Efforts by Konkani lovers to include Karwar and Joida talukas of Karnataka in neighbouring Goa have received a major boost, with Goa’s Public Works Department Minister Churchill Alemao strongly favouring the merger.
“I personally feel the merger of Karwar and Joida talukas with Goa is a good proposal in the interest of Goa,” Alemao told Herald, after inaugurating the tile factory of a Goan entrepreneur at Agsur-Ankola on Tuesday.
Claiming that people from Goa and Karwar share a common language and common culture, the minister opined that a merger of these two talukas would significantly increase Goa’s territory.
“At present, we have 13 lakh people in Goa spread across 3,702 sq. kms. If the people of Goa accept this idea of a merger, Goa could get an extra territory of about 1,800 sq kms to house its growing population,” said Alemao.
“Apart from this, the two talukas are rich in flora and fauna. They have immense tourism potentials, which could significantly boost Goa’s economy. We could even reconsider the idea of SEZs, if these talukas are included in Goa and we can think of further development of industries,” said Alemao.
Claiming that the merger is a “good proposal”, the PWD minister said: “What is now needed is to educate the people of Goa to create awareness on the benefits of the merger. If the people of Goa accept the idea and demand the merger, I would support the merger.”
Inspired by Goa’s pace of social and economic progress, a growing number of Konkani lovers in Karwar and Joida talukas of Karnataka have been demanding the inclusion of the two talukas into neighbouring Goa since the past 160 years.
Konkani speaking people of these two talukas form the majority linguistic group in the area, with over 60% of the population affirming Konkani as their mother tongue.
In 1992, Konkani lovers in the region had formed ‘Samyukth Gomantak Manch’ and since then, have sent various representations to the president, prime minister and chief minister of Goa, seeking merger with Goa.
To give a stronger fillip to the movement, Konkani lovers of Karwar and Joida met at the Konkan Maratha Bhavan at Sadashivgad on September 1, 2006 and formed the Goa Konkani Rajya Ekikaran Manch (GKREM).
“Our campaign has begun since 1992, when Konkani language got recognition in the 8th Schedule, said GKREM Convenor Asha Palankar.
“This is a genuine ground for our demand to merge Karwar and Joida with Goa because these are Konkani speaking places,” Palankar added.
Palankar has insisted that the merger of Karwar and Joida with Goa would boost all round development of the region, besides being a win-win situation for both Goa as well as Karwar and Joida.
Other Konkani protagonists also claim that Karwar has enjoyed close kinship and religious links with Goa down the ages. Kuladevatas (family God) of the people in Karwar and Joida can be located in the various parts of Goa.
“I personally feel the merger of Karwar and Joida talukas with Goa is a good proposal in the interest of Goa,” Alemao told Herald, after inaugurating the tile factory of a Goan entrepreneur at Agsur-Ankola on Tuesday.
Claiming that people from Goa and Karwar share a common language and common culture, the minister opined that a merger of these two talukas would significantly increase Goa’s territory.
“At present, we have 13 lakh people in Goa spread across 3,702 sq. kms. If the people of Goa accept this idea of a merger, Goa could get an extra territory of about 1,800 sq kms to house its growing population,” said Alemao.
“Apart from this, the two talukas are rich in flora and fauna. They have immense tourism potentials, which could significantly boost Goa’s economy. We could even reconsider the idea of SEZs, if these talukas are included in Goa and we can think of further development of industries,” said Alemao.
Claiming that the merger is a “good proposal”, the PWD minister said: “What is now needed is to educate the people of Goa to create awareness on the benefits of the merger. If the people of Goa accept the idea and demand the merger, I would support the merger.”
Inspired by Goa’s pace of social and economic progress, a growing number of Konkani lovers in Karwar and Joida talukas of Karnataka have been demanding the inclusion of the two talukas into neighbouring Goa since the past 160 years.
Konkani speaking people of these two talukas form the majority linguistic group in the area, with over 60% of the population affirming Konkani as their mother tongue.
In 1992, Konkani lovers in the region had formed ‘Samyukth Gomantak Manch’ and since then, have sent various representations to the president, prime minister and chief minister of Goa, seeking merger with Goa.
To give a stronger fillip to the movement, Konkani lovers of Karwar and Joida met at the Konkan Maratha Bhavan at Sadashivgad on September 1, 2006 and formed the Goa Konkani Rajya Ekikaran Manch (GKREM).
“Our campaign has begun since 1992, when Konkani language got recognition in the 8th Schedule, said GKREM Convenor Asha Palankar.
“This is a genuine ground for our demand to merge Karwar and Joida with Goa because these are Konkani speaking places,” Palankar added.
Palankar has insisted that the merger of Karwar and Joida with Goa would boost all round development of the region, besides being a win-win situation for both Goa as well as Karwar and Joida.
Other Konkani protagonists also claim that Karwar has enjoyed close kinship and religious links with Goa down the ages. Kuladevatas (family God) of the people in Karwar and Joida can be located in the various parts of Goa.
2 comments:
I second that!
I feel that people of karwar working in goa travel from karwar to goa every day. So the Revenue generated in goa is expended in karnataka i.e. karwar if karwar is included in goa then that revenue stay in goa and govt of goa will be benefited. I think this should have been done long back when portuguese left goa. and if people have thought then time has come to take action by govt of INDIA or Supreme Court.
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