Goa
to be cheaper destination
Sandesh Prabhudesai
25 March 2003
Goa will be a cheaper tourist destination than before, though
liquor will cost little more, with the state announcing major
concessions to the tourism industry while presenting the annual
financial budget today.
With VAT regime gripping the country from July, the state
has decided to abolish entry tax on imported goods as well
as all exemptions in sales tax etc, though an alternate system
has been devised and revised.
Chief minister Manohar Parrikar has extended the period of
four months, imposing only 50 per cent of luxury tax during
off season period, to six months. It means, the hotel packages
would now come much cheaper even during October and November,
little before the peak tourism season begins here in December.
Though neither major tourism schemes are announced nor the
budgetary allocation has increased this time unlike last year,
Parrikar has provided further relief to the hotel industry
by providing waiver and penalty on non-payment of sales tax,
provided the dues are paid within a specified period.
Considering alarming rate of diseases and atrocities on women
due to increasing drinking habits, the BJP government has
come down on the liquor sector by imposing one per cent health
surcharge on excise duty as well as licence fee, related to
liquor industry and trade, in order to support de-addiction
centres run by the NGOs.
Opening of any new bar or liquor outlet would now require
consent of the Gram Sabha while licence fee on new outlets
has also been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000. In spite
of rationalising the excise duty structure, liquor may still
cost little costlier now.
In what could be described as the pre-election populist budget
though Assembly polls were held hardly one year ago, the major
thrust of Parrikar'a budget has been on three-prone strategy
on employment - retention and creation of employment and encouragement
to self-employment.
Making a provision of Rs 50 crore towards creation of employment
and self-employment in the sectors like agriculture, animal
husbandry and industries, he has promised livelihood opportunities
for 25,000 in three years, out of which 10,000 would be dealt
within a year.
It also includes proposals like employment board for guiding
the unemployed youth in semi-skilled jobs, CM-headed high-powered
monitoring committee for job-related schemes, Krishi Ghar
for collection, sorting, storage and sale of agro products
and subsidies to traditional fishermen.
Parrikar has even announced retrenchment allowances for the
retrenched workers and several schemes for women. Schemes
are even announced for the senior citizens, disabled, freedom
fighters, artisans and artists.
With a plan outlay of Rs 3155 crore, Parrikar has presented
a budget with a deficit of only Rs 5.12 crore while claiming
that he would eliminate the revenue deficit by 2004-05. While
bringing down expenditure on salaries etc from 41 to 36 per
cent, he has increased the receipts through tax and non-tax
revenue to 62 per cent.
The estimated tax revenue amounts to over Rs 765 crore while
the non-tax revenue is estimated to over Rs 450 crore. The
debt payment however is still on a higher side. Though debt
repayment amount has come down to Rs 86 crore, the interest
payment is still over Rs 300 crore.
Your
Comments Please
