Goa will develop four fishing villages under a Central government-funded scheme with the state government providing all the infrastructure, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said.?Sawant, who was addressing the inaugural function of the Goa Mega Aqua Fish Festival on Friday, asked people to join the sector in large numbers and reap the benefits of various schemes introduced by the state fisheries department.

"With funding from the Union government, we will develop four fishing villages, two in each district of the state. Infrastructure like fishing jetties would be set up in these villages," he said. The Narendra Modi government is giving several incentives to create a blue economy and people living in coastal areas must participate to ensure they benefit from the sector, the CM said.

"Fisheries plays an important role in achieving the state government's aim of 'Swayampurna Goa'. Initiatives like sagar mitra has taken the administration to the doorsteps of the fishing community," Sawant said.