MAPUSA
Citing Covid pandemic and financial crunch as two main reasons for delay in completing major projects taken up by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant on Tuesday told the Goa Legislative Assembly that the government will complete major projects depending on its priority.
Sawant, on Tuesday, also said that work on the Tuem hospital will be completed by the end of December.
“We will prioritise which projects should be completed and accordingly come out with revised dates for completion of major pending projects of the GSIDC,” said Sawant, who is also the Chairman of the corporation.
The Chief Minister was responding to a query raised during the Question Hour by Margao MLA, Digambar Kamat on delay in completion of several projects taken up by the GSIDC.
Sawant informed that one of the primary reasons for the delay in completing the ongoing projects was the Covid-19 illness.
He said financial crunch and in some instances non-completion of land acquisition process also led to delay in completing the projects on time.
Kamat said the GSIDC was primarily formed to take up big projects and to complete them on time.
He said several projects like construction of Ravindra Bhavans in Canacona and Curchorem, construction of terminal building for Captain of Ports at Panaji, development of integrated education complex at Cujira and several other projects had missed the completion date.
“Some of the projects have been pending for very long. The main intention to set up the GSIDC was to take up major projects and finish it on time. If this continues, then GSIDC will be rated with other government departments,” Kamat said.
He said the Rawanfond bridge near Margao has become weak and could collapse anytime taking with it a host of utility projects like water pipeline, cables etc.
He further stated that the CM had agreed to take up the work and it was also tendered but somehow the work was not carried out.
“We are planning to re-tender the work at least by September and immediately issue a work order on the bridge work,” the CM assured.
Bicholim MLA, Chandrakant Shetye informed that the GSIDC was supposed to take up several works like the bus-stand, fire station, administrative building etc in the constituency.
Pernem MLA, Pravin Arlekar impressed upon the government about the long pending hospital project at Tuem.
The CM informed that all civil works in the hospital were completed and only some specialised works remained pending.
“We will try to complete the work of Tuem hospital by December 2022,” Sawant said.
