Parrkiar made the pledges while presenting the state budget yesterday.
Parrikar, who presented a Rs2.02bn surplus Budget, also lent a touch of compassion to the fiscal exercise by announcing the creation of social infrastructure as far as geriatric care and autism is concerned.
The opposition, however, criticised the Budget claiming it had no vision, being anti-poor in nature and partial to constituencies represented by BJP MLAs.
Parrikar - a four-time chief minister who took over the reins of the state government earlier this month - in his budget speech announced a hike in value added tax on petrol from the existing 12% to 15%.
“I propose to enhance the rate of VAT on motor spirit to 15%. Even with this increase, the price of petrol will be in the range of Rs 65 per litre, which is substantially lesser than our neighbouring states,” Parrikar said.
Parrikar in his Budget, also announced that excise duty on locally manufactured and imported beer would be marginally enhanced.
Parrikar also said that since the Aadhar card coverage in the state was nearly 100%, in the coming days all social welfare schemes would be linked to the national identity card.
The former defence minister said he would formulate a policy to discourage cash-spending in Goa, adding that his government “will encourage digital payment and make it financially rewarding”.
The chief minister also announced that the state would be made beggar-free and garbage-free in the coming years.
“Goa will be first beggar-free state. We will conceive a full-fledged rehabilitation centre for beggars and a rehabilitation centre for destitutes,” he said.
“The aim of my government is to make garbage-free Goa by 2020 and the first step towards this would be to ban plastic below 40 microns completely from the state of Goa and heavy penalty will be levied on the seller as well as the user of these plastic bags,” he added.
Stating that there was a growing need for geriatric care in the coastal state, Parrikar said that a geriatric care policy would be formulated.
The chief minister said that autism complexes would be set up across Goa to cater to the population of 5,800 children suffering from autism.
Reacting to the Budget, Congress legislator and former chief minister Luizinho Faleiro said that it was anti-poor and lacked imagination and intent.