Team Goemkarponn
PONDA: Goa marked six years of Swayampurna Goa with the ‘Seva Ki Kahani: Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Swayampurna Goa’ programme held at Betoda, Ponda, showcasing initiatives in agriculture, rural development, livelihoods and grassroots delivery of government schemes.
A major highlight of the programme was the launch of the Goa Fresh brand logo and packaging prototype by Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant. The initiative aims to provide Goa’s agricultural produce with a distinct identity and strengthen branding and market opportunities for local products.
The leaders visited stalls and pavilions showcasing agricultural products, government schemes, Self-Help Group initiatives and local enterprises.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said Goa had taken important steps to strengthen agriculture, support farmers and promote local products. He appreciated the initiatives led by women entrepreneurs and Self-Help Groups and stressed the importance of better market linkages and wider opportunities for local produce to improve farmers’ incomes.
Chouhan also appreciated the Goa Fresh initiative for placing greater emphasis on the identity, branding and packaging of Goan agricultural products. He highlighted efforts to connect farmers with wider markets and promote Goa’s agricultural produce beyond the State.
He congratulated ICAR for its vision document and appreciated its contribution to the agriculture sector. He also highlighted the role of farmers and Nari Shakti in strengthening rural livelihoods and creating opportunities for women, Self-Help Groups and rural entrepreneurs.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant said the six-year journey of Swayampurna Goa reflected the State government’s efforts to take schemes and services closer to villages and ensure that their benefits reach people at the grassroots.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years of public service, Sawant said the spirit of service remained central to development initiatives in Goa. He highlighted the support extended to farmers and continued efforts to strengthen agriculture and rural livelihoods.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the growing role of Self-Help Groups and women-led enterprises in Goa’s rural economy. He spoke about the revolving fund of more than ₹480 crore supporting Self-Help Groups, village-level entrepreneurship, the Lakhpati Didi initiative and training opportunities for women.
He also highlighted efforts to connect local produce with wider markets, including through APEDA, and acknowledged the contribution of farmers and Nari Shakti to Goa’s rural economy.
Chouhan and Sawant also interacted with influencers from across Goa who attended the programme. They urged the influencers to support the Goa Fresh initiative and promote the brand and Goa’s agricultural products through YouTube, Instagram and other social media platforms.
The programme also saw the launch of the ‘Seva Ki Kahani’ informative booklet, highlighting initiatives undertaken for the welfare of Goa. The Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO) Policy was also launched, along with an MoU exchange between the National Institute of Hydrology and the Directorate of Agriculture. The Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) was launched through a video presentation.
Several farmer, dairy and rural development initiatives were showcased during the programme. Through ICAR, petrol-operated water pumps were distributed to two farmers, while Medicine and Mineral Mixture Kits were provided to two dairy farmers.
Three Lakhpati Didis were felicitated. Cheques were also presented to 18 Bank Linkage Committee members, 10 Village Organisations under PM-FME and six Integrated Farming Clusters CLF Chairpersons.
Sanction orders for Pink Electric Rickshaws were presented to 13 Self-Help Group members. A Swayampurna Mitra and two Village Panchayats were felicitated, along with a progressive farmer. Cheques towards agricultural subsidies were also distributed to beneficiaries.
Awards were presented to winners of the Goa Fresh Logo Design Competition and Packaging Solution Design Competition.
As part of Swachhata Hi Seva 2026, Chouhan and Sawant participated in a cleanliness drive at the KTC Bus Stand in Ponda. The activity reinforced the message of cleanliness as a collective responsibility and the importance of Jan Bhagidari in keeping public spaces clean.
The programme was attended by Union Minister of State Shri Shripad Naik, Rajya Sabha MP Shri Sadanand Tanavde, Ministers Shri Sudhin Dhavlikar, Shri Subash Shirodkar and Shri Ramesh Tawadkar, Chief Secretary V. Candavelou, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Shri Ganesh Gaonkar, MLA Smt. Deviya Rane and Shri Premendra Shet, among others.
