Special Correspondent Panaji
Announcing his plans to strengthen both zilla panchayats (ZP) on the eve of the elections to the district-level local bodies in Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said his roadmap for spreading ‘prosperity’ in Goan villages through both ZPs include rural development and community farming.
“Community farming in areas like agriculture, horticulture and pisciculture could be achieved through the ZPs, in collaboration with the departments of agriculture and rural development as also self-help groups,” he told a press conference at the city Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters, along with the chief of party’s state unit Damodar ‘Damu’ Naik.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the youth from rural Goa would have employment opportunities through skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling.
Maintaining that the economic prosperity of peopling living in rural Goa would be the focus of his government, the Chief Minister said all the houses eligible for regularisation under the Mhaje Ghar scheme would receive the said status before 2027 assembly elections in Goa. “The BJP-Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party alliance will win 35-plus seats out of the 50 segments going to polls on Saturday,” he maintained, adding that there is neck-and-neck fight in another four-five
constituencies.
“The alliance flag will fly on both zilla panchayats,” Sawant claimed.
The Chief Minister said that ZP members need to be accorded all the respect they deserve.
“Henceforth, they will be invited to all government functions as also given place of honour on the dais during important programmes,” he added.
Sawant also refuted the possibility of the recent crimes such as robberies and dacoities having adverse effect on the prospects of his party at the elections.
“The police have acted very fast to nab the criminals,” he noted.
The state BJP chief said that his party held 293 corner meetings and undertook many more door-to-door visits from Pernem to Canacona, during the election campaign especially to promote the Swayampurna Goa initiative.
“We have understood the problems of these people and would work towards coming out with solutions for the same,” he said.
