Govt to bear connection costs for domestic consumers
PANAJI
The Pramod Sawant-led cabinet on Wednesday approved a State-wide policy on house sewer connections with the Sewerage and Infrastructure Corporation of Goa Limited (SIDCGL) designated as the nodal agency.
The policy envisages a uniform fee structure to avail sewerage facilities which will be 35 per cent of the water consumption bill for domestic consumers, hospitals, hostels among other category of users besides a one-time sewerage connection fee up to Rs 10,000 as per the type of consumer and construction.
For commercial establishments like hotels, malls, supermarkets and restaurants, the monthly sewerage charges will be half of the water consumption bill and installation charges will vary between Rs 5,500 to Rs 25,000 per unit.
For domestic consumers, the costs of providing the connection will be borne by the government which is estimated to cost the exchequer around Rs 50 crore annually with a target of 5,000 connections.
Goa is way below the national average of 31 per cent in sewerage coverage at 16 per cent.
EXTERNMENT: Meanwhile, some 60 ‘criminals’ are on the State government’s radar for externment either outside the State or their home district.
Sawant, who was reacting to Monday’s shootout incident in Merces, said the State government will take stern action on the law and order front.
POLICE POSTS: In other decisions taken at Wednesday’s cabinet meet, the Goa police force got 10 posts of Police Inspectors (PIs) and 150 posts of Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) by chopping 219 constabulary positions.
CONVENTION CENTRE: The cabinet also granted post-facto approval to actions of the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) cell of the Finance Department in connection with the setting up of the International Convention Center at Dona Paula.
This includes the Request for Proposal floated along with the Concession Agreement, Project Information Memoranda and Eleven Addenda.
LAND DEAL: The cabinet also approved the exchange of land deal between the PWD and Vibhav Real Estate at Khadpabandh to improve road connectivity between Ponda and Kavlem village.
Government to permit sand transportation from Maha
PANAJI: In a respite to the construction sector facing a severe shortage of sand, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the government has issued instructions to permit legal sand transportation from Maharashtra.
Legal sand extraction in Goa has come to a complete standstill after the Bombay High Court has imposed a ban until the State government comes up with a scientifically sound policy.
