TRIBAL BHAVAN TO COME UP AT PORVORIM

Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant ceremoniously did the honors in laying down the foundation stone for a new Tribal Bhavan at Porvorim, on auspicious Nagpanchmi day on August 13, 2021, in the presence of Tribal Welfare Minister Govind Gaude and officials of the Directorate of Tribal Welfare and Gomantak Goud Maratha Samaj members. Speaking on the occasion CM said that the Directorate of Tribal Wellfare has 24 different schemes for ST community poople but most of them were ignorant about them. In this respect he urged the tribal youth to take the initiative and create an awareness about the schemes to benefit their people. He said with support from all people there can be a better Goa. He added that while celebrating 60 yeaars of Goa’s Liberation he would like to see a Swayampurna Goa in all sectors including education. The Tribal Bhavan would be a reality soon and help all the tribal community to do better. Tribal Welfare Minister, Govind Gaude recalled the contribution of leaders like Krishna Bandodkar, Kashinath Jalmi, the late Yeshwant Gawade, who had always worked for tribal progress and this respect he praised Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who was keen to see the new project completed and a reality as soon as possible. The new premises will be housing both tribal corporation and commissions connected with the Tribal Department and there will also be features like shops on the ground floor, a hall for events and programs, hostles forthe community students, a gym and much else. Present for the occasion were Chairman of GSSTEDC Durgadas Gaude, MLA Pandurang Madkaikar, President of UTAA Prakash Velip, President of GGMS Vishwas Gaude, ex-MLA Vasudev Goankar and others. The event began with lighting the lamp and Director Triveni Velip gave the welcome address, Uday Goankar compered the program and Vishwas Gawade proposed a vote of thanks.

^{UNFAZED ‘LEADERS’!}

^{THE  UN has released a 3,500 page climate science report. Local dailies attributed the IPCC- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to NASA saying Mormugao would be submerged by 2.7 ft of water by 2100. The full implication of the report dawned on Greens and many World Leaders who were left stupefied.}

^{But not a single leader in Goa, nor the new aspiring leaders throwing their hats in the political arena, batted an eyelid. This is a final wake-up call. No longer can we rely on just  anyone  becoming MLAs/MPs. The world is becoming too complicated to afford the reasoning of the current leaders in Goa. We need educated, knowledgeable, non-corrupt, non-compromising people as MLAs – for wrong decisions can set us back decades. The BJP is responsible for willfully reducing the time for disaster to strike, by permitting the cutting down of thousands of trees for  linear projects, not offering even a semblance of resistance to their Delhi masters,  reducing HTL for more constructions. When a government works to legalize the illegal, what more is  left?}

^{All potential leaders who kept quiet on this front must withdraw from the race. How many of them sit in parked 4-wheelers with the AC on?}

^{–R Fernandes, Goa}

^{RUCKUS IN PARLIAMENT}

^{REPORTEDLY, Vice-president and Chairperson of the  Rajya Sabha M Venkaiah Naidu, reportedly broke down while speaking about the recent ruckus created by  Opposition members in the house when some MPs climbed tables and some sat and disrupted proceedings. Naidu condemned the act of the members and said that there are means and ways to raise their voice but this is not the way to do it and it is not permissible in a democracy, he claimed that due to this kind behavior he could not sleep at night!}

 ^{M Venkaiah Naidu, before condemning the ill-mannered acts of the Opposition members, should remember the conduct of his own party MPs during the alleged 2G spectrum scam debate, when they did not allow Parliament to function for nearly two months. Leaders should not have such a short, weak memory! Unfortunately,  this so called fraud or scam fell flat in a court of law for want of evidence.}

^{Where was Venkaiah Naidu when thousands of poor migrants were walking to their home states without food in the hot scorching sun — due to the sudden implementation of the first  unplanned nation-wide lockdown by the Narendra Modi- led BJP government at the Centre? Where was he when several lakh people died because of  lack of oxygen during the second wave of the corona virust pandemic and due to total mismanagement on the part of the insensitive Modi government? Why did he refuse to cry when the media depicted thousands of dead bodies, victims of  Covid-19 negligence during the second wave…and the bodies were simply dumped in rivers and came floating up in the major rivers, especially those of Uttar Pradesh?}   

^{Our leaders should learn to respect their own positions first instead of crying like babies for cheap publicity for Narendra Modi’s  BJP government in Parliament, acting like one BJP security guard-cum-party worker. He is currently the vice-president of India and should behave like one or else gracefully resign instead of indulging in emotional drama in defence of the ruling BJP government in the august house. Jai Hind!}

^{— Jerry Fernandes, Saligao}

^{GOVERNMENT TRANSFERS}

^{THE politically motivated decision to keep in abeyance the transfers of  23 Civil Service Officers is absolutely highhanded and unwarranted. It is the Goa Service Board headed by the Chief Secretary and not the ministers which should be  deciding on postings and transfers of officers. Sadly, gone are the days when ministers sought and heeded  advice given by their officers. Today those in power want the entire bureaucracy to mutely tow their line, while officers who speak their mind are sidelined and dispatched into wilderness.} 

^{Bureacrats should function in accordance with the law and apply their experience and expertise independent of political interference or pressure. Officers cannot be forced and coerced to act as caged parrots. Ministers and ruling MLAs have gone to the extent of even appropriating the power to select police officials of their choice in their constituencies, and depriving the Police Establishment Board its rightful authority, reducing it to a mere rubber stamp.} 

^{Some years ago the Supreme Court had very rightly observed that governance would not have faced a chaotic situation had the bureaucracy not allowed itself —  the “steel frame” of the State  — – to rust. In Goa this steel frame has rusted beyond recognition. We lack a neutral bureaucracy. What we are seeing is an utterly rusted frame,  mangled and twisted, with the very backbone languishing in administrative impotence.}

^{— Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar}

MYSTERY RAPE CASES IN GOA!
WHEN British teenager Scarlett Keeling’s body was found on Anjuna shore in a semi-nude state in February 2008, hell broke loose with the national media raising a hue and cry just because the victim was a foreigner. Here, a Goan girl,who is dropped at Guirim by her father, is mysteriously found dead on Calangute beach and there is not even a whimper.
Whether it is a murder and rape or just murder or maybe there was no murder, Goans need answers. The cops are duty-bound to find out how the girl reached Calangute and how did she get into a state which has her family distressed. The police can close the case – but not before they explain to Goans what exactly happened. Women are not feeling safe anymore.
—Franky Gracias, Goa

75 years of Independence
Ever since the famous Tryst with Destiny speech of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, we have come a long way ahead. The dreams of over a billion people over the last seven and half decades have grown to immense proportions. From a developing country to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world to the emergence of a three trillion dollar economy India has progressed by leaps and bounds. Our indices of progress and prosperity have catapulted far beyond expectations.
The diversity in terms of culture, race, religion, the creed has not prevented us to bring the true realization of the concept of ‘Vasudev kutumakam’ to the fore. The realization of the dreams of many citizens to be self-sufficient has proved to be true as the evil of poverty is slowly on the decline as compared to the earlier times. The immense possession of vast human resources including both skilled and semi-skilled manpower has made our country the envy of the world’s leading software giants to set up their units in the country. The switch from the erstwhile planning commission to NITI AAYOG has also resulted in making our economy grow. The Goods and services tax regime has resulted in streamlining our taxation to a great measure.
License Raj permit quota has been abolished giving way to a much robust system with greater transparency levels. The banking sector too has seen reforms by an amalgamation of leading public sector banks to create a level playing field. The rise in the number of assesses of personal income tax and the opening of nearly four crores of Jan Dhan accounts have had an impact on the citizens in the country, especially the poor and marginal classes.
The social sector has been well cared for with the introduction of many new welfare schemes catering to the well-being of every section of society. This has resulted in a feel-good factor for one and all.
The 21st century is seen as the Asia century. Our scientists and researchers have come forward with indigenous vaccines to herald the dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Even the state of Goa in its 60th year of liberation is on the path of Swayampurna Goa, launched by Hon Chief minister on Gandhi Jayanti last year. Coupled with the rising indices on all fronts it is time for all Indians to take a vow on this auspicious occasion to CHARTER a road map of progress and prosperity to be celebrating the centenary in twenty-five years by following the dreams of our forefathers and freedom fighters to work on the principle of ‘Antodaya’ to reach out to the last man in our villages to herald a progressive revolution in the country to be a leader of nations in the world community.
—Naguesh S Sardessai, Panaji