Goa to emerge as Asia's leading beach sports hub: Khaunte
Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte assured the House that the state will position itself as Asia's premier destination for beach and coastal sports tourism, following the success of international events already hosted in the state.
Responding to a calling attention motion moved by Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar, Khaunte highlighted Goa's proven track record in delivering world-class sporting experiences. The state successfully hosted prestigious events, including the Ironman 70.3 Triathlon, Rainforest Challenge, World Table Tennis Star Contender, and Beach Volleyball World Tour – Goa Challenge.
'These events are not just competitions; they stimulate high-value tourism, generate employment, benefit allied sectors, and strengthen Brand Goa on the global map,' Khaunte stated in his reply.
He cited the Spanish town of Tarifa as an inspiration. Tarifa successfully repositioned itself as the 'wind capital of Europe' through strategic promotion of kitesurfing and windsurfing, showing how targeted positioning can attract quality tourists, extend tourist seasons, and create a thriving sports economy.
Khaunte announced plans to develop flagship sailing and regatta events, establish beach sports infrastructure at identified locations, and partner with national and international sporting bodies for recurring events.
The initiative will involve coordinated efforts between the department of tourism, department of sports, and other line departments to align infrastructure development, event promotion, and talent development, Khaunte said.
Stay updated with the latest local news from your
city
on
Times of India
(TOI). Check upcoming
bank holidays
,
public holidays
, and current
gold rates
and
silver prices
in your area.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
Raksha Bandhan wishes
,
messages
and
quotes
!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
7 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Delhi: BJP and AAP spar over GST amendment Bill
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Leader of Opposition Atishi exchanged heated words over Delhi Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Assembly on Friday. Tabled on Thursday, the Bill was passed by the House later in the day. While AAP's Atishi demanded a discussion on the amendments, Speaker Vijender Gupta countered, saying that when her party was in power, it never allowed a discussion on it. Former AAP finance minister and now BJP MLA, Kailash Gahlot, said, 'I have been a finance minister in the previous (AAP) government and no such discussion was held. This is just a formality… When Atishi was the finance minister or the CM, no discussion was held on such bills either.' Atishi said that calling the Bill a mere formality is an 'insult to the House'. Maintaining that traders are worried about GST, she said, 'Traders are saying that while they are being burdened with arbitrary compliance, the government is providing tax exemptions to SEZs.' In response, the CM highlighted that the amendments were passed during the GST council meeting held last year. 'She (Atishi) is now questioning reforms that she neither debated nor helped shape. It is unfortunate that someone entrusted with Delhi's finances remained absent during key deliberations.' Gupta also blamed the AAP for not implementing any Union government schemes when it was in power in Delhi.
Time of India
7 minutes ago
- Time of India
Field Notes
Times of India's Edit Page team comprises senior journalists with wide-ranging interests who debate and opine on the news and issues of the day. Factory jobs are key to health of Indian farming India did right by not opening its agri markets to US grains, fruit, dairy and fish. Agriculture sustains 42% of India's population and employs 46% of workers. But as it generates less than a fifth of GDP, most farmers are poor. A recent Nabard report said farming households earn ₹13,661 per month, on average, of which actual farm income is just ₹4,476. The rest is income from other work. Pitting millions of such small farmers against the output of America's highly mechanised farms would amount to throwing them under the bus. So, when Modi says, 'For us, our farmers' welfare is supreme,' we can't agree more. But it's time farmer welfare moved beyond protectionism. The greatest good that govt can deliver to farmers is to free them from the yoke of subsistence farming. Only 2% of US population works in agriculture, 1% in Germany and UK, and 3% in Japan. In 1991, the number was 60% for China and 63% for India. China has brought it down to 22% – below the global average of 26% – but India is now in the league of Afghanistan (45%), N Korea (47%) and Myanmar (45%). There's no glory in subsistence farming. Population growth has fragmented landholdings to an unviable size. From 2.28ha in 1971, average farm size came down to 0.74ha by 2021. And as TOI reported last month, input costs and inflation have risen faster than earnings from most major crops. Yet, the share of workers in agriculture has grown from 44% in 2017-18 to 46% in 2023-24. That signals a failure of industry to create jobs at the required rate of 7.9mn every year. GOI must address this problem, not for Trump's deal but to modernise India. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
RBI deputy governor praises Jharkhand for re-KYC performance
1 2 Ranchi: The deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), M Rajeshwar Rao, on Friday praised the performance of Jharkhand banks in the re-KYC drive, which is underway all over the country since July 1. Rao also said the state-level bankers' committee (SLBC) should ensure active participation of banks in the special camps held in this regard, inform villagers about them in advance and take the help of the administration and the gram panchayats for mass participation. While addressing villagers in a special camp held for re-KYC and financial inclusion at the Ormanjhi Panchayat Bhavan, Rao said senior bank officials should also personally participate and supervise the drive. "Re-KYC programme has been simplified, and the involvement of the banking correspondents has been allowed to speed up the process. The campaign is a crucial step towards inclusive service delivery. We are committed to ensuring that no customer is left behind," he said. At the national level, the number of pending re-KYC is seven crore, while 3.63 crore would be added in a year, so that the total target would be 10.63 crore, Rao informed. "These camps are held for connecting with people and ensuring that everyone is linked to the financial system so that they can avail themselves of the system's benefits. One should realise that keeping bank accounts updated helps in providing uninterrupted banking services. The villagers should take part in the camps in maximum numbers so that financial inclusion can be promoted in the real sense," he said. Speaking to media persons at the venue, the RBI officer also said the re-KYC target in Jharkhand is 1.14 crore. Regional director of RBI, Ranchi, Prem Ranjan Prasad Singh, said special efforts were being made by the central bank in Ranchi since October 2024 last year, under which re-KYC has been completed in more than 12 lakh accounts, and the performance of Jharkhand in this regard was remarkable. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
