BJP-led Goa govt has failed to frame new Agri policy: NCP

Panaji, Apr 6: The NCP today questioned BJP-led Goa government's "failure" to introduce a new agricultural policy in the state, one of the major promises made by the ruling party in its 2012 Goa legislative assembly election manifesto.

"Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, in the recently-tabled 2016-17 budget, lay his firm thrust on the agriculture, dairy and fisheries sectors, increasing the financial allocation for the three heads to Rs 444.20 crore from Rs 181.88 crore of the earlier year," NCP Goa spokesman Trajano D'Mello said.

Besides, the government has announced a number of sops for organic farming, dairy farming, fisheries, including several new schemes in the sector, D'Mello told reporters. "The NCP would like to ask this government what happened about the new agricultural policy, which this government has promised in its manifesto," he asked.

He said the Goa government, through its notification issued in August 2012, had constituted a committee to work out the agricultural policy and it was mentioned clearly in the gazette that the committee shall submit the preliminary report within four months from the date of its constitution and the final report shall be submitted within six months of the formation.

D'Mello said Advocate Narendra Sawaikar (who is currently the Lok Sabha MP from South Goa) was given the responsibility of framing the policy as the Chairman of Sub Committee for Agriculture.

"In fact, as per the RTI reply dated March 17, 2016, it is stated that the agriculture policy has not yet been framed. The question is, what was Advocate Narendra Sawaikar doing all this while?" he asked.

The spokesman said even after completing four years in power, this government has not yet framed any comprehensive agricultural policy to boost the agricultural sector.

PTI