Panaji, December 09, 2017 … The State of Goa will be working on war footing to achieve the Open DefecationFree(ODF) target for both-north and south Goa districts before the 2019 deadline.

Directorate of Panchayat(DoP) in collaboration with District Rural Development Agency and Goa Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development will conduct the Swachh Bharat Mission survey in rural areas of both the Districts.

The survey will be carried out with the help of Self Help Group Community Resource Persons (CRP), Block Resource Persons (BRP) and Self Help Group (SHG) members under Stree Shakti Program of Day-NRLM, which is a centrally sponsored scheme for empowerment of rural women. The duration of the survey will be of maximum one week’s and will be conducted under the overall supervision of the taluka Block Development Officers.

In the first phase the survey will be conducted in 89 Villages Panchayats covering a total of 691 wards of Pernem, Bardez and Bicholim Blocks in North Goa and Quepem and Canacona Blocks in South Goa, 97 Supervisors and 695 Enumerators will be on the field conducting this survey. Thereafter the survey will be conducted in Tiswadi, Dharbandora and Ponda and lastly in Sanguem, Salcete, Mormugao and Sattari Blocks.

 This survey will help the Government to get a clear cut picture about the total number of families possessing toilets and those who do not have toilets, so that Goa can achieve the goal to be declared as the first State of India as ‘Open Defecation Free’.

December 7, 2017 …The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services will implement the 12^TH Foot and Mouth Disease Control Program (FMD-CP) from December 7, 2017.

Cattle and buffaloes will be vaccinated and sera samples will be collected from villages, pre and post vaccination to ascertain the immune status of the herd.

All the dairy farmers are requested to extend their  cooperation to the teams/ staff of the department.

December 6, 2017  … “Person who knows value of land will definitely contribute in development of the village as well as the State,” said Chief Minister Shri. Manohar Parrikar after releasing the reports of Characterization and Mapping of Land Resource of Goa in reference to Cultivated and Fallow Land Use System held at Krishi Bhavan in Caranzalem today. Speaking on the occasion Shri Parrikar said that Government intend to introduce contract farming in the state with a view to increase agricultural produce in the state.

Minister for Agriculture Shri. Vijai Sardesai, WRD Minister Shri. Vinod Palienkar, Secretary for Agriculture Shri B.R Singh IAS and Shri E. Chakurkar Director ,CCARI-ICAR GOA were also present on the occasion. The Ministers later distributed Soil Health Cards to the farmers. Dudhsagar Waterfall timings

Shri  Sardesai while addressing the function said that it is the target of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to double the income of farmers by 2022. “This Health Card will help farmers to get a good harvest by studying the quality of soil,” he said while exhorting that Goan farmer should take up organic farming with a view to boost their income and promote Goa’s brand of agricultural produce.

Dr S.K Singh Director NBSS AND LUP, Nagpur briefed about reports of Characterization and Mapping of Land Resource of Goa in reference to Cultivated and Fallow Land Use System.

Director of Agriculture Shri. Nelson Figueiredo welcomed the gathering. Assistant Director Shri. Chintamani Perni compered the function while Shri. Deepak Raut proposed the vote of thanks.

Margao: December 5, 2017 … The International Day of Persons with Disabilities organised by Department of Social Welfare in association with Sangath and Colorcon Asia Pvt. Ltd. Verna was celebrated at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Social Welfare, Shri Pandurang Madkaikar said that every citizen should always think about the person with disabilities and all should work hand in hand for the betterment of this category. There are more than 33,000 persons with disabilities in the State and it is a challenge to the Government and NGO’s to cater them he pointed and added that Goa is only the second State in India to implement Rights of Person with Disabilities Act. This is a ray of hope he said.

He said, this Disability Act has many provisions which will go a long way to address the difficulties faced by disabled persons. Special Deputy Director will be nominated in Department of Social welfare to cater persons with disabilities so also Commission will be strengthened. Every citizen has to see persons with disabilities as a source of talent he remarked.

Earlier, Minister, for Social Welfare, Shri Pandurang Madkaikar inaugurated the gathering by lighting the traditional lamp in the presence of Director, Social Welfare, Shri S V Naik; Smt Anuradha Joshi, Commissioner, State Commission for Disabilities Right; Shri Rajesh Parab, General Manager, Colourcon Asia Pvt Ltd, Verna; Shri George Abraham, Chairman, World Blind Cricket Council, Association for Cricket for the Blind in India and founder of the SCORE Foundation, New Delhi; Shri Prashant Naik, Chairman, Ravindra Bhavan, Margao and Smt Percy Cardozo.

Smt Maya Kamat, Shri Kirit Maganlal, Shri Chetan Lakhani, Shri Kevin Miranda, Shri Samir Vadkal and Shri Blaze Costabir all who have been tirelessly working all this years for the betterment of people with disabilities were felicitated on the occasion.

Shri George Abraham, Shri Rajesh Parab and Smt Anuradha Joshi also spoke on the occasion.

December 04, 2017 …  The office of the District Magistrate, South Goa has made a preliminary assessment of the damage caused by Ockhi cyclone in South Goa.

 There is no reported damage to shacks in Mormugao Taluka  but retaining wall at Hollant, Issorcim is damaged.Also almost 60 mts. of the Floating Jetty at Baina Beach has been washed away.

In canacona taluka also, no major loss has been reported in the preliminary reports received.

However, Shacks in Salcete Taluka have been reported to have suffered damages to the tune of Rs.30 lakhs. A preliminary report has suggested damages caused to village and  number of  shacks affected are Varca- 05, Cavelossim -06-Major and 07-Minor, Carmona- Nil, Majorda -Nil, Calata -Nil, Utorda -02, Benaulim- 05 major damage, Betalbatim -09 minor damage, Colva -Nil, Sernabatim- Nil.

         There is no reported incidence of loss of  human life. Necessary instructions of alert calls were in place to all the revenue officials and other line agencies to inform tourists not to venture into the sea due to Ockhi cyclonic conditions.Fishermen were also instructed not to venture into the sea.

                 District Magistrate, South Goa has sent the report to the Government detailing the damages so caused.  Further, it has been recommended to notify the event as State disaster to release compensation to affected parties particularly the Shack owners. The decision in this regard is likely tomorrow at the State Disaster Management Authority meeting chaired by Chief Secretary, Goa.

Panaji: – December 3, 2017 … The State level function of World Aids Day 2017 was celebrated by Goa State AIDS Control Society (GSACS) in Seminar hall, Secretariat Porvorim recently.

The theme for this year’s World AIDS Day was ‘right to health with the Slogan: My Health, My right’.

Dr. Pradeep Naik, Dean of GMC was the chief guest for the function. Speaking on the occasion Dr. Naik expressed his happiness over the survey submitted by GSACS in collaboration with Directorate of health service, Goa medical College and NGO’s.  The survey depicts HIV + Cases detected in general population of Goa have gone down drastically in 2017. “We are soon going to achieve goal of zero detection HIV. We need to strengthen our services and continue focus on health education, detection and also continue our services that are establish for regular treatment of the HIV patient,”  he added.

Addressing the gathering Project Director of   GSACS,  Dr Jose D’sa said that ‘my health my right’ campaign aims to increase the visibility around the need to achieve the full realization of the right to health by everyone, everywhere.

GSACS Chairman, Dr Digamber Naik, Director of  Directorate of Health Service Dr Sanjeev Dalvi were present on the occasion.   

 Dr. Uma Sadekar, Medical officer GSACS and Smt.Asha Vernekar  compered the programme while Chief Medical officer, Dr. Chandrakant Porob proposed the vote of thanks.

Margao:  December 3, 2017 … Chief Minister, Shri Manohar Parrikar inaugurated two days Chartered Accountants (CA) Students Conference organised by Board of Studies, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and hosted by Goa and Nagpur Branch of WIRC and WICASA of Goa and Nagpur at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao today.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Parrikar said while taking knowledge from this type of various conferences organised in Goa, the participants get an opportunity to enjoy the State which is rich in Art, Culture and Education too. Geographically, Goa is a small State on the map of India, but the impact of this small State can be seen all over the globe in various fields. Nurture values in Life, he added.

Honesty is the best principle, it should not be the policy because basically a policy can is subject to change and principles are not, the Chief Minister said. Success always comes through value and integrity. The parameters of values and integrity don’t change. If one has good knowledge about the subject one can definitely worked out better but ones Integrity is the thing which cannot be worked out, he said. Thought of corruption also is an actual corruption, Integrity cannot be valued, and it is beyond any calculations. He complimented the organisers for choosing good theme for conference which will bring out fruitful results with very good Chartered Accountants.

Shri Parrikar said it is not easy to adopt changes, it will take some time and that is why GST will surely bring the required boost in economy, benefitting all. Nation requires lot of things to change and for this purpose CA is going to be very important, he remarked.

Shri Mangesh Kinare, Vice Chairman, Board of Studies, ICAI; Shri Kedar Kenkre, Shri Vinesh Pikale, Shri Abhijeet Kelkar and Shri Saket Bagda all Chartered Accountants were present on the occasion.

The students who are studying Chartered Accountants from Nagpur, New Delhi, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Goa, Mumbai, Pune and Chennai are participating in this conference. The theme of the conference is “Nurturing Values and Integrity – Attaining Excellence in Professional Pursuits”.

Panaji: – December 2, 2017 … Minister for Labour and Employment Shri Rohan Khaunte informed that the Government proposes to open two more labour welfare centres at Salvador do Mundo and Penha De Franca. He was addressing the gathering as a Chief Guest after inaugurating the Labour Welfare Centre at Succor Porvorim yesterday.

Being the first welfare centre in Porvorim Constituency, Shri Khaunte appealed to the women to avail the benefits of the Labour Welfare Centre and make utmost use of the training being imparted to them. He stressed that training is very much essential, to achieve better performance and efficiency.

Informing about the courses Shri Milind Govekar, Assistant Labour Commissioner said that through these Labour Welfare Centres, training is being imparted in different crafts like embroidery, needle work, cutting and tailoring etc. “The main objective of these Labour Welfare Centres is to train the family members of the industrial workers specially women, so that they become self-employed and can earn to some extent to help their family. Presently there are 25 Labour Welfare Centres functioning in the State of Goa,” he added. Shri Govekar also informed that after completion of the courses, the participants will be given certificate and sewing machine with the aim that they can start their own businesses.

Commissioner, Labour & Employment, Shri Gopal Parsekar, Zilla Panchayat Member Smt.Vaishali Satardekar, Penha De Franca  ZP Member Shri Gupesh Naik, Panch Members of Village Panchayat Succorro were also present at the function.

Shri Gokuldas Gawde  compered the programme and proposed the vote of  thanks .

This function was followed by inauguration of  200KVA transformer at Coelho wado Britona by Shri Rohan Khaunte.  Installation of transformer is a huge reprieve for the people of the area as local were facing low voltage problems said Shri Khaunte.

Penha de Franca Sarpanch Shri Swapnil Chodankar, Deputy Sarpanch Manisha Naik and other Panch members were present on the occasion.

DI/NB/TSS/JA/AF/2017/1112

Panaji: – December 1, 2017 …. The Registrar of Supreme Court of India has proposed to create artworks in the form of Paintings, Murals etc. for the Additional Office Complex for Supreme Court of India that is being constructed adjoining Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The idea is to involve tribal/regional artists to create artworks panels of the size 1800mm x 1800mm with a 50mm depth. The artwork will be in form of permanent Paintings / Murals / Artifacts / Sculptures etc. The theme of artwork can be decided by artists. Some of the suggestive themes can be depicting landmark judgments by Supreme Court, a journey of Supreme Court of India for the last 70 years and the Cultural Heritage of different States and Union Territories.

The Registrar of Supreme Court of India has called upon applicants of all the States and Union Territories to submit the design of permanent installation of Paintings / Murals / Artifacts / Sculptures etc. as per the above-mentioned dimensions/sizes.

All interested applicants may submit their designs to the office of Directorate of Art and Culture, Sanskruti Bhavan, Patto, Panaji on or before  December 18, 2017, between 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (except Saturday, Sundays and Public holidays). A panel of expert Artists will screen and select projects/designs/concepts etc so as to send exceptional projects to the office of the Supreme Court of India at New Delhi for further selection.