NT NETWORK
VASCO
Claiming that around 70 per cent of state’s population has access to at least one mode of digital payment and are ready to embrace cashless transactions, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Wednesday said that nothing can stop Goa from becoming the first cashless state in India.
The Chief Minister was speaking to media persons on the sidelines of 115th annual general body meeting of Verna Industries Association at a hotel in Verna. Accusing the opposition of trying to gain political mileage over demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, he said that nobody will be allowed to sabotage the government plan to go cashless.
Appealing people to realise the purpose of demonetisation of high value currencies, Parsekar disclosed that the banks reaching out to the people to streamline the process of going cashless.
Replying to a query as to when the government would go cashless, Parsekar said that it was the BJP which first started transferring money of beneficiaries of various government schemes directly in bank accounts.
On the announcement made by the Prime Minister for declaring the assets of the member of Parliaments (MPs), member of legislative assemblies (MLAs) and ministers, the Chief Minister informed that he has not received any official communication and he came to know about it only through the media.
He however told that every year political leaders file their returns before the Income Tax department as well as before the Lokayukta and the party MPs and MLAs would declare their assets as per the official announcement.
Speaking over grievances placed by the Verna Industries Association during the 115th annual general body meeting, Parsekar assured that he would personally do a follow up. He said, “I will resolve some issues within a week while others would be resolved on priority by placing the same before the concerned authorities of state administration.”
Issues pertaining to raw water, separate police station for Verna industrial estate, truck terminus, tarring of all IDC roads, renovation of streetlights, completion of NH17B, pending notification to the amendment for allotment, transfer and sublease, amendment to building regulations which were placed in the 114th annual general body meeting of the Verna Industries Association have not yet been resolved. The annual general body meeting was attended by Verna Industries Association president Damodar Kochkar, general secretary Durgesh Pai Angle, Nitin Kunkolienkar and others.
Meanwhile, Parsekar also commissioned the traffic signals at Verna junction during the 115th annual general body meeting.