Goa to get Third District with headquarters at Curchorem

PANAJI
The State cabinet on Friday accorded its approval for creation of Third District, comprising four remote talukas of Canacona, Quepem, Sanguem and Dharbandora- which all together account for around 28 per cent of State's scheduled tribe (ST) population.

Curchorem in Quepem taluka has been designated as the headquarters of the third district, following government approval of a proposal submitted by a panel led by the Chief Secretary.

Currently, the coastal State has two districts – North Goa and South Goa – with headquarters at Panaji and Margao respectively. Of the total 12 talukas, five are in North, seven are in South.

However, with the creation of a third district, the boundaries of the existing North Goa district will remain unchanged, whereas, the South Goa will consist of only Ponda, Salcete and Mormugao.

The Council deliberated that the creation of New District which is majorly inhabited by the tribal population will also facilitate setting up of new hospitals, educational institutes, sports complex, museum, etc from the central funds.

“The proposed New District consists of a significant component of people belonging to the tribal community. Around 28 per cent of the total population in the proposed New District is Scheduled Tribes. The unique needs and challenges of the tribal community can be fulfilled by the creation of this district, which is poised to deliver targeted solutions and streamlined administration,” the cabinet note stated.

According to the government, the aim behind the creation of New District is improving governance to enhance the quality of life of citizens and service delivery in the remotest and less developed blocks of Goa. “Further, it will also address regional disparities by targeting specific blocks or local administrative regions and enhancing them through focused development interventions,” the cabinet note added.

The government said that looking at the performance of the socio-economic indicators of the areas contained in the limits of newly proposed district, the newly proposed district will fall under the allowable limit of criteria used for selection of Aspirational District Programme and there is a likelihood that the creation of this district will attract huge central funds in key sectors such as health, nutrition, education, agriculture, water resources, financial inclusion, and infrastructure to accelerate development in these areas.

“Overall, the New District is expected to bring about enhanced service delivery, increased community engagement, economic growth and a stronger foundation for sustainable development,” the note mentioned.