Can't close casinos as govt will lose revenue: Goa CM

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today said that he would not stop the casinos in the state as he can not afford to lose revenues worth Rs 150 crore.
"I get Rs 150 crore worth of revenue from casinos. Although I am personally against them, how will I be compensated if I close them," Parrikar said at a meeting of Goa Small Industries Association here today.
Parrikar has been facing criticism from the opposition Congress for not being able to shut down the off shore casino vessels dotting River Mandovi.
Parrikar had opposed the casinos when he was Leader of Opposition in the previous term of the assembly.

He said that there was a liability of Rs 1,500 crore when the BJP-led government took over the reigns of the state from Congress last year.
"There was no money even to pay salaries of the government staff when I took over," he pointed out.

Referring to the recent allegation of his son getting mutation of his land documents done within a day, he said that all legal formalities were followed by his son in the process.
"There was a government order that mutation has to be done within 24 hours. The order is applicable to all applicants, not just my son," he clarified.

"If anyone can prove misuse of government machinery by me or my son, I will resign immediately," he said adding he would expose all the sinister designs behind various allegations made by Congress against the government.