Team Goemkarponn
Canacona: Assuring residents of comprehensive infrastructure development, Minister for Urban Development and Health Vishwajeet Rane on Friday said Canacona will receive Infrastructure Development Funds on par with major cities, with the government bringing improvements and upgrades “in a different way”.
In the absence of Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, Rane was speaking after inaugurating the ₹11 crore reconstructed modern three-storey Administrative-cum-Commercial Building of the Canacona Municipal Council (CMC).
Earlier, Rane, along with Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs, Tribal Welfare, Art & Culture and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar, CMC Chairperson Laxuman Pagui and GSUDA Chief Project Officer Ankush Gaonkar, cut the ribbon and lit the traditional lamp to mark the inauguration of the newly constructed municipal complex.
Addressing the gathering, Rane said the government is committed to bringing infrastructural development, improvements and hospital upgradation in a new and focused manner. “Canacona will get all-round development, and funds will be allotted on par with Panaji and Margao. No differences will be made, but development will be delivered in a different way,” he said.
The Minister announced that several long-pending and planned infrastructure projects in Canacona will be taken up during the current government term. These include construction of a new fish market, for which work will be allotted on a single-tender basis after four earlier tenders failed, beautification of a 3.5-km stretch of Chaudi town to commence within the next two months, and approval for reconstruction of an old dilapidated commercial building.
“Whatever proposals are submitted will be approved within this term itself,” Rane assured, adding that facilities for children, youth and women will also be sanctioned during the same period.
Earlier, Canacona MLA and Minister Ramesh Tawadkar said that work on the ₹1,300 crore four-laning of NH-66 from Polem to Panzorconim will commence within the next two months. He urged the Urban Development Minister to approve the single tender for construction of the fish market to avoid further delay.
CMC Chairperson Laxuman Pagui, in his welcome address, lauded the government for completing and initiating multiple development projects in municipal areas, including the Ravindra Bhavan.
On the occasion, a new CMC logo depicting the iconic old municipal building (Camara) and the Palolem beach coastline with Konkan Island was unveiled by Rane and Tawadkar.
Director of Urban Development and GSUDA Member Secretary Brijesh Manerkar, Urban Development Secretary (IAS) Yetindra Maralkar, Senior Project Engineer Hussain Shah Mazawar, CMC Chief Officer Laxmikant R. Desai, Vice-Chairperson Gandesh Madgaonkar, Zilla Panchayat member Ajit (Ajay) Lolienkar, sarpanches and several councillors were present.
Municipal Inspector Yesso Dessai compered the programme, while Councillor Nitu Sameer Dessai, during whose tenure as Chairperson the foundation stone for reconstruction of the CMC building was laid in 2022, proposed the vote of thanks.
