PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday lashed out at government servants he described as 'kaam chor' (work shirkers), targeting officials of the Agriculture Department during a farmer‑related seminar in his home constituency.
Speaking at Krushi Pe Charcha in Sanquelim, Sawant said officers are paid to serve the people and must work alongside cultivators instead of remaining confined to their offices. He warned of disciplinary action against staff who fail to perform their duties.
Responding to a farmer’s complaint that a department driver was unwilling to enter fields, Sawant said he would suspend the driver if found guilty. He also alleged that some government drivers deliberately damage tractors to avoid work. “Such behaviour will not be tolerated,” he declared.
Sawant also highlighted the State’s initiative to promote marigold cultivation, claiming it had reduced flower imports by 40 per cent. He said the government’s push for crop diversification was beginning to show results.
The Chief Minister presented figures to underline progress in the farm sector over the past decade. Agricultural exports, he said, had risen from Rs 3.57 crore to over Rs 5 crore.
Horticulture production had increased from 2 lakh tonnes to 3 lakh tonnes. The food processing sector had grown from Rs 1.34 crore to Rs 2.34 crore, while the share of food processing exports had climbed from 13.7 per cent to 20.4 per cent, he said.
Sawant informed that a proposal to revive 18,000 hectares of khazan land had also been submitted to the World Bank and NITI Aayog. He said the revival of traditional agricultural lands was critical for Goa’s food security and rural economy.
The remarks have stirred debate in administrative circles, with many noting Sawant’s unusually sharp tone. Farmer representatives, however, welcomed his warning, saying accountability in the Agriculture Department was long overdue.
