Panaji, November 8, 2017 …  The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Government of India, New Delhi jointly with the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities will be holding a Mobile Court on November 23, 2017 from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. at Room No. 407, Conference Hall, Mathany Saldanha Administrative Complex, Margao-Goa.

            The Grievances of persons with disabilities on the following issues-Issue of Disability Certificate, Free Education in appropriate environment to children up age of 18 years, reservation in admission in Educational Institutions,  reservation in employments, reservation in poverty, alleviation schemes, rights and facilities under Persons with the Disabilities Act, Executives Orders and other Govt. instruction etc., any kind of discrimination on the ground of disabilities, will be heard in the Mobile Court and orders will be passed on the spot at the Mobile Court venue, provided complaint forms duly filled in by the complainant reaches the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, C/o Sanjay Centre for Special Education Research and Training, Pundalik Nagar, Alto-Porvorim or Directorate of Social Welfare, 18^th June Road, Panaji-Goa  or on E-mail ID  i.e.socialwelfaregoa@ rediffmail.com on or before 5.30 p.m. on  November 10, 2017.

            The forms for filing the  complaints will be made available at all Inward Counters of Municipal Councils, City Corporation of Panaji, Social Welfare Department, Panaji and Room No.27, Mathany Saldanha Administrative Complex, Margao, Block Development Offices and Office of State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, C/o Sanjay Centre for Special Education Research and Training, Pundalik Nagar, Alto-Porvorim or on website of Directorate of Social Welfare at www.socialwelfare.goa.gov. in. 

Panaji : November 7, 2017 … The State Family Welfare Bureau, Directorate of Health Services, Campal Panaji in coordination with Collector and District Appropriate Authority, North Goa is organizing  short film contest on  Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. The contest is open to all.

The prizes will be awarded at the State Level function on the celebration of National Girl Child Day on January 24, 2018  and the best 3 films will be screened during the function.

 The prizes are Rs. 25,000/-, 20,000/- and 15,000/-. The last day of submission of film is December 29, 2017. The duration of film is 3-5 minutes and can be in Konkani or Marathi with sub titles in English. The film should be produced by Goan Producers/Production House, Goan individuals, students studying in Goa and educational and social institutions only. The format of the film should be in MP4 format (1080p movies). The entrance may download and rules and regulations available on the website www.nhm.goa.gov.in termed as ‘Short Film Contest’. All the entries are to be sent to the Chief Medical Officer State Family Bureau, Directorate of Health Services, 2^nd Floor, Campal, Panaji.  

Panaji, November 06, 2017 … The Media fraternity in Goa will observe the National Press Day on November 16. The theme of National Press Day for this year is “Challenge before the Media”.

The day has been observed every year to coincide with the foundation day of the Press Council of India.

Chief Minister, Shri Manohar Parrikar will inaugurate the National Press Day celebrations at a function to be held at Institute Menezes Braganza, Conference Hall, Panaji  on November 16, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. Secretary, Information and Publicity will be the guest of honour . The Department of Information and Publicity in collaboration with the Goa Editors’ Guild, the Goa Union of Journalists, Photo Journalists Association Goa, Electronic Media Journalists Association, Sports Journalists Association, South Goa Journalists Association will organise the event.

Shri Girish Kuber, Chief Editor of Loksatta, Mumbai will be the Key note speaker who will speak on the theme “Challenge before the Media”. Senior Journalists, Shri Arvind Dhuri, Shri Abdul Rauf Beig, and Shri Mangesh Borkar will be felicitated on the occasion for their substantial contribution in the field of Journalism at the hands of Chief Minister.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister will also present Journalists Awards and Photo Contest Awards to the winners organised by the Department of Information and Publicity to mark the National Press Day celebration.

The 16th of November – is symbolic of a free and responsible press in India. This was the day on which the Press Council of India started functioning as a moral watchdog to ensure that not only did the press maintain the high standards expected from this powerful medium but also that it was not fettered by the influence or threats of any extraneous factors.

Margao: November 6, 2017 … A Green Toilet and Changing Rooms with 80 KLD sewerage treatment plant at Curchorem constructed by Goa Tourism Development Corporation’s (GTDC) was inaugurated by MLA, Curchorem Constituency and Chairman, Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Shri. Nilesh Cabral, today.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Nilesh Cabral said that all the facilities in this toilet will be provided free of cost in the first month and the services will be charged subsequently. Urinals facility will be provided free of cost and a monthly pass system will be devised for regular users for other services.  An agreement will be signed with CCMC or Curchorem Shopkeepers Association for the maintenance of toilet soon, he said.

Shri Cabral appealed to the people to desist from defecation in open in the market as just not a facility but a good one is now available. Ideas for all round development are always welcomed from the citizens for the betterment of the town, he remarked.

Chairperson, Curchorem Cacora Municipal Council (CCMC), Shri Sushant Naik; Sarpanch, Assolda Panchayat, Smt. Sunita Naik; Vice Chairperson, CCMC, Smt. Sujata Naik; ZP Member, Smt. Hazel Fernandes; Councillors of CCMC; Chief Officer, CCMC, Shri Pramod Dessai; Chief Engineer, GTDC, Shri Badami and others were present on the occasion.

The project built at a cost of Rs. 70 Lakhs consists of gents block, ladies block, differently abled block and a pay counter block with provision of Geyser. It has 10 Nos. urinals in the outer area with continuous flushing. Water which will be used in toilets will be treated in adjoining Sewerage Treatment Plant which will be reused for flushing of the toilet. All the blocks have wash basins, urinals, Indian and European WC, with shower for bath and janitor room.

Later, foundation laid was also laid for the construction of footpath on the existing drainage in the market.

Panaji: 5th November, 2017 … Taking a step forward towards simplification and rationalisation of GST tax structure and to bring changes in GST Law and Rules, the Government has constituted an Advisory Group to Law Review Committee of GST Council. Six prominent persons of different  fields including Mr Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has been appointed as members of the Group. Mr Gautam Ray Retired Chief Commissioner Central Board of Direct Taxes has been named as the Convenor. The Committee has been constituted with approval of Union Finance Minister Mr Arun Jaitley.                                                  

Other members of the group are Mr Araghya Sen Gupta, Research Director, Centre for Legal Policy, Mr Vinod Jain, CA, Mr Anuj Sahai, CEO of Federation of Indian Exporters Organisation, Mr Om Prakash Mittal, President Laghu Udyog Bharti.                                     

The Group shall discus possible changes in GST Law and its Rules  and will submit its recommendations to Law Review Committee by 30th November and if need be shall have joint meeting with Law Review Committee.

The first meeting of the Group has been convened on 8th November to discuss in depth the  GST Law and Rules and what amendments can be done to make GST a easy compliance law by removing its complex nature- said Mr Praveen Khandelwal. The formation of the Group is first concrete step of the Government to ensure participatory governance . While welcoming the initiative Mr Khandelwal urged Union Finance Minister to accord participation of Trade Representatives in GST Council to have more participatory role of stakeholders. It is noted that during VAT regime, a joint Committee with Chairman of Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers and Trade representative did exist for ensuring cohesive approach

Panaji, November 4, 2017 …. Large number of people from Goa including domestic and foreign tourists visited Vithalapur, Sankhali to witness the State Level Tripurari Poornima festival held at Vithalapur, Sankhali yesterday.

The highlights of the annual celebrations was the Boat Festival. The boats are miniature replicas of actual ships while others are traditional crafts mostly made of thermacol and cardboard.  All together 34 boats took part in the state level competition which was held in Valvanti River.

Tripurari Poornima is jointly organized by Department of Art and Culture, Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Department of Tourism and Department of Information and Publicity in association with local Deepavali Utsav Committee, Vithalapur, Sankhali.

Minister for Art and Culture Shri Govind Gaude, Smt, Ramesh Sawant, Sarpanch, V. P. Karapur Sarvan, Shri Ashok Parab, Chairman of Shree Vithal Devasthan, Shri Deepaji Rane, along with others graced the occasion.

Apart from this the cultural programme was organized at the venue.

Panaji, November 3, 2017…  The Department of Information and Publicity are holding their annual photo contest under the Goa State Photo Contest and Exhibition Scheme -2014. The Photo Competition will be held in two different categories, Architecture of Goa/Undiscovered Goa’ and ‘Infrastructural Development in Goa’ (The Development taken place in Goa).

The winners will get cash prizes in each category. First Prize: Rs. 20000/- along with trophy and certificate. 2^nd Prize: Rs. 16000/- along with trophy and certificate. 3^rd prize: Rs. 12000/- along with trophy and certificate and five consolation prizes of Rs. 2000/- each along with certificate will be given.

Each entry should carry the author’s name, nationality, postal address, mobile number, telephone numbers, e-mail address on the back of the photographs in Block letters. Technical details such as camera used, should be sent along with the entry.

Mobile images shall not be considered for the entry. A brief of the photographs and bio-data of the photographer in not more than 100 words each should be attached along with the entry. A self declaration letter stating that all photographs are work of original nature and taken by the participant himself/herself is to be enclosed. Entrants are required to send a soft copy along with photograph of high resolution. Photographs shot with drone shall not be accepted.

            The entrants need to submit colour prints in 8”x12” size and can send a maximum number of 4 different photographs in each section. The photographs should be mounted. There is no entry fee, no age bar and no qualification required to participate in the contest.

Individuals who are born in Goa and are resident in Goa for 15years shall be given preference under this scheme, though the contest does not bar others, who are residents of the State of Goa for at least 15 years prior to the application under this scheme.

The photographs will be used for exhibition and other publications of the Department and Government of Goa. The last day for submission of entries is up to November 6, 2017. The prizes to the winner will be presented at the National Press Day function on November 16, 2017.

            The entries should be superscribed with the words: “Entries for The Goa State Photo Contest and Exhibition” and is to be addressed to the Director of Information and Publicity, 3^rd Floor, Udyog Bhavan, Panaji. Entries received after the closing date will not be entertained

Panaji, November 2, 2017… The two day Coastal Security Exercise “Sagar Kavach” is scheduled on November 8 and 9, 2017 to provide seamless seaward cover along the Goa Coast jointly by all security agencies from coastal belt area line to the limit of territorial water i.e 12 nautical miles.

The exercise will also assess the effectiveness of coastal fishing community in serving as “Eye and Ears” for early warning of seaward threat. This time the service of Drishti lifeguards, present at the beaches of Goa, will also be utilized for same purpose.

The Coastal Security exercise is being supervised by the Chief Secretary and is conducted and coordinated by Indian Coast Guard, District Headquarter at Goa. Various agencies like Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, Goa Police, Goa Coastal Security Intelligence Agencies, MPT, Ports Administration Department, CISF and Customs etc. will take part in this exercise. Intelligence and infiltration will be induced and the alertness and preparedness of the entire stakeholder including people of Goa will be tested. This exercise provides all stakeholders and opportunity to fine tune standard operating procedure and test new operation concepts for coastal security.