PANAJI
The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday announced to introduce Ro-Ro Ferry service in the State while admitting that the much-hyped solar power ferry boat has remained non commissioned even year after its launch.
Both ruling and opposition MLAs highlighted the bad conditions of the ferry boats while pointing out frequent breakdowns and poor maintenance, less number of boats and lack of staff. The opposition questioned the failure of the solar power ferry boat that was purchased at the cost of Rs four crore and launched almost a year back.
Responding to the cut motions moved to the River Navigation department, Sawant admitted that due to lack of technical staff the solar ferry boat could not be commissioned. He also announced the introduction of the Ro-Ro ferry service with proper feasibility study.
“We will initially introduce it on the heavy traffic routes like Panaji to Chodan and vice versa and Mayem to Panaji,” he said.
Sawant also directed the department to revise the tariff charged to the four wheelers , which is currently only Rs 10 per trip.
On the department of Archives and Archaeology, the Chief Minister said that the government has taken up a five-year long project to digitise, scan and preserve all the archival documents. He said that the land grab cases began to take shape from this department as people used to take documents or scan or photocopy them.
He also announced the drafting of heritage policy and to notify Chandor as a heritage village. He also assured to restore and refurbish all the memorials of the State’s liberation movement.
