Goa: Chief Minister presents revenue surplus budget of Rs 26,765 crore for 2024-25

Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday presented a revenue surplus budget of Rs 26,765 crore for 2024-25 in the Assembly in which no additional taxes will be imposed on citizens of the coastal state. He said the revenue surplus was Rs 1,720 crore, while the gross state domestic product (GSDP) is expected to grow by 13.87 per cent, with per capita income at Rs 7.64 lakh.

Sawant also announced a one-time amnesty scheme for residential houses that are being operated illegally as home stays, hotels and restaurants.

Sawant, who holds the finance portfolio, said Goa received Rs 750 crore as financial assistance from the Center for fiscal year 2023-24 and this is expected to increase to Rs 1,506 crore in 2024-25.

The Chief Minister told the House that despite financial liabilities such as social welfare schemes, loan repayments and infrastructure development, the state government has not imposed additional tax burden on citizens in the last financial years.

“We have worked on our finances through curbing revenue leakages and prudent financial management. Even for this financial year, no additional tax has been imposed,” he said.

He said, there are many leisure and license agreements (between government and private parties) which are not renewed, leading to leakage of revenue and to stop this the state government will introduce a regulation for such agreements.

The CM informed that while increasing the fees for commercial establishments, land revenue and town and country planning department, adequate care has been taken to ensure that it does not impact the citizens.