PANAJI
The State Cabinet on Saturday approved the relocation of a proposed barrage and 50 MLD raw water pumping station from Mirabag to Panchwadi in the Shiroda-Sanvordem area. The project at Mirabag had faced sustained opposition from local residents and environmental activists forcing the government to stall it.
Announcing the decision after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the project, earlier proposed at Mirabag, would now be taken up at Panchwadi.
"The proposed barrage and 50 MLD raw water pumping station, earlier planned at Mirabag, will now be constructed at Panchwadi, Shiroda-Sanvordem," Sawant said. He was flanked by Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar and Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar during the post-cabinet press conference.
Another significant decision pertained to the State's comunidades where the Cabinet approved the regularisation of service conditions of around 100 employees working across various comunidades in Goa.
In another key decision, the Cabinet approved an extension of the services of consultancy firm KPMG Advisory Services Pvt Ltd under Phase II for the preparation of Goa's Tourism Master Plan and Tourism Policy.
The tourism planning exercise is expected to provide a long-term roadmap for the sector, which remains one of the State's key economic drivers. The extension will enable the consultancy firm to continue work on the policy and master plan.
The Cabinet also cleared the creation of seven new posts at the Zonal Agriculture Office in Sanquelim. The move is aimed at improving services to farmers in the region.
Some post-facto approvals were also granted to some expenditures incurred including the Rs 2.5-odd crores spent at the Partagali Mutt for the installation of the Lord Ram statue which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
