Local Goa News

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

PM to arrive on Oct 14 to host BRICS summit

PANAJI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Goa on October 14 to host the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit, a gathering of the association of five major emerging national economies in the world, to be held in South Goa on October 15 and 16.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who took stock of all the government departments vis-à-vis preparation for the grand event, later told the pressmen that a special BRICS committee has been constituted under Chief Secretary R K Srivastava to handle various aspects linked to the Summit, and a special team formed under the South Goa Collector to take care of the infrastructure, from Dabolim airport to the accommodation point for various dignitaries arriving in the state.
The Chief Minister, addressing a press conference, after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, said that the projection, which Goa would receive on the global level by way of the BRICS Summit, would be a good opportunity for the state to publicise its tourism sector. “The state will use this leverage to its optimum level,” he noted, observing that the government will also be able to save large amount of money that is being spent on organising tourism-related road shows in various countries.
Speaking further, Parsekar said that the public works department has been directed to widen roads, clear bushes along the roadside, and clean the drains, as also village panchayats told to remove roadside hoardings as well as prevent cattle from straying on the road. “Furthermore, police officials have been ordered to beef up security in the state,” he added, pointing out that the government could request the central government for additional security force during the BRICS Summit.
The Chief Minister also said that Goa Medical College and hospital, Hospicio Hospital, Manipal Hospital, V M Salgaocar Hospital and Apollo Victor Hospital have been identified as health institutions for the summit. “The government will also keep ready one ambulance as also one air ambulance of the Ministry of Defence for any emergencies during the two-day event,” he maintained, noting that the Leela Goa, Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa, and the Taj Exotica Hotel and Resort would be the accommodation points for the BRICS dignitaries and delegates.
It was also informed that aircraft parking facilities at the Dabolim airport would be upgraded for the airplanes bringing dignitaries and delegates to Goa. The Chief Minister will take the next review of the BRICS preparations on October 2.
The government is further trying to organise a football tournament to be played among teams of five BRICS countries, during the Summit.
Parsekar also maintained that the foundation stone for the proposed Mopa International Greenfield Airport would be laid after September 15. The government is proposing to invite the Prime Minister to lay the foundation stone.
Meanwhile, the state cabinet decided to increase the retirement age of the non-teaching doctors from 60 years to 62 years, while that of the teaching faculty from 60 years to 65 years. The decision came in the wake of acute shortage of doctors at the premier government-run hospital in Goa.
The state cabinet also decided to appoint 46 lecturers on contract basis at five polytechnics in the state. The cabinet meeting further saw clearance for recruitment of 50 tourist security personnel on contract basis, in a bid to curb illegalities on Goan beaches.

NT Network Goa News

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