Govt's shift from social policy to digitisation worrisome:

The Goa Church has expressed concern over the Centre's move to promote cashless transactions, claiming that it has shifted from its social policy for the uplift the poor people.

"The shift from the social policy of 'Roti, Kapda aur Makaan' for uplift of the poor sections of the society to an emphasis on digital and cashless policy involving smart phones, ATM cards and Paytm apps as the basic requirement for every citizen to avail of government benefits and purchase their basic needs is a worrisome phenomenon," Goa Church organ 'Council for Social Justice and Peace' said in its guidelines issued yesterday across the state for Catholic voters in the run-up to the Goa polls scheduled on February 4.
 

"The select private business interests being promoted through government policies under the pretext of fostering economic growth, tackling corruption and ensuring transparency through digitalisation, are a disturbing development,"it says.

"The commissioning of an Investment Promotion Board (IPB) by Union or state governments and the nationalisation of our state's natural resources to push projects in villages and towns by undermining constitutional powers of self-governments like panchayats and municipalities are in no way expected in good governance," it further said.

"In the federal structure of our democracy, the elections to the state government cannot be seen in isolation from the Union government. Citizens have to be aware of the reality that any oppressive, discriminatory and destructive legislations and policies proposed at national level require the collaboration of state governments for enactment and their cooperation for implementation," the church said.

"So while the local issues of governance in Goa are also important and need to be seriously considered, one cannot be blind to the larger thrust that is being placed in recent times, at the national level, to undo the sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic fabric of our nation as enshrined in our Constitution," it added.

The church also expressed concern over the government's stand on educational and financial institutions.

"The undue intrusion and interference of governments in the judiciary or educational and financial institutions cannot be a sign of good governance...,"it has said.

Referring to Goa polls, the church said, "With over Rs ten thousand crore public debt on the heads of Goan citizens and a threat to the natural resources from unregulated and indiscriminate development, the outcome of this state election 2017 will determine and impact the future, not only of the existing citizens, but of the generations yet to be born.