Panaji: Amid apprehensions raised by opposition parties, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that the third district would be notified soon in the state.
Sawant chaired a meeting of MLAs, including those from the opposition camp, at Mantralaya, Porvorim on Tuesday to discuss the formation of the third district.
While opposition parties, speaking to the media after the meeting, said that they lacked clarity on the implications of the new district, the Chief Minister stated that the issue had been properly discussed in the State Cabinet as well as during the Legislative Assembly session.
Sawant said that a decision had been taken in the State Cabinet and in the Legislative Assembly to form the third district.
He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after the formation of NITI Aayog, had emphasized the need for smaller districts so that governance reaches every doorstep.
Sawant said it was decided to form the third district in Goa comprising the talukas of Dharbandora, Sanguem, Quepem, and Canacona, all of which are currently part of South Goa district.
At present, Goa has only two districts, North Goa and South Goa.
Sawant said that Quepem town would be the headquarters of the new district.
When asked about the exact date of notification, Sawant said that the notification would be issued soon.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao said that the state government intends to notify the new district on January 31.
He said that the opposition did not understand why the government was in a hurry, adding that the state government had prepared a detailed report in 2023 on the formation of the third district.
Alemao said that the report had been sought by the opposition but was not provided and was also not available in the public domain.
He stated that while he supports the formation of the third district, there should be clarity on the financial implications of the new district.
Alemao said it was also necessary to understand what shortcomings in the existing two districts had compelled the government to form a third one.
He added that the BJP government had been promising additional funds from the Centre after the formation of the third district, a claim the opposition does not believe.
AAP MLA Cruz Silva said that the third district may be beneficial for the people, but this could be determined only after examining the report.
He said that the implications of the third district should be made known to the public.
