THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
Giving a glimpse of his eagerness to get things moving in the city, Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza on Wednesday said there were several issues he had to follow up in Mapusa so that things do happen and people are happy.
“There are things that I need to follow up within this term and make sure we can move things as fast as possible, so that people of Mapusa are happy that there are things that are happening for the city,” D’Souza said.
The young MLA was speaking to the media at the sidelines of the function to inaugurate the detention centre in Mapusa.
Continuing, D’Souza said he would get clarity about the renovation of Mapusa market by next week soon after the chief minister returns from the function of the swearing-in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet in Delhi.
He said government has already sanctioned Rs 20 crore for the renovation of the Mapusa market last year.
“The CM has given me an assurance that he we will do the follow up as soon as he returns from Delhi in the next few days. In the next week, I will get more clarity on the issue,” D’Souza said.
Jumping to the MLA’s aide, Mapusa Municipal Council Chairperson Ryan Braganza said detailed estimates for the renovation of the market have been completed and the council was in the process of finalizing how to implement the renovation plan.
“The amount of Rs 20 crore has been sanctioned to the municipal council. There were a few issues like whether there was need for a shade, new drainage, electrical changes…In the next three/four months, work on the renovation is expected to start,” Braganza said. It may be recalled that late chief minister Manohar Parrikar had made a budgetary provision of Rs 20 crore last year to renovate the Mapusa market.
On the downtown scheme, the Mapusa MLA said the government would have to pursue it vigorously and get it implemented at the earliest.
“The downtown scheme was initiated by our former CM and it has already been going on for the last four years. It has reached a stage where we need to see how we can pursue and get it implemented,” he said.
