Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: As part of the nationwide Seva Pakhwada campaign, a special felicitation programme was held at Socorro Panchayat Hall, Porvorim, to honour women innovators and entrepreneurs contributing significantly to Goa’s welfare and inclusive growth. The event, organised jointly by the Department of Tourism and the Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communications (DITE&C), brought together a large gathering of women celebrating service, innovation, and empowerment.
The programme was graced by Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, ITE&C, and Printing & Stationery, Shri Rohan Khaunte. Other dignitaries included Shri Kabir Shirgaonkar, Director of DITE&C; Shri Kedar Naik, Director of Tourism; Shri Kuldeep Arolkar, Managing Director of GTDC; Smt Kavita Gupesh Naik, ZP Member, Penha de Franca; Smt Sonia S Pednekar, Sarpanch of Socorro Village Panchayat; Shri Swapnil Chodankar, Sarpanch of Penha De Franca Village Panchayat; and Shri Sandeep Salgaonkar, Panch, Salvador do Mundo.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Rohan Khaunte highlighted the essence of Seva Pakhwada, saying, “Across India, this campaign brings people together—from health camps to cleanliness drives, awareness programmes to livelihood initiatives—all aimed at one goal: ‘Seva’, service before self. Governments exist to serve the people, and Seva Pakhwada is a sincere step in that direction.”
He further emphasised initiatives like Goa Beyond Beaches, which seeks to extend tourism beyond conventional spots to empower communities and showcase Goa’s diversity. A key component of this initiative, the Homestay and Bed & Breakfast Scheme, provides a grant of ₹2 lakh to 100 women beneficiaries. Three of the women felicitated at the event are set to receive these grants in the coming days, reflecting the scheme’s aim to uplift entire communities.
Around 30 women were recognised at the event, including the state’s pioneering Drone Didis, Lakhpati Didis, startup entrepreneurs, outstanding lifeguards, and Self Help Groups (SHGs) run by CSC-VLEs. Grants were also disbursed under the Homestay Scheme to support rural tourism. The programme featured an informative presentation on cybersecurity, underlining the government’s focus on digital literacy, and included a live demonstration by the Drone Didis.
The event highlighted the critical role of women innovators and entrepreneurs in driving Goa’s economic growth, reaffirming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to empowering women across the country.
