Team Herald
VASCO: Promising to take care of all the major slum dwellers in Goa, Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday assured that in next three years time all the slums in Goa including the biggest Zuarinagar slums will be rehabilitated and houses will be allotted to slum dwellers on ownership basis.
He was speaking to reporters on the sideline of BJP public meeting held at Thana Cortalim.
“After coming to power in 2012, we had some plans to rehabilitate Zuarinagar slums and to fulfill our promise. However, before the State government could take decision we had to face few obstacles. Firstly, mining activity was banned and State revenue was totally disrupted. Similarly, at that time even central government had no schemes for such rehabilitation, but after BJP came to power at the Centre and Narendra Modi became prime minister, he made provision with the aim to provide housing facilities to all,” Parrikar said.
Further, he said, “Also in the Union budget which was presented today, the Union government has given stress on housing. I have already discussed with the Union minister concerned about rehabilitation of slums in Goa in which funding will be borne equally by the Central government and State government. We want to assure that houses at Zuarinagar slums along with other major slums in Goa will be allotted to people on ownership basis and within three years time,” he said.
Earlier, while addressing the public meeting Parrikar tipped off incumbent legislator of Cortalim to be the next minister in the State cabinet, once BJP form next government.
Addressing the public meeting, BJP candidate Alina Saldhana said that she has worked tirelessly to fulfill the aspirations of people and would continue to perform in similar pace after getting elected.
She assured that she would ensure that the promise of rehabilitation for Zuarinagar slums besides providing amenities in Birla would be her top priority.
Meanwhile, in a new political twist, former state Mahila Congress chief Cyintia Silva and Congress candidate from Cortalim in the 2012 assembly polls Raymond Desa extended their support to Alina. They even shared the public meeting dais with Parrikar and praised BJP government for fulfilling poll promise.
