PANAJI
Making a new beginning and taking a leap into the future of television programming, Goa’s most-watched news and television channel Prudent Media will now have the State’s biggest television studio setup in a new premise.
Inaugurated at the hands of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday, on the auspicious occasion of Dhanatrayodashi, this state-of-the-art studio will offer a stunning look with the biggest video wall and a full-fledged production room. With this, Fomento Media’s 14-year-old channel Prudent Media, that airs programmes in English and Konkani, has added new technology and upgraded their existing facilities to present the best for the people of Goa.
In the first-ever broadcast from the new studio premise, editor of Prudent Media, Pramod Acharya had a one-on-one interaction with the CM Sawant and the deputy chief minister Chandrakant Kavlekar on making Goa self-dependent in various sectors.
Stating that with the inauguration of this state-of-the-art studio for its channel, Fomento Media has proved that it has taken the first step towards establishing media in the State, CM Sawant hoped that in Goa’s journey towards self-dependency, Prudent Media will also be a partner.
“Media can play a big role in making Goa self-dependent. Prudent Media can partner with the government of Goa in our journey towards making an Atmanirbhar Bharat and a Swayampurna Goa by reaching out to every Goan in the State,” said Sawant.
Pointing out that ‘Swayampurna Goa’ is a big canvas and how practical will it be to declare this goal, asked Pramod Acharya, editor, Prudent Media in the first broadcast.
“Will it be just another election slogan or will it prove to be a roadmap for Goa,” asked Acharya, to which the CM replied that it is a mission for him.
“Goa has already taken its first step towards this direction,” said the CM.
Admitting that Goa is dependent on other states for every small thing – from milk and vegetables to electricity, Sawant said, “Covid opened our eyes and as the first step towards self-dependency, we have, for the first time worked on a survey report of 191 gram panchayats in Goa with the help of Department of Higher Education (DHE) and Goa Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (GIPARD). Now Goa’s junior and senior scale officers remain present in 191 panchayats on Saturdays. The IAS officers and senior scale officers travel to these panchayats now. This is for the first time in the history of Goa and this should be taken note of. This is our first step, it’s not an election agenda or to set me up.”
Agreeing that changing the mentality of the people of Goa is the need of the hour, Town and Country Planning and Agriculture Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar stressed on the need for human development.
“Growth of the constituency is a must, but developing the skills and financial status of the people of Goa is important too,” said Kavlekar who pointed out that this has begun in the rural areas.
“We have to change the mentality of the youth, and provide motivation for becoming entrepreneurs and initiate their startups instead of looking out for government jobs,” stated Sawant.
The youth are innovative and need skill education as well as career guidance. The government has started imparting training to teachers from SSC and HSCC for offering career guidance to their students, said the CM.
On the other hand, the deputy CM deliberated how he is trying to balance between his two departments – town and country planning and agriculture – which seem to be contradictory to each other. While agriculture is important, development is crucial too, but the conversion of agricultural land will not be allowed at any cost, he pointed out while replying to a question of Acharya.
Lastly, Sawant, while commenting on the Twitter war that has been going on between him and his counterpart in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, stated that Delhi is a heavily polluted state in the country. “We are aware of Goa’s environmental issues and would surely take care of them,” Goa’s CM promised.
