Panaji, Jul 24 (IANS): Goa will have a new Raj Bhavan, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced on the occasion of the birthday of incumbent Governor Satya Pal Malik on Friday.

In a statement issued on Friday, Sawant said the government had already started the process of identifying land for the new Raj Bhavan and added the project would be tendered by April 2021.

"The Chief Minister has announced the decision to construct new premises for Raj Bhavan and suggested to carry on the procedures like identifying of land, its design, work of which could be tendered before April 2021," the statement said.

"The Chief Minister said the existing centuries old building has been declared as heritage building by the Archaeological Survey of India," the statement said, adding that the Chief Minister had also conducted a review of the maintenance work at the existing premises located at Dona Paula off Panaji.

The statement said that the new Raj Bhavan and its grounds would have the facility to land as many as three helicopters. The announcement of the construction of a new Raj Bhavan comes days after a stand-off between Sawant and Malik, in which Malik had accused the Chief Minister of "putting words in his mouth" related to media criticism of the government's COVID-19 management efforts.

Built through the 16th and 17th centuries, the Cabo Raj Bhavan, the current official residence of the Governor, overlooks the Arabian Sea and is spread over 88 acres.

Earlier, Sawant as well as state Bharatiya Janata Party president Sadanand Shet Tanavade met Malik and wished him on his birthday.