Alliance set to cross 200 seats, Mahagathbandhan decimated Patna/New Delhi: The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) decimated the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar on Friday to retain power reaffirming Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity and Chief Minister Nitish Kumars enduring appeal and dealing a body blow to the Congress and ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The massive []

Panaji: The crime branch police probing the inter-state spurious liquor smuggling racket has arrested the alleged masterminds, Kursingh Rajput (42), Bharat Singh Rathore (25), both natives of Rajasthan, and Munaf Shaikh (42), a native of Sawantwadi, Maharashtra. Last week, the police had busted the racket, which led to the arrest of four labourers and seizure []

Panaji: In fresh allegations made in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam, one of the main accused, Pooja Naik, on Friday named Power Minister Ramakrishna Sudin Dhavalikar, an IAS officer and a PWD officer, claiming that the irregularities took place during the period when she was working at the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) office. Naik made []

Panaji: Outrightly refuting the claim made by Pooja Naik that she was working in his office, Power Minister and senior Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) leader Ramakrishna Sudin Dhavalikar on Friday said the finance department records could be verified for his staff list. She was not working in my office. All of my staff is being []

PTI | New Delhi A medical college professor and a cardiology student, both from Jammu and Kashmir, were detained in Uttar Pradesh in connection with the Delhi blast even as investigators said more attacks were planned in four cities across the country by an interstate white-collar terror module. The government on Thursday ordered a forensic []

PTI | Chandigarh The Punjab police on Thursday unearthed a grenade attack module backed by Pakistans spy agency ISI and arrested 10 people. The accused were in touch with Pakistan-based handlers to carry out a grenade attack to create unrest in Punjab, officials said. Three of the accused, identified as Kuldeep Singh, Shekhar Singh and []

NT Reporter | Panaji The crime branch of the Goa police has doubted the genuineness in the allegations made by one of the key accused in the cash-for-job scam Pooja Naik, who has claimed that two senior government servants are involved in the scam. Naik had told the police that the money was handed over []

NT Reporter | Panaji The state government has invited proposals for the Rs 130-crore redevelopment of Sanjivani Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Limited (SSSKL) at Dharbandora under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The project aims to modernise the states only sugar factory with a new crushing capacity of not less than 3,500 tonnes of cane per day []

NT Reporter | Margao Former minister and Scheduled Tribe leader Prakash Velip on Thursday alleged that the state government had issued sanads to forest dwellers granting them only a fraction of the land they have cultivated and possessed for decades. He urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to ensure that these families are allotted the land []

NT Reporter | Margao Senior Scheduled Tribe (ST) leader and former education minister Prakash Velip on Thursday called for the creation of a dedicated political party to represent Goas ST community, which constitutes about 12 per cent of the states population. Such a party is necessary to address the communitys specific demands and ensure effective []

NT Reporter | Curchorem A special cell along with a dedicated squad will be formed to resolve the long-pending issue of demarcation of plots allotted to the displaced farmers of the Salaulim dam within six months. Sanguem MLA and Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai made the announcement while addressing residents during a special function []

NT Reporter | Margao For 27 young cancer survivors, the rhythmic sound of the train rolling down the Konkan coast was more than just a journey it was a celebration of life and resilience. Konkan Railway, in collaboration with Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, turned the trip into an unforgettable experience, arranging a special journey []

NT Reporter | Panaji After years of neglect and abandonment by her own children, Kamala Naik, a woman with a disability from Santa Cruz, has finally received government assistance and basic facilities following the intervention of the Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG). Kamala, who had been living alone in a dilapidated house without an []

Special Correspondent | Panaji Directing the managements of schools in the state to adhere to the directives of the Supreme Court (SC), in view of safety of the students, the Directorate of Education (DoE) has asked the schools to conduct awareness session for the students and staff on preventive behaviour around animals, first-aid in case []

NT Reporter | Panaji Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said there are many opportunities for Goans in tourism, services, manufacturing and medical fields and urged them to make the best of these chances by becoming entrepreneurs. Aiming to push the local youth towards self-employment, Sawant unveiled details of the newly notified Mukhyamantri Swayam Rojgar []

NT Reporter | Vasco Goas Dabolim Airport is set to handle higher passenger volumes and offer enhanced facilities once its terminal expansion project is inaugurated in December. Newly appointed Airport Director Flight Lieutenant Akash Deep said the upgraded terminal will provide world-class amenities and improve the overall passenger experience. Once the expansion (project) is inaugurated, []

NT Reporter | Panaji Goa Police on Wednesday issued an advisory alerting citizens about fake traffic challans being circulated through WhatsApp messages, where fraudsters are using police logos and photos to deceive unsuspecting people. Dont click any links or share details or download any .apk file. Verify challan only on https://echallan.parivahan.gov.in, police posted on its []

NT Reporter | Margao A day after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said there were no plans to increase coal handling in the state, Goyant Kollso Naka on Wednesday accused him of misleading people and challenged him to a public debate to prove the facts. The group, which organised a largely attended public meeting on Sunday, []

Special Correspondent | Panaji Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjay Goel on Wednesday said that the final Special Intensive Revision (SIR) rolls will be published on February 7, adding that the Zilla Panchayat (ZP) election schedule notification is yet to be issued. The SIR roll will be finalised on February 7. Now, the decision rests with []

Special Correspondent| Panaji The state Cabinet on Wednesday approved a one-time scheme granting Employees Provident Fund (EPF) benefits to nearly 7,000 contract workers, effective from 2017. Announcing the decision, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the scheme would place a burden of around Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore on the state treasury. The Cabinet also []

NT Reporter| Pernem For the first time in 30 years, residents of Keri village in Pernem will receive tap water connections, marking the end of decades of dependence on wells for their daily needs. Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar laid the foundation stone for an underground water pipeline project costing Rs 4 crore. The new pipeline []

NT Reporter | Panaji With yet another incident of tourist harassment by taxi drivers going viral on social media, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Wednesday called for an urgent change in the attitude of taxi operators if Goa is to remain a popular travel destination. He said that if taxi drivers do not change their []

NT Reporter | Panaji All India Congress Committee (AICC) media chairman Pawan Khera has demanded that the names of government officials and a minister allegedly named by main accused Pooja Naik in the cash-for-job scam be made public. He also sought their suspension, a judicial commission of inquiry into the scam, and the release of []

PTI | New Delhi/Srinagar The probe into the deadly car blast near the Red Fort was on Tuesday handed over to the premier anti-terror agency NIA as investigators zeroed in on a doctor from Pulwama in south Kashmir with suspected links to an inter-state white collar terror module. Dr Umar Nabi was driving the i20 []

NT Reporter | Panaji The crime branch of the Goa police has sought approval of the state government to investigate two senior officers who have been named in the cash-for-job scam by Pooja Naik, one of the main accused in the scam. A senior police officer said that under Section 17A of the Prevention of []

PTI | New Delhi Exit polls on Tuesday predicted a return of the NDA government in Bihar with a big victory over the Mahagathbandhan, and a disappointing show by Prashant Kishors Jan Suraaj in its debut outing. The Bihar polls were conducted in two phases on November 6 and 11, and the results will be []

NT Reporter | Margao In a shocking land grab case, a woman from Loutolim sold a plot which was allotted to the Electricity Department as her own for a whopping price of Rs 2.40 crore. The woman has now been booked for the fraud by the Fatorda police. The police said that Ashish Rajput, GED []

NT Reporter | Panaji The state has recorded a 15 per cent drop in deaths of two-wheeler riders and pillion riders, and a 12 per cent overall decrease in road accident fatalities in the first ten months of this year compared to the same period last year. According to road accident data from January to []

NT Reporter | Panaji The Goa Animal Federation (GAF) has issued a statement to clarify what it describes as misinterpretations of the Supreme Courts order issued on November 7 regarding the management of community dogs. In a press briefing, GAFs vice-president Prakash Kamat said that Part III of the Supreme Courts order specifically applies to []

NT Reporter | Panaji Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has announced that Goa has been placed on alert following the deadly car blast in Delhi on Monday, emphasising that the move is a precautionary measure aimed at maintaining peace and order. In response to the blast, Goa Police have stepped up security across the state, conducting []

NT Reporter | Panaji Goans travelling to Karnataka via the Khanapur road will soon have to pay toll charges, as the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has approved toll collection on the Khanapur-Goa border stretch of NH-748 in Karnataka.This highway was formerly known as NH-4A. As per the notification issued by the Union []

NT Report | Margao Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Digambar Kamat on Tuesday said that it is mandatory for every household to obtain a sewage connection, warning that failure to comply could lead to penal action, including disconnection of water and electricity connections. The minister said that under the Sewerage and Water Management Act, it []

NT Reporter | Porvorim Goa, once firm favourites to win after dominating the first three days, were stunned by Madhya Pradesh, who chased down 328 for a thrilling three-wicket victory on the final day of their Ranji Trophy Group B encounter at the GCA Academy ground, Porvorim, on Tuesday. Resuming at 21 for one, chasing []

PTI | New Delhi A high-intensity explosion ripped through a slow-moving car at a traffic signal near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, killing at least nine people and gutting several vehicles, officials said. Twenty people were injured in the blast that took place on a busy evening when the area was milling []

NT Reporter | Panaji A day after thousands of Goans gathered in Margao to demand that the state government stop handling of coal at the Mormugao Port and also halt its transportation and related projects in Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said coal handling capacity in the state has not been increased at []

PTI | Patna Security arrangements have been tightened across Bihar for the second and final phase of the assembly elections scheduled on Tuesday, with more than 4 lakh personnel deployed to ensure peaceful polling, officials said. Voting will be held at 45,399 polling stations, including 40,073 in rural areas, across 122 assembly constituencies. According to []

NT Reporter | Panaji Claiming that she had told the police last year about the involvement of two senior government officials in the cash-for-job scam, prime accused Pooja Naik has alleged that the police, however, did nothing in the matter. Speaking to a news channel, Naik said that she has once again provided the names []

NT Reporter | Panaji In a novel move, the state government will, in a fortnight, introduce anywhere registration for both, land and marriage registration in the state. This means that a person from Pernem will be able to register his or her marriage in Canacona sub registrar office. This will be applicable also in case []

NT Reporter | Panaji Admitting that a portion of the Parvat Paroda hillock was damaged during beautification work of the Chandreshwar Bhootnath Temple, the state government assured the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Monday that the damaged area will be restored to its original condition. It also informed the court that, as the []

NT Reporter | Panaji A 10 tonnes-per-day (TPD) Gasification Technology-based Waste Treatment Plant will be set up at Sonsoddo, Margao, as part of efforts to introduce sustainable waste management solutions. Installation of the plant is expected to be completed by late 2025 or early 2026. A tripartite agreement for the project was signed between the []

NT Reporter | Panaji Giving sustainable waste management a fillip, the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) is converting 350 kg of wet waste to biogas, which is supplied free of cost to institutions such as the polytechnic and KTC canteens. The corporation has also implemented composting projects. Biogas plants have been set up []

NT Reporter | Margao Minister for Animal Husbandry Nilkant Halarnkar said on Monday that the state would implement the Supreme Courts directions on the relocation of stray dogs. Speaking after inaugurating the Rs 6-crore veterinary hospital at Sonsoddo, Halarnkar said, The Chief Secretary has been entrusted with the implementation of the order, and the stray []

NT Reporter | Panaji Eighty-four people have been detected with pre-cancerous conditions through a special mobile cancer screening initiative launched by the Goa Medical College (GMC). These early detections helped prevent the progression of the disease in these persons, offering new hope in the states healthcare. All 84 were treated in time. Eighteen more patients []

NT Reporter | Panaji Panaji woke up to an unusually cool morning on Monday as the minimum temperature dipped to 20.6C, 2.4 degrees below the normal, marking the seasons lowest so far. Data from IMDs Mormugao observatory showed a minimum temperature of 23C, 1.2C below normal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed this fall to []

Special Correspondent | Panaji Shree VidyadheeshTeerth Swami, the head of the Shree SansthanGokarnPartagaliJeevottam Math, in Canacona, inaugurated the Shree Veer Vitthal templein the newly renovated Math premises on Monday, during the auspicious Makara Lagna and MithunaNavamsa. Shree VidyadheeshTeerth Swami performed the first madhyana poojamidday worshipof the newly installed deity, in the temple, on the occasion. []

NT Reporter| Panaji Goa has received the Svayam Award for the Most Accessible State at the first-ever National Accessibility Summit held in Delhi. The Svayam Awards recognise organisations contributing to building an accessible ecosystem for persons with disabilities and those with reduced mobility. Now in its fourth edition, this is the first time a state []

NT Reporter | Panaji The 56th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will open with a 26-float float parade, on November 20,while for the very first time the inauguration will be held outdoors at an open venue at the Old GMC complex in Panaji. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced the decision on []

NT Reporter | Mapusa A joint inspection was conducted on Monday evening to verify the compliance report submitted by the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) in response to the final notice issued over the unhygienic conditions at the fish market. While MMC claimed that around 70-80 percent compliance, health officials said that total compliance was yet []

PTI Dehradun Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised the Uttarakhand governments bold initiatives on demographic change, uniform civil code (UCC) and checking illegal religious conversion, suggesting other states should emulate them. The seriousness with which the Dhami government implemented the UCC is an example for other states. The state government has adopted bold policies []

NT Reporter | Mapusa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday directed the police to conduct a fresh investigation into the cash-for-job scam following an allegation made by prime accused Pooja Naik that a minister, an IAS officer and a PWD engineer were involved in the Rs 17 crore recruitment racket. Asking police to register a []