log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline THURSDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2025 13pages Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 229 Instagram.com/thegoanonline FORM OF INDIAN STARS UNDER SCANNER AHEAD OF CT2025 >> 13 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 VAGATOR BOOK YOUR TABLE SAT, 8TH FEB 2025 90350 61127 8 PM Onwards PTI NEW DELHI Several exit polls on Wednesday predicted a victory for the BJP over the ruling AAP in the Delhi assembly polls, while the Congress was projected to make no significant gains from last elections. Two exit polls, however, predicted a victory for the Aam Admi Party (AAP), and as many showed a close contest between them, with an edge for the BJP. The Election Commission will announce the official results after the counting on February 8. Exit polls are projections made by election survey agencies based on interviews of voters as they come out after casting their votes. These may vary widely from the actual results. In the 2020 POLL OF POLLS Source People's Pulse P-Marq JVC Poll Diary Chanakya Strategies DV Research Matrize Wee Preside Mind Brink Media NDA 51-60 39-49 39-45 42-50 39-44 36-44 35-40 18-23 21-25 Delhi polls, most exit polls got their predictions wrong. Among the exit polls that predicted a BJP victory, the People's Pulse showed the NDA was likely to get 51 to 60 seats, while the AAP may get 10-19 seats. The Congress, it claimed, will not be able to AAP 10-19 21-31 22-31 18-25 25-28 26-34 32-37 46-52 44-49 CONG -0-1 0-2 0-2 2-3 -0-1 0-1 0-1 open its account. The P-Marq exit poll predicted 39-49 seats for the BJP and its allies, 21-31 seats for AAP and 0-1 for the Congress. The JVC exit poll said the BJP and allies would get 3945, the AAP 22-31 seats and the Congress 0-2. Delhi sees over 60% voting amid 'fake voting' allegations New Delhi: Delhi recorded over 60 per cent voter turnout in the assembly polls on Wednesday amid charges of malpractices including money distribution and fake voting by both AAP and BJP who are engaged in an intense battle.   >> See pg 8 Similarly, the Poll Diary predicted 42-50 seats of the BJP and allies, while giving the AAP 18-25 seats, 0-2 for the Congress and 0-1 for others. Chanakya Strategies exit poll said the BJP and allies are likely to get 39-44 seats, the AAP is likely to get 25-28, while >> See PG 3 Education dept’s promotion list sparks concerns of favouritism Two years later, tech panel yet to submit report on KA renovation ‘irregularities’ THE GOAN I NETWORK IN SHORT >> Agriculture policy kept on hold PANAJI: The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has kept the much-awaited and long pending ‘Goa State Amritkal Agriculture Policy 2024’ at the backburner, with policy awaiting cabinet approval for more than 10-months now since it was submitted to the government.  >> See pg 3 Nod to demolish Campal lighthouse PANAJI: The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has granted approval for demolition and reconstruction of the iconic Campal Lighthouse. As per the applicant, the structure of the lighthouse is in extremely dilapidated condition and accordingly the CoP consulted the PWD for >> See pg 3 advise.  CHARGES OF INELIGIBLE TEACHERS MAKING THE CUT AND THOSE ELIGIBLE AWAITING PROMOTION SINCE 2020 LEFT OUT PANAJI In a development that has raised concerns over the fairness of promotions in the Directorate of Education, the government is expected to release a promotion list that reportedly includes several ineligible candidates while sidelining those from over 100 eligible assistant teachers. Reliable sources revealed that many excluded assistant teachers have been waiting for promotions since 2020, but influential connections have allegedly been included in the list, bypassing seniority norms. The earlier system of promotions was strictly based on the seniority list. However, a 50:50 system was introduced later wherein half promotions were conducted through the Goa Public Service Commission (GPSC) and the remaining on seniority. “Teachers had accepted this arrangement but recent developments are clearly PROMOTION CONTROVERSY? „„Government’s upcoming promotion list in the Directorate of Education allegedly includes ineligible candidates, sidelining over 100 eligible assistant teachers „„Many senior assistant teachers have been waiting since 2020, while candidates with influential connections are allegedly favoured „„Seniority-based promotions were the norm earlier, but a 50:50 system was later introduced (half through GPSC, half on seniority) „„Reports suggest teachers recruited post-2010 are being promoted, while long-serving teachers from the 1990s are ignored pointing fingers that the upcoming promotions list is manipulated. Eligible senior assistant teachers are excluded even though they have been in service since the 1990s,” the source said adding that candidates recruited after 2010 are allegedly accommodated. A total of 19 ADEI posts and nearly 40 Grade-I posts are vacant in the Education department. Sources further said that promotion to these positions is a crucial step to- wards becoming a headmaster or headmistress. However, extensions granted to several headmasters have resulted in a bottleneck, further preventing eligible ADEIs and Grade-I officers from being promoted. “We don’t want monetary benefit but designation is precious to us for the number of years put in this service and the hard work,” the source added. >Continued on P8 GIDC’s digital shift: 600 industrial units blocked for non-compliance THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI he Goa Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has decided not to entertain any applications from close to 600 industrial units, who have failed to come onboard on their online e-governance platform - OPEN. These industries will also not be able to bid for new plots that would be put up for e-auction. IDC had in November urged industrial units operating in the State to register and update their data on the OPEN platform by the end of December 2024, stating that from January 1 onwards no services T GIDC IN ONLINE MODE „„Goa IDC won’t entertain applications from 600 industries that haven’t joined the online OPEN platform „„These industries can’t bid for new plots in e-auctions „„35% of industries (around 1,000) have joined OPEN, with verification ongoing for 700-800 more „„The OPEN platform provides online services, including auctions, and tracks manufacturing and employment data „„IDC asked industries to register on OPEN by December 2024, with offline services stopped from January 1 would be provided in offline mode. The OPEN platform aims to provide all IDC services online including auction while also capturing data on manufacturing activity, employment generation, etc. According to the IDC, so far 35 per cent of the industries that is around 1,000 have come onboard on their digital platform while back data verification is on with regards to 700-800 industries for migration. “There are 1000-odd industries which have neither registered nor have submitted any data. Of these, 500-600 industries are operational while others are shut down. The applications from these industries will not be entertained in offline mode anymore. We have taken the decision,” IDC managing director Pravimal Abhishek told The Goan. >Continued on P8 Congress may get 2-3. Two surveys predicted AAP's victory - Wee Preside, which gave 46-52 sets for AAP, 18-23 for BJP and 0-1 for Congress, and Mind Brink Media predicted 44-49 seats for AAP, 21-25 for BJP and 0-1 for the Congress. Matrize exit poll predicted a close contest, giving the BJP led NDA 35-40 seats, while the AAP was said to get 32 to 37 seats. The survey gave Congress 0-1 seats. The DV Research exit polls predicted 26-34 seats for the AAP, and 36-44 for the BJP and allies, giving zero seats to the Congress. The results will be declared on February 8. Several AAP leaders rejected the exit polls, while BJP leaders said they are confident of their victory. THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa Police have finally suspended a lady constable allegedly involved in siphoning off Rs 17.30 lakh from the Bicholim police station, where she was posted before being transferred to the Colvale Escort Cell. However, the department has remained silent on revealing the constable's name, despite indicating that an order for suspension was issued. “Regarding the irregularity in depositing traffic prosecution amount of Bicholim PS, an inquiry was ordered immediately as soon as the matter came to notice. The concerned police personnel was suspended and the amount in question was deposited in the government account. As per outcome of enquiry further action will be taken,” read an official statement from the Goa Police on their X handle on Wednesday. A detailed investigation by the SDPO Bicholim found that the constable had allegedly misappropriated Rs 17.30 lakh collected from traffic violation fines over 11 months, from February to December 2024. However, despite the internal audit, preliminary and CHEATS IN ‘UNIFORM’ MOST DANGEROUS: ADV CARLOS  >> See pg 2 y5 BJP GETS THUMBS UP; SOME PROJECT CLOSE FINISH; 2 GIVE AAP THE EDGE Action follows exposé by The Goan, internal probe; amount deposited in govt account ON ar Pollsters press the ‘exit’ button for AAP in Delhi Lady constable suspended in traffic challan cash fraud Fe br u detailed findings indicting her, she escaped stringent action. After The Goan’s expose on Tuesday, the constable was summoned to the police headquarters by higher-ups, where she also returned a major portion of the defrauded amount to the department. >Continued on P8