The Navhind Times

Govt plans to develop Gopakapattana port in Goa Velha Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said that the original site of the Shri Saptakoteshwar temple at Divar will be revived after nearly 450 years as part of the Koti Tirtha Corridor Development Project, and the restoration would be completed within a year. The project []

Power Minister cites summer heat Panaji: Amid widespread public concern over unusually high electricity bills, the electricity department has revealed that it received 2,469 complaints regarding incorrect billing from consumers between April 1 and the present date this accounting year. Of the total complaints received this year, 1,278 were for incorrect billing, 606 for high []

Panaji: Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah will arrive in Goa on Saturday evening on a two-day visit. He will inaugurate and name the new Bharatiya Janata Party state headquarters located on the Old Goa bypass on September 6 at 4 pm, after which he is expected to interact with the state BJP leadership. []

Vasco: A 37-year-old motorcycle rider was killed on Friday afternoon after a high-end car allegedly collided with his two-wheeler and dragged it for nearly a kilometre before both the vehicles caught fire at Upasnagar, Sancoale. According to sources, the accident occurred around 2.15 pm when the car, approaching from an internal road in Upasnagar, collided []

Kyiv: Russian attacks overnight killed at least three people in Ukraine, local officials said Friday, after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said US envoys are expected to visit Kyiv within the coming days as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war. The air war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified as the conflict stretches into []

Access to justice should not remain a mere chimera New Delhi: In a bid to ensure that the attrition of the experienced judicial talent stops and access to justice does not remain a mere chimera, the Supreme Court has directed seven states to raise retirement age of judicial officers from 60 to 62 years. A []

Panaji: Motorists can expect traffic restrictions and diversions on key routes from September 5 to 7 as Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits Goa to attend the Western Zonal Council meeting and other programmes, including the presentation of the Presidents Colour to the Goa Police. According to the Traffic Police advisory, restrictions on September 5 []

India must cater to the food requirements of a large population with rising incomes and changing dietary preferences, simultaneously reducing its dependence on imported fossil fuels Indias push towards ethanol is being presented as an important step towards energy security. This is easily understandable since we import a large part of the crude oil we []

A leaking roof, a broken toilet or a poorly maintained classroom are among the visible problems found in schools. But the larger question is whether Goas schools are preparing children to think critically and compete in a changing world and what its education system is achieving in that regard. The debate, therefore, extends beyond individual []

EDITORIAL CMs composure carries government agenda through 3-day Assembly session Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday night told the House that his government is focusing on futuristic development, and that this is reflected in his Goa Budget. He referred to the infrastructural development Goa has witnessed since 2014 all with the support of the []

NT Reporter Margao Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday said that the concept of One Nation, One Election cannot currently be implemented in the country, as it is not stipulated in the Constitution of India. The CEC was interacting with students at the Ravindra Bhavan in Margao, providing a platform for the participants []

NT Reporter Panaji The state government will launch the Goa Ujwala Yojana on September 5, providing the equivalent cost of three domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders annually through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the LPG and piped natural gas (PNG) consumers in the state. The scheme will have no income limit. Coming out with []

Amresh Parab Panaji Senior citizens falling prey to cyberfrauds is on the rise in Goa, with 71 elderly residents losing over Rs 39 crore since 2023. The most common among these cyberfrauds is the digital arrest scam, through which cybercriminals have siphoned off large sums of money, followed by online investment scams. Referring to the []

NT Reporter Panaji The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed authorities to place before it the 2025 census data on street dogs in Goa bySeptember 8. The High Court issued the direction while hearing a suo motu writ petition on the stray dog issue, along with an application filed by the Goa Animal []

NT Reporter Panaji The Goa Animal Federation (GAF) claimed that the actual number of stray dog bite and scratch cases in the state could be around 120 this year, rather than the 12,021 animal bite cases reported in the Assembly, stating that the official figure does not represent individual stray dogbite cases. GAF president and []

NT Reporter Ponda Sancordem Panchayat has raised 47 objections and demands over the proposed notification declaring parts of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), with the concerns placed before the gram sabha on Sunday. Following the discussion, sarpanch Sanjana Narvekar and Zilla Panchayat member Rupesh Desai decided to meet Chief Minister Pramod []

NT Reporter Panaji Twenty-four persons have lost their lives in fatal road accidents along the national highway between Bambolim and Agassaim since 2024. The data was provided in a written reply in the Assembly. St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar asked whetherthe government proposed to implement a comprehensive safety audit of the NH-66 stretch from Bambolim []

Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday stated in the Assembly that the state would make no compromise on the ongoing Mhadei river diversion dispute and would not withdraw its legal challenges under any circumstances. Sawants statement came in response to Opposition concerns over the Mhadei dispute and recent remarks by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. []

With just a week remaining before the grand six-lane Porvorim flyover is officially inaugurated on September 9, the infrastructural marvel was bathed in luminous brilliance on Wednesday, transforming the structure into a visual spectacle. |Atish Naik

Chief Minister defends electricity charges Panaji: A heated debate broke out in the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday over power tariffs and smart meters, leading the Opposition MLAs to storm the Well of the House twice as they demanded relief from the surging electricity bills and urged that smart meters remain optional for consumers. Making []

Sub-inspector shifted over dispute in restaurant Panaji: Goa police on Wednesday initiated departmental action against newly recruited Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Viraj Sawant, attached to the Porvorim police station, for reportedly misbehaving with restaurant staff during a dispute over food bill. The incident occurred at an establishment in Porvorim, prompting a complaint to be filed at []

Panaji: The state government will acquire around 2 lakh square metres of Goa University land on the Taleigao plateau to develop a common campus for five colleges, with the new Goa College of Pharmacy and Goa College of Architecture targeted for completion by next year, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday. Replying to the []

Govt taking steps to bring number of villages down to 98: Satheesan Thiruvananthapuram: Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Wednesday said the state government had sought to limit the proposed ESA in the Western Ghats to 8,590 sq km across 98 villages. Addressing a press conference here, Satheesan said there was no need for concern []

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday ordered a CBI probe into the death of Disha Salian, former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, and pulled up the Mumbai Police for failing to register an FIR for six years, observing that their probe raises more questions than answers. A division bench of Justices Sarang []

New Delhi: Global temperature rise is set to cross the 1.5-C threshold, likely within the next few years, intensifying extreme weather, ecosystem loss and submersion of small island developing nations, according to a new UN report released on Wednesday. The report, Limiting Overshoot, released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) emphasised the need for immediate []

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday alleged that the SIR being carried out by the Election Commission is an exercise aimed at helping the BJP win elections and urged the Supreme Court to stop the bulk deletions taking place under it. The former Union minister also alleged that the Special Intensive Revision []

From observing wetlands to designing for their recovery, Biopod+Co. brings its approach to Goa VINIKA VISWAMBHARAN What if the wetlands around us were not just landscapes to protect, but systems we could learn from? That question lies at the heart of Biopod+Co.s Designing with Nature, an exhibition at Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts, Altinho, []

A look at the Goa model and the road ahead Dr. Manorama Bakshi & Dr. Arjun Kumar Indias health protection landscape has gradually moved from fragmented, state-specific insurance arrangements towards broader public assurance systems. Within this shift, Goa offers a distinctive model. Goas health assurance question The Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY) was introduced []

The Rakshas Battle of the Bands 2026 was held on August 15 at Emerald Lawns, Parra with 10 bands competing for the top spots. Organised by Slipdisc Advertising and Events, the event brought together musicians from different styles and generations. Chief guest Daniel Lobo attended the event. The competing bands were Roar Engine, Collision Course, []

The state must fast-track the agriculture policy to stop coconut output decline Coconuts are an integral part of Goas cultural, economic and ecological fabric. The fruit forms the foundation of the states culinary traditions and religious rituals. Economically, it drives various small-scale industries such as the production of coconut oil, coir, copra, jaggery, yeast, and []

Just a few days after Pune, I was in Goa, which will go to the polls early next year. I saw there the familiar Congress problem: A party fighting itself rather than its principal opponent A fortnight ago, I was in Pune. And something rather unusual caught my eye. From hoardings to lampposts, from signboards []

Posts of cardiologist, nephrologists, neurologist filled at south district hosp: Rane Margao: A majority of referrals from Primary Health Centres (PHCs) go to South Goa District Hospital (SGDH) and Goa Medical College (GMC), the government said on Tuesday. Information provided during the ongoing Assembly session stated that SGDH received 6,996 referrals from PHCs last year []

Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the government would work with private entities, departments and MLAs to expand market opportunities for products made by self-help groups (SHGs), instead of limiting their sales to local festivals and events. Speaking during a calling-attention discussion moved by Siolim BJP MLA Delilah Lobo on monitoring the functioning, activities and []

Panaji: Recovery notices issued to mining companies in the state received poor response with a whopping Rs 257.9 crore of the dues remaining unpaid, the government said in the legislative assembly on Tuesday. The chartered accountant (CA) audit report on illegal mining had estimated Rs 319.5 crore, to be recouped from mining companies, of which []

Four other occupants sustain serious injuries Ponda: A group of five youths returning home in a car after a business-related trip to Maharashtra met with an accident barely 500 metres from their destination, leaving one dead and four others seriously injured in the early hours of Sunday. The accident occurred around 1 am on the []

Panaji: A warning message communicated to Shrinivas Nayak, director of Majestic Pride Group, over a month ago turned out to be true last Friday night when two assailants fired multiple bullets at him, sources told The Navhind Times. Luckily, Nayak escaped unhurt. The Majestic Pride Group runs onshore and offshore casinos in the state. While []

Goa does not require melting glaciers to produce catastrophic floods; extreme rainfall, sediment mobilisation, unstable slopes, and densely occupied floodplains would be sufficient The catastrophic Nepal flood of August 26, 2026, carries an important warning for Goa, provided we understand the comparison correctly. Goa has no glaciers, permafrost, or snow-fed Himalayan rivers. Nepals disaster originated []

The Mango House, Merces, a design-led non-profit enterprise creates livelihood for local women by providing training and upskilling for traditional skills like crochet, writes Shahin Bepari Lambe The Mango House, a Panaji-based enterprise working towards women empowerment is creating income opportunities for local women by combining traditional Goan craft skills with entrepreneurship. The handcrafts products []

LIC Housing Finance, Canara Bank and Union Bank of India have opposed Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandras repayment plan in his personal insolvency case and will challenge its approval by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) before an appellate tribunal. The three organizations said they collectively accounted for 8.45 percent of the voting share in []

Prof. DM Deshpande The Parliamentary Committee on Health and Family Welfare submitted its 176th Report to Parliament recently. The title of the report, Affordability and Accessibility of Healthcare Facilities in Public and Private Sector, aptly highlights the twin problems faced by patients in India. Private healthcare facilities are expensive, especially when per capita incomes are []

V B Prabhu Verlekar Q. A Goa political leader reportedly visited London at the invitation of a Goa-for-Goans Association registered in the UK. The association reportedly collected 10,000 through donations from foreign citizens as well as NRIs to support the forthcoming Goa Assembly elections. Can such funds legally be used for election purposes in Goa []

They edge past Damodar HSS Gudi-Paroda via penalties in final Bambolim: Vasantrao Dempo Higher Secondary School, Cujira, were crowned state champions in the U-17 Boys Subroto Mukherjee Cup after edging Damodar Higher Secondary School, Gudi-Paroda, 4-2 on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw at Atal Stadium on National Sports Day. Damodar made a flying start []

Eva stars as Fatorda side outplays St Marys HS Mapusa in final Panaji: Don Bosco Sports Academy, Fatorda recovered from an early deficit to beat St. Marys Girls High School, Mapusa 23-15 and lift the girls title at the Group Priority State Sub Junior Basketball Championship 2026 at Don Bosco Oratory, Panjim. St. Marys made []

Gawalis men eye winning start in AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers Tashkent: India will begin their AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 qualifying campaign against Syria at the Dostlik Stadium here on Monday. India are in Group B alongside hosts Uzbekistan and Bangladesh, with only the group winners and seven best runners-up across the eight []

AP Washington President Donald Trump arrives at an awkward moment for his presidency on Friday as the US-Israel war against Iran reaches the six-month mark, a notable milestone for a conflict that the Republican leader repeatedly assured Americans would be a little excursion lasting a matterof weeks. The war isnt over, though Trump claims that []

PTI Beijing Chinese officials on Friday said more than 1,000 people, including 555 tourists, have been evacuated from Gyirong County near the Tibet-Nepal border after devastating flash floods that caused heavy casualties. The flash floods struck Gyirong Port in the Tibet Autonomous Region on Wednesday, sweeping through villages and towns near the China-Nepal border area. []

AP Washington As rescue teams searched Thursday for missing people following catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-China border, Earth scientists reviewed satellite imagery for clues to the cause and assessed the devastation. The flooding killed hundreds of people in Nepal and Tibet on Wednesday. Many more are still missing, including scores of foreigners and pilgrims. Geomorphologists []

PTI Patna Parts of Bihar faced the threat of a deluge as water levels in the Ganga, Gandak, Kosi and Burhi Gandak rivers showed a rising trend following the devastating flash floods and rains in neighbouring Nepal. A senior official here said that excess water brought in by the flash floods has caused the Gandak []

PTI Bengaluru For the second time in two years, Karnataka minister B Nagendra resigned from the state cabinet on Friday amid the opposition heat over his alleged involvement in the Rs 89 crore Valmiki Corporation scam. His move came hours after Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who re-induced the Ballary rural MLA in a cabinet []

PTI Thane/Mumbai Five Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were suspended after 3,400 enumeration forms related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls were found at a photocopy shop in Navi Mumbai, triggering a clash between Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP activists, police and district officials said. The Sena (UBT) workers confronted a man, who []