Goa: Petrol and beer prices hiked as Manohar Parrikar presents his first budget after return as CM

Two components of Goa’s tourism economy, petrol and beer, are set to be become more costly as the newly elected state government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Manohar Parrikar presented the budget on Friday. The price of petrol will go up to Rs 65 a litre after a Value Added Tax was hiked to 15% from 7%, though Parrikar said the fuel still cost less than in neighbouring states.

The price of bulk beer went up from Rs 20 a litre to Rs 24 a litre. The spike applies to both beer manufactured within the state and imported from within or outside the country. He also said there would be a higher excise duty on beer and a licence fee of Rs 1 lakh for high-end spirit additives.

The government also said it would link all social welfare schemes to Aadhaar, as the state has nearly 100% enrolment in the identification scheme. This aligns with the BJP’s controversial push at the Central level to make Aadhaar mandatory for various government benefits and processes.

Parrikar said his government seeks to make Goa “beggar-free and garbage-free by 2020”, the Hindustan Times reported. Bags made of plastic that is less than 40 microns in thickness have been banned. Among other measures, the state announced autism centres, a bus system to improve public transport and better service delivery to citizens.

Results for the Assembly elections in the state were declared on March 11. The BJP won 13 of the state’s 40 Assembly seats, while the Congress won 17. However, the BJP claimed the support of three Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MLAs, three Goa Forward Party MLAs and two Independent legislators, and formed the government with Parrikar at his helm.

Parrikar, 61, has served as the Goa CM several time before. His last term was cut short when he was given the Defence Ministry portfolio in November 2014. He had been succeeded by Laxmikant Parsekar.