Believe it or not, for the first time in the history of Goa, all panchayats across the State are expected to screen live matches of the FIFA Football World Cup that begins on June 14.
The football mania in Goa is all set to go the next level as 64 exciting matches of football of the FIFA world cup being played amongst 32 teams are set to be screened at every Panchayats all over the state for a month till the finals on July 15. Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho on Thursday informed media persons that the move would be a great gesture to bring goodness amongst villagers. Godinho further informed the state was full of football lovers and this moment could also be utilised to spread the message of Swacchata Bharat Abhiyan where in before the match screenings, the panchayat body could make villagers aware of the importance of door-to-door garbage collection in a segregated form and its disposal scientifically.
Godinho also informed that if need be, he would release some funds to the panchayats so that initiative is taken up for screening under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) from corporates in the area. Godinho also informed that this could be a good opportunity for several villagers who don't have television to watch matches and villagers who enjoy watching matches in company to mix up and use this opportunity for cleanliness drives as well while screening football world cup matches.
"The main motive is that all initiatives implementations are to be given a push at the grassroot level. Panchayats are at the grassroot level and football fever is picking up. Football is a world sport and we have football crazy people in Goa and what better way then giving it a kick-start at the grassroot level. I intend to do the screening through panchayats in the state while also promoting the Swaccha Bharat Abhiyan in which we will achieve clean and green Goa by encouraging scientific collection and disposal of garbage. The messages will be delivered while people are watching their favorite teams play on the screen," said Godinho.
"I am trying to work out a scheme where Panchayats will screen matches in halls and even if small funds are required to be released we will consider doing that or maybe through CSR where many people have approached making contribution to such an initiative where people can watch football in a public place. It's not that people who do not have television and are poor can come here but even those who have television but love watching football in company of family and friends can come to Panchayat to watch their favourite teams fight it out on the ground. We want to promote goodness amongst villagers in our villages. Nothing better than football can make this happen. As they say lovers of football in Goa eat drink and sleep football. We will make them do that in the panchayats," said Godinho.
