Measures in the works to check govt expenditure

NT NETWORK

Panaji

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said the government has begun working out economic measures to control expenditure, which will be announced by June 10.

Addressing media persons, Sawant said that he has received reports from the economic revival committee and the expenditure control committee carrying several recommendations for reviving the state economy and controlling the expenditure.

“The government has already begun implementing recommendations made by the panels for taking up several economic measures. We will announce these measures by June 10. The state revenue has dropped by 80 per cent owing to the COVID-19 lockdown,” he said.

The government has stopped housing advance scheme wherein the state had been facilitating housing loans for its employees with two per cent interest.

“However, MLAs will have to pay bank interest rates of the existing 2 per cent for the housing loans…  More measures for reviving the state economy and controlling expenditure will be taken up by the government,” he added.

The government is ready to set up additional COVID hospital, if required, he said.

The government has launched a scheme for settling tax disputes with the office of the commissioner of commercial taxes.

“The resolution to the disputes related to the goods and service tax and value-added tax has been pending since 2016. Hence the government has come out with the scheme for settlement of the said matters. I appeal to the concerned person to come forward to take benefit of the scheme and settle their tax disputes,” he said.