FAllowance for housewives, petrol gets cheaper in Goa

A cut in Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and Rs 1,000 allowance for housewives from families with annual income of less than Rs 3 lakh are among a series of populist measures in the budget presented by Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today. The budget also proposes to stabilise domestic gas cylinder prices and setting a target of 15% GDP growth for the next fiscal. Click here for Cloud Computing Also Read Related Stories News Now - Fear of tax on derivative products pulls market down - Fuji launches multi-lens camera - Sixteen companies default Rs 241 cr commercial tax - Private promoters take on govt on investor interest issues - TN govt to up private infra spend in 2023 - Guj riots: SC refuses to ask Nanavati panel to summon Modi Parrikar, who also holds Finance portfolio, said VAT on petrol would be almost abolished. There would a VAT at 0.1% just to keep a sale record. This, Parrikar said, would cut petrol prices by almost Rs 11 per litre. Current price of petrol in Goa is Rs 65 per litre. The Chief Minister also proposed that housewives from the families with annual income less than Rs 3 lakh would be given 'remuneration' of Rs 1,000 per month. Domestic gas cylinder prices, as of March 16, 2012, (when Union Budget was presented) would be frozen for the next five years. "Union Budget has created a fear of further spiralling of prices of domestic cylinders. The endeavour of my government is to ensure that people living in Goa should be spared this inflation," Parrikar said. The BJP-led government also announced hike in allowance paid under Dayanand Social Security Scheme from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per month. It covers senior citizens, widows, women abandoned by husbands, disabled and people affected with HIV. Parrikar also said the target for the next fiscal was to achieve 15% gross domestic product growth from the existing 8.3%. There will be additional revenue mobilisation to the tune of 15% and revenue deficit would be wiped out by implementing planned projects, he said. The BJP-led government, which came to power after the recently held elections, termed budget as "for parivartan [change]". Taking a dig at previous Congress-led government, Parrikar said, "Now onwards, Goa will be governed only by Goans and not remote-controlled by people sitting in Delhi."