The Church authorities are expecting nearly 50 lakh devotees to attend the exposition.
The Exposition is scheduled from November 22 to January 4, 2015, during which the sacred relics of the Jesuit missionary will be kept at Se Cathedral in Old Goa, for public veneration.
The 33-member committee comprises of Union Minister for State for Tourism Shripad Naik, five State ministers, MLAs – including two from the opposition Congress, tourism department officials, high ranking police officers, administrators from the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman and local authorities. Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza and Naik are co-chairmen.
The high-powered co-ordination committee will have full powers to decide in the matter and execute any kind of work related to the Exposition so as to enable its smooth conduct.
“All financial and administrative powers relating to execution of any kind of work/infrastructure facilities shall vest with the chairman of the Exposition secretariat and any decision in this respect shall be final,” said an order from the Home department on Friday.
The government has also set up another six member exposition secretariat chaired by the chief minister, to monitor the day-to-day functioning of the State’s preparation for the religious event. Secretary to the chief minister Michael M D’Souza, PWD principal secretary Joseph Rego, Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation managing director Sanjit Rodrigues and Superintendent of Police (ACB) Bosco George have been designated commissioners of the secretariat.
