Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday presented a populist budget by slashing petrol prices by Rs 11, announcing Rs 1,000 monthly allowance for housewives, proposing to stabilise domestic gas cylinder prices, and setting target of 15 per cent GDP growth for the next fiscal.
Parrikar, who also holds the finance portfolio, said that VAT on petrol would be almost abolished.
There would a VAT at 0.1 per cent, just to keep a sale record. This, Parrikar said, would cut petrol prices by almost Rs 11 per litre. Current price of petrol in Goa is Rs 65 per litre.
The Chief Minister also proposed that housewives from the families with annual income less than Rs 3 lakh would be given 'remuneration' of Rs 1,000 per month. Domestic gas cylinder prices, as of March 16, 2012 (when Union Budget was presented) would be frozen for the next five years.
"Union budget has created a fear of further spiralling of the prices of domestic cylinders. The endeavour of my government is to ensure that people living in Goa should be spared this inflation," Parrikar said.
The BJP-led government also announced hike in allowance paid under Dayanand Social Security Scheme, from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per month.
It covers senior citizens, widows, women abandoned by husbands, disabled and people affected with HIV.
Parrikar also said that the target for the next fiscal was to achieve 15 per cent gross domestic product growth from the existing 8.3 per cent.
There will be additional revenue mobilisation to the tune of 15 per cent, and revenue deficit would be wiped out by implementing planned projects, he said. The BJP-led government, which came to power after the recently held elections, termed budget as 'for parivartan (change)'.
Taking a dig at previous Congress-led government, Parrikar said, "Now onwards, Goa will be governed only by Goans and not remote-controlled by people sitting in Delhi." The state would be made investor-friendly by offering time-frame to clear the files, he said.