GOA

In a first, Goa University to offer master’s in Sanskrit

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Goa Universitywill soon offer a master’s degree in , vice-chancellor Harilal Menon said. He said that any graduate will be able to pursue this MA, provided they studied Sanskrit in school and have basic knowledge of the language.

The programme will be offered by the university’s School of Sanskrit and Indic Knowledge Systems, and Menon said that plans are also afoot to introduce a postgraduate programme in ayurveda. GU has already begun the process to recruit faculty for the MA in Sanskrit, and added that Sanskrit and ayurveda are complementary fields.

Goa already has an All India Institute of Ayurveda, recently established at Dhargalim in Pernem, and the programmes in Sanskrit and ayurveda at GU are expected to help boost mutual research.

State to set up waste to energy plant, Swedish Co to execute proj

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The has decided to set up awasteto energyplantin the state and the cabinet granted approval to appoint IVLSwedishEnvironment Research Institute to execute the project on nomination basis at a cost of 35,000 Euros.

Goa government also approved the proposal of the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) to carry out a pre-feasibility project study and cleared the draft agreement to be executed with IVL Swedish Environment Research Institute for the same.

As per the report by GWMCs consultant iDeck, the state generates 766 tonne of solid waste per day out of which 345 tonne is dry waste. Of the dry waste, 60 tonne is non-recyclable combustible waste classified as refuse derived fuel (RDF).

GWMC transports approximately 600 tonne of RDF per month to cement factories for co-incineration, the cost of transportation for which varies from Rs 20,000 to Rs 26,000 per truck for 12-14 tonne. As this is economically unviable for the state, setting up of a waste toenergyplant was proposed.

Rs 1k crore to drive better quality roads across Goa

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A provision of Rs 1,000 crore has been made in the state budget to take up improvement of riding quality surface in all assembly constituencies. A total of 1,700km of road length will be resurfaced during 2023-24. Chief ministerPramod Sawantsaid on Wednesday that the target is to complete 500km at a cost of Rs 280 crore before the onset of the monsoon.

He said that the has already prepared an annual plan for 2023-24 for Rs 3,630.8 crore worth of highway projects, which will be soon submitted to the Union Government and we are confident of receiving the sanctions at an early date.

The projects will include four-laning of Ponda to Bhoma section (Rs 750 crore), four-laning of existing road fromSanjeevanisugar factory toKhandepar(Rs 600 crore), four-laning of Anmod to Mollem section (Rs 1,500 crore) and construction of foot overbridge at Fulancho Khuris, Bambolim (Rs 7 crore).

Additionally, four-laning from Cortalim, Nagoa to Verna section (Rs 550 crore) and four-laning of Karmal Ghat section (Rs 200 crore) will also be taken up, Sawant said.

Also, during 2023-24, Rs 2.5 crore has been allotted per assembly constituency under MLA-Local Area Development Scheme, Goa Scheme with a total outlay of Rs 100 crore, he said.

Empowered by third gender voter IDs, Goas transgenders motivate community

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Finally identified as a citizen, Heena, 45, a transgender from Goa, will be casting her vote for the first time this election, making it a giant leap towards inclusion for thecommunityin Goa.
It is every persons right to vote and we are entitled to select the leader of our choice as well. It has made us very happy to be included,

While members of the transgender community have been participating in using their male registeredvoterIDs all these years, this is the first time that some of them will be casting their votes under their recognised identity after The Supreme Court declared them thethirdgender in 2014.

They were motivated to vote following an initiative undertaken by Anyay Rahit Zindagi (ARZ), an organisation combating human trafficking. Seven from South Goa and two from North Goa enrolled themselves on the electoral roll under the thirdgendercategory.

Navy inks pact with Goa tourism corp for aircraft museum at Merces

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The IndianNavyhas signed an agreement with the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) under which a decommissioned Soviet-era Ilyush 38 Sea Dragon (IL-38SD)aircraftwill be handed over for creation of amuseum. The long range maritime reconnaissance (LRMR) aircraft will be placed near the Merces junction close to the under construction district court complex as an attraction for tourists and local residents.

According to sources, the GTDC could lay the foundation stone for the museum on January 4. The aircraft itself will be transported at a later stage after being partially dismantled.

The GTDC had expressed its interest to the INDIAN NAVY, for possession of such aircraft, and the latter subsequently agreed for the same, as a gift to Goa on the occasion of its 60th year of Liberation.

Goa needs farming reforms, clarity in land ownership, says Nabard

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If Goas agricultural sector has to thrive and for farmers to avail loans,Nabardhas said that reforms inland ownership, community farming and are a must. In its state focus paper for 2022-23, which has been submitted to the State Government, it said that a strategy to improve ground level credit flow is in place, but the government also needs to address impediments that hinder disbursement of credit.

The paper said that ground level credit flow increased from Rs 4643.5 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 5191.4 crore in 2020-21, out of which the Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture sector had a share of just 18%.

Uncertainty about land rights continues to plague the state, with around 25,000 cases still pending before various authorities. As per statistics released by the legislative assembly in August, there are around 3,500 cases pending under the Agricultural Tenancy Act, 3000 cases stuck under the Mundkar Act, ownership claims under alvara land are around 3,500, while at least 800 individuals are fighting for ownership as per the Mayem evacuee property clause. Aside from this, there are around 10,000 claims by tribals under the Forest Rights Act, all of which remain unresolved.

The state government has identified land in Dharbandora taluka, near theSanjivanisugar factory, for setting up of the India International University of Legal Education and Research ofBar Council of IndiaTrust.

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During the monsoon session of legislative assembly, the passed the India International University of Legal Education and Research of the Bar Council of India (BCI) Trust at Goa Bill, 2021.

Earlier, the state cabinet had granted its nod to the bill. There is a provision by which the India International University of Legal Education and Research may also establish centres in other parts of India, and abroad.

Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry welcomes uniform tax for commercial spaces

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While thanking theCorporation of the City of Panajifor the downward revision in municipal tax on commercial establishments, Goa Chamber of Commerce & (GCCI) has urged the civic body to recover tax from defaulters on a war-footing.

The industry body said that CCP now needs to put in place a proper mechanism to identify tax defaulters and adopt punitive measures like non-renewal of trade license if arrears are not cleared.

CCP had increased the municipal tax rates for commercial establishments but introducing new categories. GCCI had complained that there was “no scientific basis of calculation” while imposing the tax rates. CCP finally agreed to roll back the hike and imposed uniform municipal tax rates for all commercial establishments in the capital.
GCCI has also recommended that CCP should put in place a proper system for timely payment of house tax, including a system to make sure that the notice to pay house tax reaches the owner well in time.

Govt plans to make Panaji smart by April

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The ambitious Rs 180-crore Goa Intelligent City Management System (GICMS) continues to be delayed, with Imagine PanajiSmartCity Development Ltd (IPSCDL) officials now looking at a mid-April deadline to go live. The GICMS project, which includes the integrated command and control centre at Altinho, is languishing not only due to resistance from locals but also because a tender for the Internet provider fell through, say officials.

L&T, which won the GICMS contract in June 2018, has already installed close to 200 smart CCTV cameras out of the planned 338, but the link between the cameras and the command and control centre has yet to be established, said sources.

The project is running over a year late, largely due to objections by current Panaji MLA Atanasio Monserrate. The second hurdle for the GICMS project has been the delay in obtaining permissions. L&T has found that permission for digging, road-cutting and laying of key fibre cables is difficult to obtain, and the process has only been complicated due to the other unmarked utility lines laid along the roads.

Govt plans to make state waste-free by 2025: CM

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Chief ministerPinarayi Vijayanhas said that the government plans to make the state waste-free by 2025. To achieve the goal, a comprehensive programme to improve waste collection, treatment and disposal would be implemented, he said.

The CM said that the programme would be implemented in a phased manner and incentives and Awards would be given for best performing local bodies at each level.

The CM said that the Global Expo would help create new perspectives and awareness about Waste Management. He said that toilet waste treatment Plants would be constructed in all districts and joint efforts of local self-government bodies are required for timely completion of the project.