PANAJI: The Chairman of the Minister of Pramod Sawant said on Saturday that the center would immediately allow charter flight to Goa, and added that the state government would soon decide to start tourism related activities.
The minister’s chairman said that the tourism industry must be revived, and for that, not only casinos, but all tourism activities must be restarted.
“The Goa Government is interested in starting all tourism related activities, and soon, we will make a decision to start,” he said.
Sawant also said that PM Narendra Modi would visit the country for the inauguration of the renovated Aguada prison, as well as a superspecialty block from Goa Medical College (GMC) and hospital.
Sawant said that even though the date was unfinished, Modi would formalize both projects.
The minister’s chairman also said that the state had set a target of October 31 to complete the second dose of the Covid vaccine to all eligible populations.
Sawant said that Modi knew that being a tourist country, tourism must begin in Goa, and that when the country completes vaccination, it can begin.
“We have to start tourism during a pandemic, and if we have 100% vaccination, people will love to come to Goa,” he said.
On Friday, Sawant said that his government wrote to the Ministry of Union and Foreign Affairs to provide special permission to allow charter flights to tourism.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Science and Technology Michael Lobo said that he would write to PM to allow charter flights from Russia and Europe.
He also said that the Charter operator from Russia met Sawant, Minister of Tourism Manohar Ajgaonkar and the coast of MLA and asked them to request permission from the Government Charter.
Lobo said that in eight days, the state government expects PMO to direct the Ministry of Civil Workers’ union and home affairs to allow charter flights from Russia and Europe.
Lobo said that the union government must allow Russian and European citizens who are fully vaccinated, as well as those who have a Covid negative certificate, to visit Goa.
“I hope we get licenses and tourism stakeholders benefit from the decision,” he said.
Lobo also urged the main minister to start the casino as soon as possible.