BAILANCHO SAAD-GOA
(A Women’s Collective)
SF-4, Goa Housing Board res cum com Complex, Journalist
Colony, Porvorim, Goa
Tel:2410864
Email:[email protected]
Dated: - 17th March 2012
PRESS RElEASE
Bailancho Saad evaluated the Goa Budget -2012 today, to ascertain whether
the demands of the women for budgetary allocation, to curb crimes against
women were met.
Bailancho Saad states that the budget is a let down as no demands raised by
Bailancho Saad are met.
While the CM sanctioned 60 motorcycles to look after the welfare of
animals, no budgetary allocation has been made for vehicles, infra
structure, personnel for various state bodies to stop crimes against women.
This demand was vociferously raised at several public programs, held on
International Women’s Day, but the CM has turned a deaf ear.
"Law and order is a state subject, and the women have a right to protection
and environment free of crime. The State government cannot abdicate its
responsibility and delegate it to NGOs" members opined
The government has in fact presented a budget which primarily depends on
revenue generation from vices such as gambling and alcohol which promotes
violence against women.
Bailancho Saad strongly condems the decision of providing sops to casinos
by reducing the fees to Rs 500 from Rs 2000 to generate dirty revenue by
encouraging gambling. Bailancho Saad strongly condemns the decision of
reducing the casino fees which would lead to increase in gambling.
Bailancho Saad has observed that the heavy dependence of budget spending on
excise revenue, leads to immense pressure for resource mobilization on
the excise department to meet budget targets.
As a result more liquor licenses get granted, laws on bar timings
violated, alcohol outlet permitted close to educational institutions and
religious institutions contrary to law, cheap liquor sold in sachets at
Rs5 and Rs 8 to promote drinking , no control on production and no bodies
to check its purity, open drinking outside whole sale shops , government
sponsored wine festivals. sponsorship of school sports by alcohol
companies , illegal and surrogate advertisements etc to promote sale and
consumption of alcohol.
The expenditure in the budget is envisaged at the cost of aggravating
violence against women with no strong mechanism to mitigate it.
The budget has not spoken of speedy disposal of domestic violence cases
and justice for women nor has provided for Protection Officers under the
Domestic Violence Prevention Act.
Bailancho Saad demands that the 'ladli lakshmi' scheme which promises one
lakh at the age of 18, to a girl child for marriage, be *delinked* from
marriage as it endorses dowry which is against the law. It will also
result in early marriages of girls at 18 to avail the money and cut short
their higher education. Bailancho Saad states that a woman should have a
right to choose how she wants to use the money, whether to set up a
business, pursue a career, get married or do both.
The scheme is proposed only for girls born hence forth. No provision is
made for the girls attaining 18 years presently.
BS pointed out that while the intention to save the girl child is good,
the scheme should not promote dowry evils and treat women as objects. BS
also called for changing the name of “kanya daan “ scheme to give ‘kanya
maan” .The bal rath to all schools was a welcome decision and asked it to
be implemented in the rural areas on a priority basis ,to provide safe
transport schools and to check dropouts especially of girls.
The budget allocations in the name of women by way of Rs 1000 to beat
inflation and freezing of prices for LPG are actually benefits for families
*routed* through women. A vast number of rural women suffer from anemia and
give birth to low birth weight babies and eat left overs, after family
members have eaten. These issues have to be addressed.
Bailancho Saad hopes that the CM will note and take progressive steps.
Sabina Martins
For Bailancho Saad
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