Goa CM attends 25th Western Zonal Council Meeting as 'Vice-chairman', seeks UIDAI verification for fishermen

Panaji (Goa) [India], June 11 : Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday attended the 25th Western Zonal Council Meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah as the Vice-Chairman and sought assistance for the verification of marine fishermen and requested the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to keep the portal open to upload the details of the additional fishermen over and above already registered 11,000 fishermen in the next fishing season, who could be issued QR enabled PVC Aadhar Cards.
In the meeting, he assured the Home Minister and the Council that the banking facility will be made available within 5 kilometres of villages by impressing upon the Cooperative banks in the state.
Seeking assistance from the Centre for better equipment for boat patrol, mobile Forensic Labs, and Cyber labs in the state, he said, "Goa being a coastal state is more vulnerable to crimes related to smuggling."
He further informed the council that the Swayampurna Goa 2.0 has been launched in Goa, which will enhance employment generation, skill development, and encourage the new enterprises and startups in the state.
Amit Shah and the council acknowledged the Sawant's submissions and assured to extend their support for the development of Goa.
He also thanked the council for holding the meeting in Goa.
Earlier, it was informed that the Home Minister had resolved 27 out of 30 topics discussed in the 25th Western Regional Council in Diu.
While attending the meeting, the Home Minister stressed the need for early investigation of rape and sexual offences against women and children and stringent punishment in a time-bound manner in these cases, the statement further said.
Shah further directed that "additional Director General of Police level officers, if possible women officers, should be entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring the investigation of all such cases in the Police Headquarters of each state".
Presiding over the Western Zonal Council, Shah said "work should be done towards providing mobile connectivity to all the villages in the Western region within a year".
Noting that the regional councils provide a forum for discussion in a structured manner on issues affecting one or more states or issues between the Center and the states, it was also decided that the meetings of the Zonal Council should be used by the states and UTs to share their best practices.
In the last eight years, under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, the number of meetings of the Zonal Councils and its Standing Committees have increased by three times.
There have been 18 meetings of various Zonal Councils and 24 of their Standing Committees in the last eight years, whereas in the corresponding period of last eight years only six and eight meetings were held respectively.
Regional councils help in developing a coordinated approach through discussion and exchange of views between states on important issues of social and economic development.