Latest news with #Fatorda
Time of India
18 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
All units at Verna ind estate to be told to treat effluents
Porvorim: Minister for water resources Subhash Shirodkar said in the assembly on Tuesday that the Kesarval spring at Verna will soon be rejuvenated and beautified at an estimated cost of Rs 13 crore. Chief minister Pramod Sawant said it will be made mandatory for even smaller units at the Verna industrial estate to set up effluent treatment plants so that the quality of water at the spring is maintained. Quepem MLA Altone D'Costa said that the quality of the water at the spring is deteriorating. 'The Kesarval spring sees a large number of visitors every day. Our tourism department has proposed the development of springs, and when we noticed it was not part of the list, we decided to add it,' Shirodkar said. 'We carried out an inspection recently. The spring will be developed and beautified, and bandharas will be built downstream so local farmers can continue using the water for agriculture.' Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said that today people report getting skin infections after bathing in the Kesarval spring, while Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral said that unless the quality of water is improved at the spring, there is no point in carrying out the beautification works.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
CM: Will bring in scheme to provide housing for homeless
Porvorim: Chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Monday that state govt would introduce a new scheme to provide housing for the homeless. He said the scheme would be similar to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana , but Goa-specific. He also said that two patches of govt land in Pernem have been identified for this scheme, and that govt would construct 1BHK flats there. Sawant said issues related to housing for the homeless would be resolved within two months and that one of the criteria to avail of this housing would be a 30-year resident certificate. In a calling attention motion, Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral drew the attention of the House to providing homes for the homeless through a scheme. He discussed the steps govt intends to take, and specified that the homeless do not include those who have migrated to Goa and are living on the streets. The state-specific scheme was a unanimous demand by both the treasury and opposition benches. MLAs also demanded a definition of who a 'homeless' person is, and a survey to identify such people. They also demanded that govt appoint a contractor to build houses for the homeless and club all state govt schemes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 17 Foods That Should Never Be Placed in the Refrigerator Car Novels Undo Sawant said govt currently allocates Rs 1.5 lakh for house repair and Rs 3 lakh for constructing them. He also said panchayats would issue construction licences within the stipulated time. Social welfare minister Subhash Phal Dessai said it appears that currently, beneficiaries use the (scheme) money for other purposes, such as buying two-wheelers, and hence cannot submit a utilisation certificate. The minister said that if the CM allows for appointing a contractor to construct houses, the allocated money will be properly utilised. Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar said at least Rs 8 lakh is required to build a house on a small plot, while St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar said govt should conduct a survey to identify the homeless. Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said that everyone is now demanding an agency to implement the scheme for the homeless even as he wondered if the agency would 'build houses with Rs 1.5 and Rs 3 lakh'. He termed the scheme a 'joke' and asked the CM to explain how more funds would be allocated. Opposition leader Yuri Alemao said that over the past decade, there has been no survey conducted to identify the homeless. He called for a land bank policy and a transparent portal to apply for the scheme online. Bicholim MLA Chandrakant Shetye pointed out that there was very little utilisation of funds under the Atal Asra Yojana, while Sanvordem MLA Ganesh Gaonkar said MLAs should be allowed to identify the homeless.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Ready to start new Konkani school if any MLA can get 20 students, says Goa CM Pramod Sawant
Porvorim: After Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai on Monday said in the House that eight of 12 talukas today don't have a single Konkani school operational, chief minister Pramod Sawant said that if any MLA can bring 20 students from an area for a Konkani medium school, then state govt will start a new school there. 'Everyone wants to speak about Konkani, but they ultimately admit their children to English schools. If any existing school wants to start a Konkani medium school, then we will give them permission without disturbing the existing system. If any MLA can take the initiative and if he is able to get 20 students, then we will start a Konkani medium school without affecting the existing Marathi school,' said Sawant, who also holds the education portfolio. To another question from Sardesai, the CM said that land allotments to Margao schools to shift to the land earmarked for the school complex in Davorlim will be finalised within the next three months. 'Like Cujira, 1 lakh sqm land was acquired in Davorlim. Earlier, five schools were told of the land allotment. Within three months, we will finalise which schools will get land at the school complex,' said Sawant. While Sardesai asked why salaries in some pre-primary schools for teachers are as low as Rs 10,000 a month, Sawant said that the process of registration of pre-primary schools was in progress, and so far, 702 have registered with the state. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo 'Once inspection of their infrastructure is complete, we will fix salaries to be paid to teachers of pre-primary schools,' he said. The CM said that govt-aided schools across Goa have been asked to upgrade their infrastructure in line with the National Education Policy requirements, while work has begun to provide facilities for all extracurricular activities and skill training in govt schools. Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira asked why Goa govt has prescribed higher number of instructional hours than those recommended in the NEP. Sawant said that the hours are not only classroom hours, but also include the learning done by a child at home, including projects and assignments. 'Once the NEP is fully implemented in the state, we will do a comparative chart between the old and new system. Under NEP, there is no rote learning, but activity-driven and experiential learning. We have started hands-on activity and project learning and promoting joyful and experimental learning,' he said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Zuari land scam amount enough to pay govt's debt: Vijai
Porvorim: Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai on Friday claimed that the Zuari land scam amounts to Rs 50,000 crore and it would have cleared govt debt. However, govt maintained its stance that there is no scam in Zuari land. Sardesai said that revenue minister Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate has spoken extensively about the Zuari land scam, but nothing has been done by him, and now it is turning into a significant scam. He said that the House passed an amendment to the Goa legislative diploma no. 2017. He further explained that the objective of the amendment is to ensure that the purpose for which the comunidade land was given cannot be changed. The Fatorda MLA said that the purpose of giving land to Zuari Agro Chemicals Limited and/or Zuari Industries Limited and/or any of their subsidiaries was not to create plots. 'Land was not given so that Lodha should make plots or any other should make plots. 50lakh sqm land was given to create employment through industrialisation,' Sardesai said. Sardesai demanded that Monserrate should assure him that he will not issue any sanads for those plots. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Offer Valid for the First 100 Bookings Only Birla Estates Learn More Undo 'You have brought the law in 2024 and tell me now that you are breaking the same law in love of Zuari,' Sardesai said. In response to the question, Monserrate stated that this law does not apply to Zuari as it was prospective and not retrospective. Sardesai argued that the 'aforamento' cannot be changed. Monserrate countered that Zuari land has already been sold as they are the owners of the said Monserrate was seeking advice from a former advocate general, and when the advice was not in his favour, he went to another advocate because he wanted to sell it to Zuari. 'This is the biggest scam in modern Goa history,' Sardesai said. He claimed that Goa could have been debt-free with Zuari money. 'Rs 50,000 crore scam. Law was brought after it was sold to Zuari. You have brought the law after land was given to Zuari,' he said. Monserrate insisted that there is no scam, and the law was brought to prevent such occurrences in the future. Chief minister Pramod Sawant stated that they introduced the law after the Zuari incident. 'Our govt has not done Zuari scam,' Sawant said.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Konkani proficiency to be must for job of postal worker, says Sawant
Porvorim: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that Konkani would be made mandatory for appointing new postal workers in Goa. Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said that a new postman had paid Rs 3.5 lakh to secure the job. Sawant said that Goa Post is part of the Maharashtra circle, and postal workers are appointed considering their SSC marks. 'We have empowered the Goa Konkani Akademi to issue certificates to people who want to apply for the job, certifying that they know how to read and write Konkani,' Sawant said. 'The postal service administration will change the recruitment rules, and new postal workers will be appointed based on their knowledge of Konkani.' Sardesai, in his zero-hour mention, said, 'There is fear and anxiety in the minds of Goans with regards to the non-delivery of postal letters in the state of Goa.' He urged the CM to raise the issue with the PM and protect Goan postal workers who have lost their jobs. The Fatorda MLA said that during his taluka-wise outreach programme, he discovered that 40 Goan postal workers, who had served for 15-20 years on daily wages, were removed and replaced by 50 outsiders from Maharashtra who couldn't even pronounce the names of Goan villages. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like I'm closing my shop! Last chance to enjoy 80% OFF my jewellery! Wendy Clarke Shop Now Undo 'What is happening to our Goa? Sting videos show letters taken home, addresses unknown. One recruit admits paying Rs 3.5 lakh for the job,' Sardesai said. 'Corruption has reached the central engine. They approached the CM three times. No action was taken.' Sardesai said that the CM should fulfil his assurance to mitigate the crisis of these 40 Goemkars. 'This is not just about jobs; it's about Goan identity and dignity,' he said. Sawant said that he would consider the matter of the 40 postal workers.
