‘Midday meal poor, need Akshaya Patra-like model’, says Goa CM Pramod Sawant

PORVORIM: CM Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday that the quality of food supplied in the midday meal is not up to the mark, and that the state will take the initiative to provide quality food along the lines of Akshaya Patra.
Sawant, who recently visited a Sakhali school and had midday meal, said that the quality of the food needs to improve. He said that Akshaya Patra provides midday meals in 18 states, and a similar mechanism will be introduced in Goa. “Every day, there is a need to check the quality of food provided to children with regards to nutrients and quality,” he said.
He added that the government is mulling over starting midday meals for Classes IX and X too.
Sawant, who also holds the education portfolio, said that the government is planning to merge primary schools in panchayats that have three such schools. “I urge MLAs to work to merge these schools,” he said, adding that 90% of the schools are run by the state government, including government-aided and government schools.
He also said that the state is designing a polytechnic course in electric vehicles (EVs). He added that school laboratories would be set up in three months for robotics and coding, and that the state has issued permission to three private universities, which are in the process of identifying land.
Sawant said that the people should not oppose the Sagarmala projects as it would benefit local fishermen. “Don’t stop the construction of the three jetties. Sagarmala projects are not for coal handling, but for passenger service and tourism,” Sawant said.
Replying to the discussion on 37 demands of various departments, Sawant, who is also home minister, said that community policing has started, and discussions have started with locals. He said that the cybercrime police station has started awareness work, and the anti-trafficking cell is “doing good work”. He also said that the pink force has been deployed along the coastal belt. Sawant said that detection of drug cases is high in Goa. “Compared to an all-India level, the detection rate is high in Goa,” he said.
Sawant said that he would direct an inquiry into online gaming, and that police recruitment would soon be completed.
The chief minister also said that vigilance cases would be put on the fast track. He said that out of 2,232 complaints registered at the vigilance department, 1,780 have been disposed of. Sawant also said that 170 children of freedom fighters are unemployed, and that this would be resolved soon.
Sawant said that the budgetary provision has been increased for police, and provisions have been made for coastal police to purchase boats. He also said that the government wants to bring the state’s prisons under police.
The chief minister said that the excise department has been able to generate Rs 650 crore in revenue for the state. He also said that the government would come out with a mechanism to promote and protect coconut feni, which will otherwise become extinct. He also said that the GST collection has been increased this month.
The CM said that the state government will introduce a one-time settlement scheme to settle the legacy tax issue with regards to 2017-2018. He added that work on Goa Bhavan, Mumbai, will be completed by December, and that the government is also looking at the construction of a new bhavan at Vashi.
Sawant said that the main opposition party did not move a cut motion, but another party moved it and opposition MLAs spoke on the same.
Speaking on the finance department, Sawant said that a loan of Rs 1,000 crore has been approved in-principle for the development of clusters in the state, with low interest rates. On mining, Sawant said that there is around Rs 950 crore in the district mineral fund and iron ore permanent fund. “We have decided to take up 43 projects in North Goa at a cost of Rs 48 crore and 26 projects in South Goa at a cost of Rs 26 crore,” Sawant said.