In an apparent dig at the Opposition for questioning his hosh (senses), ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, while tabling the State budget for 2019-20 in the Assembly on Wednesday, said not only is he fully in hosh but his josh (enthusiasm) is high too.
Mr. Parrikar, struggling to read a few typed pages, presented a revenue surplus budget. The gross budget was of ₹19,548 crore, as against ₹17,123 crore for 2018-19, signifying an increase of 14.16% over last year.
Reading out a brief statement from his seat, following permission from the Speaker, he said, “The present circumstances have prevented me from delivering a detailed budget speech, but there is a josh that is high, very high. And I am in hosh , fully in hosh . I am sure that my figures will speak more than words, and will be effectively translated into results.”
On Sunday, at his first public function in months, Mr. Parrikar had twice quoted a dialogue from the film Uri : “How’s your josh ,” in a brief speech at the inaugural of the third Mandovi bridge. Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar had said the next day that Mr. Parrikar should come back to hosh before asking people about their josh .
On Wednesday, the Chief Minister, who is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer, was in obvious discomfort during his speech in the House and was assisted with his papers by the marshals. Twice, he had to sip on medication through a straw.
A visibly concerned Speaker Pramod Sawant intervened before Mr. Parrikar could complete the few pages he was holding, to say that the House would adopt his budget speech as read. At the direction of the Speaker, the budget speech was tabled in the House electronically.
Mr. Parrikar began his speech quoting a couple of lines by the late poet Achut Ramnath Kare, saying that he owed a lot to his motherland and Goa, and vowed to “serve Goa with sincerity, integrity and dedication until my last breath”.
“For the year 2019-20, the annual financial statement indicates a revenue surplus since last three years in succession. The revenue surplus is estimated at ₹455 crore,” Mr. Parrikar said. The budget, which has a thrust on employment, information technology, infrastructure and education, has an uncovered fiscal deficit of ₹1,418.65 crore. The budget has not provided for any additional resource mobilisation.
The three-day Assembly session, which began with Governor’s customary address to the members on Tuesday, will end on Thursday after the House passes a vote on account to provide for expenditure for the first five months of 2019-20.
