Goa CM lays foundation stone for Parrikar's memorial

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday laid the foundation stone for the memorial of his predecessor and late Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at Miramar beach near here.

Parrikar died in March this year after a prolonged battle with a pancreatic ailment.

The proposed memorial will be set up at the same place, where Parrikar's last rites were performed.

The foundation stone was laid on Friday, which is the birth anniversary of Parrikar.

Talking to reporters later, Sawant said the memorial will be an important part of Goa's history, which will showcase the life of Parrikar.

Utpal, the elder son of Parrikar, was also present at the ceremony.

The chief minister said that Parrikar dreamt of transforming the state into 'golden Goa'.

"For Parrikar, Goa was his top priority. Goa was everything for him. To turn this state into 'golden Goa', I need the support of each one of you. It is a dream that Parrikar cherished throughout his life," Sawant said.

This memorial will be set up next to the 'samadhi' of Goa's first chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar.

The Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) will execute the project and Mumbai-based firm UCJ Architecture and Environment has been selected as its consultant.