Govt's partnership with soccer vital for Goa
MAPUSA: It is heart-warming to see that the campaign to declare football as an official sport in Goa is gaining ground. No other state, nor even Bengal, which had dominated the scene for decades, has so far done it. And if the state government bestows recognition, due and deserving to the game of football, it would surely bring about a sea change in the sport in terms of support and infrastructure.

Maharaja Mallya rolls out the Kingfisher flying carpet
ON BOARD KINGFSHER AIRLINES FLIGHT: Vijay Mallya, India's poster boy of consumption and consumerism, who emulates the polo-playing princes he admires, by wearing diamonds in his lobes, got into the cockpit of his Kingfisher airline A-320 and flew the good times from Goa to Mumbai and back, on the inaugural flight in this sector.

Rane's Budget brings cheer to liquor firms
PANJIM, Aug 11: Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane presented a budget of Rs.3725.74 crore for the current year 2005-06 with emphasis on social sector. While no additional taxes have been imposed, the budget has brought cheers to the liquor industry. Under the value added tax regime, tax has been reduced from 22 per cent to 4 per cent on feni and from 22 per cent on Indian Made Foreign Liquor.

CCP lifts 250 tonne garbage
PANAJI: The Corporation of the City of Panaji today under a stop-gap arrangement lifted 250 metric tonnes of garbage strewn around the city and gathered 50 metric tonnes of public waste through door-to-door collection, and began back-filling of government land near the EDC ground, behind city Kadamba bus stand, under police protection.

Happy Independece Day
Goans join the rest of people of India to celebrate the country's 59th Independence Day today. Functions have started quite early in the morning all over the State. Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane will unfurl the tricolour at the Old Secretariat in Panjim. He will address the ceremonial parade as well as present police medals, awards to Anganvadi workers and the Yashadamini awards. Meanwhile, the Catholic community in Goa also celebrate the feast of the assumption of Our Lady today in all the parishes, in some of which the joyous day coincides with the "Harvest Festival" or Novidade. A number of cultural programmes organised by institutions, clubs and associations, road races and coconut breaking competitions are special features of the day.