Panaji, March 8,2023: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that this year’s budget will be realistic and futuristic, which will focus on areas like education, healthcare, sanitation, tribal welfare and other areas.

Sawant was speaking to reporters after chairing pre-budget orientation meeting for financial year 2023-24. Secretaries of departments, HoDs and other officials were present in the meeting.

“My government has set the target of availing maximum benefit out of Centrally-sponsored schemes. The state will carry out schemes on priority areas like education, healthcare, sanitation, tribal welfare, etc. The Budget will be realistic and futuristic,” Sawant said.

“I took the review of the last budget. We could achieve 98 per cent revenue receipt of last year and also could implement a 90 per cent budget. In this budget, we will focus on the education sector, health sector, sanitation and tribal sector,” he said.

“In this budget, we will fully focus on the concept of ‘swayampurna Goa’ with skill development, and will see that schemes are reached the last mile,” Sawant added.

“We have focused on revenue receipt, without putting burden on people we will achieve our target. Also provision will be made for G20 and National Games made in budget,” the chief minister said.

Ahead of the budget session, scheduled from March 27 to 31, Goa government has invited ideas and suggestions from industrialists, students, and the public for a “public-centric” budget.

Government has appealed to people to send their suggestions in this regard.

“People from the area of industries, students and common man can send their ideas and suggestions by March 15 to make it public-centric budget. This will help us come up with new ideas,” Sawant said.

The chief minister said that people can give suggestions in whichever area they wish. “This will help us to make a good budget,” Sawant reiterated.

Last year, soon after the swearing-in of his second government, Sawant had presented a budget focusing on revival of mining and fostering the economy with no new taxes.