PANAJI
After the uncertainty of the last few days, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday finally confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will indeed visit the State on December 11 to address the valedictory function of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress but stayed mum on whether the Mopa International Airport will be inaugurated by him on the same day.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Goa on Dec 11, for the closing ceremony of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress," Sawant said, adding that he will also inaugurate the Ayush Hospital and the All India Institute of Ayurveda, Goa Campus built at Dhargal the same afternoon.
Sawant however did not respond to queries from the media on whether Modi will also inaugurate the Mopa International Airport which has been a subject of intense speculation in the local media for some time now.
The chief minister parried questions from the media on the Mopa airport inauguration and only said a separate press conference will be held to make details public of the airport inauguration.
Meanwhile, thousands of delegates and Ayurveda experts from 40 countries are expected to participate in the World Ayurveda Congress and Expo, which will be hosted at the yet-to-be-ready Kala Academy from December 8-11.
Sawant however said that barring the auditorium, the Kala Academy venue will be ready in time to host the Ayurveda Congress.
OPD facilities in AYUSH - Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha and Naturopathy - will be available to the public during the event and Sawant has urged Goans as well as tourists to avail the opportunity.
