Goa GDP expected to achieve 9.8% growth rate: Governor

Panaji: Goa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to achieve a growth rate of about 9.8 per cent during the financial year 2018-19 with the per capita income of Rs 5.04 lakh, which is the highest in the country, Governor Satya Pal Malik told the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

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Addressing the special one-day session, the governor said the state has been achieving economic progress despite ban on mining activities, global economic slowdown and revenue resources reduction.

"You are all well aware that in spite of the mining ban, global economic slowdown and revenue resource reduction in the state, the Gross State Domestic Product estimates of Goa has registered a growth rate of 11.08 per cent for the year 2017-18 (Provisional) and expected to achieve a growth rate of about 9.8 per cent during 2018-19 (Quick) with a per capita income of Rs 5.04 lakh," the governor said.

He said the per capita income of Goa is the highest in the country, which is "more than thrice the national average, thus portraying a robust and healthy economy."

The governor also said the state government was working "meticulously to improve revenues of the state."

"The revenue collection through GST was Rs 2558.40 crore till December 2019. The excise revenue collection up to December 2019 has touched Rs 351.55 crore showing a growth of 7.6 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year," the governor told the House.

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"Revenue of Rs 194.10 crore has been collected towards registration of vehicles during the current year till December 2019," he added.

Talking about the agricultural sector, the governor said his government envisages sustainable development of the agriculture sector and making agricultural activity more viable due to better economies of the scale of cultivation and efficient marketing of the produce.

"The state's vision is now focused on organic farming and about 10,000 hectares of area is planned to be converted into organic farming by formation of 500 clusters (20 hectares each) in three years covering 12,000 farmers," he added.

Malik said the state government has provided the subsidy to the tune of Rs 71.06 lakh for procuring 456 agro machineries such as tractors, power tillers and others.

The governor said safety and security of tourists, and women and children is the topmost priority of the state government.

He said the crime rate has declined by 10.4 per cent in 2019 as compared to the previous year.

"At the same time, the crime detection rate has increased to 84 per cent in 2019 as against 82 per cent in 2018 due to better staffing and implementation of various preventive measures and adoption of modern technology.

He said the crackdown on illegal drug trade led to registration of 213 cases and a seizure of 84 kgs of drugs worth Rs.5.65 crore.

"Recently, drugs worth about Rs 3 crore was seized in a single raid," he added.

The session was held to ratify the Constitutional amendment bill that extends reservations to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for another ten years.

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(PTI)