Goa: Economic Survey report to be tabled in next session

Panaji, Mar 16: Goa government will not table the Economic Survey report of the state during the ongoing Assembly session.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told reporters yesterday that the government will table the crucial Economic Survey report during the next session of the state Assembly.

"There is no compulsion to table it during the Budget session, though traditionally it is tabled," Parsekar said. The Budget session of Goa Assembly began on March 14 and will culminate on March 18.

Independent MLA Vijay Sardessai, however, strongly objected to the government's failure to table the report.

"It is a tradition to present the Economic Survey report before the annual budget. I have not seen a break (so far) in this tradition," Sardessai said.

"The budget is to be prepared on the background of the state of economy, not in vacuum. The survey is also a tool for economists and analysts to critically examine the budget," he said.

Sardessai alleged that failure to table the report shows the government wants to hide the state of the economy.

"The bad state of finances and the growing unproductive spending is sought to be pushed under the carpet," he further alleged.

PTI