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WEEKEND UPDATES

July 11- July 17, 2026, WEEKEND UPDATES July 10, 2026 , by

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE PRIVATISED!

THE International Centre Goa in Dona Paula, which was set up for the benefit of members and their guests, has now been privatized. I tried to book a room for the weekend following a road accident my wife got into which put her in pain and immobilized her. Go away somewhere for a weekend rest at the ICG, I thought and since we are members of ICG, perhaps it’s a good idea to relax at an ICG room. However, imagine my surprise when I was told by a private contractor who is running the ICG now that all their rooms were booked up, along with meeting halls and restaurant, for a big event over the weekend. He said, “A large conference came to us Thursday and they have literally up all our spaces till Saturday night….”

I tried for rooms in other hotels in Panaji including the Tourism Department which runs the GTDC Residencies; however, all rooms were booked up by those visiting the casinos on Mandovi river. Rooms are contracted much in advance to the casinos of Panjim. Result: No rooms for Goans if at the last minute they decided they need to take a relaxing rest and recreation break.

PETROL BLENDED WITH ETHANOL

THE Union Minister for Transport Nitin Ghadkari is aggressively promoting  ethanol-blended petrol. Ethanol is a fuel manufactured from sugarcane molasses. Ethanol blended petrol has been in use in countries like Brazil for over two decades. Indeed, sugarcane plantations are now planted to produce ethanol. But in India all the surplus sugarcane goes to make daru. There is a suspicion that Nitin Gadkari’s obsession with ethanol is because the only ethanol production unit is owned by his son. The Automobile Research Institute has flagged that the problem with ethanol it damages the rubber parts of automobiles. It is also feared that the mileage will reduce if you use blended petrol. The petroleum minister has clarified that only trials are being conducted and it is not compulsory to use blended petrol. It is a personal choice.

ID CARDS FOR FISHER WOMEN

CHIEF Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has decided to issue ID cards to local fisherwomen in the wake of a large number of migrants entering the fishing business in Goa. Goan fisherwomen tend to sit in the fish markets and do not deliver fish door-to-door like the migrant women do. Traditionally, men catch the fish and the women sell it.  Moreover, in Goa, it is common see men of all age groups in the market shopping for the day’s fish – perhaps talking and  bargaining with the fisherwomen keeps them young!

MAHINDRA THAR RESTRICTED

THERE have been a number of accident involving Mahindra Thar brand of vehicles. Particularly the Mahindra Thar being  rented out to tourists. This could be due to the fact that tourists who come to Goa tend to drink and drive. Now the Transport Department has decided to stop the practice of locals renting Thar vehicles to tourists. Hopefully this ban will extend to all renting of vehicles to drunken tourists.

HOMES FOR MENTALLY CHALLENGED

THE Human Rights Commission of Goa has rapped the Social Welfare Department for not setting up homes for abandoned senior Goans who may have physical and mental disabilities. Goans have tended to abandon their aged parents suffering from dementia. In the past there was Provedaria the Missionaries of Charity run by the Mother Theresa sisters, they used to pick up abandoned mentally disturbed seniors from the streets and give them shelter in the ashram. The Institute of Psychiatry does not have enough beds to support an aging population with health problems. As of now Street Providence is the only organization which is catering to the homeless. However, government funds are very erratic and Street Providence is always shot of funds as it has homes the sick and abandoned in several places in the country now apart from Goa.

GCCI DELEGATION MEETS RAJYA SABHA MP  SADANAND SHET TANAVADE…

FOR parliamentary intervention on key economic and infrastructure issues.

A delegation of the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI), comprising director-general Sanjay Amokar and Kiran Ballikar (director) met Rajya Sabha MP from Goa Sananand Shet Tanavade to submit a memorandum highlighting several important issues affecting Goa’s economic growth, industrial development and infrastructure. The delegation requested the honorable MP to raise these matters in Parliament and pursue them with the respective Central ministries for their early resolution.

The delegation highlighted the need for direct international flight connectivity between Goa and Southeast Asian destinations, particularly Singapore. It was pointed out that despite Goa having two international airports, there are no direct flights to this important region. Such connectivity would significantly boost tourism, business travel, investment, trade, and cultural exchanges while creating additional employment opportunities in the State.

The GCCI also expressed concern over the recent amendment to the solar net metering regulations by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC), which restricts net metering capacity to a maximum of 500 kWp irrespective of the sanctioned electrical load. The Chamber stated that this restriction discourages industries from investing in renewable energy and runs contrary to the national objective of promoting clean and sustainable energy. The MP was requested to take up the matter with the Ministry of Power and JERC for reconsideration of the provision.

The delegation further stressed the urgent need for improvement of road connectivity between Goa and Belgavi, which serves as a vital economic corridor for the movement of industrial raw materials, agricultural produce, essential commodities and tourists. GCCI requested intervention with the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and the National Highways Authority of India for expeditious repairs of damaged stretches, widening of bottleneck sections and ensuring safe, efficient and all-weather connectivity.

The Chamber also drew attention to the need for expediting the development of Berth No9 at Morgugoa Port Authority to enhance exports of iron ore and other cargo. It further highlighted that container cargo operations at Berths Nos 10 and 11 have still not commenced despite being entrusted to a private operator. The delay has compelled exporters and importers to depend on ports outside Goa, resulting in higher logistics costs and loss of business opportunities. GCCI requested the MP to impress upon the Central government and the concerned authorities to commence container operations at the earliest and develop Mormugao Port as a full-fledged multi-cargo and container handling port.

The Chamber also appealed for relief to thousands of mining-dependent stakeholders — including barge owners, truck operators, machinery owners, contractors, transporters and entrepreneurs — who had borrowed from banks exclusively for mining-related activities and suffered financial distress due to the prolonged suspension of mining. It was requested that such borrowers should not be treated as wilful defaulters, as their inability to repay loans arose from circumstances beyond their control.

The GCCI emphasised that these issues have a direct bearing on Goa’s economic development, industrial competitiveness, employment generation, infrastructure development and ease of doing business. The Chamber requested Sadanand Shet Tanavade to pursue these matters with the concerned ministries and raise them in Parliament to secure timely policy interventions. Tanavade in turn assured the delegation that he would examine each of the issues in detail and take up the matters with the appropriate ministries and authorities at the Centre.

PHAL DESSAI INAUGURATES NEW  FACILITIES AT GOVERNMENT COLLEGE, QUEPEM

SOCIAL Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai, along with MLA  Nilesh Cabral inaugurated a Computer Science Laboratory, Smart Boards and two college buses at the Government College of Arts, Science and Commerce. The facilities, established with financial assistance from the South Goa District Mineral Foundation (Trust), have been created at a total cost of over Rs81.60 lakh.

Present on the occasion were Additional Collector Ramesh Gaonkar; Assistant Collector (Trainee)  Mohammad Shoukat Azim, IAS; Deputy Collector Amitesh Shirvoikar; Chief Executive Officer of the Mineral Foundation of Goa, Dr Sachin Tendulkar; and Principal Dr Pravina Kerkar.

Addressing the gathering Subhash Phal Dessai said that the world is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by continuous innovations in the digital sphere. He noted that technology has brought the world to our fingertips, enabling people to explore information, analyse data and connect with others across the globe within seconds.

Emphasising the importance of digital literacy, the minister said that in today’s technology-driven world, digital knowledge has become indispensable and is as essential as basic literacy. He added that various digital applications have become integral tools in everyday life and are playing a significant role in education, communication and overall development.

MLA Nilesh Cabral stressed that education is the foundation of progress and reiterated the government’s commitment to providing students with modern educational infrastructure and learning facilities. He urged students to make the best use of the newly inaugurated facilities and to maintain them responsibly, treating them as their own property.

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