Department of Information

 PANJIM: The Committee set up by the Governing Body of the
 Entertainment Society of Goa met recently in the ESG Board
 Room, Panjim under the chairmanship of Vishnu Wagh.

 Other members who were present were Ms. Anju Timblo, Dr.
 Rufino Monteiro, Tomazinho Cardozo, Francisco Martins, Dean
 D'Cruz, Manguirish Raikar, Vishal Pai Kakode and ESG chief
 executive officer Nikhil Desai.

 Members deliberated on various issues and considered the
 various suggestions -- 72 in all -- which had been received,
 in response to the advertisement given by ESG inviting public
 opinion for adaptive reuse of Old GMC building.

 Members expressed their concern about the existing state of
 the building and recommended that steps be taken to take up
 immediate repairs of the roof before the on-coming monsoon
 season.

 Members also discussed various possibilities of making the
 maintenance of the Old GMC building viable by incorporating
 various activities related to medical museum, art and
 culture, film related activities and the like, says an
 official press release received here.

 "It was decided to take the opinion and the sentiments of the
 people of the state into consideration before finalizing the
 recommendations. The committee shall present its
 recommendations before the governing body of the ESG for
 further action in the matter," said the statement.

 The next meeting of the committee has been fixed on March 10,
 2008 at 3.00 p.m.

 COASTAL POLICE STATION AT SIOLIM: A foundation stone was laid
 for a new building of Coastal Security Police Station at
 Siolim.

 The new modern police station will be constructed in an area
 admeasuring 328.18 Sq. meters. The new premises will have
 wireless room, separate lock ups for males and females,
 ladies changing room, male dormitory, toilets, office room,
 and kitchen. It will be constructed at an estimated cost of
 Rs. 39,35,709.

 Prominent among those present on the occasion included former
 MLA Chandrakant Chodankar, Sarpanch of Siolim Silvestor
 Fernandes, Deputy Sarpanch Bharati Vaingankar, freedom
 fighter Prabhakar Moye, and Chief Engineer PWD J. J. Rego.

          TALK BY VC: Goa College of Home Science organized a
          workshop "Working towards Accreditation by NAAC" on
          Feb 28 for students and staff of the college at the
          College premises. Dr. Dileep Deobagkar, Vice
          Chancellor, Goa University was chief guest and spoke.

 CM ON HEALTH CARE: Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has said
 that government has initiated measures to strengthen health
 care sector in the state, He said the endeavour of the
 Government is to take health care facilities to "the
 doorsteps of the people", an official statement said here.

 He was speaking at Betora near Ponda after inaugurating a
 Health centre started by United Breweries Ltd. He said a
 mobile health van facility was provided at Valpoi and
 Gaondongrim to benefit people from remote areas. Government
 has also plans to make this facility available at Panchayat
 level, he said.

 United Breweries' was the first joint project taken by a
 panchayat alongwith a corporate house in the state. It is
 expected to benefit people from the Bethor-Nirankal
 panchayat areas.

 ANGANWADI PROBLEMS: Problems faced by anganwadis (government
 nurseries) came up during a meeting here. Issues include
 problems of water, electricity, and the lack of toilets.
 Government promised to work on these and solve them "as early
 as possible".

 AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS: According to Agricultural Statistics
 wing of Directorate of Agriculture to agricultural prospects
 for the month of February 2008 is as follows:

 The Rabi rice is at panicle initiation to heading stage.  The
 crop condition was generally good. There was outbreak of
 blast disease of rice in some pockets, which was managed and
 controlled appropriately. The Department has also made two
 tons of fungicide available for farmers for seed treatment of
 newly cultivated area under sugarcane pineapple, and late paddy.

 Arrangements are initiated to produce certified paddy seed in
 the State itself during the forthcoming kharif season in
 collaboration with the National Agricultural Cooperative
 Marketing Federation (NAFED) New Delhi. To encourage farmers
 to shift from subsistence to commercial paddy cultivation,
 incentive of Rs. 1.07 lakh was provided to 125 farmers who
 have sold paddy to designated buying agencies in the
 cooperative as well as private sector.

 One hundred oil palm farmers were trained through visits to
 the Godrej Agrovet Farm at Sattari and progressive
 plantation.

          The support price for coconut to ensure a minimum
          rate of Rs. 4 per coconut to the grower was
          launched with effect from December 19, 2007.  The
          scheme was put to operation. The coconut growers
          shall be provided with the difference in price he
          receives and Rs. 4 through the Department of
          Agriculture under this programme.

 Two days institutional training programmes were conducted
 under National Horticulture Mission (NHM) wherein 583 farmers
 were guided on improved various crop production techniques.

 Two study tours were conducted to Karnataka and Kerala State
 and 64 farmers were taken to various research stations,
 progressive farms to study the horticultural development done
 in fruits, flowers and green house technologies.

 A special training was organized by inviting experts from the
 Precision Farming Development Centre, Rahuri Ahmadnagar. Some
 50 farmers attended the training along with officers of the
 Department of Agriculture.

 VARCA CHAMPS: Varca Sports Club beat Sao Jose de Areal in the
 finals of All Goa Inter Village Football Tournament organized
 by Carmona Sports Club in memory of late John Cruz Ferrao,
 held at Panchayat Grounds, Carmona. Varca Sports betted two
 goals two clinch the title.

 Elvis Fernandes opened the account the winner in the first
 half and ten minutes later the second goal was scored.

 INFORMAL SECTOR SCHEMES: Secretary for Craftsmen Training C.
 P. Tripathi handed out certificates to 113 successful
 candidates under State Council for Vocational Training (SCVT).

 This scheme is meant for workers from the informal and
 unorganized sector who are skilled in their trade of
 profession but do not have any formal training at any school
 or institution. Such workers are directly examined for the
 skills they possess and certificates of proficiency in their
 field of profession are awarded to them.

 DEATH CONDOLED -- SEVA DAL CHIEF: Chief Minister Digamber
 Kamat condoled the death of Seva Dal chief organiser and
 former chairperson of Margao municipality, Shantaram Kadam,
 who passed away on Feb 28.

 REVIEW OF WORK AT DOSWADDO, SOCORRO (BARDEZ): Finance
 Minister Shri Dayanand Narvekar attended a review meeting of
 developmental projects and works at Doswaddo, Socorro
 yesterday. He also attended to the grievances people of the area.

 Narvekar highlighted schemes on the occasion and said that
 the officials will be sensitized to the needs of the public.
 He also reviews various projects in the area which include
 construction of roads, panchayat char (a village council
 office) for the Socorro Panchayat, and sulabh sauchalaya.

 Joint Mamlatdar of Bardez taluka Anju Kerkar, Block
 Development Officer Bardez Shrivprasad Naik, Sarpanch Sanjay
 Pednekar, Ward members Detosa D'Souza, Krtik Kudnekar, Tech
 Asstt PWD Pritesh Naik, AE PWD Ratnakaran Chalan and others
 were present on the occasion.

     Source: Directorate of Information and Publicity, 3rd
     Flr, Udyog Bhavan, Near Azad Maidan, Panjim, Goa Ph
     2226047 or 2426168. Fax +91-832-2224211.