Pramod Sawant meets 15th Finance Commission, demands Rs 6,333 crore for Goa

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met the Chairman NK Singh-led 15th Finance Commission team, in Goa on Friday.

After meeting the Commission, Sawant said that while projecting a figure of Rs 6,000-odd crore funding from the central kitty to the State, Goa has not sought any special financial package to compensate for the loss due to closure of the mining industry.

"We discussed with the Finance Commission about the revenue loss due to the ceasing of mining activity in the state. But despite that, the state has been spending more than Rs 50 crore more than the usual from its budget for at least three years," Sawant told reporters here.

"For the sustainable and overall development of the state we have asked for approximately Rs 6,333 crore funding, under different heads, for the betterment of the state," he added.

The Commission has asked the Goa government to provide data about the total number of holidays spent in the state by foreign tourists.

The team of the 15th Finance Commission arrived in the state on Thursday and is meeting the leaders of various political parties.

The meeting today was held at Dona Paula near Panaji.