Aldona Congress MLA Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira on Monday termed the budget presented by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as full of emotional and political rhetoric, but lacked the vision and road map to operationalisation.
Speaking during the discussion on the budget, Adv Ferreira raised several issues including the government’s plans for expenditure on projects are at best, iffy.
“The GSDP growth rate of 14.27% and projected per capita income of ₹9.69 lakh seems overly optimistic especially when there are no major reforms in sectors like tourism, industry, etc. Capital assistance of ₹1,520 crore from the Centre is notable, but we have seen the double engine train falter when it comes to utilization of the funds and which is why the government had to hire consultants to help them push the train,” Adv Carlos said.
He questioned the Chief Minister’s claim that Goa has a reported revenue surplus of ₹2,403 crore is presented positively saying that the chief minister has failed to inform on the actual figure in his speech. “We are left to wonder whether it’s because of under-execution of projects,” he said.
Speaking of infrastructure, he said that while the figure of ₹30,000 crore in national projects sounds impressive, there’s limited emphasis on road quality audits or rural connectivity.
“Repeated references to completed or sanctioned works are not matched by completion timelines or third-party verification. Sewerage allocation is significant (₹264 crore), but with only 30% coverage being added, universal sanitation remains distant. The proposal to incentivize connections through billing penalties may backfire unless supported by awareness campaigns and easy grievance redress. Master Plan 2050 lacks interim milestones; implementation accountability and public participation are also missing,” he also said.
On education he said “gaps in infrastructure and teaching quality remain unaddressed. Laptop distribution in government middle schools and upgraded labs is positive, but sustainability (repairs, software) is not discussed.” “Often outdated laptops provided with basic software – children simply surf the internet or play computer games. And they don’t work after a while,” he also said.
Speaking of the tourism sector, he said that the department fell short on low-cost, high-impact interventions such as: reviving heritage forts and walking trails, linking rural homestays to mainstream tourism and training and certifying locals in hospitality skills.
“The sector’s long-standing issues (waste, unregulated construction, crowding) remain unaddressed. Focus is overly skewed towards mega projects like an oceanarium – capital-intensive, environmentally sensitive, and uncertain Return on Investment, Aero-tourism – niche interest, questionable economic multiplier, and high safety regulation needs. Caravan parks and “Goa Beyond Beaches” are innovative ideas, but there’s no ecosystem or regulation yet for caravan tourism. Cruise tourism gets a boost, but its carbon footprint and compatibility with fragile coastal zones are unexamined.
“Online taxi aggregator policy has taken undue priority over urgent affordable mass public transport needs. Aggregator policy lacks integration with sustainable mobility (electric vehicles, public transport),” Adv Carlos also said.
Adv Carlos also raised issues like that of the lack of timely promotions for government servants pointing to cases in the police in which the they affected officers are denied timely promotion to IPS on account of a lack of timely promotion, the failure of the CM’s apprentice scheme which lacked a clear roadmap for the apprentices after they finish their tenure.
Speaking about electricity, the Chief Minister said that while the allocation of ₹4,131 crore was substantial, “the budget lacks clarity on how much is for loss reduction, infrastructure upgrades, and billing reforms.”
“Underground cabling projects (₹239.77 crore) and Smart Meters are long overdue. However, no timeline or measurable outcome targets are mentioned. The Goa Tamnar project, while aimed at improving reliability, lacks environmental transparency. Its impact on forest areas and transmission losses is not discussed. ₹338 crore for distribution system improvements is significant, but again, project-specific audits and consumer-side metrics are absent,” he said.
He also questioned Goa’s ambitious plans for renewable energy but that the ₹62.15 crore allocation is modest considering Goa’s renewable energy potential and national clean energy commitments.
“Projects like 700 solar pumps, rooftop solar on substations, and a 5 MW solar plant at Goa Engineering College are welcome but need stronger scalability and timeline clarity. “Model Solar Village” and subsidies for EVs (₹14.5 crore) are encouraging, yet the reach of these initiatives will remain limited without greater funding and awareness. There’s a lack of clear data on how much of Goa’s total power consumption will be offset by renewable energy within five years,” he also said.
Adv Carlos also questioned the budget’s allocation for urban development projects but which remained underutilised.
“₹452.68 crore allocation shows intent, but priorities like slum redevelopment (₹5 crore) seem heavily underfunded. Smart City Mission (₹423.61 crore) investments in beautification (Patto, Cafe Bhonsle Square, Ribandar Market) risk focusing on aesthetics over essential services. CITIIS 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0 projects (₹96.95 crore) for improving water supply and sewerage are strong entries but must be transparently monitored for completion and service reliability,” he also said.
“Smart poles and illumination plans are welcome, but benefits like energy savings or public safety outcomes are not clearly benchmarked,” he also said.
The Congress MLA questioned the role of the GHRDC which he said had now become a private security contractor without clear legal safeguards and contract enforcement may lead to worker exploitation. “It has become a Labour contractor,” Adv Carlos said.