GOA

TheDisabilityRights Association of Goa has receivedsurveyresponses from 100 persons with disability in the state. After finding that the state doesnt have adequate information onpersons with disabilities(PwD), the association decided to do a survey.

An online survey is being circulated through local bodies and various groups to ascertain the number of PwDs and type and extend of disability, whether they have disability certificates, whether they are registered for thegovernmentsDayanand Social Security Schemeand whether they applied for the Unique Disability Identity Card (UDID) issued by the ministry of social and Empowerment.

The survey also covers the type of Education received, , educational qualifications, EMPLOYMENT status, type of employment, employment exchange registration status and whether they would like the association to take up any issues with the government.

In a bid to stimulate job creation, the Centre has launched a new scheme calledAtmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana(ABRY), which will provide financial assistance to those companies that recruit unemployed people, especially those who lost their jobs between March 2020 and September 2020.

Under the ABRY scheme, the Centre will pay both the employees and employers share (12% of wages each) under the EPF and MP Act, 1952, or only the employees share, depending on the EMPLOYMENT strength of the establishment, directly to theUniversal Account Numberof eligible employee maintained by theEPFO.

The scheme is part of theAtmanirbhar Bharat3.0 package and will remain open up to June 30. The benefit shall be available for a period of twenty-four months from date of registration of new employee, not later than June 2023.

The state plans to frame new rules for public transport aggregators likeOlaand Uber inMaharashtraand a committee is likely to be appointed by month-end to draft the guidelines, a senior official from state transport department told TOI on Wednesday.
The guidelines will be aimed at bringing all driver partners under the ambit of the so that they could be prosecuted for non-compliance.

Sources said the new rules may have a new cap on surge pricing, thereby keeping in check abnormally high fares being charged at present. Riders had taken to Social Media over the past one year to highlight some of the fares which were over Rs 1,000 per trip for travel within the city.

Goa will receive around Rs 120 crore from the Centre as GST compensationarrearswhich have been pending since June.

Goa has repeatedly requested the GST Council that small states like Goa should get first preference when it comes to devolution of GST tax and cess revenue as compared to bigger states, whose share runs into thousands of crore but who also have larger tax Resources.

Goa’s reliance on GST compensation has been the second highest among states at 59.8% during the years 2018-21.

Goa Tourism Development Corporations (GTDC) ambitious Rs 2.9-crore project for the restoration and beautification ofCabo de Ramafort has hit some turbulence as the directorate of archives and archaeology (DAA) has raised an issue over ownership of the monument.

The 12th century fort, which overlooks the Arabian Sea and is perched at a strategic location in Canacona, commands a picturesque view of the talukas coast. In recent years, it has been hit byweatherElements andconservationissues.

The fort is a protected monument of the directorate as per the Goa Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1978 and Rules, 1980. The said fort premise is under the directorates ownership and NOC of this directorate is mandatory.

Governor P S Shreedharan Pillai said that universities of Cochin and Mangalore have accepted his suggestion to introduceKonkaniin their academic curriculum in principle.

The governor also lauded efforts of thePilarfathers in establishingXaverian Education Societyto promote education in remote parts of Goa.

Under Portuguese law, those born in their colonies before liberation in Goas case, December 19, 1961 continue to be Portuguese, provided their births are registered in Portugal. Their descendants, up to the third generation, are also eligible for Portuguese passports.

The state has several football enthusiasts who root for Portugal during major competitions like the World Cup and the Euro. The holy trinity of Portuguese football Sporting Lisbon, SL Benfica and FC Porto all have their backers in this part of the world.

While old-timers grew up listening to Portuguese football league commentary and idolised stars like Eusebio sensational at the World Cup in 1966 when Portugal finished third on debut the modern generation found their hero in Cristiano Ronaldo, winner of five Ballon d’Ors, awarded to the best player in the world.