Goa govt to take up multi-nation study tour, Opposition irked

Goa Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar told reporters here today that he along with Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza would be heading to Israel and other countries in the second week of February "to study village tourism."

"There is this concept of village tourism in Israel. We will be going there to study it so that it can be replicated in Goa," Parulekar said, adding that "even the Chief Minister might join us, but he is not sure."

In the recent past, Parrikar had asked the ministers and officials to adopt austerity measures.

Responding to a question on why do ministers require to tour countries to study the tourism concepts, Parulekar said," Why are we elected then? Bureaucrats will be there but we will also be going on the tour."

Goa's economy is currently fearing recession due to halting of the mining industry, which was the highest revenue earner for the state.

Meanwhile, the main political opposition Congress has taken strong objection to the proposed tour at the expense of state's exchequer.

"There is no money with the state government to pay wages to the teachers who are recently recruited in services. How can they spend money lavishly for such a tour?," Congress Goa unit spokesman Sudip Tamankar said.

"The state should give proper attention to the existing beach tourism. Village tourism can be encouraged but not by visiting other countries. We should work on strengthening our own plus points," Tamankar suggested.

He alleged that the Parrikar-led government has left state's finances in doldrums.