Page 2 - Pramod Sawant

Carriers moving operations from Dabolim airport a matter of concern: CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has conveyed his government's concern to the Centre over airlines shifting their operations from the old international airport at Dabolim to the new one in Mopa in Pernem taluka which became functional early last year. Sawant raised the concern during a meeting with Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu in New Delhi, an official statement said here on Thursday. The statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said Sawant, accompanied by his cabinet colleagues, including Mauvin Godinho (transport) and Rohan Khaunte (tourism), interacted with Naidu and junior civil aviation minister Murlidhar Mohol. Civil aviation secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam and Airports Authority of India (AAI) chairman M Suresh were also present at the meeting in the national capital. The statement said the CM raised concern over the shifting of operations by airlines from the Dabolim aerodrome in South Goa to the Manohar International Airport (MIA) at Mopa, located ..

Goa to be permanent venue for annual India Energy Week: CM Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday announced that the coastal state would serve as the permanent venue for the annual India Energy Week (IEW). Addressing the state on the occasion of 78th Independence Day, he said the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) has decided to host the annual IEWs in Goa permanently. Sawant also said his government was dedicated to creating a bright future for the state in the fields of green economy and blue economy. While the term 'green economy' refers to the economic system that aims at reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities, and that aims for sustainable development, 'blue economy' or the ocean economy, is a term used to describe the economic activities associated with the oceans and seas. "We have successfully conducted international events like Ironman, G20 and India Energy Week. ONGC has decided to host IEW permanently in Goa every year," he said. Hosting events like the IEW helps the state's economy, he said. The IEW .

Goa's fiscal parameters improved under CM Pramod Sawant post Covid yrs: CAG

The CAG has appreciated the Pramod Sawant government's efforts in improving fiscal parameters, including increasing revenue surplus and bringing down fiscal deficit to GSDP ratio in the post-COVID years. A report of the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) till March 31, 2023, was tabled during the just-concluded session of the Goa Legislative Assembly. In an important achievement for the Sawant government, the CAG stated the state has succeeded in improving fiscal parameters like revenue, fiscal and primary deficits etc.\, compared to the previous four years. The report focused on the achievements of Chief Minister Sawant and the Finance Department team in improving the health of state finances very effectively post the COVID pandemic. The analysis of the report makes it clear that Sawant has been a very effective Finance Minister and achieved a majority of targets under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act and Rules. The report pointed out tremendous improveme

Revenue collection from Manohar airport to commence from Dec: Goa CM

The calculation and collection of revenue from the Manohar International Airport will commence in December, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the assembly on Monday. Responding to questions raised by Goa Forward Party (GFP) MLA Vijai Sardesai, Sawant said the revenue collection holiday got extended due to the delay in completing phase I of the airport owing to litigation and the COVID-19 pandemic. These things are beyond the control of the concessionaire and the government, the chief minister said. "The scheduled deadline for the project completion and the revenue holiday period got extended because of these factors, resulting in the commencement delay," he said. Sawant said the calculation and collection of the revenue from the airport will be effective after December 7, 2024, with the state's share of profit at 36.99 per cent. He said the Civil Aviation Department would coordinate with the airport's audit department to fix the state's revenue share. Sardesai questioned the

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,

Goa CM demands apology after Rahul's dig at BJP calling them 'not Hindus'

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said Congress MP Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the Lok Sabha and crores of Hindus all over the world for his comments on the community. The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) also condemned Gandhi's remarks, claiming he had "attempted to portray Hindus as violent." Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, took a swipe at the ruling BJP in the House on Monday, saying those who call themselves Hindus are engaged in "violence and hate" round the clock. "All religions and all our great men talk about non-violence and fearlessness, but those who call themselves Hindus only talk about violence, hatred and falsehood....Aap Hindu ho hi nahi (You are not Hindus)," he said. After Gandhi's comments, Goa CM Sawant termed the Congress as arrogant. "This is INC's Nafarat ki Dukan! Calling Hindus 'Hinsak' is a brazen insult, disrespect towards Hindus. LoP @RahulGandhi must apologise, to the the House and Crores of Hindus all over the world," Sawant s

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 .

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

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

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

CAA rules: Goa CM lauds PM Modi for accelerating way for implementation

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for notifying rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and accelerating the pathway for citizenship rights. The Centre on Monday announced the implementation of the CAA 2019, a move coming four years after the contentious law was passed by Parliament and paving the way for citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. With this, the government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from the three countries. In a post on X on Monday, CM Sawant hailed the Centre's move. "It is a remarkable day in the history of Bharat, as the Citizenship Amendment Act rules are notified!" he said. "I thank and congratulate Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji, for notification of CAA rules, accelerating pathway to get citizenship rights to persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians of Pakistan, Bangladesh,

BJP will win more than 10 LS seats in Telangana: Goa CM Pramod Sawant

Earlier on February 11, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Telangana unit announced 'Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra 'that will cover five regions in the state ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections

Efforts to set up delimitation commission for Goa seats for ST quota: CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said that efforts are on to form a delimitation commission before the upcoming Lok Sabha polls for reservation of some of the Goa assembly seats for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) community members. Talking to reporters in Porvorim near state capital Panaji on Monday evening, Sawant said he would make detailed statement on the issue in the House on Saturday during ongoing budget session. As of now, no seat in the 40-member Goa assembly is reserved for the ST community, one seat is reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SC) community. The ST community has been demanding that four out of the 40 seats in the Goa assembly be reserved for them during the 2027 state polls. The community members held a protest in Panaji on Monday after which the chief minister met a group of their leaders. "A delegation of the ST leaders met me. I have given them the assurance," Sawant said. He said the file on the issue of reservation of seats in the Goa assembly is pending

Goa will remain preferred destination for global investors, says CM Sawant

Goa will remain a preferred destination for global investors across all sectors, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Monday. "We will remain a success story in the country and a preferred destination for global investors across all the sectors," he said at the Invest Goa 2024 summit here. The chief minister also said that the coastal state has benefitted from the support of the central government. "Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India is now the fastest growing economy in the world. Goa has benefitted considerably due to the support of (central) government and state government," he said. He further said that his government has "given maximum attention for upgradation of skills of our young workforce through constant academia, industry dialogue and the newly launched apprentice scheme". Former Union minister Suresh Prabhu in his address said that Goa can become a hub of research and development considering a robust presence of pharma industries in the state. He said th

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

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

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

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 .