congressman and will remain as Congressman in the future. I have worked hard for the party but there are some leaders within the party who are actually not doing anything for the party and engaged in complaining against me with the high command," he stated.
Reginaldo also said that he was not consulted by any party leader in selecting Congress candidates in Curtorim ZP constituency. "Nor the block president of Curtorim Congress committee consulted me. But whatever may be the reason if any Congress candidate in ZP election wants me to support, I will be ready to do so," he further added.