PANAJI
The State government on Sunday clarified that no decision has been taken regarding the headquarters of the proposed third district of Goa.
In a press statement issued, Director of Planning, Statistics and Evaluation Vijay Saxena said that the government has not yet decided the headquarters of the third district.
“As has been reported in certain sections of electronic and print media that the headquarters of the Third District in Goa would be Curchorem in Quepem Taluka, it has been clarified that the government has not yet decided the headquarters of the district,” Saxena said.
However, the cabinet note, which was circulated during the meeting on Friday and passed accordingly, the copy of which is with The Goan, clearly states that “the headquarters of the proposed New District is proposed to be set up at Curchorem in Quepem taluka”.
The statement or rather clarification by the government is issued following opposition cum resentment expressed by former deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar over the proposal.
Kavlekar along with Quepem Municipal Chairperson, Councillors, Sarpanchas, Panchayat Members, and other members of civil society met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant demanding that the headquarters of the proposed third district in Goa be established at Quepem.
“Chief Minister Pramod Sawant gave us a patient hearing and assured us that our demand has been duly noted,” Kavlekar said in a post on ‘X’.
The State cabinet had on Friday accorded its approval for creation of Third District, comprising four remote talukas of Canacona, Quepem, Sanguem and Dharbandora. With 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.
