Team Herald

PORVORIM:  “The golden jubilee edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) would have been celebrated at a much a grander scale at the Convention Centre at Dona Paula by former Chief Minister (late) Manohar Parrikar, if he was alive today,” said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on the Floor of the House remembering the departed leader.

Sawant was speaking during the demands for grants for Information and Publicity Department on Thursday.

“It was a dream of Manohar Parrikar to have a convention centre. We have taken up the project to construct it. If he was alive today he would have celebrated 50th edition of IFFI on a grand scale, the way he had done it in 2004. He would have made it sure that this year’s IFFI takes place in the Convention Centre,” Sawant said.

Sawant told the House that this year’s edition of IFFI will have films being screened in different villages of the State. “We will also involved local artistes in the entertainment programs across Goa,” he said adding that the movies, shortlisted for the event, would be also screened at the various Ravindra Bhavans located across the State. 

Sawant also turned down the request of Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, who had demanded that the government through the Entertainment Society of Goa takes back the rights of certain programmes of IFFI which have been surrendered to Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

“It is not possible to take over the rights. We are just the host,” Sawant said in a response. 

Meanwhile, Chief Minister also announced that government is considering converting the ruins of a church at Chimbel, in the property of Provedoria into a State-of-the art Museum.