Time to relook at Goa’s development priorities

After the coronavirus pandemic is over, I hope the Government of Goa has a Cabinet meeting and relook at the development priorities for the State of Goa. At present, for our government, development means building highways, designer bridges, airports, Ravindra Bhavans, football grounds, market complexes and all other fancy projects. 

None of these we could use during the present emergency situation. What we needed and used is the basic infrastructure such as roads, water supply, electricity, transport, essential items for daily consumption and the local government services. 

On these services the government will have to have a relook. 

ROADS 

In our State are fairly good, but keep up the maintenance and improve the safety aspects.

WATER SUPPLY 

Also, is good in our State, except for a few areas where it has to be given priority and replacement of old pipeline network is needed, in some areas.

ELECTRICITY 

In our State we do have plenty of power made available but the distribution has a lot to improve. We are surviving with the domestic distribution lines installed in the seventies. For example, the area I live in has such an old distribution network that we do not even have overhead aluminium conductors, but some loose hanging PVC insulated weak cables. The transformer is a 63KVA supplying to half the village, wherein the voltage drops to 160V at night and the appliances struggle to remain on. Situations like these need to be improved on priority basis. Many villages in Goa need a relook at the existing infrastructure of electricity distribution.

TRANSPORT 

Moment the local transport is improved, more people would use it and there would be less traffic on the roads, there could be local trains from Margao to Pernem, Margao to Karwar, more busses on the village routes for which a detailed study needs to be done and implemented.

ESSENTIAL GOODS 

We need to improve our agricultural and dairy produce for which incentives and knowhow has to be disseminated to the local farmers. The Goa Meat Complex has to function and quality has to be assured.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES 

Time bound and efficient services need to be provided to the people. The system of first in first out should be followed and not of priority on influential phone calls. The services at the Collectorate, RTO, Town Planning, Municipalities etc need to be people friendly and quick. If requested people will come with a lot of stories of the difficulties they face and also will give a lot of suggestions to improve, only, the government should be receptive.

After developing the basic infrastructure and keeping the people happy then the government can say the State is developed and thereafter focus on the grand projects. 

At the moment, Goa cannot boast as a developed State as our basic needs in infrastructure are not taken care of. I suggest to the government to open a portal wherein the people can bring forward the difficulties they face in obtaining the basic needs and services and after summarising it follow a method of development to alleviate the hardships.