Parrikar delivers Budget speech in 'hosh', 'josh'

Hitting out at the Opposition for questioning his "hosh", ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday said that not only is he fully in hosh but his "josh" is very high, too.

Parrikar, who rose to present a revenue surplus Budget for the year 2019-20, read out a brief statement from his seat in the state legislative Assembly, after he was permitted to by Speaker Pramod Sawant, on account of his ailment induced physical discomfiture.

"Present circumstances have prevented me from delivering a detailed Budget speech, but there is a josh that is too high, very high and I am in hosh. Fully in hosh. I am sure that my figures will speak more than words and further these figures will be effectively translated into results," Parrikar said.

Parrikar's barb was aimed at state Congress president Girish Chodankar.

A couple of days ago, after Parrikar at his first public function in months had quoted the now famous dialogue 'How's the josh?' from the film 'Uri', Chodankar had in reply said, that Parrikar should come back to "hosh" before asking people about their "josh".

The Chief Minister, who is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer, was in obvious discomfort during his brief speech and was unable to flip the pages of the document, which forced the marshals to assist him in the task.

The Chief Minister also had to sip on medication through a straw in the course of his brief speech.

On the direction of the Speaker, the annual Budget speech was tabled in the House electronically.

Parrikar said that he owed a lot to his motherland and Goa and added that he would "serve Goa with sincerity, integrity and dedication until my last breath".

"Overall for the year 2019-20, the annual financial statement indicates a revenue surplus since many years in succession. The revenue surplus is estimated at Rs 455 crore," Parrikar said.

"The total gross budgetary expenditure is Rs 19,548 crore as against Rs 17,123 crore for the year 2018-19, representing an increase of 14.16 per cent over last year," the Chief Minister said.

--IANS

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