New Delhi

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said that 'Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi' is not just a slogan but India's developmental philosophy, and asserted that heritage and development aren't competitors but partners in nation-building.

Addressing the ‘National Conference on Goan Architecture and Sustainability’ here, Sawant also said that Goa's vision is to serve as India's “living laboratory” of sustainable architecture, where the modern and traditional co-exist in harmony.

He emphasised that Goa is working on preservation of heritage buildings while creating new structures that respect local materials, and which are in harmony with local climate and geography.

Sawant underlined that his state's vision is to preserve the past and connect it to the future, adding that development should not come at the cost of heritage.

All stakeholders must work together with a vision that “heritage and development aren't competitors, but partners in nation-building”, he said.

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Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was also present on the dais.