Goa’s Infrastructure: Paving A Path Of Development For The State
BJP as a ruling party for last the two terms has laid the foundation to make infrastructure the driving force of the development of not only the nation as a whole but also individual states thus recognizing the need and importance of individual growth of regions along with the nation.
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-Sharmad Pai Raiturkar
Well-established and advanced infrastructure is the major force of acceleration in the progress of a developing economy. In fact a country or a state owes its transition from being called a “developing” to “developed” economy to the state of the art infrastructure. The recent 2022 budget announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman too laid a huge impetus on the same. PM Modi’s Gati Shakti Yojana marks the special attention being paid to revolutionary reforms in infrastructure in India.
Infrastructure Boost – Is It Really Needed?
Infrastructure is not only about building new logistics, ports, roads, or airports that may not impact a common man in close quarters, but it is quintessential to enhance economy extensively by becoming growth engine for a developing nation.
An important feature of infrastructure facilities is they create externalities i.e. benefit other sectors. Ports will benefit exports and roads and bridges will benefit tourism and help farmers and small industries to transport their produce to and from the markets. Lack of adequate infrastructure not only holds lack economic development, it also causes additional costs in terms of time, effort and money of the people for accessing essential social services such as healthcare and education.
Golden Goa – Manohar Parrikar’s Dream
Goa is India’s smallest state but with the highest GDP per capita. For years, it has largely contributed to Indian economy as its key tourism centre. Goa has given the nation two priceless gems. First, the most revered and loved singer of the nation – Lata Mangeshkar and second, one of its most illustrious defence minister – Shri. Manohar Parrikar. The former and most consistent CM of the state, Parrikar was loved alike by everyone in Goa and the Goans believed that he held the state’s best interests at the heart. He realized the fiscal deficit that the state faced despite being the tourist hub of India, when he took office as CM. It was then that he envisaged a dream of Swayampurna (self reliant) and Suvarna (golden) Goa. He thus planned to develop the overall infrastructure of the state to give a thrust to the already thriving tourism sector. This dream was in line with the centre’s vision of growing infrastructure but would also prove to be the most important investment to raise the state’s revenue.
Manohar Parrikar was a man with a heart, who built bridges instead of walls and conjoined everyone towards a commonly coveted dream. Parrikar’s untimely death has been an irrevocable loss for the state but his dream lives on. The era of development and infrastructural projects ushered by him was unprecedented in the state of Goa. The successive CM Pramod Sawant has left no stone unturned in taking Goa on the path of development as envisioned by Manohar Ji. Several visionary projects like the Atal Setu, the new Zuari bridge, Mopa Airport, widened 4 –lane NH-566 highway from Loutolim to Verna, bridge construction over Palaskata (Maisal) in Mollem and others have marked his dedication and BJP’s unrelenting focus on Goa’s development.
A Path Paved By BJP For “Goenkars”
Congress, the earlier ruling party made mere empty promises in the name of development. The Calvim Bus Tragedy and the proposed and unrealized Dona Paula-Vasco sea link can be sited as examples for the same. But with BJP’s Parrikar and later Sawant taking the baton have relentlessly worked towards making every Goan’s life easier with good infrastructure development. The reduced travel time between Chicalim to Panaji and Ponda to Murmugoa are only a few examples of common man’s life becoming easier with the recent government efforts. Thanks to the BJP Centre-State coordination, around ₹15,000 crore has already been spent to upgrade Goa’s infrastructure in the past 10 years. Another ₹7,000 crore has further been promised to Goa by Shri Nitin Gadkari ji.
With an eye to boost state exports and focus on areas such as information technology, shipbuilding, tourism, agriculture, and associated industries, the state administration also plans to upgrade the Mormugao Port Trust and the airport to strengthen the infrastructure.
Key Highlights Of Roads, Bridges and Infrastructure Development
- ‘Goa runs on the road’. Whether it is for passenger or goods movement, road transport is the dominant mode of transport in Goa. Therefore, good roads impact not only the state’s economy, but also the quality of life of the citizens.
Average expenditure per year from 2004-05 to 2011-12 was 300 crores. This has been doubled under BJP regime to 654 crores from 2012-13 to 2020-21
- With respect to the national development expenditure on national highways, the rise has been exponential after 2014. As can be seen in the graph, the average spending on roads from 2008 to 2013 was 21 cr., while the average from 2014 to 2018 has been 514 cr. (more than 24 times) with the spending in 2018 close to 973 cr. In addition, the revised projections for 2019-20 and budget estimates for 2020-21 show that the central government will spend 1005 crores and 914 crores, respectively.
- Thanks to the consistent efforts of laying new roads, and easing congestion, roads are now safer than ever. Comparing 2017-2019 to 2007-2011, a decrease number of 15%, 42% and 7% respectively can be seen in the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths thereafter.
Conclusion
With the efforts of the Government and Goenkars, the state has witnessed a phenomenal transformation in the last decade. Now is the time to look forward to the future with a view of delivering prosperity and stability to the state and to further carry Goa towards Swayampurna Goa and Suvarna Goa.