Even as Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in his budget speech on Wednesday promised not to levy any fresh taxes on the state's denizens, the Opposition has described the budget as an exercise in "empty talk"
Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Digambar Kamat said that the budget was like a "dream that is not going to fructify"
"The budget they have presented is empty talk; it is like a dream that is not going to fructify. The Chief Minister has made a lot of announcements but he has not said where he is going to get the money from," Kamat said while reacting to the budget speech.
Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai said BJP government needs to take steps that justifies their slogan - Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas.
"Whatever the budget, two-thirds of the expenditure goes to the salaries of the employees and only one-third of the funds are available for development works. Therefore, the success and failure of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant can be judged in the future on how many promises the government can fulfill in this budget. However, it is a fact that emphasis needs to be laid on enhancing tourism facilities in the state and in doing so, his party's policy of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' needs to be developed in all constituencies without discriminating between the ruling party and the opposition," Sardesai told reporters.
Sawant's budget had an outlay Rs 24,467.40 crore out of which Rs 17,097.50 crore was dedicated to revenue expenditure, while Rs 7,369.90 crore was earmarked for capital expenditure.