‘Happy with relaxations, but awaiting single-window nod’

Times of India | 6 days ago | 05-08-2022 | 02:40 am

Panaji: While the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) on Wednesday expressed satisfaction that the tourism department has reduced the number of documents needed to be submitted by any tourist-related business at the time of fresh registration or renewal, it awaits a single-window clearance system and not “windows within the window”.“We are very happy that our long-pending demand to remove hurdles in registering or renewing tourist services has been granted,” said TTAG president Nilesh Shah, but pointed out that a single-window clearance for all tourist trades would herald a relief in the real sense. He also suggested that the efficiency of such a system could be monitored by the tourism department every three months. Shah nevertheless said the latest relaxations by the tourism department are indeed a big relief that will save new and young business people from having to run from pillar to post to obtain certification or clearances from other government departments before they approach the tourism department for registrations or licence renewals. “With businesses now required to submit fewer documents, illegal operations will also reduce. Earlier, some operators, after realising that they had to follow a long process to get registrations done, would bypass the system and operate illegally,” Shah said.The order, issued by tourism director Nikhil Desai on Tuesday, stated that tourism trades will have to obtain a registration or renewal certificate, as the case may be, within 15 days, and if found operating illegally, the premises will be sealed, and penalty imposed as provided under the provision of the Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1982.A South Goa hotelier, said that once a single-window clearance for events is introduced, the police and village panchayats concerned should refrain from barging into venues and harassing the organisers unless there are complaints of major violations. This issue crops up frequently at beach weddings, the hotelier said, despite a single clearance from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority sufficing for such events. “Even after permission from the GCZMA is obtained, there is no guarantee that the panchayat will not come claiming its pound of flesh. If not the panchayat, the police pay a visit seeking to know if the hotel has permission for sound,” the hotelier said.

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State to sign MoU with Tata hosp, Centre for cancer institute: Rane

Times of India | 2 hours ago | 11-08-2022 | 01:44 am

Times of India

2 hours ago | 11-08-2022 | 01:44 am

Panaji: Health minister Vishwajit Rane said on Wednesday that the state government would sign a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, and the Union government, to seek their guidance in setting up the proposed Cancer Institute of Goa.The Tata Memorial Hospital is one of the world's largest cancer care facilities, and is supported by the Union government's department of atomic energy. Rane’s announcement came after a meeting with Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan and state health secretary Y V V J Rajasekhar to discuss various issues pertaining to the health services in Goa.Rane said that Bhushan promised to support the upgrade of the tertiary cancer centre to a state cancer institute. “He has advised us to send a proposal, along with referrals,” said Rane.The foundation stone for the cancer centre was laid on August 1. The project itself was initiated a few years ago, and the state is being assisted financially by the Union government.Rane said that Bhushan appreciated the Goa government’s policy of approving HPV vaccination for girls of the 9-14 age group for the prevention of cervical cancer.Goa Medical College (GMC) has a unit for cancer patients and also a day centre for chemotherapy, led by Dr Anupama Borkar.Before that, most cancer patients needing treatment were referred to certain private hospitals or centres outside Goa.Rane said that at Wednesday’s meeting, they also discussed the digitisation of health records. “It will ensure that the records of all patients, but chiefly of far-flung primary health centres, are properly documented,” Rane said.Digital documentation, he said, will ensure that records are maintained in one place, which will help in the preventive care as well as treatment of patients.Rane said that the Union health ministry would soon send a team of officials to understand Goa’s special needs, including the upgradation of the South Goa district hospital, with a separate medical college as per the model advised by Niti Aayog.“The ministry will also depute officers from AIIMS for the upgradation of the STEMI programme in Goa,” Rane added.

Sawant: P’yats are centres of rural devpt

Times of India | 3 hours ago | 11-08-2022 | 01:22 am

Times of India

3 hours ago | 11-08-2022 | 01:22 am

Bicholim: Calling village panchayats the prime centres of rural development, chief minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that his government’s aim is to strengthen them.Sawant was speaking to reporters after casting his vote at the Kothambi -Pale poll booth in Bicholim taluka.He said that there is also need to boost tourism in the state and hence, panchayat bodies should provide whole-hearted cooperation.Sawant said that so far, the state government has provided necessary financial assistance to panchayat bodies for development works and that the same will continue in future too. Further, he said that the government is also undertaking different initiatives to boost rural tourism, small scale business and domestic business in the state.

55% Voter Turnout In Goa Panchayat Polls Till 2pm

Ndtv | 11 hours ago | 10-08-2022 | 04:55 pm

Ndtv

11 hours ago | 10-08-2022 | 04:55 pm

Polling was underway for 186 panchayat bodies in Goa today. (Representational)Panaji: Fifty five per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in the Goa panchayat polls till 2 pm on Wednesday, as per the State Election Commission.Polling was underway for 186 panchayat bodies in Goa since 8 am on Wednesday and will conclude at 5 pm.A total of 5,038 candidates are contesting the panchayat polls from 1,464 wards across the coastal state.There are 3,85,867 voters in North Goa and 4,11,153 in South Goa, as per official data.Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was among the early voters. He cast his vote at a booth in Pale-Kothambi village panchayat.Union minister Shripad Naik, who hails from Goa, also exercised his franchise at a polling booth in the Old Goa village panchayat.Later speaking to reporters, Mr Naik said political parties should keep themselves away from panchayat politics.Voting in ward number 9 of Calangute panchayat had to be postponed as there was a mismatch between the name of a candidate and the poll symbol, an election official said, adding that polling would be held there on Thursday.A total of 64 candidates have already been elected unopposed from different village panchayats, of which 41 are from North Goa and 23 from South Goa, an official earlier said.North Goa district has 97 panchayats with 2,667 candidates in the fray, while 2,371 are contesting polls for 89 panchayats in South Goa, he said.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comThe administration has already imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code across the state, while liquor ban has also been enforced on Tuesday and Wednesday.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Forest minister Vishwajit Rane moots animal safaris in Goa, eyes central government tie-up

Times of India | 20 hours ago | 10-08-2022 | 07:53 am

Times of India

20 hours ago | 10-08-2022 | 07:53 am

PANAJI: Animal safaris will be provided in Goa on the lines of such safaris offered at Kevadia, Gujarat, forest minister Vishwajit Rane said on Tuesday. Rane said that he has already discussed the plan with the Union minister. The state is looking at working on the project in collaboration with the central government, he said. "Following in the footsteps of an animal safari developed in Kevadia, we sought advice from the Union minister to work closely with the ministry in the development of a state-of-the-art animal safari in Goa," Rane said. Rane met Union minister for environment, forest and climate change Bhupendra Yadav. During the meeting, a development plan for Bondla zoo was also discussed. The zoo will be upgraded to showcase fauna found in the Western Ghats, Rane said. "We also discussed the Bondla Zoological Park's integrated and holistic development to showcase the diverse fauna of the Western Ghats and other regions in a naturalistic setting. A master plan, including such proposals, has already been submitted to Central Zoo Authority," said Rane. The minister said that a proposal for maintenance of Goa's grasslands is also on the cards. "I discussed various proposals, viz, integrated development of wildlife habitat under which we have sought approval for maintenance of grasslands, enrichment plantation with fruit-bearing trees, creation and maintenance of forest roads, nature camping facility in protected areas, etc," the minister said. He said that the proposals discussed also included creation of artificial watering holes in protected areas of Goa using solar pumps and nature guide training programmes and capacity building of local youth for eco-tourism activities.

Railway police rescue two minors at Margao station

Times of India | 1 day ago | 10-08-2022 | 02:40 am

Times of India

1 day ago | 10-08-2022 | 02:40 am

Margao: In a third incident in a span of four days of rescuing runaway children, Railway Protection Force (RPF) at Margao railway station, on Tuesday, helped two minor children, who appeared to be lost, by providing protective care and safe custody. During one of their routine patrolling rounds on Monday, RPF personnel Rajendra Prasad Yadav, Anil Kumar and Rinkoo Yadav noticed two minor girls, who appeared to be lost and in a state of panic on platform no 2 at Margao railway station. Upon inquiring with them, the RPF personnel realised that there was something amiss and brought them to the Child Help Desk Centre with the help of Childline NGO.The minor girls told the RPF that they were from Bishunganj, Gaya, Bihar, and that they had left their home without informing their parents. They were produced before the chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, South Goa, and after completion of their medical checkup admitted in children’s protective home, Apna Ghar, Merces.Last week, in two separate incidents, RPF personnel had rescued five children, including two minor girls, found lost at Margao and Tivim railway stations. The two minor girls were sisters and appeared abandoned by their mother at the Margao railway station. RPF routinely rescues minor children under the operation ‘Nanhe Farishte’, which consists of a dedicated team of rescuers to identify children vulnerable to trafficking and help them reunite with their parents or guardians.

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