log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2025 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 71 Goa's Biggest Media Brand with Highest Viewership which makes us Instagram.com/thegoanonline Come join us Contact: 9011043385 / 9850755549 / 9130004704 / 9689923150 Email: marketing@prudentmedia.in Pvt coaching flourishes in urban Goa: Central report FIGURES SHOW 70% HSS STUDENTS TAKE EXTRA CLASSES THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Private coaching is fast becoming the unseen classroom in Goa, but a new report by the Union government shows that it is mostly urban school children who are more likely to be involved in this system compared to their rural counterparts. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s sample survey has revealed that while just over one in ten urban primary pupils turned to coaching this year, the figure surged to nearly half at the middle school level -- compared to barely one in ten of their rural peers. The report titled ‘Comprehensive Modular Survey, Education 2025’ revealed that 10.6 per cent of urban primary school students in Goa availed private coaching dur- Rural students spend more than urban peers PANAJI: Private coaching in Goa is also draining the pockets of families in rural areas, often more heavily than in towns. According to the survey, rural students in the State spent an average of Rs 3,394 a year on coaching, only slightly less than the Rs 3,559 spent by their urban counterparts. But the gap widened when only those who actually availed such classes were taken into account: rural students shelled out an average of Rs 18,596 per year, compared to Rs 11,837 among urban students. The numbers turned even starker for gender as rural girls who took coaching recorded the highest annual spending at Rs 20,542, much above rural boys (Rs 13,044) and urban girls (Rs 13,234). The survey also highlighted students’ dependency on their families to fund education. Nearly 89 per cent of students relied on a single source of funding, with as many as 97.2 per cent drawing support from household members. ing the current academic year, compared to 7.4 per cent in rural areas. The gap widened sharply in higher classes: at the middle school level, 44.2 per cent of urban students reported taking coaching against just 9.3 per cent in rural parts. The difference was most pronounced in higher secondary education, with over 70 per cent of urban students taking extra classes, com- School teachers cross 1 cr mark, reveals report NEW DELHI: For the first time in any academic year, the total number of school teachers across the country crossed the one crore mark during 202425, the Ministry of Education's UDISE data showed. “The increase in teacher numbers is a critical step toward improving student-teacher ratios and ensuring quality education”, the report said. pared to only 26.8 per cent of rural students. At the secondary level, however, the survey noted an unusual trend -- 60.4 per cent of rural students reported availing coaching, From Sonet to Thar: Affordable diesel SUVs under `12 lakh REVIEW: KTM unleashes the 160 Duke; compact, aggressive, relentless Rainfall in Goa crosses average PANAJI: The Southwest monsoon roared back with vigour over Goa this week, drenching the State with its heaviest single-day spell of the season and pushing the overall rainfall tally into surplus.  >> See pg 2 NEW DELHI All of India’s 1.4 billion people live in areas where annual average particulate pollution levels exceed the WHO guideline and even those in the cleanest regions of the country could live 9.4 months longer if the air quality met global standards, according to a new report. The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago’s (EPIC) 2025 report said PM2.5 concentrations in India in 2023 were higher than in 2022. These levels are more than eight times higher than the >Continued on P7 THE GOAN I NETWORK GOODBYE, UNTIL NEXT TIME: A devotee bids farewell to Lord Ganesha at Four Pillars, St Cruz on Thursday. Hundreds of idols were immersed at the end of one-and-a-half-day celebrations across the State.  Narayan Pissurlenkar Bicholim rivers cross danger mark THE GOAN I NETWORK BICHOLIM A number of rivers in Bicholim taluka crossed the danger mark following heavy rains on Wednesday and while water receded some time later, pumps were used in some places in Sankhali and Bicholim. Roads in Bandar Wada, Gaonkar Wada and many other low-lying areas in Bicholim were submerged on Wednesday night, and people were relieved after water receded by Thursday morning. See photo on pg 5 Water levels in the Bicholim, Valavanti and Par rivers had crossed the danger mark, and the water resources department had operated pumps in Sankhali and Bicholim. A major threat was Toxic air cuts life of average Indian by 3.5 years: Report PTI GOA V/S NAT TRENDS The ministry’s findings observed that 25.5 per cent of students in rural India and 30.7 per cent in urban areas have availed private coaching during the academic year. While the national average expenditure per student stood at Rs 2,409, it is lower than the State average. Across India, around 95 per cent of students reported household members as their primary source of funding for education. While releasing the report, the ministry has cautioned that in smaller States like Goa, limited sample sizes may affect the reliability of some indicators. Key roads still in miserable condition AGNELO PEREIRA THE GOAN I MAPUSA Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s 48-hour deadline to repair pothole-ridden roads has missed its mark, with motorists across the State still grappling with miserable road conditions. The intense rainfall over the last few days has left contractors and Public Works Department (PWD) engineers struggling to keep pace with CM’s assurance. While the PWD and contractors blame the rains, residents argue that the annual crisis is less about the weather and more about chronic neglect, poor planning and a cosy c o n t r a c t o r- b u r e au c r a t nexus. A ground check by The Goan in Bardez on Thursday revealed that key roads continue to be in miserable condition despite the government’s assurances. The Arpora-Nagoa road, POTHOLE CORRIDOR: Ongoing construction on NH66 stretches riddled with craters. (More photos on pg 7)  Agnelo Pereira dug up before the monsoon to lay a 33 KV power line and hastily resurfaced, has broken down again. Motorists here are forced to zig-zag between potholes. In Calangute, the stretch from the police station to St Alex Church has degenerated into what locals now call the “chocolate road” -- a slippery mess of mud and rubble left behind after patchwork repairs dissolved ALL `10 CR SPENT AMID CLEARANCE DRIVE IN SHORT >> PANAJI: After a long wait the Goa Electricity Dept has finally got the nod for its fiveyear 'business plan' for the control period from 2025-26 right up to 2029-30 from Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission. The order approving the business plan was issued on August 27.  >> See pg 3 largely driven by a high proportion of female students (84.7 per cent). Sawant’s 48-hr ultimatum falls flat, potholes remain Flagship housing scheme runs out of money in just 4 months page 6 Power dept's biz plan gets JERC sanction TAJIKISTAN TEST AWAITS INDIA IN CAFA NATIONS CUP OPENER >>12 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 PM2.5 concentrations in India in 2023 were higher than in 2022… these levels are more than eight times higher than the WHO guideline, the report reveals WHO guideline and reducing them to permanently meet the global standard would add 3.5 years to the average life expectancy of Indians. According to the WHO’s 2021 air quality guideline, the annual average limit for PM2.5 is 5 micrograms per cubic metre, while for PM10 it is 15 mi- crograms per cubic metre. These limits are far stricter than India’s own standards, which currently allow 40 micrograms for PM2.5 and 60 micrograms for PM10. The report said 46 per cent of India’s population lives in areas where annual PM2.5 levels exceed the national standard of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. Meeting this standard could increase the life expectancy of people by 1.5 years. In the most polluted region of the country, the Northern Plains, 38.9 per cent of India’s population could gain five years of life expectancy on average. averted as the water levels receded within a few hours. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant instructed the Emergency Control Room to take all necessary measures, while Bicholim MLA Dr Chandrakant Shetye inspected various affected places on Thursday morning. WRD officials Vinod Bhandari, Shailesh Poklev and other officers were monitoring the situation. PANAJI Within just four months of the ongoing financial year, the State government has exhausted funds allocated under the Atal Asra Yojana, a flagship housing assistance scheme for weaker sections. The Social Welfare Department confirmed that the entire budgeted amount of Rs 10 crore had been utilised during a simultaneous special drive to scrutinise and clear long-pending applications. With several applications still pending, the department is now contemplating proposing to the government for additional funds. “We have exhausted funds for this financial year within four months. Several applications have been cleared and disposed of, and the remaining are pending. We will be seeking more funds through a proposal to the government soon,” Social Welfare Director Ajit Panchwadkar told The THE SCHEME OF THINGS „„SCs, OBCs, EWS families with annual income of less than Rs 3 lakh are eligible „„Assistance ranges up to Rs 3 lakh for new house construction and Rs 1.5 lakh for repairs of existing houses „„Govt had launched a drive across all constituenGoan. Under the scheme, Scheduled Caste, Other Backward Class and Economically Weaker Section families with an annual income of less than Rs 3 lakh are eligible. The assistance ranges up to Rs 3 lakh for new house construction and Rs 1.5 lakh for repairs of existing houses. The government had launched a drive across all constituencies in May, ahead of the monsoon, to accelerate pending cases. Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai cies in May to accelerate pending cases „„Minister had directed officials to issue sanction orders swiftly and release payments within 15 days „„Since inception, Atal Asra has disbursed Rs 56 cr, benefiting 2,564 families   had directed officials to issue sanction orders swiftly and release payments within 15 days of approval. At the time, he said around 6,000 applications were pending across Goa, and the government aimed to clear 200 per constituency this year. Since its inception, Atal Asra has disbursed Rs 56 crore, benefiting 2,564 families.   Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, addressing a >Continued on P7 in the rain. “It’s a joke on the people. They fill potholes with stones and mud just to show activity and the next shower washes everything away,” said a shopkeeper near St Alex Church. “Every year the same story, and yet no one is held accountable,” he added, visibly frustrated. >Continued on P7 Two brothers electrocuted in Rivona THE GOAN I NETWORK SANGUEM In a tragic incident on Wednesday evening, two brothers lost their lives after coming in contact with live electric wires reportedly installed to protect a plantation from wild animals. The deceased have been identified as Rajendra Gaonkar (46) and his brother Mohandas (40), both residents of Shivsorem ward. The brothers, who were bachelors living with their ailing mother, had gone to collect grass for their cattle while the rest of the village was engaged in Ganesh festival celebrations. When the duo failed to return home after sunset, villagers launched a search and later found their bodies in the plantation. Zilla Panchayat member Suresh Kepekar informed the Quepem police about the incident. Police conducted an inquest at the site and shifted the bodies to the South Goa District Hospital for post-mortem examination. Quepem police have registered the case and are conducting an investigation into the matter. Mumbai, Kohima shine as safest cities for women PTI NEW DELHI ohima, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar and Mumbai have emerged as the safest cities in the country for women, while Patna, Jaipur, Faridabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Srinagar and Ranchi were ranked the lowest, according to the National Annual Report & Index on Women’s Safety (NARI) 2025. The nationwide index released on Thursday, based on a survey of 12,770 women across 31 cities, placed the national safety score at 65 per cent, categorising cities as “much above,” “above,” “at,” “below” or “much below” this K KEY FINDINGS OF NARI REPORT „„Survey categorized cities participation, policing as ‘much above’, „„Ranchi, Srinagar, ‘above’, ‘at’, Kolkata, Delhi, ‘below’ 12,770 Faridabad, Patna, and or ‘much women Jaipur score lowest below’ surveyed „„Six in ten women „„Kohima, across 31 surveyed felt ‘safe’ in Kohima, Vishakhapatnam, other topcities their city Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, ranked cities „„40% still considered Gangtok, Itanagar, associated with themselves ‘not so safe’ or Mumbai lead national stronger gender equity, civic ‘unsafe’ safety rankings benchmark. Kohima and other topranked cities were associated with gender equity, civic participation, policing and women-friendly infrastructure. At the other end of the spec- trum, cities like Patna and Jaipur fared poorly due to weak institutional responsiveness, patriarchal norms and gaps in urban infrastructure. “Kohima, Vishakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gang- tok, Itanagar, Mumbai lead national safety rankings, often correlating with higher gender equity, infrastructure, policing, or civic participation while Ranchi, Srinagar, Kolkata, Delhi, Faridabad, Patna, and Jaipur scored lowest, correlating with poorer infrastructure, patriarchal norms, or weaker institutional responsiveness,” the report said. Overall, six in ten women surveyed felt “safe” in their city, but 40 per cent still considered themselves “not so safe” or “unsafe.” The study revealed sharp drops in perceptions of safety at night, particularly in public transport and recreational spaces. Educational institutions (86% safe) especially in daylight, but safety perceptions fall sharply at night or off-campus. About 91 per cent of women reported safety, yet about half were unclear if their workplace had a POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) policy.