Sawant to inspect land, denies neglect of Salcete
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant addressing the traditional fishermen on Rampon Day at Benaulim organised by the Niz Ramponkarancho Ekvott and Directorate of Fisheries.
MARGAO
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday assured the traditional fishermen of Benaulim that he would positively consider the long-standing demand of the fishing community to allot a parcel of Fisheries Department-acquired land for fishing activities.
Participating at the Rampon Day – a festival organised by the Niz Ramponkarancho Ekvott along with the Directorate of Fisheries at Benaulim on Saturday evening, the Chief Minister further said the government at the Centre and in Goa will support the traditional fishing communities as part of the Blue Revolution envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister assured the traditional fishermen to grant them the land at the Fisheries complex, Benaulim after a demand was raised at the event by fisherman Pele Fernandes, Benaulim Sarpanch Xavier Pereira and social worker Warren Alemao at the event.
The Chief Minister did not let them and the traditional fishermen down, saying his government will go all out to address the long-standing demand. In fact, Sawant assured to personally come to Benaulim for an inspection of the fisheries land and see how best to allocate a portion of the land to the fishermen and the Benaulim panchayat “This is a government-owned land. We have to make best use of the land. We should not allow any encroachment on the land. I will personally come to Benaulim to resolve the issue once and for all,” he assured.
“The traditional fishermen had asked for a parcel of the acquired land to purse their fishing activities, including storage of boats, fishing nets and to sell fish. I agree that this issue should have addressed long ago by the previous Chief Ministers and Fisheries Minister. My government will resolve the issue,” he said.
Earlier, fisherman Pele made a fervent plea to the Chief Minister to honour his commitment made in the Goa Legislative Assembly to allocate 5,000 square metre of the Fisheries land to the fishing community.
Warren Alemao and Benaulim Sarpanch Xavier Pereira expressed similar sentiments.
In his brief address, Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar complimented the traditional fishermen for organising the festival, as he assured government support to hold such festivities.
No discrimination against Salcete
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said his government has not discriminated in any manner against Salcete on the development front. He pointed out that his government has never differentiated between North and South Goa or between Salcete and Sattari.
ONGC auditorium will boost tourism
The Chief Minister said that the 5,000-capacity auditorium built at the ONGC, Betul will provide a further boost to the tourism economy in Salcete and South Goa.
Billed as Asia’s biggest auditorium, Sawant said the hotel industry as well as the tourist taxi operators will get opportunities when major conferences are planned at the auditorium.
