Goa to Establish New District: Chandrapur or Atal Gramin? | Goa News

Panaji: Amid opposition protests over notifying a third district in Goa, state govt decided it will issue the notification on Wednesday, with Quepem as the capital. The district is likely to be named either Chandrapur or Atal Gramin. Opposition leaders clarified that they were not against the creation of the district but wanted proper deliberations before such a decision.Chief minister Pramod Sawant convened an all-party meeting and briefed leaders about the proposed notification, stating that the new district would be an ‘aspirational district’ for Goa. Leader of opposition Yuri Alemao said govt had not shared the committee report assessing the future impact of the third district. “CM agreed to provide the report today, and he will notify the 3rd district tomorrow,” Alemao said. “Govt is rushing with a big decision.”In July, the state cabinet approved the creation of a third district comprising four talukas, Sanguem, Dharbandora, Quepem and Canacona. The district headquarters is proposed to be set up at Curchorem in Quepem.According to govt, the move is expected to improve service delivery, increase community engagement, promote economic growth and strengthen the foundation for sustainable development. The proposed district has a sizeable tribal population, with around 28% of residents belonging to ST communities. Govt said a separate district would help address their specific needs through targeted solutions and streamlined administration.The district aims to reduce regional disparities by focusing on specific blocks and local administrative regions through concentrated development initiatives. Govt said the new district would enable the establishment of hospitals, educational institutions and sports complexes with central funding. “Based on the socio-economic indicators of areas within the proposed district, it will fall under the aspirational district programme and attract significant central funds across key sectors,” govt said.