PANAJI: The Goa Cabinet on Saturday passed a resolution congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 25 years of continuous service as head of government, while acknowledging the Centre’s financial support for the state’s infrastructure, healthcare, education and other development projects.
The resolution noted Modi’s journey from becoming Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001, to assuming office as Prime Minister on May 26, 2014. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said Goa had received Rs 15,590.57 crore under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and the Scheme for Special Assistance for Capital Investment (SASCI). “Over and above this, an additional Rs 16,636 crore worth of works have been sanctioned under National Highways by the Government of India, taking the total assistance to Rs 32,226.57 crore,” the resolution stated.
The Cabinet placed on record its appreciation of Modi’s “long and dedicated journey of public service” and acknowledged initiatives undertaken during his tenure in infrastructure, digital governance, social welfare, agriculture, entrepreneurship, education, healthcare and women and youth empowerment.
The resolution highlighted major infrastructure projects in Goa, including the New Zuari Bridge, costing Rs 2,528 crore; Mopa Airport Road, at Rs 1,183 crore; the Atal Setu over the Mandovi, at Rs 290 crore; the Porvorim Flyover, at Rs 641 crore; the Manohar Bypass at Canacona, at Rs 280 crore; the Madgaon Western Bypass, at Rs 298 crore; and the Khandepar Bridge, at Rs 297 crore. It also cited the MPT connectivity project to the National Highway, costing Rs 719 crore, and the ONGC convention centre at Betul, estimated at Rs 1,200 crore. Other projects mentioned included the development of Harvalem Waterfall at Rs 9.81 crore, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum in Ponda at Rs 97.46 crore, the Town Square at Porvorim under SASCI at Rs 90.74 crore, and the Basilica of Bom Jesus at Old Goa under the PRASHAD scheme at Rs 16.46 crore.
The Cabinet also highlighted the Jal Jeevan Mission, under which Goa received Rs 145 crore in central support and became the first state to achieve Har Ghar Jal status, according to the resolution. In higher education, the resolution cited IIT Goa, the All India Institute of Ayurveda, the new campus of NIT Goa and the National Forensic Sciences University as institutions strengthening the state’s research, specialised education and human resource development ecosystem. In healthcare, it highlighted the Super-Speciality Hospital Block, costing Rs 297 crore, and the Tertiary Cancer Centre, costing Rs 200 crore. Together, the projects represent an investment of Rs 497 crore, including a central share of Rs 150 crore.
According to state records cited in the resolution, Goa received Rs 10,457.45 crore under CSS between financial years 2014-15 and 2026-27, and Rs 5,133.12 crore in 50-year interest-free loans under SASCI between 2020-21 and 2026-27. The Cabinet acknowledged the Centre’s emphasis on cooperative federalism and the partnership between the Union and state governments. It reaffirmed Goa’s commitment to working with the Centre towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and advancing the aspirations of the state’s people.
