Panaji, August 12, 2014 …. Preparations are in full swing in Goa to celebrate the Independence Day on August  15, 2014. To mark the Independence Day Celebration various programmes will be held in the State. The main State level  function will be held infront of Old  Secretariat, Panaji at 9:15 a.m.  where  Chief Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar  will unfurl the national Tri-Colour,  inspect  the guard of honour and address  the people. He will also present  awards to those who have contributed  and excelled in different fields. On his arrival at the venue the Chief Minister will be received by Minister for Health Shri Laximikant Parsekar, Chief Secretary Shri B. Vijayan and Shri T.N. Mohan, Director General  of Police.

The Independence Day Celebration  will also  be attended  by Dy. Chief Minister Shri Francis D’ Souza, Speaker Shri Rajendra Arlekar, Cabinet  Ministers, Leader of Opposition Shri Pratapsingh Rane, Dy. Speaker Shri Anant Shet, MPs, MLAs, Judges of High Court and other dignitaries.

As part of the Celebration the Raj Bhavan, Dona Paula, Old Secretariat Building and Directorate of Accounts Building at Panaji and New Secretariat at Porvorim will be illuminated on  the nights of August 14 and 15, 2014. The Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs will organize Prabhat Pheries  on August 15, 2014 involving children and citizens. It will also organize cycle  races and marathon  races after the function for children and citizens. Governor of Goa  Shri Om Prakash Kohli will host  a State Reception at Raj Bhavan at 1:00 p.m. on August 15, 2014.

Several programmes  have also been planned to celebrate Independence Day at District and taluka level. The  flag hoisting  ceremony at Margao will be performed by Minister for Labour and Employment, Fisheries Shri Avertano Furtado at 9:15 a.m. infront of the South Goa Collectorate Building Margao (Mathany Saldanha Administrative Complex).

The flag hoisting ceremony at Ponda would be performed by Minister for Public Works, Transport and River Navigation Shri Ramkrishna alias Sudin Dhavalikar at 9:15 a.m.  at Kranti Maidan, Ponda.  Minister for Power Shri Milind Naik will hoist national flag at Tilak Maidan, Vasco at 9:15 a.m.

The Independence Day function in Mapusa, Quepem, Bicholim, Pernem, Canacona, Dharbandora, Valpoi and Sanguem  will be organized by respective Sub-Divisional Officers(Dy. Collector/Mamlatdars).

A function will also be held at the Martyr’s Memorial at Patradevi  at 11:30 a.m. on  August 15, 2014 where the Chief Minister will lay wreath at the Marty’s Memorial.

Besides the Chief Minister  the function will be attended by Speaker Shri Rajendra Arlekar, Minister for Health Shri Laximikant Parsekar, Shri Shyam Sundar Nagvekar, President of Goa, Daman  and Diu Freedom Fighters Association Panaji, Shri Chandrakant Kenkre, President of Freedom Fighters Association Goa, Ponda who will lay wreaths at  Marty’s Memorial and address the people on the occasion.

12/08/2014 … Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today addressed officers, soldiers and air warriors of the Indian Army and Air Force at Leh. He condemned the continuing proxy war by Pakistan. He said that the neighbouring country has lost the strength to fight a conventional war, but continues to engage in the proxy war of terrorism. The Prime Minister said the Indian Armed Forces are suffering more casualties from terrorism than from war. He said this is a global problem and all humanitarian forces of the world should unite to fight it. India is committed to strengthening and uniting these humanitarian forces.

The Prime Minister said India is committed to strong armed forces, well-equipped with modern arms and technology. He said that the jawaans should be assured that the entire country supports them. In an emotional vein, Shri Narendra Modi said soldiers remain undeterred in spite of the many negatives and struggles that their families face in day-to-day life. The Prime Minister said that this energy and sense of duty inspires him and therefore, he keeps visiting jawaans on the border to seek inspiration.

The Prime Minister said that our armed forces deployed in border areas are well-connected with the people who live there. He highlighted the example of the Kargil infiltrations, about which the first information was given to our armed forces by a shepherd named Tashi Namgyal.

The Prime Minister mentioned provisions made in the recent Union Budget towards the modernization and welfare of the armed forces, including ‘One Rank One Pension’. He also promised that the National War Memorial would be built and would inspire future generations of India. He said that the government is committed to make India self-reliant in defence manufacturing.

Later, writing in the Visitor’s Book at Leh Auditorium, Shri Narendra Modi said that peace and security is a pre-requisite for development. The Prime Minister also interacted with jawaans.

The Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Shri NN Vohra, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Shri Omar Abdullah, the MoS (I/C) for Power Shri Piyush Goyal, the National Security Adviser Shri Ajit Doval, and the Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh were present on the occasion.

August 11, 2014 …. The 19th meeting of Rajya Sainik Board was held on  under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Shri B. Vijayan at Secretariat, Porvorim today. The meeting discussed several issues pertaining to the welfare of retired personnel in the force including army, air force and navy and with due consideration to widows, their dependants and serving soldiers’ families of the state of Goa.

The meeting also discussed resumption of land for agricultural purpose, exemption of VAT on home appliances, motor vehicles and other items for defence personnel, serving as well as retired.

Mobiilisationof funds. Release of souvenir, Presentation of trophies during armed forces flag day, Achieveers awards, Advertisements through local radio and news channels,  Blood donation camp and others issues were discussed.

As regards  patriotic song during the AFFD function, the same of well know singer  Samiksha Bhobe Kakodkar was proposed and approved by the board for  this year’s flag day function at Raj Bhavan.

The meeting was attended by Station Commander 2STC Brig. Harvijay Singh, Commander Indirijit Singh, HQ Goa naval Area, Vasco, Shri Arun Dessai , Director Transport, Shri Menino D’Souza, Comissioner of Excise, Shri J. B.. Bhingui, Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Panaji, Additional Collector North Goa Shri Swapnil Naik, Additional Colelctor South Goa Shri D. S. Morajkar, Director of Education Shri Anil Powar. Superintendent of Police (H.Q) Shri Vishram Borkar,  Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, Shri Yeshwant Tawade, DFES Shri A. Menon and others attended the meeting.

Secretary of the Department of Sainik Welfare Major Venugopal Nair  gave a presentation about the welfare projects and programmes concerning the Ex-servicemen and the and the issues pertaining to  them.

The 5^th executive Committee meeting of Special fund for reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Ex-Servicemen was also held in the conference of Chief Secretary at Secretariat today which was Chaired by Chief Secretary Shri B. Vijayan.

The meeting was attended by Station Commander 2STC Brig. Harvijay Singh, Additional Collector North Goa Shri Swapnil Naik, Additional Collector South Goa Shri D. S. Morajkar, Commander Anup P. Keny (Retd.), Lt. Col. K. F.D’Lima (Retd.) and others.

Matters lie financial assistance and handicapped grant to the old inform non pensioner Ex-servicemen/widows and  the handicapped wards of ex-servicemen/widows having 40 percent disability, financial assistance, Scholarship and Special Scholarship cases, Medical Reimbursement and other issues were discussed at the meeting.

Secretary of the Department of Sainik Welfare Major Venugopal Nair  gave a presentation.

Dated: August 11, 2014 … The Goa State Horticulture Corporation Ltd. organized taluka level local Vegetable producer’s Award Day and launched Local Vegetable Production Campaign 2014-15 at Institute Menezes Braganza Hall, Panaji on Saturday.

Shri Vishnu Surya Wagh, MLA, Shri Kiran Kandolkar, MLA and Chairman of Goa State Horticulture Corporation Ltd, Shri Rajan Naik, MLA, Shri Orlando Rodrigues Director of Agriculture Department were present on the occasion.

Shri Subhash Naik, Shri Demu Gaonkar, Shri Vithoba Ghadi, Shri Subhash Malik, Shri Borges, Shri Santosh Gaonkar, Shri Mohan Gaonkar and Arun Bhandare member from Board of Directors graced the occasion.

Various awards and individual prizes were given to the farmers on the occasion at the hands of dignitaries.

Zonal Agriculture Office,  Bardez taluka, Aldona Panchayat, Gaodongri Farmers Society, Cancona and Miracle High School from Sanguem were given Awards for their farming efforts in their respective areas.

In individual category a successful Farmers from different talukas were felicitated at the hands of Chief Guest. Pernem taluka – Shri Sakharam Kalangutkar, Shri Subhash Parab and Namdev Malik. Mapusa taluka – Ujwala Mandrekar, Premanand Kerkar and Sadanand Naik. Valpoi – Smt. Anuradha Kerkar, Chandrakant Mankar and Lucindo Faria. Tiswadi – Shri Urbano Gomes, Bhiku Dhulapkar and Sugandha Kundaikar, Ponda – Shri Bhavani Patil, Gajanand Kuttikar and Sadanand Gaude. Bicholim – Sadanand Naik and Vithu Gawas. Cansaulim – Domingo D’Costa, Jose Jusus Abarances and Jose Vaz. Margao – Joseph Teles, Judas Quadros and Fr. Mario Souza. Quepem – Janu Velip, Shivshankar Self Help Group and Mahadev Self Help Group. Dharbandora – Jayant Gaonkar, Balasati S. H.G. Kirlapal Dabhal and Laxmi S. H.G. Kirlapal Dabhal. Sanguem – Prasad Tanshikar, Navnath Velip and Rekha Amolkar and from Cancona – Prabhat Naik, Rekha Naik and Krishna Gaonkar.

Addressing the Farmers meet the Chief Guest Shri Wagh Said, the scheme of the Goa State Horticulture Development Corporation (GSHDC) which is meant to develop infrastructure for vegetable and flower cultivation in Goa has boosted vegetable farming in the state of Goa in a big way.  He complimented the work of Horticulture Corporation and appealed to the farmers to take advantage of various schemes offered by the state Government in the field of Agriculture.

Shri Kiran Kandolkar who spoke on the occasion, said that the State Government is offering various facilities and incentives to the farmers to boost farming yield. He said, this includes distribution of various varieties of seeds and fertilizers free of cost and subsidy is also being extended to them.

Panaji, August 11, 2014 … Chief Minister, Shri Manohar Parrikar will unveil the Statue of Late Shri D. B. Bandodkar, the first Chief Minister of Goa, Daman and Diu at Secretariat Complex, Porvorim, at 9:30 am on August 12, 2014.

The statue of Late Bandodakar will be unveiled on the occasion  of Death Anniversary of late Shri D.B. Bandodkar which will be observed on Tuesday August 12, 2014.

On the occasion, Chief Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar alongwith Cabinet Ministers will place garlands/flowers on the Samadhi of late  Shri D.B. Bandodkar  and pay their homage at Miramar at 8:30 a.m.  followed by garlanding of the statue of late Shri D.B. Bandodkar at Old Secretariat, Panaji at 9:00 a.m.

Panaji ; 11, 2014 … 1400 Grams of Sugar per person will be distributed during the month of August, 2014 to the families of below Poverty Line, Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Annapurna at a price of Rs.13.50 per kg.This includes festival allocation also.

The Fair Price Shop Owners are directed to start lifting the stock of the Sugar immediately and supply the quota of August 2014 to the cardholders immediately. They are also requested to display the sample of the quality of Commodity supplied to the cardholders. The entire quota to the BPL, AAY, and ANP cardholders should be made immediately and the entire quota should be lifted before August 20, 2014.

Respective cardholders are hereby requested to draw their monthly ration quota from their respective Fair Price Shop on or before August 30, 2014 as per their entitlement and sign the register maintained at Fair Price Shop in token of having lifted their quota.

Complaints, if any, in case of non- supply of PDS commodities and the quantity and quality supplied by the Fair Price Shop is not found satisfactory be made to the office of the respective Joint Mamlatdar –I or Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Panaji – Goa.

10/08/2014 …. Shri Rajan Y. Nigalye, Police Inspector, Anti Corruption Branch, Directorate of Vigilance, Serra Building, Altinho Panaji Goa based on Preliminary Enquiry lodged complaint against Shri. Kamlakar D. Harlarnkar, Chief Officer of Pernem Municipal Council, Pernem & Shri. Madan Shenvi Desai, Upper Division Clerk of Pernem Municipal Council, Pernem

 Pursuant to the above complaint, ACB/Vigilance P.S. registered Crime No. 14/2014 dated 08/08/2014 against accused No.1 Shri. Kamalakar Halarnkar, Chief Officer, PMC, Pernem, Public Servant in exercise of his official function on 15/03/2013 afternoon demanded and accepted gratification of Rs. 700/- from Shri. Mahesh Pednekar r/o Malpe Pernem for doing official act of issuing NOC to start his business of Photo Studio on 1^st floor of Shivanand Complex Building at Pernem and accused No.2 Shri. Madan Shenvi Desai, Upper Division Clerk of Pernem Municipal Council, Pernem, also Public Servant in exercise of his official function abetted for conveying the demand of illegal gratification on behalf of accused No. 1 for doing the same official act with respect to issue of NOC to Shri. Mahesh Pednekar.   

 Hence, Accused No.1. Shri. Kamlakar D. Halarnkar committed offence punishable U/s 7 r/w 13 (1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and Accused No.2 Shri Madan S. Desai, committed offence punishable U/s 7 r/w 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 against