All-party delegation may meet PM in June
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 22 May 2013 18:23 IST
Goa chief minister has sought an appointment with Prime Minister in the first week of June, for taking all-party delegation to New Delhi.
The issues are two – Special Status for Goa and financial package for mining-affected Goa.
“The formal letters on both the issues would be sent in a couple of days to the concerned ministries and the Prime Minister”, said chief minister Manohar Parrikar.
A decision in this regard was taken in Goa Assembly when both the issues were discussed, separately.
Goa is demanding to amend Article 371 of Constitution of India to give powers to the state to make laws, in order to restrict the sale of land to the ‘outsiders’.
The tiny tourist state has little land while land sharks are jumping at it to make it a holiday home or second home while Goans are deprived of land due to unaffordable prices.
Due to ban on mining operations since October last year, Goa has also suffered huge revenue loss as mining was one of the most important economic drivers of the state economy.
“We have asked for a financial package of at least Rs 3000 crore from the centre”, said Parrikar.
The all-party delegation also plans to request the central government to waive the interest on loans taken by the mining-dependent truck and barge operators and a moratorium on repayment of loans.
The need of the hour is to demand amendment of Article 371 of Constitution of India to give powers to Goa to make laws, in order to restrict the sale of land to the ‘outsiders' is need of the hour.
Goans are not able to get a small plot of land as most of the land has been grabbed by big sharks from outside the state.
If this continues, our future generations will be like lost sheep in a desert.
Better late than never, all parties should come together to demand special status for Goa before it is too late.