Parrikar presents budget, focuses on agri, education

The new BJP-led government in Goa on Friday presented its first budget that

targeted an economic growth of 11 per cent in 2017-18 and laid special focus on agriculture, social security and education.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the budget for 2017-18 and proposed additional grant for schools imparting education in Konkani and Marathi.

"I am presenting a revenue surplus budget of Rs 202 crore with an estimated revenue of Rs 10,872 crore and expenditure of Rs 10,670 crore," Parrikar said.

The budget size increased to Rs 16,270 crore from Rs 14,694 crore in FY 2016-17. The Chief Minister said Goa's per capita income stood at Rs 2,71,793, the highest among states.

During the last fiscal, there was a three-fold rise in central funding to Rs 3224.61 crore, which is 22.4 per cent of the net state budget.

He projected an 11 per cent growth in the gross state domestic product (GSDP) during the next fiscal.