Latest news with #Panaji
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Ponda municipality razes eight kiosks for road expansion works
Ponda: Eight kiosks, which their owners claimed dated to the Portuguese era, have been demolished by the Ponda municipality. The civic body said the structures lay in the road widening area at Sadar, Ponda. The structures were razed under police cover. Shopkeepers accused the municipality of not providing them with a proper place for rehabilitation. Vishant Naik, a municipal engineer of the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC), said the demolition on Saturday was in compliance with a court order to remove all kiosks under the road widening area. Ponda MLA and agriculture minister Ravi Naik said the municipality had heeded the court order. The Panaji corporation has also removed such kiosks, he said. 'In one alternative shop shown by the PMC, pieces of a slab collapsed when the shutter was opened,' said Amol Naik, a shopkeeper. 'Nobody is ready to go to the market complex.' Advocate Surel Tilve said that the PMC had already renewed kiosk licences up to 2026. 'If the PMC had to demolish their shops, why did it renew the licences,' he said.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Goa tops ability to report cybercrime, 50% females can report online frauds
Panaji: Goa has topped all other Indian states in terms of its residents' ability to report cybercrime, with an average of 44.6% of Goans knowing how to report cyber fraud directly to the police or through an online portal. A study by the Union ministry of statistics and implementation has also revealed that females surpass males in digital literacy. At least 50.1% females and 39.1% males above the age of 15 years can report online fraud directly to the police or via a portal. According to the study, 55% of Goans are aware of how to send and receive emails, and 57.9% know how to bank online. 'Goa has proactively addressed the challenge of cybercrime through sustained awareness efforts and citizen engagement, making it a model for other states. As a result of these efforts, it was ranked the number one state in the country in terms of the ability of citizens to report cybercrime, reflecting increased public awareness and trust in the system,' SP (cybercrime), Rahul Gupta, said. The nationwide survey defines 'ability to report cybercrime' as awareness of reporting platforms ( knowledge of complaint-filing mechanisms (online forms, helpline, social media platforms), and understanding of reportable offences (phishing, fraud, identity theft, etc.). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo 'Improved early reporting has helped prevent financial losses in multiple cases through timely blocking of bank accounts and UPI handles,' Gupta said. Goa police demonstrated that proactive awareness, youth engagement, and tech-enabled policing can make a significant difference in cybercrime prevention. Goa's success story highlights the power of community-police partnership, the SP further said. The state's cybercrime police station launched multiple outreach programmes targeting schools, colleges, panchayats, and urban communities. To date, more than one lakh people were sensitised through awareness sessions conducted by the cybercrime police station and the staff of local police stations.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
State adopts Centre's digital system to estimate crop yield
Panaji: The directorate of agriculture has adopted a cutting-edge digital system to estimate crop yield. Developed by the Union ministry of agriculture and farmers' welfare, the system includes features such as real-time data entry from the field through a mobile app, GPS-tagged images for increased accountability and verification, automated plot selection to reduce human bias and errors, and a web-based dashboard for centralised data monitoring and yield generation. This ensures that data collection is both precise and verifiable. The new system is part of the nationwide digital general crop estimation survey (DGCES), which aims to replace the decades-old manual process with a more transparent and accurate approach. 'This system is only for field crops, not horticulture crops. So far, 60 paddy plots and six sugarcane plots have been covered in Goa. Now, a survey of rabi crops is ongoing for pulses, groundnuts, and vegetables,' an agriculture official told TOI . Traditionally, the general crop estimation survey (GCES) has employed crop cutting experiments (CCE) based on scientifically designed sampling methods. These experiments have covered 68 types of crops, including 52 food and 16 non-food varieties. However, the existing manual process of recording and data submission is time-consuming. 'With the implementation of the DGCES platform, Goa will begin capturing CCE data in real time through a dedicated mobile application and web portal,' the official said. 'The system will reduce delays in data submission and yield computation, issues that have historically plagued the manual system. It is a move towards making agriculture smarter, faster, and more transparent,' the official added. Currently, only a few states such as Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh have adopted the GCES process. The initiative operates in three major phases: Preparation of district-wise plans to identify sampling areas, field-level execution including — CCE implementation and data recording — and the generation of yield estimates using data analytics and automated computation tools. 'Farmers and agricultural extension officers are being trained on the new digital tools to ensure smooth implementation. The adoption is expected to not only streamline internal processes but to also provide stakeholders — especially policymakers and insurance providers — with more reliable data,' the official said.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Clear illegal structure regularisation backlogs first: Cong
Panaji: Before introducing new amendments to regularise illegal structures, has urged govt to first clear pending applications dating back to 2000. The party stated that migrants would benefit from the proposed changes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Of 208 applications considered by govt, several files were unprocessed, particularly from Sirsaim. Around 20 files were approved at a rate of Rs 400 per sqm, which was to be paid to the comunidade with a Rs 200 fine to the administrator. Many paid the amount and did follow-up, but these files remain stuck. The land ownership was not given to the people,' said Tivim Congress block president Hemant Kambli. Govt introduced Article 372A of the Code of Comunidades to regularise unauthorised homes on comunidade land. 'The chief minister and revenue minister should inquire why the cases are pending. Without clearing old applications, what is the point of bringing in new amendments, which will benefit only migrants,' said Kambli.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Toll rates for elevated road to Mopa airport notified
Panaji: The ministry of road, transport and highways has notified the toll rates that taxis, private vehicles, and local residents will have to pay to use the elevated link road from NH 66 to the Manohar International Airport. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is authorised to collect the toll fee. The toll rates range from Rs 19.7 for cars and Rs 32.5 for taxis to Rs 127.3 for container and trailer trucks with seven or more axles. Taxis registered in North Goa will receive a 50% discount, provided no alternative road is available for the commercial vehicles, states the notification. The NHAI has offered a monthly pass option of Rs 350 for the year 2025-26 for vehicles registered to locals residing within 20km of the toll plaza. This monthly fee will be revised every year.
