Goa Budget focus on rural development, not job creation: CM

Under pressure from the BJP cadres and coalition MLAs to announce the creation of more government jobs, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that the coming state Budget would not focus on jobs but rural development.

Addressing a press conference here, Sawant said he would present the Budget in the Assembly on February 6.

"Job creation cannot be the focus of a budget. The Budget focus is the state's sustainable development. When we say sustainable development, it is all inclusive. We will focus on rural development," Sawant said.

He said that a special web portal would be launched to invite suggestions from the public for inclusion in the Budget.

Sawant also took a potshot at the Opposition members and the NGO sector, urging them to submit constructive suggestions to his government for the Budget exercise, instead of petitioning the courts and using judicial processes to impede government projects.

"NGOs keep stopping work by approaching the courts. Instead of filing cases in courts against the government, they too can send in suggestions," the Chief Minister said.-IANS