Goa Budget: Government forms Coconut Development Board

PANAJI: In the wake of widespread criticism over amendment to Tree Preservation Act, Goa government today announced formation of Coconut Development Board in the 2016-17 Budget.

"Now a days, coconut is a subject of politics for few people but it is a main source of livelihood for many in the state," Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who also holds Finance portfolio, said in the Budget speech in the legislative assembly.

In order to support farmers, Parskear also raised the support price from Rs 8 to Rs 10 per coconut.

"To encourage more and more coconut cultivation in the State, I propose to constitute a full-fledged Coconut Development Board which will be chaired by a prominent coconut farmer or an expert from the field and not by a politician," he said.

The chief minister also announced a token provision of Rs 25 lakh in the budget.

"Coconut is a horticulture crop and needs to be monitored by Agriculture department and not by Forest (department). However, there are attempts to politicise this issue. In order to allay the apprehensions and mispropoganda, I propose to make an NOC from Agriculture department mandatory for cutting of coconut trees," he said.

Government had earlier this year amended the Goa Preservation of Trees Act under which the stringent rules of felling of coconut trees were relaxed. The move attracted the ire of environmentalists, locals and opposition in the state.