Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant led the State in celebrating the 73rd Goa Revolution Day on Tuesday and made a clarion call to Goans to work together towards a new revolution to put the State at a pedestal position.
He announced the govt will install portraits of 5 freedom fighters in the secretariat as a mark of respect for their contributions to the Liberation of Goa from Portuguese colonialism.
These include Ram Manohar Lohiya, Purushottam Kakodkar, Vishwanath Lawande, TB Cunha and Babani Naik Desai.
The CM said, “We celebrate the Revolution Day so that our present and future generations remember the steps of revolution and take inspiration from them. There have been many freedom fighters but we do not have any gallery dedicated to them. We will establish a gallery dedicated to the freedom fighters in the capital city. This will also include movies.”
Earlier, the President of Goa Freedom Fighters Association, Pandurang Kunkolkar sought the attention of the CM stating that while the State celebrates the Revolution Day, there is nothing for anyone to reminisce about the main duo behind the revolution.
Responding to this, Sawant announced announced that the residence of freedom fighter Dr Juliao Menezes where Dr Ram Manohar Lohia stayed in and the lane leading to his residence will be developed into a memorial. “We will develop the house and the lane as a memorial before the next Goa Revolution Day celebration”, he added.
The CM further said that if the State needs to undergo a change then all the Goans will have to participate and contribute. He said, “The way Goans participated in the revolution for the liberation of Goa, similarly if all the Goans assure their contribution then we can revolutionise the State once again.”
Further, in achieving the ‘Green Goa Clean Goa’ mission, he appealed to all the citizens that they should cooperate and support the initiative.
“To make Goa a plastic-free and garbage-free State every citizen will have to contribute. With support from the Forest Department, we have resolved to make Goa green and I request to every institution and organisation and individuals to take a step towards making Goa Green”, he added.
He announced that community farming bill will be taken up for discussion during the upcoming monsoon session of the Assembly. The bill proposes to bring fallow land under cultivation in a bid to increase the agriculture cover and production.
He said the govt would focus towards the agricultural sector which is the backbone of the Goan economy. “We are looking at blue revolution, white revolution and green revolution by harnessing resources in the ocean, increasing milk production and enhancing agricultural output”, he stated.
