NT Reporter
Mapusa
Tourism and IT Minister Rohan Khaunte, in his Independence Day address at the Administrative Office in Bardez, outlined the
government’s vision of building a Viksit Goa by balancing economic development with the preservation of the state’s culture, heritage and identity.
Khaunte said tourism would continue to remain the backbone of Goa’s
economy, while stressing the need to transform the state into a year-round destination.
“The government is promoting niche segments, including spiritual, heritage, adventure, wellness and yoga tourism, to reduce dependence on seasonal tourism,” he said.
Khaunte said the Ekadasha Teertha project is aimed at upgrading facilities at 11 historic temples, including Mahaganpati Temple at Khandola and Bhagwan Parshuram Temple in Canacona.
He said major infrastructure projects such as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Digital Museum and Porvorim Town Square were also nearing completion, with 75 to 84 per cent of the work completed.
A Single Window System has been introduced to improve ease of doing business and support local entrepreneurs, he added.
“Goa is emerging as a knowledge and technology hub,” he said, citing IT and startup policies, along with initiatives such as Work from Home and Workation Goa. The campaign promotes the message, ‘Let’s come to Goa, Innovate from Goa,’ to attract innovators and digital professionals.
Khaunte said efforts were under way to integrate Konkani into Large Language Models, ensuring the state’s language has a place in the future of artificial intelligence. An Electronic Manufacturing Cluster and Global Capability Centres are also expected to generate quality employment opportunities for Goan youth.
He further highlighted the Drone Nidhi programme, women’s training initiatives and support for Self-Help Groups.
He said the government was also focusing on skill-based and activity-based education under the National Education Policy, along with certified vocational courses.
He called upon students, entrepreneurs and citizens to contribute to the vision of Viksit Goa and Viksit Bharat 2047, urging everyone to uphold the principle of nation and state first while advancing towards prosperity and peace.
