log on to thegoan.net FRIDAY JULY 25, 2025 GOA @thegoanonline Posh British cars get a price cut, but there’s a catch REVIEW - Harrier EV unplugged: Tata’s eSUV powers through daily drive IN SHORT >> Govt invites agency to manage Film Fest PANAJI: The Entertainment Society of Goa has invited qualified event management agencies to submit proposals for the end-to-end execution of the Goa State Film Festival 2025. The appointed agency will be entrusted with the complete artistic and logistical execution of the event — including conceptualization, design, décor, fabrication, installation, and overall thematic presentation of ceremonial elements. Chorao locals want RO-RO fare rollback OLD GOA: Chodnekars have decided to hold a public meeting on Sunday at the Chorao ferry point to press on their demand for rollback in the RO-RO ferry fare. The call for the meeting has been given by a group of locals from Chodan, who have expressed anguish over the statement of the local MLA.  >> See pg 5 No plan to remove 'secularism': Govt NEW DELHI: The Union government has 'no current plan or intention' to reconsider or remove the words 'socialism' and 'secularism' from the Preamble of the Constitution inserted during the Emergency period, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday. The House was also told that the government has not 'formally' initiated any legal or constitutional process to remove the two words from the Preamble of the Constitution. 48 killed in Russia plane crash MOSCOW: All 48 passengers and crew onboard a passenger plane that crashed in Russia's Far East have died, the head of the country's Amur region said in a statement Thursday. Russia Ministry said earlier that it had found the burning fuselage of the Soviet-designed twin turbo prop plane on a hillside on the south. WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 27.4 C 24 C 95% TIDES Low: 04.43 High: 11.54 17.37 22.57 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 38 3 Blame game as ST reservation bill stalled in parl amid Oppn uproar Page 6 Facebook.com/thegoan GOA Villagers protest outside Valpoi police station, demand withdrawal of cases 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Can turmeric treat spinal injury better than drugs? Chaos in Assembly as Min stays mum on TCP queries  SEC 39A MATTER PENDING BEFORE HC, SUB-JUDICE, SAYS RANE THE GOAN I NETWORK CM steps in to calm tempers, assures action MAPUSA Pandemonium broke out in the Goa Legislative Assembly on Thursday morning after Opposition MLAs stormed into the well of the House, protesting the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department’s refusal to answer questions related to the contentious Section 39A of the Goa TCP Act. The House was briefly adjourned for 10 minutes amidst slogans and heated exchanges. ON PAGE 2 The uproar began when Revolutionary Goans Party MLA Viresh Borkar objected to TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane’s assertion that no replies could be provided on Section 39A, citing that the matter is sub-judice and pending before the High Court. Rane invoked the “Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Goa Legislative Assembly,” claiming the KNEE-JERK PROTEST: Opposition MLAs -- except Vijai Sardesai – fall on their knees at the well of the House demanding answers from the TCP Minister.  Narayan Pissurlenkar department was bound by rules and could not disclose information under legal scrutiny. “What’s the problem in giving answers? Every time this issue comes up, it’s post- poned. This is an attempt to withhold vital information from the public,” Borkar lashed out, expressing frustration over the minister’s response. Leader of Opposition Yuri Courts can issue summons, warrants on cellphones GOVT NOTIFIES RULES UNDER BNSS THE E-ROAD AHEAD THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The State government has notified rules to facilitate courts to issue and serve summons, warrants, and other judicial processes electronically under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Titled the ‘Goa Electronic Processes (Issuance, Service and Execution) Rules, 2025’, the notification comes into effect after consultation with the High Court of Bombay at Goa, paving the way for digital handling of judicial processes through the Case Information System (CIS). According to the notified rules, all courts in Goa will generate and issue summons, warrants, and other notices electronically in prescribed formats, encrypted and digitally signed, bearing the seal and eSign of the competent court authority. These processes will be transmitted through secure systems and can be served „„All Goa courts to issue summons, warrants, notices electronically in prescribed, encrypted, and digitally signed formats „„These documents will be transmitted securely and served via email or messaging apps „„If electronic contact details are missing or service fails, courts may direct police to serve documents via email or messaging apps. In cases where the court lacks the electronic contact details of the recipient, or electronic service fails, the court may direct police or another public servant to serve the summons or warrant physically. The rules make it mandatory for police to collect and record the electronic contact details such as email, phone number, and messaging ap- physically „„Police must collect and record electronic contact details of accused, witnesses during arrests or investigations „„Contact information must be updated in CCTNS system and a dedicated police station register „„In Pvt plaints, complainants must provide details of accused/witnesses plication of accused persons and witnesses during arrest, investigation or inquiry. This data is to be updated in the CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems) and a dedicated register at every police station, in accordance with Section 64 of the BNS. Where private complaints are filed, complainants must >Continued on P8 LONDON ndia and the UK signed a landmark free trade agreement on Thursday, which, starting next year, will see 99 per cent of Indian exports enter the UK duty-free, while reducing tariffs on British products such as cars and whisky. The deal, which comes days ahead of the US moratorium on higher tariffs coming to an end, aims to double the USD 56 billion trade between the world's fifth and sixth largest economies by 2030. While India has opened its market to various consumer I „„Medical devices, aerospace parts made & imported from UK will be cheaper „„British soft drinks, cosmetics, chocolates, biscuits, lamb, salmon and cars will be easily accessible „„Import duty on whisky will fall from 150 to 75% and to 40% over 10 years „„Easier for Indians to live in UK as firms, freelancers will have access to 36 service sectors „„Professionals will be able to work in 35 sectors in UK for 2 years even without an office in the country goods, including chocolates, biscuits, and cosmetics, it will gain greater access to export products such as textiles, HOW UK BENEFITS „„Will lead to major cuts in Indian tariffs with reductions secured on 90% of tariff lines „„Businesses will gain expanded access to public procurement opportunities in India „„Companies will footwear, gems and jewellery, sports goods, and toys. Also, Indian companies, such as TCS and Infosys, oper- be able to bid on non-sensitive govt tenders valued above Rs 2 bn „„UK will be able to create over 2,200 jobs „„Workers will also see a wage hike of up to 2.2 bn pounds each year „„People will see cheaper prices, more choice on clothes ating in the UK won't have to make social security contributions for up to three years for employees who move from 13 Soon, workday will be 10-hour job in factories Assembly amends factory law THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa legislative assembly on Thursday passed the Factories (Goa Amendment) Act, 2025, by which the work day in factories in the State will henceforth become a 10-hour affair instead of the previous nine hours. The bill amends Section 54 and Section 65 of the principal Act to the extent that 'nine hours' is replaced with '10 hours' s the maximum number of hours that an adult factory worker can be made to work in a day. The amendment to Section 65 of the principal Act replaces 'one hundred and twenty-five' with 'one hundred and forty-four' as the maximum amount of overtime hours that an adult factory worker can be allowed to work in a quarter (three months). The amendment was piloted by Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar who also holds the Factories and Boilers department and argues FROM 9 TO 10 „„The bill amends Section 54 and Section 65 of the principal Act to the extent that 'nine hours' is replaced with '10 hours' s the maximum number of hours that an adult factory worker can be made to work in a day „„The amendment to Section 65 of the principal Act replaces 'one hundred and twenty-five' with 'one hundred and forty-four' as the maximum amount of overtime hours that an adult factory worker can be allowed to work in a quarter (three months) this House even though it is also in court. Why is the TCP hiding behind the sub-judice excuse?” Alemao questioned, sarcastically suggesting the GTDC set to float fresh tender for ropeway project Turmoil over land grab Act THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI After terminating the concession agreement with Royal Rides Pvt Ltd, the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) is set to float a fresh tender for the proposed ropeway project from Panaji to Reis Magos. Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Thursday informed the House that the project will be completed within a period of three years from the date of appointment of new bidder. Responding to the Question tabled by BJP MLA Kedar Naik, Khaunte said that the GTDC has terminated the Concession Agreement entered with the Concessionaire M/s Royal Rides Private Limited for “Development, Operations and Maintenance of Passenger Ropeway. “Further, it may be noted that GTDC is in the process of floating new tender for the said project,” he said adding that upon floating the new tender and appointment of a “successful bidder” the time allotted to the Concessionaire is three years for completion >Continued on P8 Big boost for Indian exporters, UK whisky, chocolates car makers HOW INDIA BENEFITS PANAJI: Amidst furore in the Assembly regarding Section 39(A) of the TCP Act, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stepped in saying the Speaker would call a meeting with the Chief Secretary and TCP Secretary to examine the reasons. “Place the questions which have not been answered by the minister before the Chief Secretary, and ask why it cannot be replied to. Put it before the concerned TCP Secy. Call the TCP Secy, and ask why there is no reply,” CM told the MLAs.   >> See pg 2 Duckett, Crawley punish India after injured Pant’s gritty fifty Alemao strongly countered Rane’s stand. “How can the TCP Department deny legislators answers? This is in public interest. Just two days ago, we debated the Mhadei issue in India-UK seal game-changing free trade deal PTI 10 SPORTS India. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his British counterpart Jonathan Reynolds signed the agreement at a ceremony in UK Prime Minister's country residence Chequers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who flew in to mark the occasion, hailed the pact as “a blueprint for our shared prosperity”. “On the one hand, Indian textiles, footwear, gems and jewellery, seafood, and engineering goods will get better market access in the UK... On the other hand, people >Continued on P8 >Continued on P8 PANAJI: The Goa Assembly witnessed chaotic scenes with a heated exchange between Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Congress MLA Carlos Ferreira over the Goa Escheats, Forfeitures, and Bona Vacantia Bill, 2024, which sought to manage and dispose of un- claimed and abandoned properties in the State. The verbal duel erupted after Ferreira raised a Calling Attention on the Bill -- now an Act -- questioning its implications and expressing concerns about the broad powers it could vest in the government. in its statement of 'objects and reasons' that it is aimed at reforming and simplifying regulations and procedures to facilitate the Ease of Doing Business. “This Bill claims to protect Goa’s land, especially those lying vacant or abandoned. But if you look at the Preamble, it clearly states the Bill seeks to make provisions for the administration, control, custody,” Ferreira said.  >> See pg 2