Panaji: July, 2015 …. The Directorate of Art and Culture will honour 12 eminent personalities in the field of Art and Culture by conferring the prestigious ‘Goa State Culture Award’ for their contribution and achievements in their respective art forms like Music, Drama/Tiatr, Folk Art, Bhajan, Kirtan, Craft, Literature, Painting etc. The awards are for the year 2014-15.

These awardees have set an example to the youth of Goa and are encouraging them by dedicating their life for promotion and preservation of Arts and Culture of the State.

The recipients of ‘Goa State Culture Award 2014-15are Shri Avdhut Kamat, Theatre –Drama, Ponda taluka, Smt Ujwala Tarcar, Theatre -Drama, Tiswadi taluka , Dr. Pradeep Borkar,Theatre -Drama, Mormugao taluka , Shri Joe Rose, Theatre -Tiatr, Bardez taluka, Smt Rita Rose, Theatre -Tiatr, Bardez taluka ,Shri Dililp Borkar, Literature, Tiswadi taluka, Shri Gurunath V. Naik, Literature, Tiswadi taluka, Shri Rajendra Singbal, Music (Indian), Bardez taluka, Smt Leopoldina Figueiredo Music (Western), Salcete taluka, Shri Radhakrishna V. Shetye, Bhajan , Mormugao taluka, Shri Shiva A. Tamankar, Bhajan, Bardez taluka and Shri Maendra Alvares, Fine Art/ Craft, Salcete taluka.

The awards comprises of a cash purse of Rs. 50,000/- each, a certificate, shrifal , Nataraj Replica and shawl.

Government also honors one Best Cultural Institution every year working in the field of Art and Culture and for the year 2014-15 the award will be conferred on Goa Cultural and Social Centre, Panaji-Goa. The award consists of a Memento and cash purse of Rs. 1.00 lakh .

The Goa State Cultural Awards for individuals and Best Cultural Institution will be presented to the awardees at a special function to be organized by the department shortly.

Panaji: July, 2015 …. The District Magistrate, North Goa District, has notified for the construction of two bus stops near St. Peter’s Church at Bainguinim, Old Goa just after the CCP Yard at Bainguinim on the Panaji-Old Goa road after the “T” intersection road leading towards Real factory in the jurisdiction of Village Panchayat Se Old Goa in Tiswadi Taluka.

Panaji: July, 2015 …. The District Magistrate North Goa has notified the places as “Pay Parking” at Campal area within the jurisdiction of the Corporation of the City of Panaji.

Pay Parking locations notified are Nr. Rui House, Nr. Dr. Lily House, Nr. Margot House, Nr. Garden, Nr. Tony & Ricardo House, Nr. Directorate of Health Services, Nr. Ted Mesquita House, Nr. Tereza House, Nr. Zizinia House, Nr. Popley House, Nr. Joe Mathias House, Nr. Derrick & Wendyll House, Nr. Agencia Sequeira, Nr. Agnelo Pinto House, Nr. Military Hospital, Nr. Bossuet House, Nr. Hotel Campal , Nr. Armando Gonsalves House, Nr. Peregrine and Nr. Assistencia.

The District Magistrate North also instructed the Commissioner, Corporation of the City of Panaji to erect necessary traffic sign boards at the places indicated above in order to regulate the motor vehicular traffic.

Panaji: July, 2015 …. The District Magistrate, North has ordered the construction of “Speed Breaker” and “Height Barrier” near Arch of Viceroy.

The speed breakers be constructed at the distance of about 05 meters on either side of the Arch in the jurisdiction of Village Panchayat Se Old Goa in Tiswadi Taluka.

The erection of cautionary sign boards “Speed Breaker Ahead” at about 40 mts on either side of the speed breaker in advance of the speed breaker & “Height Barrier” at the start point of the road passing through Arch and erect traffic sign board showing the sign “Speed Breaker” & Height Barrier” at the placement of the speed breaker and height barrier in order to regulate the motor vehicular traffic.

Panaji: July, 2015 … 38 Indian Diaspora Youth in the age group of 18 to 26 years who were on a five days visit to Goa under the 33rd know India Programme recently met Chief Minister shri Laxmikant Parsekar, Dy. Chief Minister Shri Francisco D’Souza , Minister for Fisheries Shri Avertaino Furtado , Dy. Speaker Shri Anant Shet and Commissioner for NRI Affairs Dr. Wilfred Mesquita at Assembly Complex at Porvorim.

Out of the total 38 participants eight are from FIJI, three from France, fifteen from South Africa, four each from Trinidad and Tobago and Myanmar, two from Malaysia and one each from Singapore and Indonesia. The participants will leave Goa on July 16, 2015.

The Government of India, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) , New Delhi has been organizing the Know India Programme to youth who have distinguished themselves in different fields having abiding interest in India so as to create awareness amongst the Indian Diaspora Youth about the phenomenal economic transformation taking place in India and the country’s progress in the areas of culture, heritage, Art and other sectors.

The duration of the programme is 21 days in which the participants are allotted to any State for hosting them for seven days. So for 32 such programmes have been organized in partnership in different States.

This 33rd edition of Know India Programme has been organized from June 29, 2015 to July 19, 2015.

The Chief Minister while interacting with the participants sought suggestions from them for the betterment of the State and its people in various sectors. The Chief Minister also replied to the queries raised by the participants as regard to steps initiated by the State Govt. to generate employment opportunities for the educated unemployed youth of Goa and for the well being of special children of Goa.

He said there are 16 institutions in Goa which cater to the needs of special children. He also informed the youth about the steps taken by the Government to promote skilled development and provide gainful employment to youth.

The Dy. Chief Minister enlightened the youth about Goa’s scenario in various sectors. He also answered the queries of the participants on the closure of Mining activity in Goa. He said Goa has made remarkable progress in the areas of healthcare, literacy, road network, culture, water supply. He said the gender ratio in Goa is 973 females as against 1000 males which is highest in India.

The participants who arrived in Goa on July 10 has so far visited many places of tourist interest in Goa. They also visited Handicraft Emporium at Bicholim and acquainted themselves about Handicraft items and its functioning. The participants were accompanied by Shri U.D. Kamat, Director NRI Affairs and Shri Nilesh Kamat, PA to Commissioner NRI Affairs.

Panaji: July, 2015 …..  Directorate of Art & Culture, recently organized a workshop on “Theatrical Make Up” at Sanskruti Bhavan Panaji. Renowned Make –Up expert Shri Prabhakar Bhave, (Pune) was the Resource Person for workshop. He was assisted by Shri Arvind Surya.

Shri Bhave taught the participants about the rendition of various theatrical make up for different stage characters. He showed his expertise in creating artificial wounds for theatrical performances. Participants also learnt to make different theatrical masks and application of different wigs while enacting roles in drama.

Shri Pradip Talaulikar was the Chief Guest for concluding ceremony. Addressing the gathering, Shri Talaulikar stressed the importance of Make –up among the other elements of theatre and admired the department for organizing such activities for the benefits of local budding artists.

Miss Veda Manerikar and Shri Tulshidas Naik expressed their views. Earlier, the Director of Art & Culture, Shri Prasad Lolayekar greeted the dignitaries and experts with flowers and also presented mementoes. Dy. Director of Art & Culture Shri Ashok Parab proposed the vote of Thanks. The function was anchored by Shri Pradip Naik.
Total 24 persons, working the field of theatre participated in the workshop.

17/07/2015 …. Stating that proper transparency has been maintained during the lottery systems of the ballot Speaker of the goa legislative assembly rajendra arlekar has asked given the state media an open invitation to verify the process of ballot lottery systems which allows questions to state mla’s turn wise in the state assembly session

It may be noted that as the days for the start of monsoon assembly session is near there has been a procedure of ballot lottery systems where in state mla’s are required to put froth their question for a particular assembly session day and later through the lottery systems a concerned mla has to pick up a lot and whoever get a chances number wise is allowed a chance to raise his questions on the floor of the house …….

But not happy with this ballot lottery system three of the independent MLAs namely Vijay Sardesai, Naresh Sawal and Rohan Khaunte had earleir petitioned the Speaker that all the independents be treated as a separate group and be allotted time for demands on the floor of the House separately .

The group through their petition had also stated urged the speaker to desist from videography of the ballot and other related procedure as it showed lack of confidence in them as MLAs as well as the staff of legislative department who have been hitherto functioning in an impartial and unbiased manner …

Speaking to media reporters over the issue speaker of goa legislative assembly Mr arlekar also stated that since there was were specific issue there were certain mla’s who were trying to take cheap publicity with non issues

Mr arlekar said that he was unable to understand as why such issues were raised by certain state mla’s as equal opportunities were given to every mla to raise his issues in the house through a lottery system

Mr arlekar said that the procedure of lottery systems was also recorded too and still then certain mla’s still had a doubt on lottery system too

17/07/2015 …. Even as goa government gears up for the three-week-long state Legislative Assembly session commencing next month speaker Rajendra Arlekar on Thursday said imprisoned legislator mickyp Pacheco could participate in the House proceedings provided the court gives mr pacheco permission to participate in the house.

Pacheco, a Goa Vikas Party legislator, has been convicted for slapping a junior engineer in electricity department and is currently jailed at Sada Sub prison.

Pacheco had resigned from the Cabinet after Supreme Court refused to quash his sentence given by Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao.

goa speaker rajendra Arlekar said there is no ban on Pacheco participating in the session as he is a member of the Legislative Assembly but could do that only after getting permission from court

Mr arlekar said that since mr Pacheco was detained by the court it was up to the court to permit him whether micky could attend the state assembly session or not

Meanwhile social activist advocate aires rodrigues said that mr Pacheco at the moment was a convict and therefore it was up to the court to decide on the concerned issue though the court could allow such decision only in certain cases giving proper reasons