Quepem to serve as headquarters; govt to announce name and details today; ‘Atal’ emerges as preferred name; Oppn not opposed, but wants public consultation
PANAJI
The decision to set up a third district in Goa has been finalised and a detailed announcement from the government including its name which sources said would be 'Atal' is expected to be made on Wednesday.
The decision was on Tuesday unveiled by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at a meeting of legislators of all political parties held at the Ministers Block of the State Secretariat and the notification will be issued soon.
The new district will comprise of the four talukas of Darbandora, Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona with its headquarters located in Quepem town, Sawant said after the meeting of MLAs concluded.
Meanwhile, top government sources said the name 'Atal' after former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, is the government's top choice and is almost confirmed.
Sawant however declined to reveal the decision on naming the third district and only said that it "will be announced tomorrow (Wednesday)."
He also said that creating a third district will help raise the quantum of benefits from Central government schemes and additional funds.
Decision in haste: LoP
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition, who attended the meeting told journalists that the Congress does not oppose the third district but cautioned that the substance and the finer details of the proposal must be properly deliberated.
He said, the government had set up a committee to study and present a report on the third district proposal and that this report should have been made public.
"It is inappropriate to take this decision of having a third district in haste without deliberating the report," Alemao said after the meeting.
AAP MLA Cruz Silva and RGP MLA Viresh Borkar also echoed similar sentiments. Borkar and Silva said the people of the State and the four talukas concerned talukas in particular, must be consulted on such a momentous decision.
Ravi first mooted idea
The idea of creating a third district for Goa had been first mooted by former chief minister the late Ravi Naik, in the previous term (2017-22) of the Goa legislative assembly.
Naik, who was then a part of the Congress and sitting in the Opposition, had moved a private member's resolution in the House which had suggested a third district comprising the three talukas of Sattari, Ponda and Dharbandora.
Naik had withdrawn the resolution after Sawant had assured to consider the proposal for a third district.
The move gained wings after the Centre proposed creating additional small districts across the country as per the recommendations of the NITI AYOG. Goa's third district is among 120 new districts being established in the country and was cleared by the Sawant Cabinet as well as discussed in the Goa legislature.
Inclusion of 4 talukas
Art and Culture Minister, Ramesh Tawadkar claimed all MLAs who attended the meeting on Tuesday supported the third district of four talukas of Dharbandoda, Quepem, Sanguem and Canacona.
Tawadkar said the third district would be beneficial to the people of all these four talukas. Politically, the district will encompass the assembly constituencies of Sanvordem, Curchorem, Quepem, Sanguem and Canacona.
