Sawant govt responsible for Goa's fiscal indiscipline: MGP

The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), a former ally of the BJP, on Friday held the Pramod Sawant government responsible for fiscal indiscipline which it claimed had led to Goa's financial health deteriorating.

Addressing a press conference here, MGP president Deepak Dhavalikar claimed former CM late Manohar Parrikar had put finances on track before the Sawant dispensation's "ignorance" led to the state going on a borrowing spree.

"The finances of the state were in doldrums when our government led by BJP took over in 2012. But then CM Parrikar had brought in fiscal discipline to put finances back on track," Dhavalikar, who was Cooperative minister in the Parrikar cabinet, said.

The MGP was dropped from the ruling alliance when Sawant took over as CM after Parrikar's death.

"The current government has borrowed Rs 2,000 crore during its tenure. There will be a time when government will have to borrow from the people to run the state," he said.

He said work orders were not being issued because the state government did not have money, and recession had led to several firms closing down, in turn bringing down Goa's GST collection.

He also questioned "foreign junkets" of state tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, claiming this "unwanted spending" was coming at a time when prices of essentials, like milk, were rising.

Dhavalikar demanded that Sunburn festival be banned in the state, claiming "drugs were sold openly" during the event.