Amit Shah assures CM Pramod Sawant of resolving UK e-visa matter soon

Times of India | 7 hours ago | 14-10-2022 | 08:43 am

PANAJI: Chief minister Pramod Sawant said that Union home minister Amit Shah has assured to resolve at the earliest the UK e-visa issue that has proved a damper for Goa’s tourism industry this season even as the sector is trying to recover from the hit it took during the pandemic years. Tourists from the UK form the largest number of overseas visitors to the state and the chief minister had met Shah on Wednesday and discussed the issue of the e-visa among other matters pertaining to the state, including that of mining resumption. Shah assured the CM of reducing the export duty on low-grade iron ore to facilitate mining to restart in the state. “I have discussed the e-visa issue and Shah has assured me that e-visas will soon be issued to citizens of the UK and other countries,” Sawant said, adding that he explained the importance of UK tourists to Goa’s tourism industry and the impact it will have on the state’s tourism sector in case they don’t come. Non-issuance of e-visas to UK travellers had led to cancellation of charters from the UK to Goa, this year. India’s changed rules have increased the wait and hassle involved in getting a tourist visa by way of the requirement for a traveller to make physical visits to the visa centre preceded by a prolonged wait for an appointment for the same. The Union government had stopped issuing e-visas during the pandemic but recently restored it for some countries. Hotelier Ralph de Sousa said that there are long queues for Indian visas for citizens from the UK and some other countries. “If the Union government does not issue e-visas then the UK tourists will not visit Goa and it will affect our tourism season.” Sousa, however, said that Goa will receive charters from Russia. After Russia, the UK has been the biggest market for the state and receives repeat tourists. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has drastically changed the scene. Recently the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) petitioned the chief minister to take up with the Centre the matter of issuing e-visas to citizens of the UK and other nations that have been excluded so far. Goa did not receive charter tourists last season, while another category of travellers — free, independent travellers (FITs) — largely avoided visiting India after the UK was excluded from the list of countries eligible for Indian e-visas. Speaking on the mining issue, Sawant informed Shah about leases that have been put up for auction and urged him to reduce the export duty on low-grade iron ore so that the auction can get a good response. “Shah has assured me to reduce export duty,” Sawant said. In May, the Union government increased export duty on iron ore below 58 grade from zero to 50%. Most of the iron ore produced in Goa is low grade (below 58 grade), and most of it is exported. The Union government also hiked export duty on iron ore above 58 grade to 50% from the existing 30%. After the intervention of former defence minister Manohar Parrikar, the Centre in 2016 had reduced the export duty on below 58 grade iron ore to 0% to boost its export from Goa.

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KA issue: Nilesh Cabral says PWD suggested name, but Govind Gaude department chose it

Times of India | 7 hours ago | 14-10-2022 | 08:33 am

Times of India

7 hours ago | 14-10-2022 | 08:33 am

PANAJI: Days after art and culture minister Govind Gaude said it was PWD’s decision not to tender the work on Kala Academy’s renovation, PWD minister Nilesh Cabral said that his department only suggested the contractor’s name, but it was Gaude’s department’s decision. “When Gaude made a statement and involved PWD in the assembly, that was a different statement, and two days ago, there was a different statement,” said Cabral. “I have asked the PWD principal chief engineer to provide him with the entire file. When I asked them orally, they said that they suggested a person and it was their decision (art and culture department).” Cabral said that once he reads the file, he will be in a better position to answer questions related to the tendering process. “In my last five months as PWD minister, I have not taken up such a huge work, but for whatever work has been taken up, short tenders have been floated,” he said. Cabral said that after going through the file, he will recommend necessary action to the chief minister. “If the chief minister asks me to conduct an inquiry, I’ll do it,” Cabral said. On October 8, Gaude had said, “The tender has not been floated by the department of art and culture or by Kala Academy. It was done by the PWD. You can direct any questions about the work to the PWD. It is totally their prerogative. A cabinet decision was taken clearly stating that the PWD should take a call regarding this work.” Last week, BJP lashed out at its own government for alleged irregularities and corruption in the tendering process of the Kala Academy renovation. “We do not need to walk this path of chief minister Pramod Sawant at a time when PM Narendra Modi is working hard to stem the rot of systematic corruption in India,” said party spokesperson Savio Rodrigues. Last month, the directorate of vigilance recommended that the state government constitute a technical expert committee to probe the alleged irregularities and corruption in the renovation of Kala Academy. However, the directorate has asked the government not to include any PWD officials, since they’ve been part of the tendering process. The Kala Academy building is being renovated at a cost of Rs 56 crore.

Goa could lose Rs 100 crore if UK visa issues not sorted out: Travel body

Times of India | 7 hours ago | 14-10-2022 | 08:16 am

Times of India

7 hours ago | 14-10-2022 | 08:16 am

PANAJI: A prominent travel trade body said on Thursday that if the delays in issuance of visas to UK travellers are not reduced, Goa's tourism sector could possibly see losses to the tune of Rs 80-100 crore. "Even if we assume that 10,000 travellers cancel their holiday plans to Goa, the overall impact on the hotel industry would be huge. The average stay of a (charter) tourist being ten nights, we would lose around 1 lakh rooms," said TTAG president Nilesh Shah. Smaller hotels are highly dependent on charter tourists, while the past two seasons were extremely bad for them even as starred hotels remain afloat, with Goa becoming a preferred destination for all segments of desi tourists. The state has around 400-500 hotels with three and fewer stars. Apart from the loss to hotels, which would be around Rs 30 crore, Shah said that a multiplier effect will escalate losses for the industry. Tourists may go where visas are easier: TTAG Tourists spend on transport, liquor, food, entertainment, as well as shopping. If all factors are considered, the overall impact on the economy could be in the range of Rs 80-100 crore," Shah said. Even as the tourism industry has survived the pandemic with increased domestic footfalls, Shah said it is crucial for Goa that it does not lose the UK, because it is not easy to regain lost markets. Currently, with the wait period to get a normal visa being two to three months for a UK citizen, the TTAG president said that if steps are not taken to issue visas expeditiously, leave alone e-visas, potential travellers will likely avoid Goa, and may go to Bali, Turkey, Thailand, or any other destination that issues visa without hassle. "Once a customer moves out of the destination, it is difficult to recapture a market. Goa has experienced it. After charters from countries such as Finland, Germany, and Poland were stopped a few years ago, it has not been able to reclaim them," Shah said. While India does not issue e-visas to UK citizens, they also face difficulties in securing regular visas. A recent change in visa rules requires a British holidaymaker to appear in person at the visa centre. While operators are seeing regular cancellations of bookings to Goa, Shah said that they have not yet received the exact numbers of bookings cancelled so far. A local operator also told TOI that they would have more clarity over total bookings cancelled by next week. Before Covid hit, Goa would annually receive around 45,000 charter travellers and a few more thousands of free independent travellers (FITs), but since March 2020, it has not received a single charter from England. Last season, Tui Airways cancelled its Goa plan due to the third wave of Covid as well as India not issuing e-visas to UK visitors. This season, it had committed to fly four flights a week from next month, but brought down the number to one, with its clients cancelling bookings due to visa-related issues.

Inauguration of Ayush hospital on Dec 8: CM

Times of India | 11 hours ago | 14-10-2022 | 04:46 am

Times of India

11 hours ago | 14-10-2022 | 04:46 am

Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said that about 41 health and wellness centres will be set up with services of Ayush doctors. The Ayush hospital at Dhargal will be inaugurated on December 8 coinciding with the 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) & Arogya Expo, he said.Sawant was speaking at the curtain raiser of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo which will be held in Panaji from December 8 to 11. The chief minister said that medical and wellness tourism will be ramped up by involving all ayurvedic practitioners.“The positive impact created by WAC in its previous editions will be repeated here, too. The event will set a good platform for students, stakeholders, practitioners and experts to learn and exchange views and ideas,” he added. The state is eager to harness the benefits of the Ayush visa announced by the Prime Minister recently to develop tourism, health and wellness centres and make Goa as the best in the health tourism sector, Sawant said.

World Ayurveda Congress from Dec 8 to 11

Times of India | 11 hours ago | 14-10-2022 | 04:45 am

Times of India

11 hours ago | 14-10-2022 | 04:45 am

Panaji: Union minister of Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal said Goa is the most attractive tourist destination and has the potential to turn into a preferred medical tourism destination in the near future.“Traditional medicine has now been well accepted by the global community due to its credibility. The World Ayurveda Congress has to be used to promote Goa as a place for medical tourism,” Sonowal said on Thursday at the curtain raiser of the ninth World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo that will be held in Goa from December 8 to 11. ‘Ayurveda for One Health’ is the theme of the expo that will be held at Kala Academy. The event is being organised by the World Ayurveda Foundation, an initiative of Vijnana Bharati, and supported by the Union government. It will witness an assemblage of about 5,000 ayurveda stakeholders — industry leaders, practitioners, traditional healers, educationists, students, drug manufacturers, growers of medicinal plants and marketing strategists — from across the world.The organisers said they expect delegates from over 45 countries to attend the expo. Union minister of state for tourism Shripad Naik and health minister Vishwajit Rane were among those present for the curtain raiser.The four-day event will have seven plenary sessions, 16 themes for oral presentation, a string of associated events, and a public outreach programme. The plenary will be addressed by eminent scientists, academicians, policy makers and Ayurveda practitioners.A seminar on medicinal plants by the National Medicinal Plants Board, a conclave on Pashu Ayurveda are some of the activities that are part of the schedule.There will also be a session on Ayurveda and media. A short film festival on Ayurveda has also been planned. Sonowal also said that the ministry of Ayush with all stakeholders celebrates ayurveda day every year on Dhanvantari Jayanti. He said that the motto of this year’s celebration has been “har din har ghar ayurveda” (ayurveda everyday, ayurveda everywhere). “Around 22 ministries and departments of the government of India are collaborating for this event,” he said.

Steel and mining cos outside state keen on mining blocks

Times of India | 11 hours ago | 14-10-2022 | 04:40 am

Times of India

11 hours ago | 14-10-2022 | 04:40 am

Panaji: Major steel and iron ore mining companies from outside Goa have shown interest in operating mines in the state. Representatives of companies have started conducting field visits at four mining blocks that have been put up for auctioning.Last month, the state government had put up four mining blocks for auction including three in North Goa at Bicholim, Sirigao-Mayem and Monte de Sirigao and one in south Goa at Kalay.This is for the first time that the state government is auctioning mining leases to carry out mining activities. It has taken the SBI Cap on board in order to conduct the auction process.The four mineral blocks were operational before mining came to a halt. Most of these leases are spread over vast areas.Hitherto, the mines in Sirigao and Mayem were operated by Chowgules, in Sirigao by Rajaram Bandekar (Sirigao) Mines Pvt Ltd and in Bicholim by Vedanta Ltd. As per the directorate of mines and geology records, the lease for the Kalay mine was earlier in the name of N S Narvekar.The total concession area of the Sirigao-Mayem block is over 171 hectare, Kalay (over 179 hectare), Bicholim (over 478 hectare) and the Monte de Sirigao block (over 95 hectares).The state government had invited bidders for granting mining leases for iron ore. The interested mining company will have to purchase the tender document on or before November 15, while the last day to submit the technical bid is November 21.Recently, former leaseholders — whose leases have been put up for auction — urged the state to withdraw the auction notice, failing which they will approach the court. Mining in Goa came to a halt in March 2018 following the decision of the Supreme Court to quash the second renewal of 88 leases.

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