Janjivan Bureau / Panji : Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar presented a basic budget in the state legislative assembly on Thursday after he was discharged from Mumbai’s Lilavati hospital in the morning.
Parrikar flew to Goa in a chartered flight and went to his residence before reaching the assembly at 3pm. “The Chief Minister held a meeting of the state cabinet to get a formal approval for the budget. He also met legislators across parties in his chamber and told them that he has been unwell but is recovering,’’ said Pramod Sawant, the Speaker of the Goa assembly.
Parrikar was initially admitted to Goa Medical College for treatment for food poisoning and was shifted to Lilavati Hospital on February 15, where he was being treated for “mild pancreatitis”.
A frail Parrikar spoke only for five minutes while presenting the budget and left the House after it was adjourned sine die at around 3.30 pm after the passage of the vote-on-account for five months. Parrikar said he could not present an elaborate budget because of his ill-health but would make a supplementary statement before the end of the current financial year.
The Rs 17,123-crore budget focused on generating employment opportunities in the state
Parrikar thanked those who had wished him a speedy recovery in a tweet. “For complete recovery, I have been advised by the doctors some precautions in the immediate short term. During this period my interaction with the public will be limited. However, I will be discharging my regular duties and obligations as the Chief Minister,” the tweet added.
Goa’s agriculture minister Vijai Sardesai said Parrikar is expected to resume work formally by next week. Sardesai, who is from the Goa Forward Party, added that the CM said that he will conduct the next cabinet meeting by next Tuesday or Wednesday.
BJP leaders said there was no clarity yet as to whether Parrikar would go back to Mumbai to resume treatment. “He was discharged early morning but we are not aware about his return or re-admission. The decision will be taken by his treating physicians,” said Dr Sitaram Gawde, Medical Superintendent of Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai.
A senior minister said Parrikar’s decision to table the budget was to effectively send a message that he continues to be in charge and put to rest uncertainty about his government and discussions about his possible successors.
Parrikar’s Bharatiya Janata Party-led government rules with the support of three legislators each from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Goa Forward Party (GFP), besides two Independents. The BJP has 13 legislators in the 40-member House.
