Governor on tour of Goa’s villages to know ‘actual life’

PANAJI: Governor of Goa, P S Sreedharan Pillai interacted with the elected representatives of Old Goa, Corlim and Cumbharjua who shared the transportation, employment and infrastructure issues faced by people in the constituency.
Pillai assured the representatives to resolve these issues. During his interaction he recalled his days as the Mizoram governor and said that though it is a very poor state it ranks number one on happiness index. “In Goa the per capita income is high yet on the happiness index it ranks far below other states,” he said. The governor added that he was visiting villages in Goa because “the actual life of India is in its villages” and said that was the reason why Mahatma Gandhi supported Gram Swaraj, “which is about villages becoming self-reliant”.
Pillai disbursed financial assistance to dialysis patients and said that the office of the Raj Bhavan was committed to extending help to those in need. “It is written in the Constitution of India that the country should be a welfare state and in a democracy the people are supreme. We pledge to give committed service to the people,” he added.
Cumbharjua MLA, Rajesh Faldessai, minister for archives and archaeology, river navigation and social welfare, Subhash Phal Dessai, secretary to governor, Mihir Vardhan, sarpanch of Old Goa village panchayat, Janita Madkaikar, Cumbharjua sarpanch, Bindi Parab, deputy sarpanch, Shiva Naik, deputy collector, Chandrakant Shetkar mamlatdar of Tiswadi, Dashrath Gawas and panch members of the local village bodies were present at the meet.
Faldessai said, “I am touched by the governor’s gesture to visit Goa’s villages and feel the pulse of the people.”
PIllai also visited the Se Cathedral Church and Old Goa Church complex. He was shown around by parish priest of Se Cathedral, Fr Rosario Oliveira. Union minister of state for tourism and ports, shipping and waterways, Shripad Naik was present.