Panaji: Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant extends his greetings and best wishes to the Goans across the Globe on the joyous occasion of 35th Goa Statehood Day. In his message Sawant said, “Statehood Day is a memorable day in the glorious history of Goa. It was on this day in 1987 when Goa became the 25th State of the Indian Union. The journey towards Statehood was long and arduous that began with the Opinion Poll in 1967, wherein it was decided to maintain Goa as a separate and distinct entity. May 30th, is a result of the struggle by the Goans to protect their identity and thus it has a historic importance. With our collective efforts, Goa has made rapid progress. It’s a day to reflect on our achievements and further devise a strategy to achieve our much-desired status of a prosperous and advanced State”.Dr. Sawant further stated, that “In spite of being India’s smallest State, Goa’s history is both long and diverse. Goa has achieved remarkable progress over the last few decades, particularly in vital sectors such as education, health care, development, infrastructure etc. The various developmental projects and programmes that are being initiated and implemented by the State is a clear indication, that Goa is on the move to achieve greater progress.Achieving Statehood was a long and much-cherished dream of the people of Goa, which was rightfully fulfilled in a democratic manner. “On this special occasion, let us remember with gratitude all the leaders, intellectuals and the people of Goa who contributed towards the achievement of Statehood, which is an important milestone in the political history of the State. Let us continue to maintain and foster peace, harmony, co-operation and further strive for the progress and development of the State,’’ CM concluded.
