IFFI venue to be shifted from Panaji to Dona Paula: CM

The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) would be shifted from here to city outskirts at Dona Paula where sophisticated facilities would be built by 2019 to host the prestigious event, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said today.
IFFI has been organised in the coastal state every November since 2004 when it was shifted from New Delhi.
"The infrastructure would be set up in a place which was earlier earmarked to set up Information Technology Habitat named after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, at Dona Paula," the CM said.
That IT park project was scrapped in 2006 in the wake of protests by locals and the land is currently lying unutilised.

In its meeting today, the state Cabinet cleared transfer of 2.97 lakh square metres of land to Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), the special purpose vehicle created to host IFFI.
Parsekar said the infrastructure at Dona Paula would be ready in 2019 when Goa will host the 50th edition of IFFI.
The government has decided to put up facilities like convention centre, cinema theatres, a hotel with 1000-plus rooms, office of Directorate of Film Festival (DFF), office of ESG and other required infrastructure required for the event.
Parsekar said the international standard facilities would be constructed at Dona Paula which will be permanent home for the festival.