Goa 123 updates

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Goa Blog

Government of Goa plans to amend Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1982

Posted: 07 Aug 2010 01:57 AM PDT

Government of Goa is considering amending the Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1982 such that the Director of Tourism is no longer empowered to give five-star certification to hotels in Goa. This information was given by Digambar Kamat, Chief Minister, Goa. Kamat made the disclosure during question hour to the House wherein the opposition sought details of five-star certification given to a Porvorim-based land casino.

According to a report in The Times of India, The provisions of Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1982 do not have any fixed time limit to the five-star certification it bestows on hotels. Kamat agreed that the Act had some grey areas and that the government is moving to amend it in such a way that, powers given to the director of tourism to grant five-star certification are cancelled.

Courtesy: hospitalitybizindia

Goa Minister’s Son Likely To Escape From Rape Case

Posted: 07 Aug 2010 12:16 AM PDT

Rohit, the son of Atanasio Monserrate, Goa Education Minister who has been accused of raping a minor foreign national might be freed from the case as the victim's mother said on Friday that her daughter would not appear in court. The 14-year-old victim's mother who is a German national has written to the Goa Children’s Court (GCC), “She does not want to pursue the matter against Rohit Monserrate”.

Previously on 2nd October, 2008, the victims mother complaint in the Calangute police station that Rohit raped her minor daughter and asked her to intake alcohol and smoke many cigarettes to evade pregnancy. The mother recently wrote a letter to GCC saying, “The victim has forgotten everything and she does not want to remember it again.” She has also mentioned that she and her daughter are not willing to pursue the case booked almost a couple of years back.

Rohit’s father had also been accused of abetting the rape but, he was acquitted as the police didn't have enough evidence against him. The complaint stated that the police previously tried to wrap up the case by not registering the complaint. Later, the German consulate officials had to write to the Chief Minister asking him to investigate the case seriously.

Courtesy: indiaserver

Friday, August 6, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa police capable of handling drug nexus case, says Naik

Posted: 05 Aug 2010 10:21 AM PDT

Ruling out the possibility of handing over the drug peddler-policemen nexus case to the CBI, Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik today said that the state police was capable of handling the case. “Why do we need CBI? The state police has the required machinery to probe the allegations of nexus,” Naik told reporters here. “There is a proper system that needs to be followed.

There are various police officers who are monitoring the investigation,” Naik, who came to the State Legislative Assembly for the first time during the ongoing monsoon session, said adding that police was collecting the evidence. The BJP had stalled the State Legislative Assembly five times during the monsoon session demanding that probe in the case be handed over to the CBI. Chief Minister Digamber Kamat, who was fending for Naik in his absence, had refused to budge from his stand claiming that police were investigating in a professional manner. The Home Minister alleged that few political leaders were levelling allegations against him and his son, Roy, because “they (politicians) were not getting protection money (hafta) from the drug dealers.” “We have clamped down all the drug parties. There are raids on drug peddlers. Such a massive action was never taken in the past. Few political leaders are disturbed by my crusade against the trade,” he alleged.

Courtesy: ibnlive

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Goa Blog

Rs.2oo Crore will be given to Goa After receipt of plans

Posted: 05 Aug 2010 08:14 AM PDT

Union Minister of State in the ministry of Planning Shri V.Narayanasami informed Mr. Shantaram Naik, M.P. in the

Rajya Sabha today that as per the package of Rs.200 crores announcedby the Central Government for Goa, a provision of One-time .Additional Central Assistance of Rs.200 crore has been made in the Annual Plan 2010-11 of Goa and the same would be released after receiving the details of the schemes/components of the Package from

the State Government of Goa.The Minister said that in the Union Budget 2010-11, a budget announcement was made that Rs.200 crore would be provided as a Special Golden Jubilee Package for Goa to preserve that natural resources of the State by restoring beaches which are prone to erosion, and increasing green cover through sustainable forestry.

In reply to another question, Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Urban Development Shri Saugata Roy informed Mr. Shantaram Naik in a written reply to his question that sewerage is an admissible component under Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) and Urban Infrastructure Governance (UIG) components of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

Seven year Mission allocation of Rs.22.11 crore and Rs.120.94 crore respectively are made under the two components of JNNURM for Goa. However, no project proposal on sewerage has been submitted by the Government of Goa for any town/city of Goa under either of the components, Minister informed.

Israeli firm’s $31m Goa hospital project under scanner

Posted: 05 Aug 2010 07:07 AM PDT

Goa’s opposition Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) has alleged a multi-crore scam and pre-bid rigging in clearing a Rs.140 crore ($31 million) super-speciality hospital project jointly promoted by an Israeli defence major and the state government.

The government has agreed to initiate an enquiry into the allegations levelled by the opposition but refused to stall the construction of the super-specialty hospital project.

Putting Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane on the mat, Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar said that the Israeli firm, Elbit Imaging, had in a board meeting resolved to start a subsidiary company Elbit India Hospitals Limited (EIHL), a month before it was actually awarded the contract.

“This is a scam. The company knew in advance they were getting the contract. I have a copy of the extract of the minutes of a board meeting in which the directors consented to the incorporation of its company in India, even before it was awarded the contract,” Parrikar told the Goa legislative assembly Thursday, adding that despite the involvement of consultants in the bidding process, the awarding of the contract to the Israel-based smacked of pre-rigging.

“Elbit Imaging consented to start the Indian subsidiary before the contract was awarded to them. And what is shocking is that the name of the Indian subsidiary mentioned in the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the state government exactly matches the one approved at the BoD (Board of Directors) meeting a month ago,” Parrikar said.

“Other bidders withdrew from the tendering because the whole process was rigged,” Parrikar said, tabling the documents in the house.

Rane said he would enquire into the allegations made by the opposition but refused to stall the project, in which the Goa government has 15 percent equity, with 85 percent being held by EIHL.

Courtesy:TOI

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Goa Blog

Johnnie Walker favourite with counterfeiters in Goa

Posted: 04 Aug 2010 05:38 AM PDT

Johnnie Walker, the world renowned brand of Scotch whisky, is not just a favourite with Goa's Bacchus lovers but even counterfeiters. In a written reply tabled Wednesday in the monsoon session of the legislative assembly, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who also holds the excise portfolio, said that his department seized 92 bottles of spurious Johnnie Walker whisky, in various raids last year.

From among all the Johnnie Walker labels, the Black Label appears to be the most favourite of counterfeiters, followed by the Red label and the Gold label. Johnnie Walker is one of the most widely distributed brand of blended Scotch whisky in the world and is reported to sell nearly 180 million bottles annually.

Courtesy: thaindian

Prisoners escape through toilet tunnel in Goa

Posted: 04 Aug 2010 05:17 AM PDT

In a sensational jailbreak, three inmates escaped from a prison in Goa after drilling a passage through a cell toilet early on Wednesday. Undertrial Abhijit Patil and convicts Hitler Fernandes and Seby Ferrao escaped from the Sada sub jail at Vasco, about 35 km from here, jail authorities said. ”The jailbreak must have happened after 3 am on Wednesday morning. They escaped by drilling a hole in their cell toilet,” said Levinson Martins, sub-divisional magistrate in charge of the Sada prison affairs.

He said Fernandes, 46, was convicted for two murders in Goa and Karnataka. Incidentally, he was one of the convicts who was recommended to be released by the prisoner sentence review committee. ”Hitler and Seby have a previous history of jail breaks,” he said. Four jail staffers, including two officers, were suspended.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat informed the Goa legislative assembly that a magisterial enquiry has also been initiated to probe the incident.

Courtesy: ibnlive

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa anti-terror squad to keep track of rave parties
Goa blast: absconding Sanatan member arrested
Pacheco moves breach of privilege motion again Goa CM

Goa anti-terror squad to keep track of rave parties

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 06:37 AM PDT

Keeping track of terror is not the only responsibility of Goa’s newly-formed anti-terrorism squad (ATS). It is also likely to monitor online adverts for full moon rave parties, online sex trade and shady female escort businesses. Home Minister Ravi Naik Tuesday said in a written reply in the Goa legislative assembly that “at present there is no mechanism in place for regular surveillance of internet websites”.

“A proposal for the creation of a cyber cell as a component of the anti terrorism squad (Special Cell) to monitor the internet is under examination of the government,” Naik said responding to a question from Congress legislator Victoria Fernandes in the monsoon session.

The issue of Goa being promoted as a sex tourism destination was discussed in the house during the current session. The opposition had alleged that hundreds of websites promoting prostitution under the guise of escort and massage parlour services were proliferating on the internet which needed to be curtailed.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times

Goa blast: absconding Sanatan member arrested

Posted: 02 Aug 2010 10:19 AM PDT

An absconding member of right-wing Hindu organisation Sanatan Sanstha has been arrested by Maharashtra ATS for his alleged role in the 2009 Goa blast - the sixth person to be held in the case. An ATS team laid a trap and arrested Prashant Juvekar, absconding since October 16 last year, from near Bhusawal railway station in Jalgaon district on July 31, state ATS chief Rakesh Maria said. Juvekar, 24, hailing from Ratnagiri, was produced before a Nashik court which remanded him in police custody till August 3.

A 7.65 mm pistol was recovered from Juvekar, who was actively involved in the conspiracy and was trained in making IEDs, detonators and timing devises, Maria said. The blast, which had claimed two lives, occurred on Diwali-eve in a busy thoroughfare in Margao, barely a few hundred metres from a place where Chief Minister Digamber Kamat was participating in some celebrations.

Maharashtra ATS Chief Rakesh Maria announces the arrest of Prashant Juvekar, a Sanatan Sanstha member who is an accused in the Margao blast case, at a press conference in Mumbai on Monday.

The National Investigating Agency (NIA), probing the case, had filed a charge sheet against 11 Sanatan Sanstha members and made five arrests before nabbing Juvekar. Those named in the charge sheet include Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, who were killed when the bomb went off. According to the ATS, Juvekar had met Patil on August 23 when duo went to some place where the former was trained in making explosives. They had also discussed the blast conspiracy. "Juvekar was trained for three days in making explosives. On an experimental basis, the duo even exploded a small IED in hill area near Naik's residence," Maria said.

Since the blast, Juvekar frequently changed his location to evade arrest, he said, adding the accused stayed in suburban Malad here for sometime at his maternal uncle's place and travelled to various places including Baroda, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Delhi, Varanasi and Bihar. Juvekar, graduated in Commerce stream and discontinued his law course. His mother and father are retired bank employees. Maria said the NIA has been informed about Juvekar's arrest and the agency was likely to seek his custody soon.

The other five arrested are Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar, Dilip Mangaonkar and Prashant Ashtekar. The absconding accused in the case are Sarang Akolkar, Jayaprakash alias Anna, Rudra Patil.

Courtesy: Hindu

Pacheco moves breach of privilege motion again Goa CM

Posted: 02 Aug 2010 10:02 AM PDT

Former Goa tourism minister Fransisco Mickey Pacheco on Monday moved breach of privilege motion against Chief Minister Digamber Kamat in the state Legislative Assembly. The motion referred to the statement made by Kamat categorically denied having spoken to NCP chief Sharad Pawar when Pacheco resigned as a tourism minister.

Speaker of Goa legislative assembly Pratapsingh Rane, however, has not yet admitted the motion stating that he wants to examine it. The NCP legislator said that he has enough proof to prove that Kamat had spoken to Pawar on the day before he was pressurised to resign. “I was pressurised to step down after Chief minister told my party leader Pawar that there is evidence against me in Nadia Torrado death case,” Pacheco had said on the floor of the House.

The former tourism minister had stepped down on June 5 from the state cabinet and went into hiding for almost a month before surrendering to the court on July 3. Pacheco was arrested on July 7 and was remanded to police custody.

After getting released on bail following 15 days in police custody and a day in judicial custody, Pacheco made his statement in the ongoing state Legislative Assembly session. He had alleged that he was being targeted because he belongs to minority community.

Courtesy: hindustantimes

Monday, August 2, 2010

Goa Blog

Model State Mineral Policy to Goa;Goa MP

Posted: 02 Aug 2010 09:06 AM PDT

Union Minister of Mines informed Mr Shantaram Naik M.P. in the Rajya Sabha today in a written reply to his question that the Government of India has on 12.10.2009circulated a Model State Mineral Policy to all State Governments including Goa, to help give effect to the National Mineral Policy which lays specific emphasis on Policy on mining in tribal areas, Stakeholders participation, Rehabilitation & Resettlement etc. The minister further informed Mr Naik that The State Governments have been requested to consider adopting the policy. These previsions would lead to optimal mining in a scientific and efficient manner.

The Government has approved the National Mineral Policy, 2008, on 13th March 2008, replacing the National Mineral Policy, 1993. The new Policy enunciates policy measures like assured right to next stage mineral concession, transferability of mineral concessions and transparency in allotment of concessions, in order to reduce delays which are seen as impediments to investment and technology flow in the mining sector in India, Minister said.

The Mining policy also seeks to develop a sustainable framework for optimum utilization of the country's natural mineral resources for the industrial growth in the country and at the same time improving the life of people living in the mining areas, which are generally located in the backward and tribal regions of the country,he said.

The Government has singed Agreements/Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with countries like Canada, Chile, Namibia, China, etc. with a view to facilitate bilateral cooperation in the fields of geology and mineral resources. These Agreement/MoUs provides framework for bilateral cooperation on subjects of mutual interest like research and development, training of personnel and acquiring state-of-the-art technologies in the fields of mineral exploration and development, minister further informed Mr Naik.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa: Felicitation function of Akhil Gomantak Kshatriya Maratha Samaj
Goa to strengthen ties with diaspora
Goa NIT inaugurated, gets head start over other institutes

Goa: Felicitation function of Akhil Gomantak Kshatriya Maratha Samaj

Posted: 01 Aug 2010 08:40 AM PDT

Photographic Glimpses of Felicitation function of Akhil Gomantak Kshatriya Maratha Samaj.

More than 125 Meritorious students of different examinations from SSC to Post Graduation were felicitated at the hands of Shri. Laxmikant Parsekar, Hon’ble MLA & The Goa State President of BJP and Shri. Pratap Gauns, Hon’ble MLA in presence of Shri. Santoba Desai, President of Samaj, Dr. Ulhas Parab & Dr. Venkatesh Desai both Vice-Presidents, Shri. Subhash Phal Desai, Secretary & Shri. Arvind Desai, Treasurer of the Samaj.

The large number of persons from different walks of life from Kshatriya Maratha Samaj were present. Amongst meritorious students Ms. Yamuna Pramod Naik the first ranker of Goa Board in science stream who also topped the list of CET and Pratik Sawant who secured second rank in Goa Board Exam in science stream were felicitated at the hands of The Chief Guest.

Goa to strengthen ties with diaspora

Posted: 31 Jul 2010 08:38 PM PDT

Goa is following in the footsteps of Kerala to engage with its non-residents who make up at least one-third of the state’s 1.5 million population and contribute substantially to the Goan economy. Eduardo Faleiro, Goa commissioner for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), who is the man behind the efforts, hopes the efforts will best serve the interests of the state. Faleiro said he is happy with the ‘positive’ response from Non-Resident Goans (NRGs) to the work and study his office has done and for the cooperation from the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA).

‘The response is very positive. And what the MOIA is doing for the diaspora and NRIs is a matter to be appreciated, the way they have reached out and how it is well received,’ Faleiro, a former union minister, told IANS during a visit to the capital. His office will interact with overseas Goans on a sustained basis to identify areas of mutual concern, address the needs of Goans overseas by providing an institutional platform and formulating appropriate policies and also strengthen the bond between Goa and the overseas Goans by recognising their achievements.

The Goa Commissioner’s office has issued 500 Goa Cards to Goan expatriates across the world in two years on request and payment of Rs.250. The Goa card holders will get faster and better attention from government departments and offices. Goa is also the second state after Kerala to have conducted a scientific migration study to understand and deal with irregular migration and exploitation of NRGs.

A Goa scholarship programme for diaspora children is formulated by the commissioner’s office for the benefit of the wards of Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and NRGs. The commissioner’s office has also initiated the Know Goa Programme to acquaint youth of the Goan diaspora with the state and its culture. On Faleiro’s request, the Indian government has delegated powers to the state for authentication of educational certificates from Goan academic institutions.

Courtesy: Sify

Goa NIT inaugurated, gets head start over other institutes

Posted: 31 Jul 2010 08:27 PM PDT

There was not much pomp or gaiety when the National Institute of Technology (NIT) “the first such national institute to be set up in Goa” was formally inaugurated on Saturday, but the significance of the event cannot be underestimated. “It is a historic day for Goa. This is the first NIT to be set up in the first year of being allotted to us by the Centre,” Chief minister Digambar Kamat said while inaugurating the institute at the Goa Engineering College (GEC) campus in Farmagudi on Saturday.

Addressing the gathering of mainly NIT students, GEC pupils and education officials such as director of higher education Bhaskar Nayak and Goa University vice-chancellor Dileep Deobagkar, the chief minister said HRD minister Kapil Sibal has agreed to consider Goa’s request for 50% reservation solely for Goan students at the NIT.

Of the ten new NITs announced by the central Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) last year, Goa became the first to start functioning within a short span of time. “The student enrolment of 72 at the Goa NIT is the highest among the 10 new NITs,” said Sandeep Sancheti, director of NITK, Surathkal, which is mentoring the Goa NIT.

Better still, three non-resident Indian students opted for Goa of the six seats available through the Direct Admission For Students Abroad Scheme (DASA) of the central government. A section of the GEC has been spruced up by the state to house the new NIT till it gets its new campus. Two classrooms and one room for administrative activities of the NIT Goa provided by the GEC have been renovated and refurbished.

A library and computer centre have also been set up exclusively for NIT Goa students, while hostel and dining facilities have been provided on campus. Two cafeterias and facilities for sports and games have been created, besides buses for the transport of faculty and students from nearby places to the campus have also been arranged.

“Goa will probably be one of the best of the new NITs,” said Sancheti, judging from the head start Goa got over several others. Chief minister Digambar Kamat released brochures and booklets on the NIT, besides CDs on academic regulations binding on the students. The NIT even inaugurated its own website www.nitgoa.ac.in. He also said union minister for heavy industries and public enterprises Vilasrao Deshmukh has agreed to set up a PSU in Goa which will generate employment for not just highly skilled professionals like NIT graduates but also to school dropouts.

Courtesy: TOI