PM Modi welcome to Goa every month
My fellow Goans will be very much thrilled if they know that the Prime Minister lands in Goa almost every week if not every day. And I am sure even those who like or dislike him will agree with me that they would like to welcome him to Goa every now and then.
I am writing this piece with such excitement seeing the overall progress made on the roads and surroundings of Goa by face-lifting those old shabby looking structures and buildings to welcome Modi. At Margao’s Kadamba bus stand, I have seen for the first time in the last forty years that the roofing and shed is completely given a new lease of life, the bus stand that was itself like a big huge pothole is now revamped into a new asphalted ground. The SGPDA ground near Osia Complex that was a sore to the eyes of the people is now suddenly repaired and undergoing asphalting.
The roads around Margao which do not fall into the jurisdiction of the ruling members got a new makeup and people wondered if everyone joined the government to make development in their respective constituencies. If our government can make this on a war footing for the Prime Minister’s visit, why not for it’s citizens?
Many Goans wish that the Prime Minister visits Goa very often. Not just travel by road but venture deep into the villages specially where people or common man haven’t seen development from any government for the last many decades. I wish the Prime Minister make a wish to tour the Smart City of Panjim via St Inez. Then Sonsodo to Curtorim and not forgetting Monte Dongor in Margao. I am sure if he ever makes a wish to visit Goa every month at the least, there will be no doubt that in two years’ time, Goa will look like Copenhagen. Let us pray for it to happen.
Saturnino Rodrigues, by email
Govt should upgrade the labour sector
Though the nation has witnessed a positive transformation and development by way of monorails, skywalks and improvement in transportation and other sectors there is a need for the Government to look into upgrading the labour sector in the nation by opening job opportunities for the unemployed by opening more factories, workshops for the unemployed, which will improve the living conditions of the common people.
The Government must also withdraw the labour policies and increasing the retirement age to 70. This will help in the growth of the nation.
Cajetan Peter D’Souza, Mumbai
Interim Budget reflects stability in economy
The Interim Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reflects a sense of stability in the economy after a decade of determined reforms necessitated by the fragility that had built over the previous years. Though the full budget will be presented after the Lok Sabha elections and formation of the new Government at the Centre, the Interim Budget drops enough hint of the areas that will be in focus in future. Thus, there is a right mix of aspirations and equipment. This is a very stable approach.
Jahangir Ali, Mumbai
Scheme for Bal Rath buses should be revised
Following a mishap that occurred recently in Cuncolim involving a Bal Rath bus, the state government has reportedly fixed a distance within which the Bal Rath buses must ferry school students. For schools and high schools, the Bal Rath buses will now pick and drop students within a radius of 5 km from the school, while higher secondary school students will be picked up and dropped by the Bal Rath buses from within a radius of 7 km from the institution.
The government has warned that managements of the educational institutions would be responsible for any untoward incidents if the Bal Rath buses pick up and drop students beyond the specified distance. It is learnt that this clause of specific radius has been inserted to avoid and prevent any untoward incident.
The question that arises is how will the students, who live beyond the specified radius, reach the institution in time in absence of Bal Rath buses?
Can accidents not take place within the specified radius? It is learnt that the government has also made it mandatory for school managements to submit vehicle fitness-certificate annually. The school administration is primarily responsible for conducting the school curriculum and to look after the educational aspect of the students. Carrying out maintenance of the school buses and obtaining the fitness certificate could be handled by the technical section of the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) which carries out repairs of the buses at its depot and workshop.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Sauce for goose and gander should be same
Umar Khalid’s bail plea has been postponed for the eighth consecutive time. Umar Khalid has become the face of the legal maxim, justice delayed is justice denied. He already spent over three years in custody after being arrested in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots in September 2020 under the UAPA. The question that naturally comes to mind is: while he has been languishing in a custody year after year what are the actions that have been taken against those who instigated the crowds with the “Goli maro” battle cry?
Sujit De, Kolkata
