Go-ahead for introduction of smart prepaid electricity meters
Panaji: The state cabinet arrived at some major decisions on Thursday which included introducing smart prepaid electricity meters, clearing rules for the creation of a new department of drinking water and granting approval for leasing out Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium on PPP mode.
Briefing media at Mantralaya after the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said approval has been granted for leasing out Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium to Dome Entertainment Pvt Ltd on public-private partnership (PPP) mode.
The government has decided to give the stadium on a 10-year lease wherein Dome Entertainment Pvt Ltd will manage and look after the stadium’s maintenance. Sawant said the government will get revenue of Rs 25.25 lakh per month.
“Even if the stadium is given on lease to a private firm, it will be reserved for conducting state government events free of cost.”
“For aided institutions, it will be given on concessional rate,” Sawant said.
The cabinet also granted nod to introduce smart prepaid meters in the electricity department and to appoint DG Smart Pvt Ltd as the agency for implementation. Sawant said electricity consumers having commercial and three-phase connections will be covered in the first phase.
Sawant also said the cabinet has cleared the rules for creation of a new department of drinking water. It may be noted that the cabinet had approved a proposal to split the public works department to create a new department of drinking water.
The cabinet decided to provide grant-in aid to Kamaxi Homeopathy College and Gomantak Ayurveda College, Shiroda, the institutions run by minister and Shiroda MLA Subhash Shirodkar.
Sawant said the government has drafted a comprehensive vision document to achieve
‘Viksit Goa 2037’ and added that the document would be launched after seeking suggestions from the public.
“A presentation on the vision document Viksit Goa 2037 was given to the council of ministers during the cabinet meeting. The government has roped in Hyderabad-based Corporate Chanakya Services Pvt Ltd to draft this vision document,” he said.
Sawant said consultations will be held with experts, department heads and stakeholders across various sectors such as education, agriculture, economy, health, tourism services, allied services and environment to gather insights for the vision document.
The cabinet also decided to give land to Kirloskar company at Naveli, Sankhali for setting up of a motor winding project.
Academic year to begin as per notification: CM
Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said schools will reopen as per the schedule declared by the education department.
The education department had issued a draft notification on March 12 announcing that the academic year for Classes I to V and Class IX will commence from June and end in April. The notification had stated that academic year for Classes VI to X and Class XII will commence from April.
It had said that the academic year for Classes VI to X and Class XII would end in March provided there is a break of one week between the end of the academic year and the beginning of the new academic year for this category.
