MARGAO: “It is now time for a new revolution, a revolution for development with a positive mindset so that it is not only relevant for the present generation but will also benefit future generations in Goa,” said Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai.
Speaking at the Goa Revolution Day function at Lohia Maidan on Monday he lamented the neglect of important days and monuments. He said world class technology should be provided to Goan youth so that they can progress and enhance their quality of life.
“Development should be inclusive and we have to dispel disparity,” he said. Admitting the importance of infrastructure, he said what people wanted more was a good quality of life.
Pointing out that Goa is ahead of other states in many spheres, he said the time has come to compete with foreign countries and not with other States.
“We have to opt for development by consent as is being done in Fatorda and that has to be taken all over Goa,” he said and lamented that except for him and Digambar Kamat no other MLA was present for the function.
He said opposition to something need not be bad all the time as sometimes opposition brings about improvement. However, he said opposition for the sake of opposition is bad in all aspects.
“There was opposition to the setting up an IIT in Goa and even for the education hub at Davorlim,” he said adding that education was the key to improvement and Goa should strive for good universities and educational institutes. He said entrepreneurship has to be encouraged amongst Goans and quipped that it need not be only in IT sector but was required in agriculture, art & culture and health.
He took a dig at the District Administration for its failure to felicitate till date the police team that arrested the gang-rape accused in record time.
Disclosing that he shares people’s concern of non-Goans using Goa to only enhance their wealth, he said there was an urgent need to end the attitude of neglect that has come over and said he would be visiting Assolna to see for himself the condition of the house that Ram Manohar Lohia lived in and the condition of the monument there.
Ram Manohar Lohia after his release from the prison in 1946 had come to Goa to his friend Dr Juliao Menezes’ house to relax but was disturbed with the Portuguese atrocities in Goa and hence launched the movement that led to Goa’s Liberation.
