Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said Goa may be a small state but it has social diversity, and its people have voted the BJP to power repeatedly for its commitment to ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, rejecting parties which do politics of “fear and falsehood”.

He was addressing a gathering after launching development projects worth over Rs 1,330 crore in “Viksit Bharat, Viksit Goa 2047” programme in Goa.

Modi took a walkthrough of the exhibition showcased on the occasion. The development projects will boost infrastructure in education, sports, water treatment, waste management and tourism sectors.

The Prime Minister distributed on the occasion appointment orders to 1930 new Government recruits across various departments under Rozgar Mela and handed over sanction letters to beneficiaries of various welfare schemes.

Mr Modi said the natural beauty and pristine beaches of Goa have made it the favourite holiday destination of lakhs and lakhs of tourists from India and abroad.

“Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat can be experienced during any season in Goa,” he remarked. The Prime Minister talked about the exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier, popularly known as “Gõycho Saib” that will take place this year.

Mentioning the exposition as a symbol of peace and cohesiveness, he remembered Saint Queen Ketevan of Georgia also whose holy relics were taken to Georgia by the Minister of External Affairs. “Peaceful co-existence of Christian and other communities is an example of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat,” he said.

Elaborating on the Rs 1300 crore projects, the Prime Minister said that the projects related to education, health and tourism will give a push to the development of Goa.

“Permanent campus of the National Institute of Technology and campus of National Institute of Watersports, along with the integrated waste management facility and distribution of 1930 appointment letters will take the state’s development to new heights,” he said.

Referring to Swayampurna Goa, PM Modi praised the good governance model of the Goa Government leading to the foremost position of people of Goa on the parameter of well being.

“Development of Goa is proceeding rapidly due to its double-engine government,” he said. The Prime Minister mentioned saturation of Har Ghar Nal Se Jal, electricity connections, LPG coverage, kerosene-free life, open-defecation free and saturation coverage in many of the central government schemes.

“Saturation leads to elimination of discrimination and full transfer of benefits to all beneficiaries. That is why I say, saturation is true secularism, saturation is real social justice and saturation is Modi’s guarantee to Goa and the country,” the Prime Minister said.

He mentioned the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra where more than 30,000 people of Goa availed various benefits. Referring to this year’s Budget, the Prime Minister said that it has provided impetus to the government’s resolution of saturation of schemes. He declared the government is now guaranteeing two crore houses to the poor after the target of four crore pucca houses have already been achieved.

He urged the people of Goa to create awareness among those who have been left behind in availing pucca homes. He said that in this year’s budget, the PM Awas Yojana and Ayushman Yojana will be further expanded.

The Prime Minister said the Matsya Sampada Yojana in this year’s budget will further bolster assistance and resources to the fishermen community, thereby boosting seafood exports and income of fishermen. He said that such efforts create lakhs of job opportunities in the fisheries sector.

He pointed out that Rs 11 lakh crore have been allocated for infrastructure developments in this year’s budget compared to less than Rs 2 lakh crore 10 years ago.

Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, and Union Minister of State for Tourism and Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shripad Yesso Naik were present on the occasion.