RP 2021 to be out in six months: CM
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, MARCH 27
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat today assured that the Regional Plan 2021 for the State of Goa will be finalized within six months.
Kamat said that prior to that government will release taluka plans of those areas where there is no controversy.
“There have been doubts raised by several people whether the regional plan will be finalized or not but I want to tell them that for the first time in the history of the State such an exercise of formulating the Regional Plan has been taken up,” Kamat said speaking on the motion of thanks for the Governor’s address.
He said that now every village has a document and everybody knows what is happening in their village and hence it is a very taxing exercise.
“We will try and finalise RP 2021 within six months he said and wherever there are no controversies we will try and release the plan before that,” he stated.
Kamat said that no construction will be allowed in eco-sensitive Zones. A decision to this effect would be taken in a next meeting of Town and Country Planning board.
Pointing to the resolutions taken by the Gram Sabha, Kamat said, “One Gram Sabha of a particular village had demanded that 74 lakh square meter of land be converted but can we grant such a permission?”
“If we consider this Gram Sabha resolution then the entire village will have to be converted,” he said “So we have decided to have a clear cut criteria on what has to be done once and for all. Some yardsticks have to be applied as there are lots of complex problems”
Central assistance: The chief minister said that for the first time the Central government has sanctioned so many projects to Goa for tourism and other sectors.
“The Centre has even sanctioned Rs 200 crore golden jubilee celebration package for Goa, the CM noted.
The Centre has also sanctioned a gas pipeline for Goa. We are planning to have a joint venture with GEL so that we would be able to supply gas to various cities, CM said.
Excise collection: Till 2006 revenue of Excise Department was stagnant.
But in 2007-2008 it went up. In 2009 it went upto 88.78 crore. This year we touched upto 100 crore and it will cross Rs102 crore, CM said.
Sea link: As far as sea link is concerned, we have no hurry. Only after receiving a technical report, we will proceed further. Also if the sea link is connected to the national highway it would be a useful project for us, said the CM.
Mining: Kamat said the mining companies have responded positively to the proposal of Goa for a fining fund to creating of mining infrastructure.
On finalization of the mining policy, he said, “I had assured that no renewal of mining leases will be done till we finalise mining policy and the government will stick to it,” he said.
“I have even rejected a lease which was approved by the Centre,” the CM said.
