Goa Revolution Day: CM pays tribute to freedom fighters

The Goa government would install portraits of five decorated freedom fighters at the state secretariat as a mark of respect for their contribution in liberating the state from the Portuguese.

Addressing a state-level function to commemorate the Goa Revolution Day Tuesday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the government would display portraits of Ram Manohar Lohiya, Purushottam Kakodkar, Vishwanath Lawande, T B Cunha and Babani Naik Desai at the secretariat so that future generations will remember them.

The Goa Revolution, which is being commemorated annually on June 18, has special significance for Goans as it was on this day in the year 1946 that the Goans staged an open but peaceful revolt against the atrocities perpetrated on them by the Portuguese colonial regime.

"We want out future generations to know about the liberation movement and those who participated in it," Sawant said.

He said the government was working on a project to curate a gallery, specially to highlight Goa's liberation struggle.

"The gallery would be set up on the government premises. A film based on liberation of Goa will be showed in the gallery for visitors," the CM said.

Goa was liberated from the 450-year-ong rule of the Portuguese in 1961.

Sawant also underlined the need to scrap those educational curricula that do not provide vertical career growth for students.

"The government would scrap those educational curricula which do not provide vertical mobility to students in their careers," Sawant told the gathering.

He said: "We need to provide jobs to youths in the private sector and for that we need to train them. Under the Skill India initiative, youths in the state would be made industry ready".

Sawant announced that a crucial community farming bill will come up for discussion in the monsoon session of the state Legislative Assembly, which will be a "game changer" for farmers. The session begins from July 15.

The bill proposes to bring fallow land under cultivation in a bid to increase the agriculture cover and production.

Sawant said that much-needed attention should given to the agricultural sector which was the backbone of the Goan economy when the state was liberated.

He said Goa was looking at blue, white and green revolution by harnessing resources in the ocean, increasing milk production and enhancing agricultural output.