Goa economy has collapsed: Congress

The Congress today said the public debt in Goa has risen by 74.88 per cent under the BJP rule since 2012, "which was indicative of the collapse of economy".
Referring to the state Economic Survey 2016-17, which was made public recently, Congress president Shantaram Naik said Goa was in a "debt trap".
"Goa's public debt was estimated to hit Rs 12,018.96 crore on March 31, 2017, as against Rs 10,945.38 crore a year ago," he said in a statement.
"Under the BJP government, the state's debt has risen by 74.88 per cent since 2012 when the public debt stood at Rs 6872.36 crore, which indicates the collapse of economy," it said.

Naik said the state's fiscal deficit has also showed an "upward trend" under the BJP rule, which has increased from Rs 1137.36 crore in 2012-13 to Rs 2001.83 crore in 2016-17.
"All these factors indicate that Goa is virtually in a debt trap," Naik said.

On the front of infrastructure, he said the state PWD has completely collapsed.
"Construction files of roads and buildings remained entangled in the procedural red tapism and due to the scarcity of funds with the government," the Congress leader said.
He said the Investment Promotion Board "seems to have rendered helpless".
Naik alleged that the ease of doing business was absent in Goa as the state government has failed to simplify the business rules.

He also claimed that the communication system remained backward in the BJP-ruled states.
"The government websites are in shambles. Communications through e-mails from the state government to its various departments or to local bodies like municipalities and panchayats has not being adopted. As a result, the government's decisions move at snail's peace since communication is done through letters," he alleged.