EDITORIAL
Location of headquarters is key; government must follow a consultative process
The Goa cabinet on Friday granted its approval for the creation of a third district in the state consisting of four hinterland talukas – Quepem, Sanguem, Canacona and Dharbandora.
For the first quarter-century post-Liberation, Goa had only one district. It was only after Goa attained statehood – on May 30, 1987 – that two districts were created: North Goa and South Goa. North Goa consisted of Tiswadi, Bardez, Pernem, Bicholim, Sattari and Ponda talukas. Less than a decade ago, Ponda was brought under South Goa. The district consisted of Mormugao, Salcete, Canacona, Quepem and Sanguem talukas. Dharbandora, Goa’s 12th taluka, was created in 2011 by the Digambar Kamat-led Congress government. However, it took years for the people of the taluka to get taluka-level offices and other infrastructure functional. Dharbandora got its taluka-level administrative building complex only in 2020.
Once done, South Goa district will consist of only three talukas – Mormugao, Salcete and Ponda; the other four currently under South Goa district will form the third district. The boundaries of North Goa remain unchanged.
It was in November 2023 that the government appointed a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to examine the proposal of creating a third district.
According to the government, a third district dominated by tribal population will be a step for the development of remote areas. The rationale is to provide improved delivery of services and to help improve the quality of life in the hinterland talukas. The idea was mooted around a decade ago, but it took time to gain currency. The present Agriculture Minister and Ponda MLA Ravi Naik was a strong votary, moving a resolution in the House nearly five years ago when he was a Congress MLA. In his scheme of things then, Ponda would not only be part of the new district but would be its headquarters. There was a lukewarm response from the government then. The demand gained traction in the past two years. Whether the agenda is to placate the ST population or not, the decision is likely to bring relief to the population it will cover.
The Chief Secretary-headed panel report stated that as per the socio-economic indicators of the region proposed to be the third district, it meets the criteria for selection under the centrally-funded Aspirational Districts programme. There is a high likelihood that the creation of the district will attract central funds in key sectors such as education, health, water supply, agriculture, infrastructure and financial inclusion to accelerate development in the area.
The new controversy is over the headquarters of the new district. On Friday, it was stated that Curchorem is proposed to be the headquarters. However, there have been strong objections to it. On Saturday, the government had to issue a clarification saying that the headquarters has not been finalised. Present Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa (Congress) and his predecessor Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavlekar (BJP) have demanded that the headquarters should be in Quepem.
The government will have to study the merits and demerits before finalising the new district’s headquarters. The creation of the third district brings to the fore that hinterland areas have remained backward, victims of lopsided planning and administrative malaise. Consultation with stakeholders is necessary. The decision shouldn’t be taken under political pressure. What is good for the people should be done. The name of the new district should also be finalised by the government in consultation with the elected representatives.