Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: A jubilant Canacona MLA/Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar expressed his satisfaction calling the New Delhi visit a fruitful one for Canconcars after presenting positive responses to a horde of issues and developmental works of Canacona constituency which were presented to the Central Ministers and the Lok Sabha Speaker.
“I have presented and got greens signals for many issues, demands and developmental works pertaining only to Canacona. It is for the Ministers concerned to present and get the green signals/approvals for State-level Issues and Developmental Works”, stated Tawadkar at a specially called press briefing on Thursday.
Tawadkar, along with Canacona Municipal Council Chairperson Ramakant Naikgaunkar had a 3-days tour of the national capital, from Monday to Wednesday meeting various union ministers, presenting the issues, demands and developmental works and getting a positive response. Besides Tawadkar, who is Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker met and interacted with the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and also attended and observed some of the on-going Lok Sabha proceedings in the Parliament?
Speaker Tawadkar and his team meet nine ministers, including Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Tribal Welfare Minister Arjun Munda and Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, during the three days stay in the capital.
Tawadkar sounded ecstatic, stating he convinced Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari of the urgency to expedite the work on the 4-Laning of NH-66 to reduce the danger faced by vehicular traffic in Canacona. ‘The Union minister agreed in totality to sanction 77 crores for Land acquisition from Bendurdem(Qupem0 to Char-rasta (Canacona), a 14 Km stretch, agreed in principle to erect a Statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji at Traffic Island 9 having an area of 350 sqm) at the entrance of Manohar Parrikar Canacona Bypass Road (NH-66) at Char-Rasta. The union minister would ensure NOC for the said work.
In a meeting with Minister for Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, the speaker urged to build of new infrastructure for Anganwadis in different villages and Municipality areas of Canacona, replacing the existing dilapidated structures. Irani is learnt to have asked to send the proposal, and she promised to look into it expeditiously.
Tawadkar-led delegation also called on the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and highlighted the critical issue of rapid sand and coast erosion of the Talpona-Galgibaga belt, adversely impacting the livelihood of the locals and also severely damaging the Turtle Nesting Site and disturbing the other aquatic animals. Union minister assured to take up the rehabilitation of this coastal best under the Coastal Flood Damage Management Scheme of the central government and assured to earmark and sanction funds to the tune of Rs.200 crores for this project.
Minister of State For Rural Development and steel Faggan Singh Khulaste agreed in principle to release funds for Entry point Activity and Rural Development under the various central government schemes.
Besides Tawadkar and Naikgaunkare GCA Vice president Shamba Naikdessai, Ex- Executive Engineer (W
Electricity-Retd) Santosh Gaonkar, were also part of the team amongst a few others who visited the national capital and met 9 ministers of the Central government.
