Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Friday chaired a review meeting to discuss the budgetary allocations for 2026-27 and utilisation of the current fiscal’s allocated funds and budgetary assurances. Sawant appointed senior govt officers to address interdepartmental coordination challenges that hindered effective implementation of budgetary programmes and plans.“At the meeting of all the heads of departments, we took a complete review of the Central budget provisions and our budget too. There are some interdepartmental issues and to solve them, today I appointed some secretaries. They will resolve the linked issues,” Sawant said following the meeting attended by the chief secretary, IAS officers, and heads of departments.Sawant cited the Public Works Department (PWD) as an example of how multiple sectors intersect, noting it is connected to water supply, sewerage, and road infrastructure. “A team was formed to address the interdepartmental issues. I think now things will be solved smoothly,” he said.The meeting focused on key priorities, including effective implementation, fiscal prudence, and accountable governance. By forming dedicated teams to resolve cross-departmental coordination challenges, govt aims to streamline budget execution and prevent delays caused by overlapping jurisdictions.The review comes ahead of the budget session of the Goa Legislative Assembly scheduled to commence on March 6, when Sawant, who also holds the finance portfolio, will present the financial statement for 2026-27 for the 7th consecutive time since 2020. This is likely to be the last full-fledged budget before the assembly elections in 2027.The appointed secretaries are expected to ensure seamless coordination between departments for timely project implementation and optimal utilisation of both Central and state budget allocations. The session, which starts on March 6, will continue till March 27 with 14 days of deliberations.
