PANAJI: The Budget Committee of the State Legislative Assembly has decided to meet on February 5 as officials of the State government failed to respond to the questions raised by them on the State budget 2019-2020. The meeting of the seven-member committee held at the Goa Legislative Assembly complex at Porvorim on Thursday, was attended by Fatorda MLA and committee chairman Vijai Sardesai, Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza and Curtorim MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco. Speaking to media persons, Vijai said, “Today we have come to know that never in the history of the Goa Legislative Assembly was the budget committee meeting ever held. The government officers who came for the meeting told us that they are tied-up with the Fifteenth Finance Commission and therefore they do not have the information.” Vijai said that he sought to know information on the allocation to all departments, utilisation of all departments, whether there is any sanction pending which is already approved in the budget, among others.
“They do not have this information. We expect the new budget to be presented on Thursday (February 6). So on February 5 we want to hold another meeting where we want all this information,” Vijai said. He also informed that the committee sought to know whether staff salaries are being paid through the loans taken by the government. “Government has declared new recruitment of 5000 staff. Whether a budgetary provision has been done for this. Whether provision has been made for Laadli Laxmi and Grih Adhaar schemes and whether there is any pendency or deficit,” he said. The committee also sought the list of major infrastructure projects which were announced in the last budget and if the contractors were being paid on time. “We want the government to be accountable. The Legislative Assembly sessions and committees should not be perfunctory for the sake of doing it. They should actually be the tools to ensure good governance and accountability of the government,” Vijai said.