Budget 2012: Goa got nothing, cries GCCI

Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Friday said that the union budget brought no cheer to the state industry, which was expecting several announcements including grants for the state's sewage and garbage disposal systems.

"Every year, we sit here expecting reformist budget. But we fetch nothing from it," GCCI President Manguirish Pai Raikar reacted after watching the budget presentation on TV with other GCCI members.

Raikar said the business community in Goa expected announcement of one-time grant for sewage and garbage treatment facilities, needed for promoting the tourism.

"Since it is not there in the budget, we will take up the issue again with the Centre as it is the requirement of tourism industry," the GCCI President said, adding that the industry had also hoped for something good to propel the education sector in the country.

Raikar said although Union Finance Minister attributed economic slowdown to slow industrial growth, there were no measures in the budget to speed up the growth.

The GCCI chief also said that while India targets 7.6% GDP, there should be impetus to infrastructure development, which is essential for industrial growth.

Finance Minister's speech was aggressive but the budget was not, Raikar quipped.

The local mining industry too was not happy, with Goa Mining Association secretary Harish Melwani terming the budget as disappointing. "Only import duty on mining equipment is lowered and nothing more," he said.