Panaji: The tourism industry in Goa is gradually recovering from the shock of the Covid pandemic, Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai said on Sunday, while extending his formal greetings to the people of Goa on the occasion of Goa Statehood day.
“Goa is renowned for its communal harmony. The extraordinary beauty and tranquility of the state, vibrant culture, hospitality of the people, abundant flora and fauna and rich bio-diversity have contributed to the growth of tourism in the state. Goa is renowned as a top tourist destination in the world. Though the tourism industry suffered in Covid pandemic, it is gradually recovering and I am confident that the tourism industry has a bright future,” the Governor said.
Thirty-five years ago, on May 30, Goa transformed from a Union Territory to a State of the Indian Union.
The long and arduous journey towards statehood began with the Opinion Poll in 1967, wherein it was decided to maintain Goa as a separate and distinct entity.
“On this happy occasion, let us remember with gratitude all the leaders, intellectuals and the people of Goa who have contributed towards the achievement of statehood, which is a very important milestone in the political history of the state,” Pillai said.
Speaking about Covid, he said that in Goa, he is happy to state that all the eligible population of Goa has been fully vaccinated including booster doses for people above 60 years.
Pillai said that he is optimistic that Goan youth will get job opportunities in the prestigious International airport at Mopa, scheduled to be completed by August 2022 built at a cost of Rs 2,615 crore.
He said that under Swayampurna Goa 1.0, 1,800 programmes have been organised benefitting more than 40,000 beneficiaries.
Recently, the state government has launched Swayampurna Goa 2.0 with a vision to generate employment by developing skills and encouraging budding young talented entrepreneurs to take up start-ups in the field of IT.
(IANS)
