TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Batting strongly for the new international airport at Mopa, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Friday said that the work on the airport will begin by December 2015, and the first phase of the airport is expected to be commissioned by December 2018.
Stating that the airport at Mopa will be “in addition to the existing international airport in Goa,” he said, “The new airport in North Goa will have provisions for cargo facilities, aviation training institute and maintenance and repair operations. It will be constructed on PPP basis at an estimated cost of Rs 3,000 crore.” Parsekar was speaking to the Indian Diaspora (Pravasi Bharatiyas) in Gujarat, where he is on a two-day visit along with NRI Commissioner Dr Wilfred Mesquita.
The Chief Minister also announced that there were plans to make the existing International airport at Dabolim an international aircraft hub by incentivizing hub operators.
He assured the diaspora that the Goa government is committed to extend support in all sectors required for investing in the State and said that ever since Goa became a full-fledged State in 1987, the State Government, with the active support and assistance of the Centre, has ensured unprecedented growth and development.
“I am happy to state that we have been adjudged the most competitive State for business in India and I would like to credit our enlightened and talented human resources, huge natural resources, progressive policies, pollution-free environment, captivating scenic beauty and salubrious year-round climate for this achievement,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the State received a tremendous setback in 2012 with the imposition of a blanket ban on extraction and transportation of mining ore in the State. “However, we have managed to strike a balance between our development needs and environmental concerns for sustained growth of the economy,” Parsekar said, seeking suggestions from the experts on the steps to be initiated for resuming the mining activities in the State.
With an aim of diversifying its economy in the industrial sector, government has identified thrust areas for encouraging investment proposals which include financial services, pharmaceuticals & bio-technology, integrated educational hubs, light engineering, aviation, aerospace and defence, IT, food processing, etc.
