PANAJI
A chest in the 'Fazenda' heritage building behind the old Secretariat recently vacated by the Directorate of Accounts has revealed antiques and valuable treasures worth crores of rupees, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said adding that these will be systematically documented and displayed in the State museum.
Around 5,000 rare coins are among the treasures found in the chest, which records show had been opened just once since the 1961 Liberation, in 1992, the chief minister said.
Sawant made the comments during the press conference he addressed after Friday's Cabinet meeting, flanked by Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate.
Sawant said it was decided to open the Chest by forming a committee under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary (Finance) and once it was done, a total of five thousand rare coins from different eras and weighing more than 100 kgs were found in it.
Besides the rare coins, 33 rare currency notes and 2.234 kgs of gold articles besides other valuable ornaments were also found in a bag.
Other articles found in the chest include materials used in houses in olden times like worship materials such as aarti plates, panatyas, etc.
