This Article is From Jul 19, 2017

No Beef Shortage In Goa, Assures Manohar Parrikar. Ironic, Says Congress

Beef is commonly consumed in parts of the state popular among tourists and also by minorities, which account for more than 30 per cent of Goa's population.

Around 2,000 kg of beef was slaughtered daily at the state's only legal abattoir, he said.

New Delhi: Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Minister of Goa, said on Tuesday that to avoid beef shortage in the popular holiday state, his government had kept open the option of importing it from Karnataka.

"We have not closed the option to start getting meat from Belgaum (in Karnataka) to ensure that there is no shortage," Mr Parrikar said in the state assembly.

"I can assure you that inspection of beef from the neighbouring state will be done by a proper and authorised medical doctor, and not others," he said, responding to a question by a ruling BJP lawmaker, Nilesh Cabral.

Around 2,000 kg of beef, said Mr Parrikar, was slaughtered daily at the state's only legal abattoir, the Goa Meat Complex, at Ponda, around 40 km from state capital Panaji.

"The rest (of the beef demand) is met by Karnataka," said the Chief Minister, adding: "The government does not have any intention to restrict bringing animals for slaughter at the Goa Meat Complex from the neighbouring state."

Beef is commonly consumed in parts of the state popular among tourists and also by minorities, which account for more than 30 per cent of Goa's population.

Amid mob violence in many states over beef and at a time the Centre's restrictions on cattle trade for slaughter have raised protests in the south and northeast, Mr Parrikar's comments were mocked by the Congress.

"BJP CM of Goa saying there won't be shortage of beef in the state. This is hilarious and ironical," Congress leader Rajiv Shukla told the news agency ANI.
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