SPOTLIGHT | 2025: GOA'S PRIORITIES AND GOALS

As Goa navigates a difficult start to 2025 with a decline in repeat visits and international tourists, the industry is looking to innovative experiences and sustainable practices to reinvigorate its appeal.

TOURISM GOALS
After a challenging 2024 marred by declining repeat visitors, reduced international footfalls and growing dissatisfaction among stakeholders, Goa’s tourism sector faces an uphill task this year.

Looking ahead, the pressure is on to deliver innovative experiences while simultaneously engaging in damage control. Stakeholders are hopeful that already announced initiatives such as caravan tourism and star-gazing experiences among 43 proposed activities will rejuvenate the sector.

Enhanced infrastructure and effective tourist inflow management remain critical and as Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said, stakeholders must work in unison to improve visitor experiences. To regain its lost charm, the government must adopt a balanced approach to addressing criticism, whether online or on the ground.

In tackling over-tourism in hotspots like Calangute and Baga, the priority is crowd management, infrastructure upgrades and diversifying tourism to lesser-known areas – a strategy to reduce congestion but also to ensure retaining Goa’s main ethos of identity being culture, tradition, heritage and cuisine.

With sustainability being the need of the hour, initiatives such as eco-friendly accommodations, waste management systems and responsible travel campaigns are vital to help protect fragile ecosystems and ensure long-term viability for its tourism-driven economy.

Preserving beaches, mangroves and biodiversity as well as enforcing stricter regulations is also crucial to maintaining the state’s allure.

Finally, while the post-pandemic recovery of foreign tourist arrivals has been slow, the government's challenge will be to revive foreign inflows on a larger scale while pushing with the Centre to improve visa policies, parking and landing charges and other related issues – as improvement is barely seen despite foreign tours.

JOBS FOR CASH SAGA
With over two dozen cases registered since mid-November 2024, the jobs-for-cash scam drew intense public scrutiny. A series of arrests, seizure of crucial evidence, and recovery of cash and gold from accused who duped job seekers grabbed national headlines for about a month since the first case was registered following directions from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

As the investigation continues, attention is now likely to shift to the filing of the charge sheet and whether Goa police can build a watertight case against all those involved.

The year will likely bring more developments such as new cases and additional arrests but with a critical question of justice for victims as they await the return of their hard-earned money.

Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the high-profile defamation case filed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s wife Sulakshana against AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh. The Rs 100-crore defamation suit has accused Singh of linking her to the scam.

Sulakshana, also BJP Mahila Morcha chief, has demanded compensation, a public apology, and a court directive to restrain Singh and others from making further defamatory remarks. The JMFC Bicholim court has summoned Singh for a hearing on January 10, and the case’s outcome will be closely monitored.

Another pressing issue linked to this issue is whether jobs will be provided to eligible candidates without cash, as alleged corruption has raised concerns.

CM’s appeal to those who were forced to pay bribes for jobs to come forward and lodge complaints is also yet to see a response amid fear of repercussions gripping many.

LAND GRAB PROBE
The Special Investigation Team (SIT – Land Grab) continues its probe into an intricate web of land scams, having registered over 40 First Information Reports (FIRs) and filed five charge sheets so far.

As the investigation progresses, the SIT is confronted with a monumental challenge given the extensive number of complaints still under preliminary inquiry, the involvement of high-value properties and the probable involvement of some influential persons.

However, despite progress, the investigation remains far from complete. Sources said that the SIT members are handling many complaints while simultaneously investigating the FIRs. Many of these cases require thorough verification of property documents, some of which date back decades and involve Portuguese-era records.

Further arrests are likely and more charge sheets are expected to be filed in the coming months. The SIT may also expand its scope to book more land fraud cases.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether a Special Court will be established, as proposed by the Goa government in December 2024 on the basis of recommendations from the one-man Commission of Inquiry (Land Grab) headed by retired Justice V K Jadhav.

While an official communication regarding this proposal was sent to the Registrar General of the High Court of Bombay (Mumbai) by Under Secretary (Law Department) Amir Parab on behalf of the State government, sources said that a reminder letter may be issued soon to expedite the process. The appointment of a Special Prosecutor is also required as per the recommendations. Expanding the count of the investigation team members is also something to look for this year.

-- VIBHA VERMA

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'SMART METERS'
If there is one major task that the Goa Electricity Department (GED) has to pull up its socks and get going with, it is the ambitious plan for 100 per cent replacement of all electricity meters to the futuristic 'smart meters' in addition to its ongoing works related to the maintenance and refurbishment of the ageing transmission and distribution grid in the State.

Already lagging behind on the plan, which is majorly being financed by the Centre, the GED is still in the process of tendering it having already drawn a blank with no takers for its Rs 467 crore tender floated last year.

Nationally, States are slated to complete Phase-I of replacement with smart meters by January 2026 but like Goa, many are faltering at the tendering stage itself.

Tamil Nadu for instance has just two days ago cancelled a tender it had awarded to Adani Power via a global tendering process citing that the price per meter quoted by the company in the tender is not competitive.

Goa's tender floated by the GED in September last year elicited no response from bidders thus jeopardising the initial goal of completing phase-I of the smart meters project in the State in March this year under the Centre's Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).

Procuring nearly 7.5 lakh meters needed for Goa is just one part of the plan. Physically installing them is quite another which GED hopes to accomplish in phases, starting with their own sub-stations and then for government consumers.

According to a senior engineer who is part of the decision-making for the smart meters project, these modern gadgets have the capacity to provide real-time data of energy consumption. They can also be disconnected remotely in cases where consumers default on bill payments and also offer pre-paid options for the consumer.

Also, every smart meter can be monitored for tampering from a remote, centralised location as it instantly sends a signal to the Central Server as soon as there is any abnormal physical interference and bills can be auto-generated.

The work of installing these meters, including supplying them, has been tendered again and the process including issuing the work order and getting it going is expected to be completed in a month. It will then take another two years to complete installing all the 7.5 lakh meters in phases.

TB TARGET
Struggling to meet targets, Goa is unlikely to satisfy the norms to be declared tuberculosis free by this year end, the ambitious goal set for the entire nation by the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare, officials have admitted.

For the whole of last year, new TB cases have been reported across the State at the rate of five a day, approximately in the region of 2,000 new cases in the year. Also, only a 100-odd TB patients get completely cured annually.

Gauging this situation, the Directorate of Health Services whose TB control programme is being overseen by Dr Manish Gaunekar, has changed gear and decided to go hyper-local in tackling the disease and involving the local community around every primary, urban and community health centre, in the battle.

Just two of Goa's 190-odd village panchayats had made the cut as 'TB Mukt' for the previous year 2023. The criteria requires the entire village to log zero to one case with at least 30 samples per 1,000 population tested in the year.

In October last year, Usgao and Shiroda, were celebrated for achieving this target in 2023 and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane presented the 'TB Mukt' certificate to the two sarpanchas. But officials admit it is just a drop in the ocean and achieving the TB-free status in the entire State by the end of this year is beyond the State's means.

The hyper-local campaign against TB meanwhile is being implemented through health centres where chest X-rays are conducted using a hand-held portable machine, awareness sessions are held with a focus on the local community and TB screenings done among vulnerable population, including in old age homes and other shelters.

So far, the DHS has conducted these programmes in Corlim and Ponda in the North Goa district and in Navelim in the South.

AGRI POLICY
The long pending ‘Goa State Amritkal Agriculture Policy 2024’ which is already drafted and pending approval with the government may finally see the light of day this year, more than a decade after the State government set its sights on such a comprehensive policy.

Drafted by a committee constituted by the State government in March last year, it takes into account over 3,751 suggestions from individuals, farmer groups, village panchayats and other stakeholders.

It focusses on agriculture and horticulture development, integrated farming, land, soil and watershed development, khazan land, fertilizer, nutrient, pesticide and pest management, agro-tourism, organic and natural farming, agriculture export, storage and warehousing, climate and environment, academia and research.

According to Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik, the policy will be made public after it is approved by the cabinet and will be notified and will be aimed in the long-term at making Goa self-sufficient in agricultural produce besides making the sector a profit-making one.

-- ASHLEY DO ROSARIO

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ADMINISTRATIVE CHALLENGES
As Goa steps into 2025, several unresolved civic and administrative challenges await the attention of authorities.

From tackling illegal constructions on comunidade and government land to addressing the menace of sound pollution and improving road infrastructure, the year promises to be a litmus test for the administration's resolve and efficiency.

The stakes are high for the government to intensify its campaign against unauthorized structures on Comunidade and government land, a move that gained momentum last year.

The North Goa Collector had issued a memorandum directing action against illegal constructions under the provisions of the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968 and the Goa Land (Prohibition on Construction) Act, 1995.

Following a citizen's complaint and the Supreme Court’s directions, show-cause notices were issued to at least 100 illegal house owners on Cunchelim comunidade land. Hearings were conducted, and the final step to demolish the structures is awaited.

In Bardez, the Deputy Collector had already razed 35 illegal houses built on government-acquired land, leaving homeowners who were duped into buying the plots without legal recourse.

The issue, however, has sparked a larger debate, as many illegal structures – some over three decades old – are tied to the vote banks of influential politicians.

With similar concerns emerging in South Goa, the South Goa Comunidade Forum has urged its district collector to follow the example set in the north. The coming months will reveal whether 2025 will witness a more aggressive stance against these entrenched issues.

SOUND POLLUTION
Sound pollution, particularly from nightclubs in the coastal belt, continues to be a contentious issue.

Areas such as Anjuna-Vagator, Calangute-Candolim, and Morjim are plagued by loud music played beyond permissible hours, disrupting the lives of residents.

While many locals feel helpless, a determined group of citizens has been actively fighting against the noise nuisance.

Their efforts range from candlelight protests and public campaigns to filing legal challenges. The High Court, currently hearing a contempt petition on the matter, has yet to take decisive action, but activists remain hopeful stricter enforcement of laws against violators will be implemented.

The villagers’ unwavering resolve to hold nightclub owners and authorities accountable may bring about change, but whether this battle will bear fruit in 2025 remains to be seen.

POOR ROADS
The condition of Goa's roads, exacerbated by ongoing infrastructure projects and monsoons, has drawn widespread public ire.

The Public Works Department (PWD) was heavily criticised last year, particularly for the poor roads in Panaji due to Smart City works and for neglected stretches in areas like Assagao and Saligao.

Residents expressed their frustration through protests, demanding immediate improvements to road infrastructure.

In 2025, the PWD is tasked with repairing and hotmixing the deteriorated roads across the State, a challenge that will test its ability to deliver on public expectations.

However, with public patience wearing thin, the department’s ability to deliver tangible improvements will be under intense scrutiny.

2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for Goa’s administration.

From enforcing land laws and combating noise pollution to repairing essential infrastructure, authorities will face mounting pressure to deliver results.

Amid these challenges, the efforts of vigilant citizens and activists stand as a testament to the enduring spirit of accountability and justice in the State. Whether these efforts will compel real change remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the stakes have never been higher for Goa’s governance. 

-- AGNELO PEREIRA

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DEADLINE FOR CZMP 2019 NEARING
While the Central government is yet to approve the updated Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2011 based on 1:4,000 scale, the State is running out of time to meet the January end deadline for completion of CZMP based on 2019 CRZ notification. The failure to meet the deadline might force the State to face NGT wrath.

The State had approached MoEF&CC in November requesting to expedite the approval to the updated plan, in absence of which, it is in no position to complete CZMP 2019. Goa is the only coastal State that has not commenced any work on the plan.

There has been a delay of almost five years since the CRZ notification 2019 was notified -- the Rules and Regulations of which are currently not applicable to Goa in the absence of the plan. State has already missed out the October 31, 2023 deadline set by NCZMA. State had later sought time till May 31, 2024 to complete the plan however, it failed to meet that too.

FOREST RIGHTS & CLAIMS
Reeling under High Court’s contempt, the State has to battle out an uphill task to settle close to thousand cases of forest rights and claims to declare Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) as Tiger Reserve. As per records from October 23, 2023 to July 30, 2024 only seven cases were disposed by the Revenue Officer-cum-Collector (ROC) Netravali, one by the ROC of Bhagwan Mahavir WLS and not a single case disposed by ROC Mhadei.

The matter pertaining to declaring Mhadei WLS and its surrounding areas as Tiger Reserve is currently being heard by the High Court. State, who is facing the contempt plea, had initially sought time till July 2024 to settle all the claims; however it failed to do so and sought a year-long extension.

In Goa, the WLSs and national park -- declared protected areas just based on preliminary notification -- have got close to 2,000 claims of dwellers to be settled under the Wildlife Protection Act, a mandatory clause to be adhered to before going ahead with the demarcation of the protected boundaries.

The Bombay High Court at Goa, during its judgment on Tiger Reserve, slammed the Forest department for failing to determine and settle the rights and claims of various dwellers. Even the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) had taken cognizance of several States including Goa for failing to demarcate and notify its protected areas pending settlement of rights under the Wildlife Protection Act.

PERMANENT CAMPUS FOR IIT
Permanent campus for IIT is a contentious issue that has been haunting the State government since 2016. State has launch a fresh haunt to identify a land parcel to set up the campus as it has kept on hold the Rivona site, following roadblock in the land acquisition.

Despite the Selection Committee of the Union Education Ministry inspected and granted nod to the Rivona site, admeasuring 10.5 lakh sq mtrs, the government withdrew the plan owing to land title issue.

Set up in July 2016, the IIT Goa campus is temporarily housed in Goa Engineering College at Farmagudi and has been looking for a permanent campus since then.

Several land parcels right from Canacona to Sattari to Sanguem were identified for the project over the years. However, owing to the public outcry the government had to backtrack.

MHADEI - THE UNENDING BATTLE
The Supreme Court has listed the Mhadei river diversion matter this month for final hearing. The Apex Court will hear the special leave petitions filed by the three-riparian States - Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra, along with the contempt pleas in the third week.

The State legislative Assembly’s House Committee will also hold its second meeting next week- almost two years after it was constituted. The first meeting took place in January, 2023.

Though the matter is sub-judicie, Karnataka has continued to undertake works for diversion of Mhadei river water, with Goa government banking on the Supreme Court to hear them and provide relief. It is one contentious issue, where the State is at loggerheads.

-- SHWETA KAMAT MAHATME

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RIVER SAL REJUVENATION
As Goa enters the new year, the question remains: Will 2025 offer any hope for the rejuvenation of River Sal, the lifeline of Salcete, which continues to suffer from neglect and pollution?

River Sal has gained notoriety as the most polluted among the rivers in Goa. Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Subhash Shirodkar has set December 2025 as a modest target to rejuvenate the river, but concerns remain about whether government departments and local bodies will coordinate effectively to meet this goal. Shirodkar has promised to activate air purifiers installed near the wholesale fish market in January as part of efforts to combat the river’s pollution. But questions persist about the actions of other authorities - the Goa State Pollution Control Board, Sewerage Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Ltd (SIDCGL), PWD, Sewerage, and local bodies such as the Margao Municipal Council.

The Action Plan for the Rejuvenation of River Sal, prepared in 2019 following directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), outlined several key measures to address the pollution. It's been five years now, but the implementation has been sluggish.

A recent visit to the stretch of River Sal near the Khareband bridge revealed a thick carpet of Water Hyacinth, a common sign of neglect. This area had been de-silted as part of the river rejuvenation efforts, but raw sewage continues to flow into the river, undermining any progress made.

-- GUILHERME ALMEIDA