Panaji, August  26, 2018 ….. Education is the greatest form of wealth which plays   an important role in molding professional and personal life of each individual said Minister for Tourism, Shri  Manohar alias Babu Azgaonkar .He was speaking at  felicitation function of meritorious students of HSSC of  Government Higher Secondary school at Pernem recently. 

Shri Azgaonkar congratulated the meritorious students for excelling in exams and said that it is the hard work of parents, teachers and students that has helped to achieve 100 percent result in the school. The Minister said that students should also excel in field of sports. He further urged the students to try to catch up with the latest technology in this competitive world. 

Shri Azgaonkar also assured that Government would provide facilities that are presently lacking in the institutions.

 The teachers were also awarded by the management for their efforts in achieving success in the HSSC examination.

Also present on the occasion were Principle of Government Higher Secondary School Pernem Shri Subhash Mandrekar, PTA President Shri Jaganath Desai and other members of Parents Teacher Association

Miss Deepika Sawant compered the function.

Later, Shri Azgaonkar  also felicitated the students of SSC of Satteri Vidhya Mandir at Ibrampur Pernem .

Present on the occasion were Headmaster Shri Subhash Sawant, Sarpanch of Imbrampur Smt. Sonali Pawar, Deputy Sarpanch Shri Atmaram Naik, Chairman, Shri Rajaram Gawas, President PTA, Shri Deepak Shirodkar, School Manager, Shri Madhukar Sawant, and members of PTA and panch members

Smt Sangeeta Parab compered the function and Smt. Priti Karpe proposed the vote of thanks.

Panaji: 26/08/2018 ::: The Department of Fisheries recenntly organized Narali Poornima Festival at Fisheries Jetty.

Minister for Fisheries, Shri Vinod Paliencar performed Samundra Pooja on the occasion and offered the coconut to the sea God. Fisheries Secretary Shri Daulat A. Hawaldar – IAS also graced the function and offered prayers. Other dignitaries present on the occasion were Director of Fisheries, Shri Vinesh Arlekar, Dy. Directors of Fisheries, Shri Chandrakant Velip and Smt. Smita Mazumdar, Superintendent of Fisheries Smt. Megha Kerkar and Shri Chandresh Haldankar also offered prayers and sought blessings.   

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Paliencar said that the Narali Poornima is very important festival particularly to the fishermen community as they celebrate this festival to ward off untoward incidents while sailing in the sea. The Fisherman will start their regular fishing activities from today onwards after a break for a couple of months from fishing. Shri Paliencar prayed that Coming year to be filled with happiness, joy and wealth to the Fishermen communities.

Shri Paliencar also felicitated the retired staff of the Fisheries Department Shri Anant Saterdekar, Driver and Shri Vishnu Govenkar, Junior Deckhand by offering certificates of appreciation, shawl and Shree phal (coconut) who served in the Department more than 35 plus years.

 Panaji, August  25, 2018 …. The annual Shree Satyanarayan Mahapooja of the Department of Information and Publicity will be held in the office premises 3^rd floor,  Udyog Bhavan on Saturday September 1, 2018.   Smt and Shri T.S. Sawant, Director, Information and Publicity will perform the pooja ceremony.

 The pooja will commence at 9.00 a.m with religious rituals followed by aarti, tirth Prasad and Mahaprasad. Thereafter bhajan will be presented by the local artists.

 The Director, Officers and Staff members of the department have requested the people to visit office premises to offer prayers and seek blessings.

Panaji: 25/08/2018 :::  Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA), South Goa in collaboration with Zonal Agriculture Office (ZAO), Sanguem organized three farmer training programs viz. in June 2017, March 2018 and August 2018 respectively at Netravali and Rivona villages of Sanguem Taluka. The training was aimed to create awareness about ‘Apiculture’ or ‘bee-keeping’ and its importance in our day to day life.

In June 2017, 72 farmers from different parts of south Goa zone attended the first training program which was conducted at Netravali. Shri Dinesh Prayag, Shri. P Shalio and Miss Gauri Prabhudesai, Assistant Agriculture Officer, Margao guided the farmers about the significance of Apiculture. “Goan farmers are primarily involved in traditional crops like Coconut, Areca nut, vegetable, and paddy. Apiculture is one of the oldest farming techniques in our country for collecting honey, which is one of our essential food commodities. It is becoming popular due to its medicinal benefits to health in National and International markets. In this process, not only the farmers make sweet dividends but Bee-keeping helps to increase agriculture productivity through pollination,” informed Shri. Raghunath Morajkar, ZAO Sanguem.     

Post this initial stage, a team containing 18 trained farmers and officials of ATMA South Goa visited the Honey Bee Society, Honnavar in Karnataka state for as a field visit. Shri. Hegde, Secretary of the Society explained the working of the society and briefed the team about Bee box, precaution to be taken for maintaining a box, honey rearing, colony of the bees etc. The team also visited two progressive farmers at Honnavor who are engaged with Apiculture since past 25 years; the session was very fruitful for the team as it gave them a positive insight into bee-farming.

After the visit, 22 Eight Framed Bee Boxes along with Eight Framed Bee Colony were brought from the Honnavar were distributed to farmers of Rivona, Colomba, Netravali and Savordem in the presence of Shri Raghunath  Morajkar, ZAO Sanguem. Shri Soham Ghate, Block Technology Manager, Shri. Janu Warak and Shri. Sankesh Goankar, Asst Technology Managers under the guidance of and Shri Dattaprasad Desai, Dy. Project Director, ATMA South Goa  Miss Gauri Prabhudesai, AAO, Shri Nitin Borkar AAO and Miss Milan Goankar AAO are currently helping the farmers to maintain regular records of the Bee colonies.

In March training was conducted for the same bunch by a well-known farmer Shri.  Mumtaz Ali from Karnataka who is engaged in Bee-farming since the age of 14. Shri. Ali guided the team about Bee lifecycle, pest management, and maintenance of box by giving practical demonstrations. He also visited every trainee’s farm and advised each farmer about bee colonies, their working style, and its maintenance during the rainy season.  

In the last 5 months, approx. 3kgs of honey from some of the Bee colonies of farmers has been extracted. It is also noticed that production of the other crops in these farms have increased by 25% as Honey Bees play a major role in plant life cycle as a pollinator.

As September is the best season to start the Honey Bee cultivation, ZAO Sanguem and ATMA South Block conducted another training programme for farmers on August 10, 2018, at Netravali. 40 farmers attended the session wherein in they were guided by Shri Raghunath Morajkar ZAO Sanguem and Shri. Mumtaz Ali.

During the training Shri Morajkar, ZAO said that every farmer should take this a hobby. “Apiculture is immensely helpful in increasing the production of crops. The ATMA South Goa and Department of Agriculture will provide training whenever there will be a gap between the farmers and technology. We are forever on our toes to help any farmer in need.”

In Sanguem taluka, 23 farmers are currently practicing Beekeeping while 32 farmers have registered and shown interest in taking up the same in their respective farms. A day to day follow up is recorded by the ATMA South Goa and Zonal Agricultural office Sanguem activities to motivate young farmers are currently being planned.

Panaji, August  25, 2018 …. The Forest Department has informed that the period for submission of Report by the Review Committee constituted by the Government to review identified Private Forest areas by North and South Goa Committees and those identified by the earlier Sawant and Karapurkar Committees in pursuance to the order of Hon’ble National Green Tribunal (WZ) dated January 7, 2016 in application No.18(THC)/2013 (WZ), is further extended for a period of 6 months excluding monsoon season i.e till March 31, 2019 considering the technical difficulties, limited resources and manpower.

Panaji, August  24, 2018 …. Chief Electoral Officer has convened a meeting on August 27, 2018 at 4.00 p.m. in the Conference Hall of Chief Electrol Offic, Altinho, Panaji  in respect of Special Summary Revision of Photo Electrol Roll of intensive nature commencing from January 1, 2019 as qualifying date .

Panaji: August 23, 2018  …  The Directorate of Art and Culture will hold the Cultural Talent Search Competition for the students of standard Vth to Xth from aided, non-aided and Government Schools. The main purpose of this competition is to promote the hidden talents of the students.

 The competition will be organised at Taluka level in the fields such as Tabla, Harmonium, Guitar, Keyboard, drums, Sitar, Violin, Vocal (Indian Classical), Vocal (Light Music), Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Monologue, Vocal (Western solo), Drawing, Essay Writing, Handwriting and Poetry Writing. From each taluka, the first three winners will be selected in each category. The taluka level winners will then contest at the state level. The first prize winners at the State level will be awarded with the scholarship for advance studies in the respective fields.

 The letter inviting the entries for participation of the students have been already forwarded to the schools of Goa. The schools which have not received the letter may contact the office of the Directorate of Art and Culture, Panaji-Goa. The entries have to be submitted on or before September 7, 2018 to the Directorate of Art and Culture, Sanskruti Bhavan, Patto, Panaji, Goa. Entries received after the last date will not be entertained.

 The Cultural Talent Search Competition will be held in October. The details are as follows:

For the talukas of Tiswadi, Bardez, Pernem, Ponda, Bicholim and Sattari, the date and venue for the following events-Drawing/Painting, Poem Writing-Konkani, Poem Writing Marathi, Poem Writing-Hindi, Poem Writing – English, Essay Writing -Konkani, Essay Writing Marathi, Essay Writing -Hindi, Essay Writing – English, Handwriting Devnagri Script and Handwriting English Script, will be held on October 8, 2018 at the Dr. K. B. Hedgewar High School, Cujira, Bambolim – Goa.

The date and venue for the following events –Indian Classical – Vocal, Light Music – Vocal, Tabla, Harmonium – Instrumental, Sitar – Instrumental, Violin – Instrumental, Guitar – Instrumental, Bharatnatyam – Dance, Kathak – Dance, Classical Piece – Western singing, Pop song – Western singing, Cantaram – Western singing, Keyboard – Instrumental, Drum – Instrumental and Monologue, for the talukas of Tiswadi, Bardez and Pernem will be held on October 9, 2018 at the Sanskruti Bhavan, Panaji-Goa and Institute Menezes Braganza, Panaji and for the same events for the talukas of Ponda, Bicholim and Sattari, it will be held on October 10, 2018 at the Sanskruti Bhavan, Panaji-Goa and Institute Menezes Braganza, Panaji.

For the talukas of Sanguem, Quepem, Canacona, Salcette, Mormugao and Dharbandora, the date and venue for the following events-Drawing/Painting, Poem Writing -Konkani, Poem Writing Marathi, Poem Writing Hindi, Poem Writing- English, Essay Writing- Konkani, Essay Writing Marathi, Essay Writing Hindi, Essay Writing -English, Handwriting Devnagri Script and Handwriting English Script, will be held on October 4, 2018 at the Loyola High School, Marago.

The date and venue for the following events –Indian Classical – Vocal, Light Music – Vocal, Tabla, Harmonium – Instrumental, Sitar – Instrumental, Violin – Instrumental, Guitar – Instrumental, Bharatnatyam – Dance, Kathak – Dance, Classical Piece – Western singing, Pop song – Western singing, Cantaram – Western singing, Keyboard – Instrumental, Drum – Instrumental and Monologue, for the talukas of Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona will be held on October 5, 2018 at the Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir, Ponda and for the same events for the talukas of Salcette, Mormugao and Dharbandora, will be held on October 6, 2018 at the Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir, Ponda.

Goa Chamber in association with Government of Goa – Dept. of Industries, Goa State Industries Association, Goa Technology Association celebrated on 21st August from 2.00 pm – 6.00 pm at Institute Menezes Braganza, Panjim by organising a Half day MSME event. Reserve Bank of India, State Bank of India (SBI) alongwith 20 other Banks and Financial institutions like MSME-Development Institute, SIDBI, EDC, NABARD Ltd. were major facilitators for the event.

The aim of the event was to highlight “Goa – as the next Entrepreneurial Destination” and create awareness on opportunities  available  for economic development of the state.

Chief Guest, Mr. S. T. Kannan, General Manager, RBI, inaugurated the stalls and Mr. Manguirish Pai Raiker, Chairman, ASSOCHAM MSME Council / Past-President, GCCI, welcomed all the participants. The inaugural ceremony began with the traditional lighting of the lamp by all the dignatries on the dais such as the Hon’ble Chief Guest, Mr Raiker, Mr. Sandip Bhandare, President, Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mr. Suyash Asthana, Dy. General Manager, SBI, Mr. Rajkumar Kamat, President, Goa State Industries Association, Mr. Manguirish Salelkar, President, Goa Technology Association, Mr. Vijay M. Kalinani, Assistant General Manager, SIDBI, and Ms. Kamakshi Pai, General Manager, NABARD.

The event included talks on the “Role of Academia in promoting Entrepreneurship – Moulding Entrepreneurs” for Industry by Dr. Praveen Khullar, Head, Global Development Centre Goa, Sanofi, Dr. Ajit Parulekar, Director, Goa Institute of Management and on the “Role of Banking Sector in promoting Entrepreneurship” by Mr. Prashant Naik, DGM & Zonal Manager, BOI and Ms. S. Annapurna, DGM & Zonal Head, Corporation Bank. Eventually, a panel discussion was held discussing the “Roadmap for an Entrepreneurship hub in Goa – Promise and Challenges”.

The event provided a massive boost to MSME sector by banks handing over more than 50 sanction letters to the Goan entrepreneurs. Around 250 prospective entrepreneurs attended and interacted with 15 banks on their respective stalls. Financial Institutions like SIDBI, NABARD, Dept. Of Industries, Goa Govt., MSME-DI, EDC Ltd also met with the entrepreneurs educating them on the available Government schemes.