Panaji (Goa) As part of budget allocation exercise to various departments, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has asked all department heads to submit budget proposals within a fortnight.

With an aim to present the State Budget 2018-19 in February, next year, Parrikar has begun the exercise to draft the financial statement.

Parrikar held the first meeting with the officials of finance department and heads of department, wherein the directions have been issued to each department to submit their Budget proposals.

Government is expecting the Goods and Service Tax (GST) collection to have sharp rise by January, 2018. Till October, the GST collection stood at Rs 737 crore. The GST component will find place in the State Budget, this time.

Parrikar had said that he is planning to place the 2018-19 Budget in February, to achieve the target of 95 percent budgetary utilization.