GCCI & Mining industry uphappy over union budget
PTI, PANAJI | 16 March 2012 17:29 IST
Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) today said that the union budget brought no cheer to the state industry.
Goa's premier body of industry was expecting several announcements including grants for the state's sewage and garbage disposal systems.
"Every year, we sit here expecting reformist budget. But we fetch nothing from it," GCCI President Manguirish Pai Raikar reacted after watching the budget live on TV with other GCCI members.
Raikar said the business community in Goa expected announcement of one-time grant for sewage and garbage treatment facilities, needed for promoting the tourism.
"Since it is not there in the budget, we will take up the issue again with the Centre as it is the requirement of tourism industry," the GCCI President said.
The industry had also hoped for something good to propel the education sector in the country, he added.
Raikar said although Union Finance Minister attributed economic slowdown to slow industrial growth, there were no measures in the budget to speed up the growth.
The GCCI chief also said that while India targets 7.6 per cent GDP, there should be impetus to infrastructure development, which is essential for industrial growth.
Finance Minister's speech was aggressive but the budget was not, Raikar quipped.
The local mining industry too was not happy, with Goa Mining Association secretary Harish Melwani terming the budget as disappointing.
"Only import duty on mining equipment is lowered and nothing more," he said.
