About 2 years after the present government took charge, there is a regular flow of good news which was relatively rare in the past. Here is a list of news items from the print media across administrative areas. We Goans should be smart enough to compare the present government with the past.

Finance

Goa provides financial muscle to unemployed to fight inflation Reliance power to continue, but at lower rate with LPG Entry tax fetches Rs 8.10 crore to state exchequer in 4 months Scheme for tax evaders Voluntary compliance scheme boosts Goa service tax revenue

Agriculture

Horticulture outlets benefit 500 youth Bumper cashew yield brings smile on farmers’ faces Goa launches digital Krishi Card for farmers Farmers symposium in South Goa Local-veggies-a-click-away Website launched to help farmers market sans touts Now, Goa looks up to Gujarat to improve its irrigation network Magdal villagers set to resume farming after 10 years Now, Goa Dairy to launch cheaper milk variant Goa Dairy launches new milk variant Coconut-pluckers-on-hire-from-August-1 Goa govt plans to amend tenancy Act to allow contract farming Beach-belts-to-sport-fruit-carts-by-Sept Goa plucks solution to its coconutty problem Goa hikes area of SRI rice cultivation this year Reaping benefits of greenhouse technology Fish exports from Goa on the rise Goa Dairy milk sold in Maharashtra Fish prices set to drop with sea cage fishing Israel to help Goa in agriculture, dairy farming Farmers join hands to form federation to revitalize agriculture Soil health cards to Goan farmers Farmers’ website generates Rs 3 lakh business in 7 months Parra farmers get watermelon seeds Goa Dairy increasing procurement of milk from dairy farmers Cashew nut yield on the rise in Goa Mining-affected Pissurlem goes back to farming Many takers for fruits at horticulture outlets Beaches to sport GSHC’s solar-powered fruit carts

Education

School-students-will-get-freelance-subjects-CM Switch to email ids for communication: DoE to schools End to red tape for teacher appointment Pay of lecture-basis school teachers hiked For the first time ever, late Goa Common Entrance Test forms to be accepted Govt to fund student counselling in Goa: CM College teachers no more on contract basis GIM redesigns EMBA course to create jobs Goa University opens new life sciences block 3D printing course at govt polytechnic Oracle signs MoU with Goa government on technical education Goa primary school enrolment up MA in Women's studies at GU from 2014-15 NIT-Goa to come up at Cuncolim DoE launches KTC bus service for students Government saves Rs 6 crore on new deal in cyberage scheme Govt primary teachers to learn PPT GMC to start six new degree courses in health science Goa opens military training scheme for its school students Govt finalizes expansion of Goa medical college infrastructure 20% more FAR for educational institutes Five new paramedical courses started in Goa medical college Govt earmarks Rs 24 crore for repairs of primary schools Big schools to get 3 Bal Rath buses NIT Goa mentorship period ends, to introduce BTech Goa to kick-start karate training for Class IX, X girls Goa University to fill up over 70 faculty posts Goa University's foreign language courses get flexible Value-based-education-from-next-academic-year Educationists, teachers and parents hail decision on 6-month semester Goa board to convert chapters to rubrics Hindi optional brings Goa on par with national education boards

Industry

Portugal-for-outsourcing-shipbuilding-to-Goa Verna industrialists happy over raw water supply Goa records 48% industrial growth Goa gets Rs 521 crore investment in industries Govt plans utterly butterly delicious future for Netravali 1800 MW power from new coal block Boost for self-employment in North Goa GIDC-okays-water-filtration-units-at-Verna CM clears woes of over 60 entrepreneurs in one go Nod for 10 projects with 200 crore investment CommScope adds enterprise solutions production to Goa facility Steel company gets Goa state pollution control board nod to convert slag to sand Amul enters Goa with fresh milk, introduces three variants IT professionals bring lesser known geo-spatial technology to Goa Goa's iron ore reserves should be explored over 50-100 years: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Goa's mining policy to promote tourism in mining areas Goa introduces bill for relief of small scale industries Tracking devices for mining trucks installed Mehair wants to set up maintenance facility for amphibian aircraft in Goa Land acquisition begins for Shiroda industrial estate More-land-for-Verna-Industrial-estate-too Power-dept-to-install-GIS-in-Panjim-Verna-and-Tivim-industrial-estates Goa govt issues notification on e-auctioning of iron ore CM announces schemes to empower youth

Tourism

PATWA award for Goa tourism Alcohol consumption banned on beaches Goa tourism wins big in 3 categories Tourism department demolishes 25 illegal structures at Colva Goa's popular Baga beach set for a facelift Israel keen to start charter flights to Goa: Dilip Parulekar Crackdown on illegal foreign tourist guides, Goa govt assures guides Goa hosts one of world's largest cruise liners Plans afoot for night safaris, 3D film shows at Bondla Tourist info on mobile Collective-landing-booster-for-Goa Tourism department cracks whip on beach illegalities Tourism, acrhive dept team up to restore forts Goa govt to offer incentives to airlines to fight rising airfares Goa Tourism Development Corporation looks at tapping cruise tourism further Hospitality Biz India :: Goa Tourism to construct hotel management institute 'Shikaras' to adorn Goa's Mayem lake soon Goa bags award for best beach, culture tourism Goa to see 34% growth in charter flights South Goa beaches to get a facelift Govt makes green toilets a must for beach shacks Goa government to clean-up monuments Goa overtakes Kerala as best leisure destination

Transparency

CM’s pre-budget meet evokes enthusiastic public response Goa town and country planning sets up facilitation centres for regional plan Goa town and country planning sets up facilitation centres for regional plan

Environment

Fatorda hill-cutting: Builder issued show cause notice Town and country planning stops 2 housing projects at Corlim Cement company to use plastic waste in Goa as fuel Now-Japanese-cure-for-pollution-at-Cuncolim Goa state pollution control board cracks whip Goa state coastal zone management authority issues notices to 11 hotels in CRZ areas at Mandrem, Morjim Goa schools to be roped in for garbage collection Fines-for-littering-in-Panjim-Cansaulim-from-Dec-15 Govt moots third garbage treatment plant in Bicholim Calangute homes get bins for wet, dry waste Solar-policy-to-be-drawn-up-soon

Health

Cardiac unit at Goa Medical College by May-end UK group offers medical expertise to Goa AIDS treatment now in GMC Goa set to be 1st filaria-free state WIFS programme launched in Goa GSIDC-to-put-Goa-in-pink-of-health GMC admin puts staff work timings in order Margao urban health centre gets cracking on vector-borne diseases Government begins appointing Goa Medical College PG students at community health centres Goa medical college to launch 6 new courses this year Orlim set to get sub-health centre Orlim to get sub-health centre GMC-to-undergo-major-revamp-in-next-5-years HIV cases on the decline in Goa Wheelchairs, hearing aids under new scheme: Goa CM Free-care-at-GMC-neonatal-centre-from-next-week Additional infrastructure at Goa Medical College India’s largest morgue opens in Goa today New ultra modern morgue at GMC safe from rodents

Governance

Plans-for-passport-centre-in-Margao Good-news-for-Goan-seamen Goa govt following up special status matter with Centre: CM I-cards now Must in hotels & cyber cafes Goa govt frames guidelines for kerosene dealers Goa's land records management software gets international award Rural administration camps a success in South Goa Time limits for services fixed in Goa Public Services Act Digitally signed land related documents in Goa soon 3rd phase of South Goa e-governance launched GPS-enabled system for mapping tribal's rights Goa law commission moots mechanism to protect flat buyers Goa to make eldest daughter family head on property matters Faster police clearances for passports Youth-policy-to-deal-with-upliftment-training Goa to give grant for development of panchayats Call-centre-to-handle-power-complaints Now Panaji residents can pay house tax via e-banking Now, no need for attestation of documents by gazetted officers Dial 135 to report power failure Govt gives strict norms to set up mobile towers Target Goa : Goa wins India Today's State of State award Labour and employment dept offers e-services Get land records at click of a button SMS alert system for case updates 24x7 call centre now for power consumers Directorate of panchayats to have technical cell to bring accountability in constructions Goans to get 5 Govt services in 2 days from 1 March

Infrastructure

​No development within 7km of Mopa airport: Manohar Parrikar Goa churches get ready for mammoth restoration New parallel bridge to link Calangute, Arpora Sydney Harbour-styled bridge over Tiracol Goa infrastructure corporation to build more bridges Safety-check-for-all-250-hazardous-units-in-Goa Partial-switch-over-to-solar-power-on-cards Finally-Margao-sewerage-project-to-get-a-big-boost Draft masterplan unveiled for Panaji city Rs 200-cr developmental projects for Vasco: Almeida Comprehensive mining policy put in place Foundation stone laid for Pernem bus stand Two garbage management facilities will be designed to be self-sufficient Salute Goa's strength, perseverance, says ACOLOP president Master plan for Sanquelim Infra projects under way Goa tourism development corporation plans upgradation of Miramar beach 'Goa to have 5 new stadia' Lusofonia Games get off to a rollicking start New parallel bridge over Kushavati commissioned CCMC ward to get modern town planning

Transport

50-insurance-premium-for-drivers-conductors Goa to run special buses for women from April 30 Ladies special KTC buses launched in state KTC bus service for 83 government schools KTC-introduces-electronic-ticket-issuing-machines Haphazard speed breakers across state to be replaced Goa govt mulls giving subsidy to private transporters in state Bus owners welcome govt decision on bus stops in city City auto rickshaws begin charging point-to-point fare Pass-system-ups-KTC-revenue Kadamba Transport Corporation set to offer bus pool service 63 KTC buses to be used for ferrying school students KTC to make ticketing simpler with RFID cards Bus drivers given training on safety Soon, a public bicycle sharing system for Panaji 510 signboards to regulate traffic in Mapusa

Welfare

Now, pay Rs 3 for 50g pao for next 5 years More LPG distributors for Goa, monopoly to end Sahara insurance for BPL families New scheme to check pao price Goa govt to bring changes in mid-day meal scheme Piped gas to Goa households in next two years Subsidy for Goenkar Poder for Unddo @ Rs 3/- Goa sex workers to get govt aid to help rehabilitate Goa cabinet approves foster care scheme for needy children Housing board moves to protect interests of locals Soon, onions at subsidized prices in Goa Goa govt aims for success of foster care scheme for needy children

Law and order

Relocation process of religious structures in South Goa underway Goa to have daily hearings in crimes against children Now, 50 Colts, 100 Glocks arm Goa police arsenal Clampdown on beach side shacks to curb drugs menace in Goa Understaffed police stations get 17 more PSIs, 30 transferred Goa University gets CCTV cameras to beat ragging Two-dance-bars-raided-in-Calangute-shut-down Customs gearing up to tackle gold smuggling in Goa Goa orders bars, liquor stores to wind up early Prostitution racket busted in Goa; six arrested Retailers-to-maintain-acid-sale-register Goa police recruits to be trained to use modern weapons TCS wins Goa police project Krav Maga to give Goa Police combative edge Police-expand-facility-Valpoi-to-house-train-new-recruits Kanda’s casino towed away to a dock in Zuari Goa police recruits to be trained at Gujarat Police Academy Goa to have CCTV surveillance, says CM Cyber crime cell to assist Goa police soon Goa police to clamp down on illegal stay of foreigners Goa govt to set up separate police station for Saligao Safe tourism: Govt to install CCTV cameras at Goa beaches Move-afoot-to-rid-Goa-of-beggar-menace

Public Works

'Timely checks' keep taps running New avatar for GMC subway Goa set to further reduce non-revenue water Goa BJP government to expedite Charavnem dam project, says Goa water resources minister Plastics, slag for roads Slag-lying-at-industrial-estates-to-be-utilised Goa to achieve water self-sufficiency by 2015: JICA Goa adopts multi-pronged approach to reduce water wastage Old Goa-Panaji corridor project to get big-push Bambolim-Dona Paula four-laning begins Goa PWD trying to expedite sanitation programme Asphalting of NH 4-A begins at Khandepar Initiative for beautiful Panaji PWD selects joint venture company for consultancy on new Zuari bridge

Achieving this inspite of financial difficulties left behind from the previous government is a highly commendable feat. Clearly the government seems to be headed towards achieving all that it promised if given enough time. In a state of 1.5 million people, there cannot be a unanimous agreement among all groups on any subject. Any agitations arising only due to difference of opinion only cause distractions which do more harm to the state than good. What is needed from all Goans is a positive attitude towards the projects being undertaken and at the same time a sense of reasonable comparison between the present government and the past.