Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa and Maharashtra could collaborate in creating common resources between the States in the fields of fisheries, agriculture and mineral development in Sindhudurg district.
Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Finance Deepak Kesarkar met Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Thursday evening to work out a joint strategy for resource based development connecting the coastal State to neighbouring Sindhudurg.
Both governments have identified agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and sustainable mineral development as focus areas.
“Sindhudurg district and Goa are very close. What I suggested to Goa Chief Minister is that we can develop some common infrastructure,” Kesarkar told media persons after his meeting with Parsekar. “If we want to develop crab farming in this area which has export potential, we can have a common hatchery for Goa and Sindhudurg,” he explained.
“For aquaculture too, we can have common facility. Currently aquaculture facility is provided from Tamil Nadu which is too far,” the minister added.
Maharashtra government is planning to undertake resource-based development in the districts of Sindhudurg and Chandrapur to increase per capita income of people living there by 100 percent in the next five years and hence a project with Goa government attains importance.
Kesarkar said the exact model to be implemented between the States is being worked out. “We have just exchanged ideas. He (Goa CM) was also interested,” he said.
Speaking about Sindhudurg district, the Minister said the government’s focus is on sustaining at least 48 percent green cover in the district.
