VASCO: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar Sunday assured the slum dwellers of Zuarinagar, Birla and Zorint in Cortalim constituency that they would be rehabilitated by way of a proper housing scheme, if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in the state following the assembly elections to be held in the state in 2017.
Parrikar was addressing the party workers during ‘Vijay Sankalp Mahamelava,’ organised by the state unit of BJP in association with the Cortalim BJP mandal at the Upasnagar ground in Sancoale.
Stating that violence and anti-social elements have declined in Cortalim constituency after the BJP-led government came into power in the state after the 2012 assembly election, Parrikar said that the Dabolim airport will continue to operate even after the Mopa airport is commissioned as there has been a rise in the number of air passengers. “As the capacity of Dabolim airport in handling the passengers has been increased to 5.5 million from 2.7 million, there was a need to have two airports in Goa,” Parrikar said.
He said that the defence contract allocated to Goa Shipyard Limited for the construction of mine countermeasure vessels worth Rs 36,000 crore will help generate employment facilities to the locals and added that around 8,000 to 15,000 persons could be absorbed from the four constituencies of Mormugao, Vasco, Dabolim and Cortalim.
Urging the residents of Cortalim to reelect Science and Technology Minister Alina Saldanha during the forthcoming elections for stability, Parrikar said that Saldanha has played a major role in explaining to the people the various aspects about the construction of the new world class Zuari bridge. “The Zuari bridge, which is estimated to cost Rs 3,500 crore, will not affect the locals, houses and even the environment,” he said and added that Saldanha has made a huge contribution towards approval of the plan for the bridge. He also said that BJP has played a key role in restarting the construction work of the balance portion of the four-lane highway with on-stilt bridge from Gandhinagar to Gate No 9 of MPT via Baina beach without affecting the people, who will visit the beach.
Apart from Saldanha, the meeting was attended by BJP state unit president Vinay Tendulkar, South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar, Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and others.