Page 3 - Goa

Goa to roll out new salt-tolerant paddy variety for 2026 kharif season

Goa's latest paddy seed variety, which offers improved resilience against salinity, waterlogging, and crop lodging, is likely to be released for large-scale cultivation in the Kharif season 2026, state Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik has said. In a written reply in the legislative assembly on Friday, Naik said that the new variety is currently in its second year of on-farm trials and has already shown promising results in demonstration plots under the Minikit Programme. He was responding to a question by independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco. According to the data furnished by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Goa Dhan-5 was developed to build on the performance of earlier salt-tolerant varieties Goa Dhan-1 and Dhan-2 released in 2017, and Dhan-3 and Dhan-4 released in 2019, the minister said. Naik said that while the first four Dhan varieties are tolerant to saline conditions, Goa Dhan-5 stands out for its added resistance to waterlogging and complete or partial ...

'Air India to resume Goa-Gatwick direct flights by September-end'

The Air India flight between Goa and Gatwick in London, stopped following the horrific June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash, will resume by the end of September, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has said in the state assembly. Improved connectivity to Goa from various locations is a "game changer" for the tourism sector, Khaunte said in the House on Tuesday during demands for grants for his department in the ongoing monsoon session of the assembly. The Air India flights from Goa's Manohar International Airport to Gatwick were suspended following the crash of the AI plane heading from Ahmedabad to London last month, which claimed the lives of 260 persons, including 241 on board. Khaunte said in the House that the direct flight between Goa and Gatwick will resume by the end of September this year. Notably, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant last week said in the assembly he will consult the Civil Aviation Ministry on resumption of the Air India Goa-Gatwick flight after BJP MLA Michael Lobo said it

Goa to launch portals for village panchayat services from August 1

In a sweeping overhaul, almost all village panchayat services in Goa were being shifted online in a phased manner, bringing grassroots governance into the digital age, a minister has informed in the state assembly. The shift to digital platforms will ensure people no longer have to physically visit panchayat offices for basic services, Goa Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho said in the House late Monday evening during the ongoing monsoon session of the state assembly. Godinho also said an Artificial Intelligence-based facial recognition attendance system across all village panchayats will be launched from August 1. "From income certificates to house repair permissions, nine major services are already available online. We are working towards 100 per cent digitisation of all panchayat services," he said. There are 186 village panchayats across both the North Goa and South Goa districts. Godinho said services like the issuance of residence, income and character certificates, NOCs for

Former Delhi CM Atishi replaces Pankaj Gupta as head of AAP's Goa unit

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi chief minister Atishi was on Friday appointed as the incharge of the party's Goa unit, replacing Pankaj Gupta who is currently unwell. Atishi, a key strategist of the party and a prominent face of its national leadership, is expected to oversee organisational affairs and strengthen AAP's presence in the coastal state ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Due to unavailability of Pankaj Gupta owing to illness, Atishi ji is being appointed as prabhari of Goa. We extend best wishes to her for her new responsibilities," a formal announcement letter from party's National General Secretary (Organisation) Sandeep Pathak read. AAP made its electoral debut in Goa during the 2017 Assembly polls and secured two seats in the 2022 elections -- Velim and Benaulim. The party, which has been attempting to build its base beyond Delhi and Punjab, sees Goa as a crucial state in its national expansion plans. Atishi is also the Leader of Opposition

Goa halts new Rent-a-Cab licenses after rise in road accidents, congestion

The Goa government has temporarily suspended the issuance of new Rent-a-Cab licenses in light of the growing safety and traffic concerns arising from the unchecked proliferation of self-driven rental vehicles, a minister has said. The decision was taken following a communication from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) highlighting a series of serious road accidents involving the Rent-a-Car and Rent-a-Bike vehicles, Goa Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho informed the state assembly in a written reply on Wednesday. He was responding to a question raised in the House by Independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco. Godinho said many of these incidents were attributed to rash and negligent driving by tourists, including cases of driving under the influence of alcohol. "The matter was deliberated upon in detail during the State Transport Authority's (STA) meeting held on February 24, 2025, where it was unanimously resolved to keep the issuance of new Rent-a-Cab licenses in abeyance in the ..

Will move SC with contempt plea against Karnataka on Mhadei issue: Goa CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday informed the legislative assembly that the state government will file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against Karnataka for carrying out activities that are aimed at diverting the Mhadei river water. The CM also accused the neighbouring state of being involved in activities aimed at diverting the river water. The two adjoining coastal states are embroiled in a dispute over sharing the Mhadei river water. The BJP-ruled Goa has accused the Congress-governed Karnataka of planning to divert the river water by constructing two dams. The Mhadei river originates in the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, and flows through Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra as it empties into the Arabian Sea at Panaji in Goa. The Centre had set up a tribunal which decided on sharing the river water between the three riparian states -- Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Goa and Karnataka along with Maharashtra have appealed against the tribunal's order on .

National education policy to be implemented in all Goa schools by 2028: CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 will be implemented in all schools in the state by 2028. In a written reply tabled in the state assembly, Sawant, who also holds the education portfolio, said that the policy has already been implemented at the undergraduate level at all non-technical colleges in Goa. The chief minister was responding to a question by BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral. He said that the implementation of NEP is underway in a phased manner in schools and will be completed by 2028. Sawant said that for higher education, the NEP 2020 is being implemented as per the directives of the Ministry of Education, UGC, NITI Aayog and recommendations of the Chief Secretaries' Conference held at Dharamshala. He said block-level training programmes were organised for teachers, focusing on key areas that are in line with the NEP.

Goa govt rolls out AI Mission 2027 to boost governance and innovation

The Pramod Sawant government has rolled out Goa AI Mission 2027, a visionary roadmap to build an inclusive and future-ready Artificial Intelligence ecosystem, officials said. The mission, a bold leap from Goa's laid-back coastal charm to cutting-edge tech ambition, aims to empower people, enhance governance and spark innovation across sectors, placing the state firmly on the digital transformation map, they said. In a recently held meeting, Chief Minister Sawant and state Information Technology Minister Rohan Khaunte appealed to stakeholders to work towards drafting the AI Mission 2027, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. Nearly 350 Information Technology companies and startups are operating in Goa, as per data from the IT department. Goa Information and Technology Director Kabir Shirgaonkar told PTI Videos that the state government's AI mission is derived from the Centre's ambitious India AI Mission. "We intend to meet various objectives through this mission, an

Puravankara partners landowner to build ₹1K cr housing project in Bengaluru

Realty firm Puravankara Group on Thursday said it has partnered with a landowner to develop a housing project worth around Rs 1,000 crore at Balagere, in East Bengaluru. In a regulatory filing, the company informed that it has signed a joint development agreement (JDA) for a 5.5-acre land parcel in East Bengaluru, with an "estimated gross development value (GDV) of over Rs 1,000 crore." The land parcel offers a total combined saleable area of 0.83 million square feet. Puravankara did not mention the name of the landowner with whom it has signed the JDA and also did not disclose the revenue or profit sharing structure. The project, located in Balagere, is expected to be launched in the next 6-9 months. Ashish Puravankara, Managing Director of Puravankara, said, "This joint development underscores our sustained growth strategy and reaffirms our confidence in East Bengaluru, one of the city's most dynamic and promising micro-markets." Mallanna Sasalu, CEO - South, Puravankara Ltd, s

Sattva Group to invest ₹800 cr in Goa property market to expand business

Realty firm Sattva Group will invest about Rs 800 crore over the next two years in Goa property market as it sees huge business opportunities in this coastal city, a top company official said. Bengaluru-based Sattva Group, which is one of the leading real estate firms in South India, entered Goa market few years back. It has already developed the first phase of its maiden housing project 'Sattva Water's Edge' and recently launched the second phase comprising villas and apartments. Sattva Group is planning two more projects in Goa, including a gated community where it will offer residential plots. "We will invest around Rs 800 crore over the next two years in Goa," Sattva Group Managing Director Bijay Agarwal told PTI. Sattva Group is expanding its presence in Goa property market to tap rising demand because of its improved infrastructure and better connectivity with other cities of India. Bullish on the potential of Goa market, Agarwal noted that there is a huge demand for first

Ministerial group on GST discusses curbing ITC frauds, leakages by sector

The GoM on GST revenue analysis under Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met on Friday and discussed sector-specific tax leakages and corrective action to curb over Rs 2 lakh crore ITC frauds. The GoM also discussed comparative analysis of pre- and post-GST revenue trends, e-invoicing and IT system enhancements for better traceability. The GoM also discussed state-specific policy suggestions for boosting revenue, and coordination between central and state tax administrations for plugging GST evasion. "Chaired a meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on GST Revenue Analysis to review state-wise revenue trends and identify actionable strategies for improved GST collection," Sawant said in post on X. The GoM identified Input Tax Credit (ITC) fraud as a major issue under goods and services tax (GST) and states suggested various measures to prevent it. Officials said the GoM flagged Rs 2 lakh crore of ITC fraud over the past years, with states like Gujarat, Telangana, and Rajasthan makin

Centre allocates ₹79,000 cr for tribal housing, infra, health: Jual Oram

Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram said on Thursday that the Centre has set aside Rs 79,000 crore to provide houses, roads, health facilities and water to tribal areas across the country. Participating in an awareness programme under the Dharti Aaba Janabhagidari Abhiyan at Sanguem in South Goa, he said that the earlier Congress government never recognised that the problems faced by the tribal communities could be different from the other sections of society. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar and State Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai also attended the event. It was only after the BJP came to power (in 2014) that a separate ministry was created for tribal welfare with a sizable budget, said the 64-year-old tribal leader from Odisha. He said that the initial budget for the ministry was Rs 8,000 crore. Sometimes, I have sleepless nights. We have a huge budget of Rs 79,000 crore. This budget has to be utilised by the state governmen

Construction of 250 houses out of 254 under PMAY ready in Goa: Official

The Goa government has completed the construction of 250 houses out of the target of 254 for eligible beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), an official said on Thursday. The project, aimed at providing affordable housing, has been implemented at a total cost of Rs 3.4 crore, the official said. Under the project, there was a target of constructing 254 houses for eligible beneficiaries in the state, said P K Shirodkar, nodal officer in-charge of the scheme and director of the District Rural Development Agency. "We have constructed 250 houses till date by meticulously following all the procedures under this scheme. The remaining four houses will be completed within the next two to three months," Shirodkar said. The Goa government led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has spent Rs 3.4 crore for the project till date, he said. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is a flagship scheme of the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government is

Goa's private industries face acute manpower shortage, says CM Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday acknowledged a "significant manpower shortage" in industries despite employment opportunities, noting that local youths are reluctant to join the private sector over job security concerns. A meeting of representatives from various industry bodies and state government, chaired by Sawant, has decided to revise the minimum wages across industries and discussed the introduction of skilling courses. Sawant said industries are witnessing a significant manpower shortage and cited an instance wherein only two candidates turned up for interviews conducted by the Goa Pharma Association. A similar situation prevails in the shipbuilding sector, he said. "Job opportunities are available, but there is no manpower," Sawant said, adding that the meeting focused on the issues faced by industries in recruiting local youth. He said the government discussed the introduction of skilling courses and the preparation of an action plan. The chief minister not

Beyond beaches: Goa to promote temple visits under spiritual tourism drive

The Goa government is planning to provide a spiritual experience to visitors, away from the beaches, by promoting a pilgrimage circuit comprising 11 iconic temples in the state, officials said on Tuesday. These temples will be the highlight of the Goa Tourism's 'Ekadasha Teertha Yatra' campaign, they said. A meeting was held on Monday with representatives of all the 11 temples to discuss promotion of the pilgrimage circuit and resolve any coordination-related issues, Goa Tourism Director Kedar Naik told PTI. The 'Ekadasha Teertha Yatra' will cover the 11 temples representing Goa's rich spiritual legacy. These include Sri Manguesh Temple in Mangeshi (North Goa), Sri Mahalasa Narayani Temple in Mardol (North Goa), Mahadev Temple in Tambdi Surla (South Goa) and Sri Shantadurga Temple in Fatorpa (South Goa). As part of the pilgrimage circuit, tourists will be taken around four temples in a day, covering the entire journey in two-three days, Naik said. The visitors will also be taken

1 in 3 Goa taxis now local app-based as state bars outside aggregators

Nearly one out of three taxis operating in Goa are enrolled on the local app-based platforms in the coastal state, with most of them catering to tourists, official data shows. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's recent announcement that his government will not allow cab aggregators from outside Goa has raised hopes for the local app-based mobility platforms, which have been in the market for some time now. As per government figures, out of the total 12,000 tourist taxis operating in the state, 5,000 are on board the app-based platforms, mostly with two companies -- Goa Miles and Goa Taxi App. The Goa Miles alone has a fleet of 4,000-odd taxis on board. Allaying the apprehensions raised by local tourist taxi drivers over the Goa Transport Aggregators Guidelines 2025, CM Sawant on Friday said cab aggregators from outside will not be allowed in the state. The draft guidelines were issued on May 20. The last date to give suggestions and raise objections is June 30. Goa Miles Chief Executi

'No Ola, Uber in Goa', says CM Sawant as coastal MLAs seek policy pause

Goa CM Pramod Sawant rules out Ola and Uber's entry, assures locals that app cab guidelines are only drafts; coastal MLAs urge policy pause to protect local taxi operators' livelihood

Goa health minister apologises to doctors amid GMC protest unrest

The protests came after an incident in which Health Minister Rane used harsh language against Dr Rudresh Kuttikar during a visit to GMC

Goa CM reverses doctor's suspension after Health Minister row: All we know

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant reversed Health Minister Vishwajit Rane's order suspending Dr Rudresh Kuttikar, following public backlash and support from the medical community

ED arrests key accused Rohan Harmalkar in ₹1,000 crore Goa land scam

The alleged mastermind Rohan Harmalkar is charged with defrauding property owners using fake documents and tampering revenue records across prime tourist locations in Goa