log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 Facebook.com/thegoan 14 pages PRICE ` 8 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME IX, NO. 89 Instagram.com/thegoanonline `  00 cr Chaturthi bonanza for 3 beneficiaries of govt schemes CM SAYS GRIHA DOLE TO BE LINKED TO INFLATION FROM NEXT YEAR THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday announced a big bonanza ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi for three lakh beneficiaries of government-run Dayanand Social Welfare and Griha Aadhar schemes, besides other subsidies and scholarships amounting to a whopping Rs 300 crore. The Chief Minister further rung in good news for the womenfolk receiving the Griha Aadhar dole, saying work is underway to link the scheme to the market inflation, a situation wherein the amount would see a rise depending on the market situa- IN SHORT >> NIA quizzes 14-yr-old Lucknow boy in Goa PANAJI: A 14-year-old student originally from Lucknow but residing in Usgao-Ponda, for more than ten years, has been questioned by the National Investigation Agency after it raised suspicions over his activities. All electronic devices of the teenager have been confiscated. >> See pg 3 Four DHS officials promoted as CMOs PANAJI: Four officials in the Directorate of Health Services have been promoted to the rank of Chief Medical Officers as decided by Goa Public Service Commission’s Departmental Promotion Committee meetings. GPSC Chairman Jose Manual Noronha stated that 10 DPC meetings were held during which promotions across different departments were considered.  >> See pg 3 79-year-old dies in hit & run case PORVORIM: An elderly pedestrian from Socorro succumbed to injuries after being hit by an unknown vehicle at Porvorim. Police said Yeshwant Naik (79) was found unconscious on the highway and was admitted to GMC. There were several bruises on his body. Naik later succumbed to injuries. Keep communal forces at bay: CM MARGAO: Saying that attempts are being made in certain quarters to disturb the peace and communal amity prevailing amongst the people of Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday made a fervent plea to the people of Goa to sideline those hell-bent in disturbing the peace and brotherhood. He said Goa enjoys a rich tradition since the time of Liberation in 1961 wherein the Hindus and Christian visit and greet each other on the occasion of Ganesh Chathurti and Christmas.   >> See pg 2 tion. “By next year, beneficiaries of the Griha Aadhar will get an enhanced monthly dole from the existing Rs 1500 per month as work is underway by the government to link the scheme to inflation”, the Chief Minister said at a function held at Ravindra bhavan, Margao to distribute the sanction orders to the beneficiaries under the Griha Aadhar scheme ON PAGE 2 Govt firm on pvt medical college at South Goa district hospital Plans to upgrade Anganwadis through CSR in the presence of Women and Child Development, Vishwajit Rane, Power Minister Ramkrishna Dhavlikar, Social Welfare Minister Subhash Shirodkar, MLAs Digambar Kamat, Alexio Sequeira, Reginaldo Lourenco and Ulhas Tuemkar. Govt withdraws age curbs for shack operators in new policy Experienced operators can also pass biz to children THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a major victory for shack operators -- the ‘ambassadors’ of tourism industry -- the State government has withdrawn a new clause in the Goa Shack Policy 2023-26 that imposed age restrictions, limiting applicants to individuals between the ages of 18 to 60. The government has decided to relax this age criterion, which means traditional shack operators who are older than 60 years can apply under this policy. The policy, has however, allowed for the continuity of the legacy of experienced shack operators by permitting their next generation to take over the business under the original licensee’s name. This would ensure that the years of experience accumulated by the older generation are passed on to their successors. “Our main intention was to facilitate the transition of the youth into this business from their older generation, such as traditional shack operators with 10, 15, or 20 years of experience. Instead of these experienced operators continuing to run the business, they Goans falling prey to drugs, alcohol: Data THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Not much to everyone’s surprise, a concerning number of young Goan adults are steadily becoming alcohol or drug addicts. These youths, numbering around 6,592 in the last four an half years, claimed to have got addicted to these substances due to reasons like loss of job, business, failed relationship, Covid-pandemic crisis and so on. The information obtained through RTI reveals that since 2018 till date, a total of 6,592 people, under complete influence of drugs and alcohol, got admitted to the government rehabilitation centres -- two district hospitals and IPHB -- for treatment. >Continued on P5 WHAT THEY SAID… „„ ROHAN KHAUNTE: Relaxations in age limit will not compromise high standards set by government regarding safety and service excellence. The goal is to strike a balance between maintaining quality control and fostering an environment for young entrepreneurs to thrive. „„ MICHAEL LOBO: The shack policy should strive to preserve the natural beauty of our beaches while providing ample opportunities for tourism growth, creating a harmonious balance between development and conservation. „„ CRUZ CARDOSO: The shack policy should prioritise empowerment of shack owners, enabling them to provide quality services and unique experiences to beachgoers, contributing to the overall charm and character of Goa’s coastline. can now pass it on to their children... For instance, one of them in the family can apply and inherit the same level of experience as their previous generation. That was the primary objective,” Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said while explaining the government’s intention behind this change, during a press conference held at Paryatan Bhavan on Thursday. This policy amendment was prompted by objections from stakeholders who raised concerns about its negative impact wherein they believed that the age restriction would discourage experienced operators from continuing their businesses. Moreover, it would have hindered unemployed and inexperienced youth from entering the industry, especially >Continued on P5 Asia Cup: Sri Lanka beats Pakistan by 2 wickets; to play India in finals PG14 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Conceding the delay in crediting the doles, the Chief Minister said the beneficiaries will get the sanctioned amount up to August with arrears. “Today, the government is paying monthly assistance to three lakh beneficiaries, 1.5 lakh each under the DSS and Griha Aadhar scheme. There was some delay in distributing the doles. But the beneficiaries will get their benefits up to August month”, he added. Sawant also said the government has sanctioned applications for agricultural and milk subsides, fisheries, besides pending scholarships, >Continued on P5 High Court upholds validity of State’s Green Cess Act Dismisses appeals of coal, chemical handlers THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Bombay High Court at Goa on Thursday has upheld the constitutional validity of The Goa Cess on Products and Substances Causing Pollution (Green Cess) Act, 2013 also referred to as the Green Cess Act and dismissed a bunch of petitions filed by companies mainly dealing with the import of hazardous substances like coal and chemicals via Mormugao Port who had challenged the validity of the Act.  South West Port Ltd, M/s BMM Ispat Limited, Ms Vedanta Limited, M/s Goa Carbon Limited, Zuari Agro Chemicals Limited, among others had challenged the constitutional validity of the Act claiming that only the Union government had the pow- The petitioners had challenged the constitutional validity of the Act claiming that only the Union government had the powers under the Constitution to enact such a legislation ers under the constitution to enact such a legislation. The petitioners had argued before the court that the impugned Act, in pith and substance, falls within the residuary Entry in List I, and, therefore, the same is ultra vires the legislative competence of the State. “Bearing in mind the principles that Entries in the legislative lists are not sources of the legislative power but are merely topics or fields of legislation and that they must receive a liberal construction inspired by a broad and generous spirit and not in a narrow pedantic sense and further bearing in mind the width of the expression “with respect to” employed in Article 246 of the Constitution, we find it difficult to accept the argument that the impugned Act is not a legislation “with respect to” the entries relating to public health, sanitation, water, land, gas as referred to in entries 6, 17, 18 and 25 of List II of Seventh Schedule to the Constitution,” the High Court said.  The High Court however took a dim view of the petitioners’ contentions.  >Continued on P5