Administrative reforms to help common man in Goa: Governor

Panaji, July 16 (UNI) Harping on the mantra of bettering the lot of common man, Governor S C Jamir today hinted at undertaking necessary administrative reforms in some ''key government departments'' to raise the ''happiness index of the commonman'' besides bringing about a qualitative change in the living conditions of the people of Goa ''to make it a welfare State''.

Addressing the maiden 12-day session of the 5th Goa Legislative Assembly, the Governor observed that ''although a number of new faces are visible in the House, it represents a continuum of the policy and programmes of the government.'' ''The basic philosophy and the broad principle underlying the development strategy of the government do not appear to have changed in the intervening period (between January last when he addressed the House with Pratapsingh Rane as its leader and now under the leadership of Digambar Kamat),'' he said.

The people, had in fact, endorsed the larger vision of a secular and democratic polity as also the socio-economic development agenda that was put to test before them.

Accordingly, the government had set out in earnest to realize and fulfil the peoples' expectations and resolved to live up to the mammoth task mandated by the electorate, he said.

The government continues to sharpen its focus more on the ''pressing needs of the common man'' and initiate explicit measures to ameliorate the specific problems, he said.

With about 16.6 per cent of the total population in Goa engaged in Agriculture as their major economic activity, the government had decided to extend the benefit of the Chief Minister's Rojgar Yojana to NGO's, self help groups and individual farmers including widows, disabled persons and SC/ST/OBCs, the governor stated.

The government had also decided to implement the recommendations of the Vaidyanathan Committee in a phased manner in three years to ensure healthy and all round progress of the co-operative movement involving financial packages for revival of short term co-operative credit structure.

Enumerating various developmental works in progress, Mr Jamir said the government cannot afford to lose time with people eager and expectant to share the prosperity.

''Let us therefore get down to business and prove true to the faith that the people have reposed on us,'' the Governor added.

UNI