Page 8 - Goa

'Goa targeting new markets for tourism through international trade fairs'

Goa is looking forward to tap new and emerging markets through participation in global trade fairs after international tourism was affected due to the Russia-Ukraine war and other problems, minister Rohan Khaunte said on Wednesday. During COVID-19, the international footfall in Goa was only 33,000, which has now increased to 4.5 lakh for this particular year (calendar year), Tourism Minister Khaunte said in the state assembly. Responding to a question raised by Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai in the assembly, he said after the COVID-19 pandemic, the perception about tourism in the state is changing, taking it away from beaches. Sardesai said Goa spent Rs 63 crore in the last four years (on various events), including Rs 29.84 crore to promote the state within the country. Former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar had emphasised on the pre-audit of roadshows and that accountability parameters should be framed, he said. Khaunte said after the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism ...

IMD issues 'red' alert for heavy rains in Maharashtra, Goa, and Kerala

IMD weather update: The IMD issued a red alert for several districts in Kerala, including Malappuram, Kannur, and Kasaragod indicating severe weather conditions

Heavy rains in Goa cause waterlogging, traffic woes; IMD issues red alert

Heavy rains lashed parts of Goa for the fourth day in a row on Tuesday, which led to waterlogging in low-lying areas and traffic congestion in state capital Panaji and other cities. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a 'red alert' for Goa on Tuesday, saying heavy to very heavy rainfall was very likely at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places with strong surface winds over North Goa and South Goa districts. Continuous rain with short intense spells and winds gusting to 50 kmph are very likely in the coastal state, as per the IMD. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea during the 'red alert', while people have been asked to avoid visiting flood-prone areas. On Tuesday, several low-lying areas remained flooded, throwing normal life out of gear in parts of Goa. Traffic congestion was reported in all major cities, including Panaji, Margao, Ponda and Vasco. The state traffic department on Monday released helpline numbers for people to

Goa lessons for BJP

If the party doesn't want to slip any further, it might want to take a page out of the state's former chief minister Manohar Parrikar's book

Authority's inspection of Mhadei basin crucial, will uncover truth: Goa CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said the PRAWAH river authority's inspection of the Mhadei basin is crucial for the state, as it will uncover the truth. The Central government constituted the Progressive River Authority for Water and Harmony (PRAWAH) last year to enable the compliance and implementation of the award and decisions of the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal. Members of PRAWAH began the inspection of the basin in Goa on Thursday in the presence of officials from Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka. In a post on 'X', the chief minister on Thursday said PRAWAH members will conduct a detailed site inspection of the Mhadei basin, and it will familiarise them with facts about the extent of work the Karnataka government has undertaken. "The inspection is crucial for Goa as it will uncover the truth before PRAWAH members. This is an outcome of our continuous efforts to protect Mhadei, which will strengthen our case and vindicate our stand," he wrote. Talking to PTI on Friday,

Pramod Sawant meets PM in New Delhi, seeks guidance to build 'Viksit Goa'

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and sought the latter's guidance to build 'Viksit Goa' as part of the Centre's ambitious 'Viksit Bharat 2047' vision. A statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said Sawant congratulated Modi for becoming PM for a third consecutive term and wished him a successful tenure. "The CM stated that during the interaction he sought Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji's guidance and support to build a Viksit Goa under the ambitious vision of Viksit Bharat 2047," the release mentioned. He also met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and invited him to inaugurate the six-lane link road connecting national highway 66 to the Manohar International Airport in Mopa in north Goa, the statement added. Gadkari was also invited to lay the foundation stone of the four-lane connectivity road from MES College Junction to Bogmalo Junction in south Goa, the CMO statement informed. It .

Villa prices in Goa's Siolim, Assagao akin to those in South Delhi, Mumbai

Savills India has witnessed a decisive trend where individuals are choosing gated villas along the coastal belt, with sizes ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 sq. ft. for 3-4 bedroom units.

Beyond Goa, Shimla: Here are India's emerging workation paradise hotspots

Discover high-impact locations like Coorg, Goa, Lonavala, and more, perfect for extended stays with dedicated workspaces, high-speed internet, and stunning surroundings

Goa liberated in 1961 only after freedom fighters pressured govt: CM Sawant

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said it was after immense pressure from freedom fighters that the then central government took up 'Operation Vijay' and Goa got liberated from the Portuguese rule in 1961. Had the state got liberated when the country attained independence, its pace of development would have been much faster, Sawant said on the occasion of the Goa Revolution Day. Goa Revolution Day is celebrated on June 18 to commemorate a public meeting held at Margao in 1946, during which freedom fighter Ram Manohar Lohia gave a clarion call for liberation. Sawant was addressing a gathering after laying wreath at the Martyrs' memorial at Azad Maidan here in the presence of Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, Union Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik, freedom fighters and other people. The coastal state was liberated 14 years after India's independence, the CM noted. "India got freedom from the British rule but Goa continued to reel under the Portuguese rule for next 14 yea

Tourist footfall hits 10 mn in Goa; no let up even in monsoon: Minister

The number of visitors to Goa has increased in the just-concluded tourist season and touched the one crore-mark, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has said, dismissing perception of the footfall going down in the coastal state. There has also been a rise in the number of international tourists, which is 150 per cent more than the pre-COVID-19 figures, Khaunte told PTI in an exclusive interview here on Saturday. He, however, admitted there was competition to Goa from other states in the country as well as international players. The official tourist season ends in Goa in June with the onset of monsoon and resumes in September. The state has continued to receive tourists even during the monsoon season, the minister said. "In the monsoon, there is 80 per cent occupancy of hotels in Goa. People flock to Goa during the monsoon as they have realised that Goa is not only about the beaches, he said. Asked about the perception of there being a dip in the number of tourists to Goa, Khaunte sai

Goa Statehood Day 2024: Date, history, importance, and celebration

Goa celebrates Statehood Day every year. This year marks the 37th anniversary and the integration of Goa as the official state into the Indian Union after centuries of Portuguese colonial rule

Goa prepared to tackle upcoming monsoon season, assures CM Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has said the coastal state is prepared to tackle the upcoming monsoon season, with the disaster management authorities ready to act. Sawant was talking to reporters after chairing a meeting tied to disaster management ahead of rains. He said the disaster management authorities in the state are ready to act in case of emergencies in Goa. We had prepared a Goa heatwave action plan for prevention and mitigation of heat in which we provided timely advice to people, Sawant said. In the wake of the monsoon season, Sawant said an airport emergency response plan has also worked out. This plan covers both airports (in Goa), he added. An emergency response support system in association with the National Disaster Management Authority is in place and various municipalities and panchayats have been allocated special funds for pre-monsoon works. The Panaji corporation has been given Rs 1 lakh, while Rs 50,000 has been given per municipality and Rs 25,000 per

Goa's forest min warns of FIRs for violators of Preservation of Trees Act

Goa Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane on Friday said his department will register first information reports (FIRs) against persons violating the Preservation of Trees Act. People take permission from the deputy conservators of forest from the North and South Goa divisions to fell trees citing some requirements, but end up violating the Preservation of Trees Act, the minister told PTI. "Once they get permission, people go completely against the rules," he said. Rane said directions have been issued to the principal chief conservator of Forest to register FIRs against violators, and the department will come down heavily on them. Rane, who heads the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department, said action will be taken against people involved in illegal landfilling. Several cases of illegal landfilling have been brought to the government's notice, and the department is probing them, he said. The minister said that Bicholim MLA Chandrakant Shetye had recently filed a complaint against th

DLF to enter Mumbai, Goa this year with luxury homes; All details here

Expects 22-25% of its total sales in 2024-25 to come from NRIs

Goa top summer holiday destination, search for Srinagar rises: MMT report

Puri and Varanasi have emerged as the most sought-after pilgrimage destinations, with a noticeable surge in interest noted for Ayodhya, according to MakeMyTrip's report

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 3: Over 25% voter turnout recorded till 11 am

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Voting underway in 93 constituencies in 11 states and Union territories (UTs)

BJP a 'washing machine' clearly at full spin in Goa, alleges Congress

The Congress on Saturday accused the BJP of accommodating corrupt leaders and taking no action in cases against them once they join the ruling party. The allegations came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned in Maharashtra and ahead of his rally in Goa. It also raised the plight of onion farmers and giving clearance to projects to select corporate groups, asking if the prime minister is working for the people or his "crony businessmen friends". In a post on X, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the BJP's deluxe brand washing machine has been reserved for Goa. Having orchestrated mass defections twice in the last five years, the BJP's disregard for democratic values has been on full display in the state, he alleged. "How fast is the BJP washing machine spinning in Goa," he asked, questioning why action against two former chief ministers accused of graft "stalled" after they switched over to the ruling party. Before switching over to the BJP, one former chi

IndiGo to introduce entertainment unit on trial basis on Delhi-Goa route

IndiGo will introduce in-flight entertainment content through its app on a three-month trial basis on the Delhi-Goa route from May 1. It will be the first time that the country's largest airline will offer in-flight entertainment content for passengers. In a release on Tuesday, the carrier said it will offer in-flight entertainment content on a trial basis. "Available to its customers in-flight, using the IndiGo app, the trial will be conducted for customers travelling between the Delhi-Goa sector from 1st May 2024, for a period of three months," it said. To avoid interferences with aircraft electronics, this service will be enabled after the aircraft reaches cruising altitude, the airline said and added that passengers will have to carry their personal headphones to use the service. The service will be fully rolled out post the successful trial phase, the release said. IndiGo has a fleet of more than 350 planes and operates around 2,000 daily flights.

MEA's revocation certificate for OCI card brings relief to Goans: CM Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said the Ministry of External Affairs circular on revocation certificate to be a valid document in lieu of surrender certificate for obtaining Overseas Citizen of India card would be a relief to thousands of Goans. This is a "great news" for the people of Goa, Sawant said in a post on X on Sunday. He posted the MEA memorandum issued on April 4, 2024, which said the "MHA has now decided to accept Revocation Certificate as an alternative documents in lie of surrender certificate in case of Indian nationals hailing from erstwhile Portuguese territories of India (Goa, Daman and Diu), who have acquired Portuguese nationality as per Portuguese Nationality Law, and who have been issued 'Revocation Order' by the RPOs (regional passport offices) instead of Surrender Certificate". Sawant said the MEA has issued clarification that revocation certificate will also be a valid document in lieu of surrender certificate for obtaining the OCI Card. "I thank the

MEA to accept revocation order of Portuguese citizenship to apply for OCI

The Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card is a passport-like document issued by the Indian government to people of Indian origin who are foreign citizens