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WEEKEND UPDATES

Mar 14- Mar 20, 2026, WEEKEND UPDATES March 13, 2026 , by

JACK STANDS TALL AMIDST AMI PANJIKAR ROUT

IT WAS not quite a total knockout, but almost. The Babush Monseratte panel won 27 of the 30 wards of the Corporation of the City of Panaji in the civic election held on March 11, 2026. Surprisingly, even former mayor Surendra Furtado who has been mayor for Panjim half-a-dozen times was defeated in his stronghold. The saving grace is that his son Leonard Furtado (Ami Panjikar panel) won a seat that was held by his mother Ruth Furtado in Ward 7 by a margin of 70 votes against Babush panel’s Sanjiv Desai.

The only other Ami Panjikar candidate who survived the smashing rout were Jack Sukhija of Ward 17 who emerged victorious in the CCP election with a close margin of 2 votes, to defeat the Babush-backed Dennis Edward Francis Jorge. For this narrow victory three recountings were ordered before the victory was granted to Jack Sukhija by a margin of two votes.

Babush son Rohit Monseratte won comfortably against Jane Po in Ward 3, and so did Caroline Po in Ward 2, both of Babush panel. Caroline Po defeated Uma Volvoikar of Ami Panjikar panel. Needlessly to say, Babush Monseratte attributed his panel’s sweeping victory very diplomatically to the BJP cadre. He did not fail to make a crack at Utpal Parrikar, commenting snidely about what it takes to be an aspiring kingmaker. Opposition parties Congress and Aam Aadmi party fought under the umbrella of the Ami Panjikar panel banner —  but alas, could not dislodge the powerful Babush panel.       

RUSH FOR INDUCTION

IN the wake of the sudden shortage of LPG cylinders, there is a huge demand for induction stoves and rice cookers. These run on electricity. Which means what you save on gas cylinders you will lose to electricity bills. Restaurants are altering their menu to dishes which consume less oil and cooking. So no puri or dosa but lots of idli and mo mo which are streamed cooked. There may or may not be a shortage of domestic gas cylinders but you cannot book and get a gas cylinder overnight. The new rule is that you cannot get a refill on your cylinder in 25 days from booking now. Facebook social media has an interesting suggestion. You may turn on iron upside down and make chappaties.

RELIANCE RUSHES IN TO HELP TRUMP

AMERICAN companies including Apple and Google may not be keen on setting up facilities in the United States. But our Mukeshbhai is more than willing to help Donald Trump make America great again. Reliance Industries is reportedly investing 300 billion dollars to set up a refinery in Texas to convert shale oil into petroleum products. Shale drilling which is an offshore drilling system is being tapped as an alternative to petroleum which is under stress due to the ongoing West Asia war. The Reliance refinery is expected to provide fresh jobs for Americans. We do not know if Reliance has also offered to set up an entertainment park on the lines of the Jamnagar model in Washington.

RS877 CRORE SPENT ON EVENTS IN GOA

THE Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant admitted in the legislative assembly that the state government has spent Rs877 crore on facilitating various events, most of which take place at the Kala Academy grounds and the adjoining Bandodkar stadium grounds in Panjim.  Besides the traditional carnival and shigmo and  Lok Utsav and the seafood festivals,  this time Divya Rane organised a mega forest festival and yet to come is the caju festival in April. We presume that these festivals are meant more for tourists than locals. A major issue in the just concluded CCP elections which caused a huge inconvenience for the people of the Campal areas due to festivals at the Kala Academy grounds. Cars and two-wheelers parked right up and down the lanes of the heritage enclave of old residences. After the recent book festival the garbage remained for over a week although the organizers paid for restoring space as they found it.

HUGE DEMAND FOR DIALYSIS

HEALTH Minister Vishwajit Rane revealed that there is an increasing incidence of kidney failure in Goa. So much so it may be necessary to set up a dialysis centers even at panchayat level. Although the GMC dialysis  unit has over a 100 beds, it cannot cope with the demand. Even though the dialysis unit works 24×7 patients have to wait on an average of four to eight hours before their turn comes. If you have friends at the GMC you may get admitted in one of the wards and wait for your turn for dialysis. This happens on a routine basis at the geriatrics ward.

SINGER SONIA HAS A MASTER’S IN LAW

OUR favourite famous fado singer Sonia Sirsat has revealed that her gynaecologist father insisted that she should have a formal education. So Sonia completely not only her BCom but also picked up both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in law. Sonia taught in the Kare College of Law for four years before adopting singing fado as a professional career. Sonia pointed out that the fado is the Portuguese version of the Urdu ghazal in India. Just sad love songs. Of course Sonia Sirsat sings all genres of Goan music and now has her own band which plays on all important occasions. She continues to live in her ancestral home in Ponda.       

EXPANDING CASINO CORRIDOR

ACCORDING to social activist  Elvis Gomes the  current administration of the Captain of Ports (COP) Goa has issued a circular under the repealed Indian Ports Act, 1908 to expand the “Casino Corridor” – and thus,  usurp the jurisdiction over territorial waters not vested in the office under the law in force.

Gomes, who previously headed the department, flagged Circular No.B-11039/COP/25-26/945 dated 06/0/3/2026 as a calculated attempt to act upon the repealed 1908 Act for the sole purpose of maintaining an unregulated “fiefdom” for motives that need to be investigated.

“The Indian Ports Act, 1908 is dead. It was replaced by Parliament in 2025,” Gomes states.  “By citing a defunct colonial law, the current COP is effectively sabotaging the transition to the State Maritime Board establishment of which is mandated by law.

“This isn’t an administrative error — it is a deliberate move to ensure that permissions for casino-linked infrastructure remain under its office rather than the state Maritime Board in the state of Goa.” Gomes observes that the management of non-major ports cannot be exercised by COP. He added that only the Maritime Board can henceforth do port planning, infrastructure development, licensing, traffic regulation and enforcement of safety, security and environmental compliances and as such exercise control over Casinos too.

Gomes specifically highlights the circular’s claim of jurisdiction extending 5 nautical miles from the baseline into the sea as a move to increase offshore casino traffic. Gomes clarified that under the Inland Vessels Act, 2021, “Inland Waters” stop at the river mouth (the baseline) and include canal, river, lake or other navigable water inward of baseline.  By illegally extending this to 5 miles, the COP is attempting to provide a “legal cover” for Inland casino vessels to also anchor and operate in territorial waters under the guise of inland river rules. “The vessels in territorial waters fall under the stringent safety and environmental jurisdiction of the 2025 Act and the Merchant Shipping Act which the circular attempts to circumvent,” points out Gomes

The circular’s attempt to claim authority over land 50 yards from the high-water mark — even if privately owned — is being viewed as a land-grab tactic to facilitate jetty and ramp constructions for the casino and coal lobbies, without the scrutiny of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA). Plus, it is an attempt to bypass the Maritime Board which is the mandatory authority for a non-major port like Panaji.

“As a former Captain of Ports, I can say with certainty that this circular is ultra vires,” says Elvis Gomes. “It ignores the nationalisation of Goa’s rivers by which this government has handed over jurisdiction to the Inland Waterways Authority of India. The COP has attempted to bypass the Indian Ports Act, 2025. The government must explain why it is allowing a department head to operate under a repealed law. This circular is nothing but a ‘license to operate’ for the casino lobby at the cost of Goa’s legal and environmental integrity.”

Gomes has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the circular (which even otherwise is null and void) and a high-level inquiry into the “legal engineering” that allowed a defunct 1908 law to be cited in a 2026 government directive. He appealed to Minister for Ports Digambar Kamat to come clear on the issue as to why the government had failed to implement the new I V Law under which the State Maritime Board has to exercise jurisdiction in the Panaji Port.

 NEW CIVIL SUPPLIES OFFICE INAUGURATED AT PONDA

THE  new Ponda Taluka Civil Supplies Office at the Agri Bazar Complex was inaugurated at Ponda on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. On the occasion, compensation amounting to Rs3.17 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was distributed to Fair Price Shop dealers. A workshop on technological up-gradation in the Public Distribution System (PDS) was also held.

The event highlighted the important role of Fair Price Shop dealers in the Public Distribution System. They serve as the crucial last-mile link in delivering food grains and essential commodities to beneficiaries. Thousands of people depend on them for food security. The workshop focused on technological initiatives aimed at improving transparency, efficiency and accountability in the PDS.

Speaking on the occasion Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said that FPS dealers are the real representatives of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, the CM Fair Price Shop initiative and other schemes of the Department of Civil Supplies. He said that many Fair Price Shops have been serving communities for generations and continue to play an important role in ensuring food security for the people. CM Dr Sawant assured that the government will continue to support the dealers and will work towards increasing their commission in the future. He reiterated that Fair Price Shops should remain sustainable while continuing to benefit the people.

Referring to efforts to modernise the Public Distribution System, CM said that several initiatives have been introduced to improve service delivery. These include doorstep delivery of food grains, Smart Ration Cards and the Vehicle Location Tracking System (VLTS). Integration of electronic weighing scales with AePOS devices has also been implemented. He also highlighted the Chief Minister’s Financial Assistance for Refilling of LPG Cylinder Scheme, 2023. At present, 6,247 out of 10,264 AAY ration card holders are availing the benefits. The Government of India and the Government of Goa remain committed to ensuring an uninterrupted supply of LPG cylinders despite global challenges.

The programme was attended by Chairperson of the Ponda Municipal Council Govind Gaude, former Member of Parliament Narendra Sawaikar, Secretary of Civil Supplies, Director of Civil Supplies, Zilla Panchayat Member Pritesh Gaonkar, Fair Price Shop dealers and other officials of the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs.

GRIHA AADHAR & DSS ASSISTANCE TO BE CREDITED ON 10th EVERY MONTH

CHIEF Minister Pramod Sawant has declared that from this month onwards, assistance under the Griha Aadhar and Dayanand Social Security Schemes will be credited by the 10th of every month without any delays, ensuring greater transparency, convenience and time bound release of assistance for beneficiaries.

The CM addressing a program at assembly complex in a click credited Rs45.26 crore to over 2.24 lakh beneficiaries across Goa to the beneficiaries, under the Griha Aadhar and Dayanand Social Security Schemes. This was done in the presence of Women & Child Development Ministeri Vishwajit Rane and Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai.

CM affirmed that these schemes continue to strengthen social security for families, women, senior citizens, widows and other vulnerable sections, reflecting our Government’s commitment to Antyodaya. The Chief Minister asked all the beneficiaries to provide a life certificate and income certificate from April 1 to May 30 of every year to get regular benefits of the schemes. Chief Minister also informed that for any query regarding Dayanand Social Security Schemes Assistant Director, Social Welfare Department, Rashmi Rawool be contacted on 9322066078 and Krutika Mandrekar on  9284238500 for Griha Aadhar scheme, Social welfare officer of Women and Child Development Department for any assistance. 

Women & Child Development Minister, Shri Vishwajit Rane said, Government is trying to provide benefits of various schemes and policies to its citizens which are meant for the welfare of the people in a time bound manner. Government is putting its every step to see that every person of the State gets a smile on their face.  Sanction letters were distributed to the newly registered beneficiaries under the Griha Aadhar and Dayanand Social Security Schemes. Director-Social Welfare Dipak Dessai and Director, Women and Child Development Jyoti Dessai were present on the occasion.

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