log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline MONDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2025 N O W ON 12 pages Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 247 Instagram.com/thegoanonline MOHUN BAGAN DEFENDS ISL SHIELD >> P11 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 USAID funded 7 projects in India, shows FinMin report Soon, caretakers in hospitals at subsidised fares SAYS PROJECTS RELATED TO AGRI, WATER, SANITATION, HEALTH PTI @TheGoanOnline >> pg 6 Trump’s tariff talk & 5 key triggers to watch on D-Street this week IN SHORT >> Unseasonal rains hit Sattari, Bicholim PANAJI: Sattari and Bicholim witnessed unseasonal showers on Sunday even as the State continues to experience higher-than-usual temperatures in recent days. Interestingly, IMD Panaji recorded a minimum temperature of 25.6°C at 8:30 am on February 23, which is 4.8°C above normal. Neura locals oppose railway station plan OLD GOA: The Neura locals vehemently opposed plans to set up railway station in the village and warned of an agitation if the government did not listen to the locals. The reasons cited for the opposition, at the gram sabha, included that the Karmali station was hardly a few kilometers away and that the area is a khazan land which will be destroyed.  >> See pg 3 Morjim parking project under fire PERNEM: Residents of Morjim on Sunday strongly opposed the proposed Rs 8 cr multi-purpose parking project being set up by the Tourism Department at the beachside in Temwada-Morjim. Residents claimed that the project would create more problems for residents in the village.  >> See pg 3 Govt to ensure affordability and maintain standard of care THE GOAN I NETWORK NEW DELHI Amid a raging political controversy over USAID's alleged role in influencing Indian elections, the latest annual report of the finance ministry has disclosed that the agency funded seven projects worth USD 750 million in 2023-24. “Currently, seven projects worth a total budget of USD 750 million (approx) are being implemented by USAID in partnership with Government of India,” as per the Finance Ministry annual report for 2023-24. For the financial year 202324, an obligation of a total of USD 97 million (about Rs 825 crore) has been made by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the seven projects, it said. Why does India need money from US for polls, asks Trump WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has claimed that the Biden administration allocated $18 million in funding to India to help with its elections, arguing that the country doesn’t need this money. His remarks during a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference after he repeatedly attacked the United States Agency for International Development for allocating $21 The Department of Economic Affairs which is the nodal department for bilateral funding has also shared the details of projects funded in 2023-24 in the report. During the year, no funding was made for enhancing voter turnout but to projects related to agriculture & food security million in funding to India for voter turnout. In his speech, Trump also accused India of taking advantage of the US. “18 million dollars for helping India with its elections. Why the hell? Why don’t we just go to old paper ballots, and let them help us with their elections, right? Voter ID. Wouldn’t that be nice? We’re giving money to India for elections. They don’t need money,” he said. programme; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); Renewable Energy; disaster management and health. Besides, it said, funds were committed for Sustainable Forests and Climate Adaptation Program and Energy Efficiency Technology Commercialization and Innovation. Smart City work disrupts water supply in Panaji PIPELINES DAMAGED NEAR MARKET AREA, RESIDENTS WITHOUT WATER FOR DAYS PANAJI Finding caretakers to assist and keep company with relatives admitted to hospitals for treatment has long been a challenge for many families. However, this difficulty could soon be a thing of the past if the government's plan to introduce caregiver services in public hospitals is successfully implemented. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane announced on Sunday that the government is working towards enlisting the services of trained para-medical caregivers who will be available to provide assistance to inpatients across various government hospitals. According to Rane, these services will be offered at fixed and subsidized rates, ensuring affordability while also maintaining a standard of care. Rane made the announcement at a 'Mega Health Camp' held at the Mayem Panchayat on Sunday. Families of patients undergoing treatment, surgeries, or any other medical interventions often struggle to find skilled caregivers, leaving them distressed and overwhelmed. Many have had to rely on expensive private agencies or informal networks to arrange help, often at short notice and with no guarantee of quality service. The government's proposal to formalize and regulate such caregiving services will not only provide relief to families but also fill a long-standing gap in Goa's healthcare system. KOHLI POWER REIGNS THE GOAN I NETWORK that the PWD officials swung into action following repeated intervention of local CCP councillor Lorraine Dias and have got the second pipeline rupture repaired on Sunday afternoon. "Hopefully we will now start getting water from tonight or tomorrow morning," one resident told The Goan >Continued on P7 >Continued on P7 A Panaji market road dug up for Smart City work. there was no access for tankers due to the ongoing smart city work. The woes of the Panaji market area residents got further prolonged when on Saturday another pipeline connecting the PWD's main supply line to another residential building closer to the market got similarly ruptured by a JCB excavator. Residents however said, Popular Gujarat Insta influencer ends life after holiday in Goa PANAJI Goa's not so happy tryst with social media influencers seems to be unending.  Now, well after the State's Tourism Department had a run-in with several influencers who it alleged were defaming Goa with unfactual claims of the State's declining tourism stature, comes the news that a popular Gujarati influencer ended her life at her Rajkot residence soon after a Goa holiday. With 45K followers to her Instagram page, Radhika Dhamecha, known as Tofani Radha in the cyber world, allegedly committed suicide at her residence, the Instagram-based news outlet 'Our Rajkot News' reported. She was found hanging in her room at the family apartment and local police are investigating the circumstances of her death. Another news outlet 'Gujarat Samachar' reported that Radhika had returned from a Goa trip before her tragic death. Just 26 years of age, Dhamecha had a six-year-old THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Excavators digging up the roads around the Panaji market area damaged water pipelines connecting to sumps of multiple high-rise residential buildings leaving residents without supply and fuming for the last several days. The first of these breaches occurred  in the middle of last week along the General Benard Guedes Road when a JCB excavator ruptured the pipeline connecting the main PWD supply line to the sump of the Seagull building. Residents in several buildings downstream of this rupture also faced the brunt with no supply as the PWD had to shut the line to allow its plumbers to repair the Seagull building rupture.  Residents said they faced severe hardships for all these days due to lack of water. PWD officials said they were unable to make alternate supply arrangements to this area since The United States of America's bilateral development assistance to India started in 1951 and it is mainly administered through USAID. Since its commencement, USAID has provided economic assistance of over $17 bn to India in various sectors. Political controversy erupt- ed in the country earlier this month after the Elon Musk-led DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) claimed that it had cancelled a USD 21 million grant to India to boost “voter turnout”. US President Donald Trump also repeatedly claimed that USAID under previous administration led by Biden allocated USD 21 million in funding to India for ''voter turnout''. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said the information put out by the Trump administration is “concerning” and that the government is looking into it. The USAID was allowed in India “in good faith, to do good faith activities”, and suggestions are being made out of America that “there are activities which are in bad faith,” Jaishankar had said. Virat Kohli celebrates after he scores his 51st ODI century in the ICC Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on Sunday. India beat arch-rivals Pakistan by six wickets. Kohli also became the quickest to score 14,000 ODI runs. (Report on Pg 12) Govt may take key decision on NEP for Class III today THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The State government is contemplating introducing National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 at preparatory stage Grade III from the coming academic year 2025-26. The decision in this regard is expected on Monday. The Directorate of Educa- tion has already announced implementation of NEP for Class VI and X from the coming term, which is set to commence from April 1. There will be a total 1200 instructional hours in a year. Director for State Council for Education, Research and Training (SCERT) Meghana Shetgaonkar confirmed that a meeting is scheduled on Mon- day to decide on whether to go ahead with the implementation of NEP at the preparatory stage Grade III. In the current term, NEP recommendations were implemented for class IX and foundation stage two -second year of preschool at age 4 -- while last year, the >Continued on P7 US deports 12 more Church leadership: What happens if the Pope is incapacitated? Indian immigrants Pope Francis is conscious, says Vatican PTI PTI NEW DELHI A fourth batch of illegal immigrants from India deported by the US landed in Delhi on Sunday, officials said. They flew back to India via Panama, officials said. Of the 12, four went home to Punjab's Amritsar, officials said. The first round of deportation had taken place on February 5, when a US military plane transported 104 Indians to Amritsar. Amid criticism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said the Centre had been engaging with the US to ensure the deportees are not mistreated. He said the US' deportation of illegal migrants is not a new development and has been going on for years. Nearly 300 immigrants deported under Trump's policies are being held in a Panama hotel as the authorities work to deport them. With 40 per cent refusing voluntary repatriation, UN agencies are seeking alternative destinations. The situation has raised concerns over their confinement, as Panama acts as a transit hub while the US covers the costs. VATICAN CITY hile the Vatican has detailed laws and rituals to ensure the transfer of power when a pope dies or resigns, they do not apply if he is sick or even unconscious. And there are no specific norms outlining what happens to the leadership of the Catholic Church if a pope becomes totally incapacitated. As a result, even though Pope Francis remains hospitalised in critical condition with a complex lung infection, he is still pope and very much in charge. Still, Francis' hospital stay is raising obvious questions W VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis was conscious but still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen Sunday following a respiratory crisis and blood transfusions, as he remains in critical condition with a complex lung infection, the Vatican said. The night passed quietly, the pope rested, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in an early statement. about whether he might follow in Pope Benedict XVI's footsteps and resign if he becomes unable to lead. His age and prolonged Further clinical tests were being performed on the 88-year-old pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, and a more detailed medical update was expected later Sunday. On Saturday, Francis suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis that required high flows of oxygen to help him breathe through a nasal tube. illness has revived interest about how papal power is exercised in the Holy See, how it is transferred and under what circumstances. ROLE OF POPE The pope is the successor of the Apostle Peter, the head of the college of bishops, the Vicar of Christ and the pastor of the universal Catholic Church on Earth, according to the church's in-house canon law. Nothing has changed in his status, role or power since Francis was elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013. That status is by theological design. The Vatican Curia Francis may be in charge, but he already delegates the day-today running of the Vatican and church to a team of officials who operate whether he is in the Apostolic Palace or not, and whether he is conscious or not. Chief among them is the secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. In a sign that Francis' hospitalisation foresaw no change to the governance of the church, Parolin was in Burkina Faso when Francis entered the hospital on February 14. Parolin is now back at the Vatican. Other Vatican functions are proceeding normally, including the Vatican's 2025 Holy Year celebrations. WHEN POPE GETS SICK Canon law does have provisions for when a bishop gets sick and can't run his diocese, but none for a pope. Canon 412 says a diocese can be declared impeded if its bishop due to captivity, banishment, exile, or incapacity cannot fulfil >Continued on P7