Page 6 - Goa

Investigation underway in murder of 4-yr old boy: Goa CM Pramod Sawant

On Tuesday, the CEO of a start-up company in Bengaluru identified as Suchana Seth was arrested for allegedly murdering her minor son at a hotel in Goa

Sugar factory lying shut in Goa to resume in one year, produce ethanol: CM

A state-run sugar factory, which has been shut in South Goa since 2019, would resume operation in the next one year and produce ethanol from sugarcane, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said. The Request For Qualification (RFQ) has been invited from the eligible bidders to re-start the Sanjivani Sugar Factory to produce ethanol from the sugarcane available in the surrounding talukas, he told reporters on Tuesday. The assurance was given as the sugarcane farmers were protesting since January 2, demanding resumption of operations at the factory, located at Usgao village in South Goa district. The state-run factory, which was started in 1974, produced sugar by procuring sugarcane from farmers till 2019, before it was shut due to the mounting debt. Sawant said the farmers need not protest as they are already being offered compensation for the last four years due to closure of the factory. He said the farmers have been cumulatively paid a compensation of Rs 30 crore by the state ...

Who is Suchana Seth, startup CEO held for murder of four-year-old son

Suchana Seth, 39, checked into a rental apartment in North Goa with her four-year-old son on Saturday, where she allegedly killed him and carried the body to Karnataka in a taxi

India reports 115 new JN.1 cases, marking highest single-day detection

These cases have been found across ten states and union territories, with Kerala reporting the maximum cases at 147. Goa (51 cases) and Gujarat (34 cases) followed Kerala

Covid sub-variant JN.1: Insacog says 196 cases detected in country

A total of 196 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in the country so far, with Odisha joining the list of states that have detected the presence of the variant, according to the INSACOG's data updated on Monday. Ten states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus. These states are Kerala (83), Goa (51), Gujarat (34), Karnataka (eight), Maharashtra (seven), Rajasthan (five), Tamil Nadu (four), Telangana (two) Odisha (one) and Delhi (one), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). The INSACOG's data showed 179 Covid cases recorded in the country in December had the presence of JN.1, while 17 such cases were detected in November. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" given its rapidly-increasing spread, but said it poses a "low" global public health risk. The JN.1 sub-variant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a variant of ..

Goa's health dept creating awareness about Ayushman Bharat scheme: Rane

Goa's health, and women and child departments are creating awareness about the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme through camps and drives, said cabinet minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday. The health minister of the coastal state wrote on X, ABHA #AyushmanBharat is a revolutionary initiative modifying healthcare access in India. The Health Department and Department of Women and Child Development are collaboratively working to ensure its successful implementation, paving the way for a healthier and more empowered future for all. The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri-Jan Arogya Yojana aims to provide free and cashless healthcare services up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year to over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families with the number of beneficiaries running up to more than 53 crore. Rane further said, ABHA facilitates every woman and child to have access to quality healthcare services, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status. The health minister said that the Directorate

Indira Gandhi and the case of overly ripped Goan papaya breakfast

The papayas from Mumbai were too squishy, the chef raced through the streets of Goa in a police jeep to look for fruit ripened just right only to have security personnel puncture many a hole through them a new book recalls in detail the struggle to procure and plate perfect papayas for Indira Gandhi during a CHOGM meeting in 1983. The then prime minister's demand for the humble papaya for breakfast during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting retreat sent the entire Taj Hotel into a tizzy, chef Satish Arora recounts in his book "Sweets and Bitters: Tales from a Chef's Life". It was a "uniquely Indian, very local" battle that he and his team at Taj Goa were fighting, Arora writes. It was November 1983 and the late Gandhi was hosting high-profile leaders from more than 40 countries for a 48-hour retreat that was aiming to put Goa on the world tourism map. There was a flurry of activity -- roads were widened, jetties and bridges built, street lights revamped and the airport .

63 cases of JN.1 variant detected in country till Sunday, highest from Goa

They said of the total cases of the JN.1 variant, 34 are from Goa, nine from Maharashtra, eight from Karnataka, six from Kerala, four from Tamil Nadu and two from Telangana

Midnight masses, celebrations on beaches mark Christmas festivities in Goa

Prayers, midnight masses and carols sung in praise of Lord Jesus ushered in the Christmas festivities in Goa where several people gathered at churches and beaches for the celebrations held throughout the night. The streets of capital city Panaji were crowded with people who participated in the celebrations till the early hours of Monday after attending the midnight masses in churches. The famous Church Square in the heart of Panaji turned into a sea of people, as a large number of tourists have also arrived for the Christmas and New Year celebrations in the coastal state, which has about 30 per cent Christian population. Keeping with the festive spirit, Goans decked up their houses in colourful lights and put up beautifully decorated cribs, depicting the birth of Lord Jesus. At Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church in Panaji, devotees started gathering from 11 pm on Sunday to attend the prayers. With the ringing of bells at midnight, the birth of Lord Jesus was celebrated a

Link road to Mopa airport to be completed by April: Gadkari in Goa

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday reviewed the progress of various infrastructure projects in Goa. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, several MLAs and senior state government officials were present in the meeting chaired by the Union minister of road transport and highways. "During the meeting, it was decided that a major link road to Manohar International Airport at Mopa will be completed by April 2024. Work on the six-lane elevated corridor at Porvorim, the foundation stone of which was laid by Gadkari on Friday, will begin in January," a senior official said. "The road connecting the highway to Mormugao Port in Vasco town would be completed by April next year. The new bridge across Zuari river in Borim village has been granted tentative approval by National Highway Authority of India," he added. The Union minister reviewed the appointment of a consultant for a 'Ring Road' to curb congestion on the Goa stretch of the Mumbai-Kanyakumari and Goa-Hyderabad highways, he said.

India Energy Week 2024 to be held in Goa, 35,000 participants expected

The debut edition of IEW was held in early 2023

21 new cases of Covid-19 sub-variant JN.1 found in 3 states: NITI Aayog

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday reviewed the Covid-19 situation and preparedness of public health systems in view of rising Covid cases

Goa's GSDP grew by 33% in last two decades, says CM Pramod Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of the coastal state has grown by 33 per cent over the last 20 years. Addressing a programme on the occasion of Goa Liberation Day here, the chief minister said the per capita income in the state has risen by 30 per cent in the last two decades. The Goa Liberation Day is celebrated on December 19 to mark the success of 'Operation Vijay' undertaken by the Indian Army to liberate the state from the 450-year-long Portuguese rule in 1961. "The state has been witnessing growth post the liberation. The GSDP has increased by 33 per cent in the last 20 years, and the per capita income has gone up by 30 per cent in the same period," Sawant said. The government has started Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, which is being taken to different parts of the state, he said, appealing to all sarpanchs and panchayat members to take advantage of the initiative. The chief minister further said that the state governmen

Goa court summons Arvind Kejriwal in code of conduct violation case

A court in Goa on Tuesday issued a summons to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal in an alleged case of violation of the model code of conduct, asking him to remain present on November 29. The local unit of the Aam Aadmi Party said it had received the summons but was not aware of the details of the criminal case against the Delhi chief minister. As per court sources, the case is registered under the Representation of the People Act and section 171 (E) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) dealing with bribery. The Judicial Magistrate First Class at Mapusa issued the summons. AAP Goa chief Amit Palekar said they received the summons on Tuesday, only a day before Kejriwal is supposed to appear before the court. It looks like the charge sheet was filed in 2018. We do not know the details of the case, he said. Palekar, who is also a lawyer, said he will appear in the court on Kejriwal's behalf on Wednesday. We will get documents and then take a call on whether to challenge the proceedings

Nurturing thriving startup ecosystem is priority for Goa: CM Pramod Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said nurturing a thriving startup ecosystem is a priority for Goa, and the state government's goal is to help turn ideas into high-growth startups and attract funding. Addressing "Goa Innovation and Startup Times" (GIST), an event at the BITS Pilani campus at Vasco, Sawant said the state will focus on its strengths around industries, tourism, and sustainability and leverage various Central schemes to boost startups. Nurturing a thriving startup ecosystem is a priority for Goa. Our goal is to enable ideas to turn into high-growth startups and attract funding, he said, expressing confidence about the state's potential to become a startup hub. Goa can produce the next generation of job creators by providing mentoring, infrastructure, and market access, he said. We must make entrepreneurship more aspirational for the youth of Goa and spotlight local startup success stories to inspire many more, the chief minister said. The state government

Goa poised to become nurturing ground for startup creativity: IT minister

The Goa government will introduce a number of initiatives to provide support to startups as the state is poised to become a nurturing ground for startup creativity, a minister has said. Addressing the closing ceremony of three-day-long Tech Media Startup 2023 event on Thursday, Goa Information Technology Minister Rohan Khaunte also said the government's aim is to position the state as a premier startup destination in Asia. "Goa, with its vibrant spirit, is poised to become a nurturing ground for startup creativity. In the coming months, we will introduce a spectrum of initiatives to further catalyse business growth and provide startups with the support they need," he said. "Under the leadership of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the aim is to position Goa as a premier startup destination in Asia...The state's unique blend of natural beauty, cultural heritage and burgeoning entrepreneurial spirit sets the stage for the convergence of startups and information technology," he said. The

Goa govt starts giving provisional NOCs for installation of beach shacks

Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Thursday said they have initiated the process of installation of beach shacks in the state and started giving provisional No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for it to the shack owners. The tourist season has already started in Goa and there has been a delay in putting up shacks after the state environment department delayed in ascertaining the carrying capacity of beaches (for shacks), Khaunte told PTI. The environment department has recommended that 364 shacks can be erected on various stretches of beaches in the coastal state, he said. We have already initiated the process of erecting beach shacks. The department is giving provisional NOCs to the shack owners, Khaunte said. The tourism department earlier set November 17 as the deadline for paying shack licence fees. But there was a request from shack owners to extend the deadline. The department has extended the deadline to accept the payments till November 25, the minister said. It is import

International Film Festival of India begins Nov 20 in Goa: Key details

As many as 270 movies would be screened during the 54th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which will be inaugurated on November 20 at an indoor stadium in Bambolim near here in Goa. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the opening ceremony of the nine-day-long film festival will be held at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium at Bambolim at 5 pm. He said the infrastructure for hosting the multi-venue festival, where a total of 270 films would be screened, was "99 per cent" ready and some final touches were being given. Sawant informed that 198 international films would be screened at the event of which 13 would be premiered. The chief minister said all the festival venues would be accessible for differently abled delegates. Sawant said the newly inaugurated Kala Academy building in Panaji will host master classes and other events, but there will be no screening of films at the refurbished venue. The CM

Goans burn effigies on Diwali; CM Sawant asks people to buy local products

People of Goa burnt giant effigies of demon 'Narakasura' in the early hours of Sunday to begin Diwali celebration, while Chief Minister Pramod Sawant extended greetings to the people and urged them to buy local products to celebrate the festival. Goa has a long held tradition of making the effigies of Narakasura and burning them on Diwali, marking the victory of good over evil. The 'Narakasur Vadh' (killing of the demon) competitions were held across the coastal state to celebrate the festival. It symbolises the victory of good over evil. An artiste dressed as Lord Krishna performs Narakasura Vadh in the early morning hours. This is how we celebrate Diwali, said Panaji-based historian Sanjeev Sardesai. The tradition of performing 'Narakasura Vadh' existed even during the Portuguese rule in the state but remained subdued due to restrictions on religious freedom, he said. After liberation from the Portuguese rule, this tradition has been followed by the young generation of Goa, he .

54th International Film Festival of India to be held from Nov 20 in Goa

Over 270 films will be showcased during the festival at four venues