Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday called on youth and women self-help groups to take up the mantle of being ambassadors for a clean Goa and a green Goa.Sawant said that the state spends crores to maintain trees, shrubs and saplings planted along the highways. He also said that exorbitant funds are paid to private contractors to collect garbage from the coastal belt and along the highways.“The state needs ambassadors for Green Goa Clean Goa. “We need an ambassador for waste management to keep Goa clean. We need ambassadors to maintain the greenery along our highways,” said Sawant.He was addressing women entrepreneurs who manage homestays and under the state’s homestay initiative. The women were felicitated for their contribution towards community-based tourism.The women were trained as part of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 2022 between the department of tourism, Airbnb, FIDR and the Goa Livelihood Forum.Selected women entrepreneurs received grants of ₹2.5 lakhs each to establish homestays and build sustainable businesses.The chief minister said that tourists looking for a “wow” factor will keep coming to Goa only if they see a clean and green Goa.The state is planting trees all along the national highway from Patradevi to Pollem.“The state is willing to pay women self-help groups if they come forward to maintain and protect trees planted along the highways. Right now, a contractor from other state is coming and doing it. Instead of that, our women should come forward and take up 25km stretches and earn money from this. Think of it as my village and maintain the trees along the village. Not for free. We are willing to pay money,” said Sawant.Sawant said that the state is ready to develop a strategy for medical tourism.“It is the responsibility of the youth and the responsibility of women to ensure sustainable tourism. That is why we want to create such an ecosystem of homestays in the hinterland. We are developing an ecosystem to bring tourists to rural villages,” said Sawant.Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte said that homestays provide an authentic cultural experience while providing a source of income to rural women. He urged them not to compromise on quality standards.
