PANAJI
Anxious to get the tourism sector to kick-start the economic engine in the State maimed by the pandemic, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday batted for giving 'culture tourism' a push after a meeting with the Union tourism minister, Prahlad Patel.
"Discussed various matters related to tourism promotion in Goa, especially cultural tourism," Sawant said after a meeting with Patel, who also holds the Culture portfolio in the Union Cabinet.
Sawant has also officially invited Patel to Goa for the Liberation Day celebrations on December 19.
The Chief Minister also held discussions with the top bureaucrat at TRIFED Pravir Krishna, IAS, on the implementation of tribal welfare schemes in Goa. The discussions focussed on implementation of various tribal welfare schemes in Goa with a special focus on Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana to promote tribal enterprises through value addition, branding, packaging and marketing.
Sawant also held a series of meetings with Union Ministers and others and discussed various developmental works in the State.
Later, the Chief Minister met Shandilya Giriraj Singh, Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairy and discussed various initiatives to scale up the production in fisheries and dairy sector in the State.
The Chief Minister said he had healthy discussions, which will benefit in the overall development and growth of the State.
Sawant had left for Delhi on Sunday and is expected to also deliberate with the BJP central leadership on political matters in addition to holding discussions with Union ministers over enhancing the flow of funds for Central welfare schemes.
A swelling agitation against the Centre-sponsored infra projects in and around protected forests of Mollem National Park and Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary has rattled the ruling BJP hierarchy and Sawant is keen on conjuring a political response, including a rejig of his Cabinet.
It may be recalled that in an effort to boost the sagging tourism industry in Goa Sawant has assured to bring a change in issue of tourism licence policy for private property huts and shacks.
The tourism department’s recent directives to online travel and tour operators not to take bookings of hotels/resorts not registered with the department had drawn severe flak from several tourism stakeholders.
Most tourism stakeholders had run into heavy losses due to the Covid pandemic between March and May, while some of them had opened up with early-bird initiatives from October 1, especially on the world famous beaches at Palolem and Agonda.
