CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
* Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco had ploughed a field in his constituency a few days ago
* Challenged Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte to do the same to prove his “Goemkarponn”
* Khaunte took took up MLA's challenge and ploughed a field in Socorro on Monday evening
------------------------------
PORVORIM: It was an unlikely attire for an unlikely activity and at an unlikely location, but Revenue Minister and Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte took up the “Goemkarponn” challenge of Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco and ploughed a field in Socorro on Monday evening.
Wearing a singlet, short pant and a head scarf, Khaunte opted for the traditional method of using a couple of oxen to plough the field. Undeterred with soil on his face, body and clothes, the minister “toiled” in the field for some time.
It may be recalled that Lourenco had ploughed a field at Curtorim a few days ago and had challenged Khaunte to prove his “Goemkarponn” by ploughing a field in his constituency.
“I accepted the challenge of Curtorim MLA Reginald Laurenco and entered the field and proved my “Goemkarponn”. Now, former GPCC and Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro should also enter the field along with farmers of his locality to create awareness about farming and also encourage youth to venture into farming activities,” said Khaunte, while speaking to media persons.
Stating that most farmers in Goa are involved in cultivation for family consumption, Khaunte said he has been striving to form many farmer's clubs in Porvorim constituency to encourage large scale farming activity.
“Nallahs in villages were cleaned, new wells were dug, tractors at nominal cost were made available and seeds and manure was distributed to farmers to help them increase their agricultural produce.”
“On account of these efforts, there has been substantial rise in agricultural production across Povorim constituency in recent years. Now, the time has come to encourage farming cooperatives. The government should provide all support to youth to motivate them to take up farming as profession, instead of pursuing only government jobs,” Khaunte said.
