Panaji: Vijai Sardesai, President of the Goa Forward Party, on Thursday raised multiple issues concerning governance and financial management in Goa, including a sharp cut in panchayat funding, delays in industrial projects, an alleged garbage scam in Sancoale, and revenue loss due to non-Goa sleeper buses operating in the state.

Sardesai said that grants recommended by the Sixteenth Finance Commission for Goa’s panchayats have reportedly been reduced from ₹368 crore to ₹174 crore. He also pointed out that ₹168 crore under the Fifteenth Finance Commission remains pending since 2022–23 due to the government’s failure to submit utilisation certificates, and demanded the immediate release of the funds.

He further highlighted concerns over the state’s industrial environment, stating that out of 105 proposals approved by the Investment Promotion Board Goa since 2021, only eight have been completed. Sardesai questioned whether the government had conducted due diligence to understand the reasons behind the delays.

Referring to economic indicators, he said the Gross State Domestic Product of the manufacturing sector declined from ₹22,246 crore in 2021 to ₹19,564 crore, indicating that the sector has yet to fully recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and may face further challenges due to global conflicts.

Sardesai also alleged a major garbage management scam in Sancoale, claiming that crores of public funds, including grants under the Swachh Bharat Mission and Finance Commission funds, have been siphoned off. According to him, the waste treatment plant at Zuarinagar has become a “white elephant” producing no biogas, while wet waste is being transported to Saligao. He also alleged that the contractor is collecting illegal fees from residents and dumping garbage in nearby paddy fields, and demanded a vigilance inquiry.

Additionally, Sardesai claimed that the state exchequer is losing crores in revenue due to non-Goa sleeper buses operating under “leave and license agreements.” He said that while Goa-registered buses pay ₹300 per seat, non-Goa buses are required to pay ₹600 per seat. However, about 300 non-Goa buses have allegedly registered locally under such agreements to avoid higher fees, resulting in an estimated revenue loss of around ₹3.89 crore annually to the government.