Panaji: Questioning the motive behind the Goa Ujjwala Yojana, which offers financial aid equal to the cost of three domestic LPG refills annually, Goa Forward Party (GFP) president Vijai Sardesai said that GFP will not promise any freebies ahead of the elections.“Our commitment is that we will spend 6% of the gross state domestic product (GSDP) on the education sector. We will bring in good educators and provide them stability in their jobs,” said Sardesai. Currently, the allocation for the education sector is 3.5%.“They can fool people in the last year of the elections. Goa Ujjwala Yojana clearly says that this scheme is valid only for one financial year, and if you ask them about extending it, they will say that the BJP must be re-elected and the scheme will be continued,” said Sardesai.The scheme, promised by the BJP in 2022, was launched this week. It states that anyone benefiting from the Dayanand Social Security Scheme (DSSS), Griha Aadhaar, Laadli Laxmi and other govt schemes cannot apply.“Welfare schemes are brought in to benefit the downtrodden and the poor. Are senior citizens who are no longer earning and benefiting from the Griha Aadhaar or Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana not using gas, and don’t they need this scheme?” he said.He said that Goans are not going to be swayed by freebies. “What works in Bihar will not work in Goa. Other parties have also realised that freebies don’t work here. GFP will not give any freebies. Goans want clean candidates, good legislators who are not corrupt, who do not squeeze people and who will not sell jobs. They want people who will tackle unemployment, provide stable jobs for teachers and educators and invest in the education sector,” said Sardesai.He said that earlier strategies of giving chicken biryani and alcohol to voters do not work every time.
