NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, former chief minister of Goa, for bringing in political stability in Goa, which has scaled new heights of progress.
Modi called Parrikar as one of the jewels (navratna) of his cabinet for the Defence Minister’s “remarkable efforts” in resolving long-drawn contentious issues.
“Political instability in the past had defamed Goa, but because of Manohar Parrikar Goa has seen political stability…,” Modi said at a ceremony held to lay the foundation stone for the greenfield airport at the Mopa plateau and the electronic city in Tuem.
“It is in the hand of people to elect a stable political party. When I was Gujarat CM I used to examine social welfare schemes which had been designed and implemented under the leadership of Parrikar, and they were remarkable and nowhere in the country such schemes were implemented,” he said.
Modi said, “It’s said that Akbar had nine jewels in his court. I am proud to say that I have many, including valuable Parrikarji, in my cabinet.”
“After many years, the country has got a Defence Minister who has solved problems of the armed forces including OROP issue which had been pending for over 40 years. He has worked vigorously and no one has raised a finger at the functioning of the defence ministry ever since Parrikar was inducted into the cabinet,” Modi said.
Congratulating the state government for successfully hosting the BRICS 2016, the Prime Minister said, “Goa is marching ahead on the path of development, and I am proud about it. I am happy that I am fulfilling the assurances which had been given by Atal Behari Vajpayee…”