PM Modi to visit Goa on Sunday to attend liberation day events, inaugurate development projects

New Delhi, Dec 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Goa on December 19 and attend an event marking Goa liberation day celebrations at the 'Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium', his office said on Friday.

Modi will felicitate freedom fighters and veterans of 'Operation Vijay', undertaken by the Indian armed forces to liberate Goa from Portuguese rule, and will also inaugurate multiple development projects, including the renovated Fort Aguada jail museum, super speciality block at the Goa Medical College and new South Goa district hospital.

Besides these, the prime minister will inaugurate an aviation skill development center at the Mopa airport and a gas insulated substation at Dabolim-Navelim in Margao.

He will also lay the foundation stone for the India International University of Legal Education and Research of the Bar Council of India Trust at Goa, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

Goa is among five states which are headed for assembly polls early next year.

The PMO noted that it has been Modi's constant endeavour to improve medical infrastructure and provide top class medical facilities across the country.

In line with this vision, the super speciality block at the Goa Medical College and Hospital has been constructed at a cost of over Rs 380 crore under the 'Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana' scheme, it said.

It is the only state of the art super-speciality hospital in Goa, providing high-end super speciality services.

It will provide specialised services like angioplasty, bypass surgery, liver transplant, kidney transplant and dialysis, among others, the PMO said, adding that the super speciality block will also house a 1,000 liter per minute (lpm) oxygen pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plant installed under PM-CARES.

The new South Goa district hospital, built at a cost of around Rs 220 crore, is equipped with modern medical infrastructure, including OPD services in 33 specialities, latest diagnostic and laboratory facilities and services like physiotherapy and audiometry.

The hospital has 500 oxygenated beds, 5,500 litre liquid medical oxygen tank and two PSA plants for generating the life-saving gas at 600 lpm, the PMO said.

The re-development of the Aguada Fort jail museum as a heritage tourism destination under the 'Swadesh Darshan Scheme' has been done at a cost of over Rs 28 crore, it said.

Before Goa's liberation, the Aguada Fort was used to incarcerate and torture freedom fighters, the PMO said.

The museum will highlight the contributions and sacrifices made by prominent freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of Goa and will be a befitting tribute to them.

Modi will also release a Special Cover and Special Cancellation to mark the commemoration of Indian armed forces freeing Goa from Portuguese rule, it said.

This special episode of history is shown on the special cover, whereas the special cancellation depicts the war memorial at the Indian Naval Ship Gomantak, constructed in memory of seven young gallant sailors and other personnel who laid down their lives in 'Operation Vijay'.

Modi will also release 'My Stamp' depicting the 'Hutatma Smarak' at Patradevi, which salutes the great sacrifices made by those who made the supreme sacrifice in the Goa liberation movement.

A 'Meghdoot Post Card' depicting a collage of pictures of different events during the movement will also be presented to the prime minister, the statement said.

He will also distribute awards to the best panchayat/municipality, 'Swayampurna Mitras' and beneficiaries of 'Swayampurna Goa Programme'.