Goa

Goa's health sector's achievements showcased before G20 meeting

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in partnership with the Goa government showcased the health infrastructure in the state ahead of the G20 Working Group meeting that is scheduled to be held in the coastal state from April 17 to 19. The organisers of the meeting said the health facilities being provided at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Panaji are exceptional. "India's G20 Presidency has identified three priorities in the health track, namely health emergencies prevention and preparedness; strengthening cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector and digital health innovation and solutions," they said. The organisers showcased India's achievements in digital health Innovations, such as the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission at PHC Corlim and the technological innovation under the Swasth Mahila Swasth Goa program presented through the iBreast Device, an initiative supported by YouWeCan, founded by former cricketer Yuvraj Singh, that aids breast

BJP put democracy in dustbin: Goa AAP display posters targeting PM Modi

"When something is not acceptable, it is the right of people to protest. But the BJP and central government are trying to take away this right," Palekar said

New rules for Goa casinos soon, says CM Sawant during Budget speech

New rules for casinos, including off-shore ones, will be notified soon under the Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act, an official said in Panaji on Thursday. The announcement was made by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant during his Budget speech in the Assembly on Wednesday, the official said. The rules will streamline the sector and also speak of giving power of issuing tickets to the 'Gaming Commissioner', he said. Goa has six off shore casinos, while several five-star hotels also operate casinos.

Govt has made strong case against diversion of Mhadei: Goa CM Sawant

Sawant said that the government has effectively stopped any further construction or diversion of the Mhadei waters

Tourist vehicles to be given unique stickers to avoid harassment: Goa CM

Goa CM Pramod Sawant said that tourists entering the state will be given unique stickers to fix on their vehicles, so they are not harassed (by police) while moving across the coastal state

Water sport activities not to be privatised: Goa tourism minister

Water sport activities will not be privatised in Goa, state tourism minister Rohan Khaunte told the Assembly on Monday. Responding to a Zero Hour mention by Aam Aadmi Party MLA Venzy Veigas, he said some persons with vested interests were spreading rumours about such activities being privatised. Touts were cheating tourists by overcharging them for water sport activities and it was important to regulate the trade, he said. "Goa Electronics Limited (GEL) has been assigned the task to introduce online system in the trade. The water sports' rate will be decided by respective associations, while GEL will charge Rs 50 per customer. GEL will run the counters and will provide the necessary technical support," he told the House.

Goa Budget session being kept short as Oppn needed time to study: Speaker

The Budget session of the Goa Assembly is kept short as per tradition and a discussion on the Budget has been postponed to the monsoon session as the Opposition wanted time to study the financial plan, Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar said on Monday, the first day of the sitting. He said the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) has resolved that the monsoon session of the House would be a lengthy one with a duration of 20 days. The Budget session will be held for four days till March 31 excluding the March 30 holiday for Ram Navami. The Budget session is always held for five days (in Goa). It has been a tradition for the last 20-30 years, the Speaker told PTI. Tawadkar said a discussion on the Budget could have started during the current session but the Opposition parties demanded that they want time to study the Budget. That is why the discussion on Budget has been postponed to the next session, he said, adding that since there was not much business, the current session is held for four days

Akasa Air launches two new flights from Lucknow to Goa, Ahmedabad

To offer seamless connectivity to the passengers flying out of Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) here, Akasa Air on Sunday launched two flights to Goa and Ahmedabad. With Akasa Air, the airport now has three airlines connecting Lucknow with Goa, CCSI said in a statement. The other two airlines connecting the two cities are AirAsia and Indigo, it said. Akasa Air is also launching a new flight connecting Lucknow with Ahmedabad, taking their weekly departures from the airport up to 35, the statement said. The daily non-stop flight from Lucknow airport to Goa will depart at 14:15 hrs and to Ahmedabad at 21:00 hrs. Over 18,000 passengers travel in over 128 flights, both domestic and international, from Lucknow airport on a daily basis.

Congress in Goa to hold Satyagraha to protest Rahul's disqualification

The Congress in Goa has planned to hold 'Satyagraha' on Sunday at Mahatma Gandhi Statue in Old Goa to protest against the disqualification of party leader Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha

Goa CM asks people to take precautions due to Covid-19, influenza cases

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday asked people to take precautions in the wake of a rising number of COVID-19 and influenza infections in the country. Sawant also said the count of coronavirus cases went up slightly in the coastal state. The state government is monitoring the situation amidst the rise in COVID-19 and influenza cases in the country, the chief minister said, adding that people will have to take precautions while the government has already issued an advisory. People who are feeling flu-like symptoms should avoid crowded places and opt for isolation, he said. Goa reported 17 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, taking the overall tally to 2,59,297. The number of active cases is 109. The state has not recorded confirmed influenza cases so far. According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday, India logged 699 new cases of coronavirus, while the active cases increased to 6,559.

Goa budget session to commence on March 27, says CM Pramod Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said the budget session will start on March 27. The House will be in session from March 27 to March 31, with a holiday on March 30 for Ram Navami. "The exact date of the budget presentation will be announced later. A discussion on the budget would be held in the next session," the chief minister told reporters. Sawant said the ruling party had suggested that the general discussion on the budget could start from the upcoming session and resume in the next sitting, but the opposition parties didn't agree. He said the session would be held for only four days "as there is no business to transact for an extended period".

Goa has potential to become defence manufacturing hub: CM Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said the coastal state has the potential to become a hub for defence manufacturing, creating employment opportunities and also strengthening India's defence capabilities. Addressing the inaugural function of the 3rd Manohar Parrikar Memorial Lecture here, he said Goa's strategic location provides several advantages to key industries, including defence. With unique strategies, Goa has the potential to become a place for defence manufacturing, creating employment opportunities and also strengthen India's defence capabilities, he said. The chief minister said the Union government is committed to encourage self-reliance in defence manufacturing as a part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make In India initiatives. To achieve this, we need trained manpower and we must focus on building competent individuals at the operational level to deploy, direct, review and update the resource effectively, he said. Sawant said quality of workforce is essential .

Goa govt plans to build cancer institute, holds talks with Tata Memorial

The Goa government plans to build a cancer institute in the state so that its residents won't need to travel to other places for treatment, even as it will start a dedicated cancer outpatient department at Goa Medical College from next month, said health minister Vishwajit Rane. The minister on Thursday met officials from Mumbai-based Tata Memorial Hospital in Panaji to discuss ways to set up a facility to treat cancer patients in the state. With rising cancer cases in the state of Goa, we are working unabatedly to build a State Cancer Institute' so that citizens of Goa do not have to travel outside the state to seek treatment, he tweeted after the meeting. In another tweet, he said, Tata Memorial Hospital provides world-class cancer treatment services and facilities. We intend to have a tripartite agreement between the Government of India, the Government of Goa and Tata Memorial Hospital, similar to the Assam model envisioned by Hon PM Shri @narendramodi. Rane said Tata Memorial .

Goa govt to hold meeting on H3N2 influenza as directed by the Centre

The Goa government will hold a high-level meeting on Tuesday to discuss monitoring of seasonal influenza subtype H3N2 as directed by the Centre, state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said. He said the government will ensure that the directives of the Union Health Ministry are strictly implemented. Goa has not reported any confirmed H3N2 cases so far this year. I will be addressing a meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) in the presence of the Health Secretary, officials from the Health Department and Goa Medical College and Hospital to discuss monitoring of the Influenza A virus subtype H3N2, Rane tweeted on Monday night. He said directives of the Union Health Ministry will be strictly implemented and a review meeting will be held once a week on the same. The Union Health Ministry had issued directives to various states regarding the H3N2 virus.

IAF dispenses over 25,000 ltrs of water to contain Goa forest fire

According to information, 48 fire spots have been detected since March 5 till Saturday. Of which, 41 fires have already been doused, while seven are reported to be active

Proper upbringing of boys can curb violence against women: Goa CM Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said proper upbringing of boys can play an important role in curbing violence against girl and women. Addressing a function organised to mark the International Women's Day, Sawant urged women to add spiritual element to their physical and mental fitness. At the event, 50 women from different fields were felicitated. Women should achieve physical and mental fitness and at the same time, add spiritual fitness to it, he said, hailing one of the women honoured at the function who plays badminton at the age of 80. Referring to instances of violence against women, the chief minister said there should not be any discrimination between girls and boys right from the time of their birth. If a boy has a good upbringing since his childhood, we can certainly ensure there is no violence against women in the future. This attempt should start from our homes, he said. The Goa CM said the central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendr

Goa: Navy, IAF choppers deployed to fight Mhadei fires; 28 doused, 3 active

The fires that have broken out in Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa are being kept under control through the joint efforts of the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and the forest department, state minister Vishwajit Rane said on Thursday. The Indian Navy has deployed helicopters, with 'Large Area Aerial Liquid Dispersion Equipment' mounted on them, to carry out sorties since Tuesday to douse the fires, a defence spokesperson said. The sanctuary, located in the north-eastern part of the state along the border with Karnataka, has been witnessing fires at multiple sites for the past six days. "An IAF helicopter has conducted reconnaissance of the sanctuary while the Indian Navy has deployed four helicopters. The fire has been kept under control and we are monitoring the situation on an hourly basis," Rane said. He said forest department officials are inside the sanctuary as part of the dousing operations, and, as on Thursday, there are three minor fires active in the area. "A total of 28

State budget will focus on education, healthcare, sanitation: Goa CM

Ahead of the budget session, scheduled from March 27 to 31, Goa government has invited ideas and suggestions from industrialists, students, and the public for a "public-centric" budget

Governors, CMs should respect Lakshmana rekha to avoid conflict: Goa guv

Amid increasing confrontation between governors and chief ministers in non-BJP ruled states, Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai has suggested that both sides should respect their Lakshmana rekha' to avoid any conflict. There is a Lakshmana rekha within which each pillar of democracy should function. Once that line is crossed, the Constitution does not have any remedy for that, Pillai said. The discussions which took place in the Constituent Assembly go on to show that its members never expected a situation in which the three pillars - legislative, executive and judiciary - of democracy would come on a confrontational course, he told PTI over phone. Pillai's comment has come at a time when the tussle between governors and chief ministers of non-BJP ruled states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Telangana, West Bengal, Punjab and Jharkhand has gone up on several issues. Pillai, without referring to any particular incident of confrontation, said, I cannot say anything about the ...

Goa aims for 100% renewable energy usage across all sectors by 2050: CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said the state government has set a goal to ensure 100 per cent renewable energy usage across all sectors by 2050. Addressing the second edition of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Conference on Clean Renewable Energy 2023 here, Sawant said the state government's plan is expected to create around 15,000 jobs. The Goa government has set a goal to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy usage across all sectors in the state by 2050, he said. "This ambitious plan is expected to create around 15,000 additional jobs, with 500 jobs per year dedicated exclusively to the solar and wind energy generation sector, the chief minister said. The government is committed to generating 150 MW of green energy in the next two years and will be setting up 100 MW solar power plants throughout Goa, he said. "The state government has also signed a memorandum of understanding to develop India's first convergence project to generate green energy for rural a