Team Herald

PANJIM: Archives and Archaeology Minister Vijai Sardesai on Monday said that records at Goa’s archives, considered to be one of the oldest in Asia, will be digitalised under the Central Government’s Smart City Mission scheme. Sardesai had assured to digitalise the records during the recent monsoon session of the Assembly.

“The Archives are presently housed in a Portuguese-era structure in Panjim and have often been considered as unsafe by people due to the dilapidated condition of the building. Also, the practice of photocopying these ancient papers of inscription and description is considered a retrograde practice that should be replaced by digitalisation,” Sardesai said.

The minister further said that his department does not have sufficient funds for the purpose of digitalising the archives.

Goa has several records in the Archives and Archeology Department dating to the time the State was ruled by Portugal. The State was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961 after 450 years of colonial rule.

Sardesai had earlier announced the construction of a state-of-the-art modern facility to preserve the records dating back to 15th century, while also stating that digitalisation of old records was the government’s priority.

“There may be some international mafias’ who try to destroy the archives. It has happened in the past in other places and we cannot allow this to happen in Goa. Accordingly, it has been decided to build a state-of-the-art facility and then shift the records. The government will have to allot land. The department requires 6000 sq mts of built up area,” Sardesai had said.