<span style="color: #222222;">President, Vice President and Prime Minister have greeted the people of Goa on their statehood day.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">President Ram Nath Kovind said, Goa is renowned for its spectacular natural beauty and a vibrant culture and the people of Goa are known for their warm hospitality, harmony and spirit of brotherhood. He hoped that the beautiful state will continue to prosper in the years to come.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said, known for its natural beauty and warm hospitality, Goa holds a unique place in every Indian's heart. He hoped that the state will touch new heights of prosperity in years to come.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, Goa is a land of scenic beauty and warm hearted people and the state is enriching India's development trajectory in many sectors. He prayed for Goa's continued progress in the years to come.</span><br />''  

<span style="color: #222222;">Goa is celebrating its statehood day today. It was on this day in 1987 Goa became the 25th state of the Indian Union. Before this, Goa, along with Daman and Diu, was a union territory. Statehood helped in shaping Goa's distinct identity.<br />''<br />''At the Goa statehood day programme in Panaji today, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, in a video message, said, it's a day to reflect on people's achievements and evolve a strategy to achieve the much-desired status of a prosperous and advanced state.<br />''<br />''He appealed to the youth to opt for skill education, encouraged businesses to avail of new policies and central government schemes, and assured that ongoing projects such as Mopa airport will provide significant employment opportunities to Goans.<br />''<br />''Mr Sawant stressed on making Goa garbage-free with the launch of the Green Goa, Clean Goa awareness campaign. Programmes have been organized across the state including Margao in South Goa.</span>