Goa India Directory

Monday, February 11, 2008

Goa Carnival

The carnival just ended in Goa. Typically, its in early February with fun filled floats and parades across different cities of Goa.

See some pictures of the Carnival.

Read about the Carnival from the official Goa Tourism website.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Rane elected speaker of Goa Assembly

Mr Pratapsingh Rane was unanimously elected as the new Speaker of the Goa assembly.

Mr Laxmikant Parsekar and Mr Anil Salgaocar both withdrew their nominations.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Monsoons in Goa

The monsoon has arrived in Goa, albeit a bit late.

Please see the actual forecasts from the IMD: INDIA METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT

INSAT image:
http://www.imd.ernet.in/section/satmet/dynamic/insatsector-ir.htm

To see the current weather in Goa, see this (from Yahoo Weather)

Enjoy the rains !!!!

Goa Speaker - Save Goa Front support

Save Goa Front has extended its support to the Congress led Governments nominee for the Speakers Post in the Goa Assemby.

The one week old Digambar Kamat-led coalition government will face its first test when election is scheduled for the post of Speaker. A contest is expected for the post - Mr Pratapsingh Rane (Congress MLA from Poriem), Mr Laxmikant Parsekar (Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Mandrem) and Mr Anil Salgaocar (Independent MLA from Sanvordem).

Hi-Tech Habitat Dona Paula Goa

The Info Tech Corporation of Goa is setting up a software park on a 75-acre land at Dona Paula in Goa. The park would be located about 30 km from the Goa Airport and about 8 km from the capital, Panaji.

The Hi-Tech Habitat is proposed to be a modern, state-of-the-art and high quality IT software park and services unit with necessary infrastructure including roads, services, satellite connectivity, captive power supply, 'plug and play' facilities, Internet cafeteria, health and recreational centre, and landscaping. It will also consist of common facilities, office space and a convention centre.

International Convention Centre to come up in Dona Paula, Goa

DLF Group, a real estate and construction major, has bagged the contract for constructing around Rs. 400-crore international convention centre of the Goa Government coming up at Dona Paula.

The project will be constructed on build operate and transfer(BOT) basis.

The centre will be completed in 18 months. This will be a Public Private Participation (PPP) project on 25 acres of land.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Goa Weather

The moonsoons finally hit Goa.

To see an updated Goa Weather forecast, and current conditions, see http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/INXX0169_c.html

Speaker of the Goa Assembly

Mr Pratapsingh Rane is the Congress nominee for the Speaker post. The BJP is open to supporting a consensus candidate for the speaker post from one of the smaller parties.

Indian strike leads to cancellation of flights in Goa

Three ‘Indian’ flights were cancelled in Goa due to ground staff strike. IC-919 - Bangalore-Goa, IC-164 - Mumbai- Goa and IC-597 Mumbai-Goa-Sharjah were cancelled. IC-865 - Mumbai-Goa flight was delayed.

The strike has since been called off.

Goa Golf Course

Golf legend Vijay Singh of Fiji will design a golf course in Goa, according to Mark Adams, senior vice president, director of IMG's Golf Course Services division, Asia.

One of the resorts has contracted IMG's services for designing a Golf Course in Goa.

IMG says "IMG's course design services helps increase property value, playability and marketing impact."

Fishing Ban in Goa

The fishing ban in Goa comes in effect from 15 June, and will be in place till 31 July 2007.

The rationale behind the ban is that the breeding season of most of the commercially important fish falls during the monsoon season, and that fishing during the breeding season exploits the weaker brood fishes and their young ones. The whole idea of the ban is that at least one chance shall be given for each fish to breed during monsoon season so that there will be a natural revival of the stock.

Ingos Saturday Night Bazaar, Arpora, Goa

Ingo’s Saturday Night Bazaar is a feast – and everyone is invited. The fun spot with no cover charge,

Ingo’s has established itself as a must-visit spot on the Goa landscape.

The moment you reach the vicinity, you can feel the pulse of the place. As you inch closer to Ingos, your car slows down to a snails pace. The parking lot with bikes glistening in the moonlight makes for an amazing backdrop, with bikes ranging from vintage classics, to zippy small things, to world war relics that still move.

As you step into the bazaar, its like platform 9 and three quarters revisited – you have entered a completely different world invisible to the outside world. You have stepped into a shopping extravaganza with food, sights and entertainment from all over the world.

Ingo’s is teeming with enthusiastic shoppers. The products on display range from trance CDs and unbelievable earrings to G-strings, nine-yard sarees, paintings, handmade artefacts and even Sitars. Local artisans from Goa and other parts of India mix with the foreigners trying to sell their products to the continuous stream of shoppers. Tatoo artists skilfully leave their mark on sweating bodies of all shapes, while masseurs gently iron away your stresses.

The range of authentic international fare caters to people from all parts of the world. An Italian shows off his mastery with Pizzas, while another food stall dishes out Tibetian Momos, Japanese Sushi, Punjabi Tikka or Mumbai Pav Bhaji. The mouth-watering extravaganza is the best of the world’s cuisine packed in a bazaar.

The performance stage has fire-eaters, jugglers, live bands, dancers, fashion shows and artists performing to an energetic audience under the starry skies. The performers come in from all parts of the world, adding to the festivity of Ingo’s. The applauding crowd has its share of teenagers and retirees dressed in skimpy nothings to salwar kurtas and even the occasional business suit.

Ingo’s comes alive in the evenings, and is rocking till late into the night. It is at Arpora, not too far north of the famed Calangute - Baga stretch of beaches in Goa. Goa is famous for its mix of Indian-Portuguese cultures, friendly people, wonderful churches and temples, sunny beaches and lush greenery.

Article Source: http://www.goaproperty.co.in/goa/ingos_saturday_night_bazaar.htm

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Goa Police

http://www.goagovt.nic.in/police/

This is what the Goa Police website has to say:

Safety Tips for Foreigners, Tourists and Visitors to Goa

The Goa Police Department would like to make your visit to our beautiful State as pleasant and safe as possible. You can help us further by following these simple tips while travelling around Goa.

Carry your wallet in an inside jacket pocket or side trouser pocket, never in the rear pocket.

Carry pocketbooks in the bend of your elbow, held close to your body. If there is a long strap, wrap it around the bag. Carry credit cards and cash in your pockets.

Keep pocketbooks on your lap when dining out, not dangling over the back of a chair. Avoid placing pocketbooks on hooks on the back of a fitting room or bathroom door, where someone can easily reach over and removed them.

Leave valuables and important papers, such as jewelry and passports, secured in your hotel's safe deposit box. Never leave these items unattended in your room or carry large sums of cash on your person.

Be wary of unexpected persons coming to your hotel room. Never open the door to unsolicited room service or maintenance people. Contact the front desk if you have any doubts.

If you schedule a meeting with a potential client, research the company and the individual with whom you are meeting. Meet in a public place, such as a restaurant.

Make sure that luggage is only given to a member of the hotel's bell staff and a receipt is issued for stored luggage. Never leave luggage or other expensive items, unattended at airports or taxi stands.

SAMPLE FORMS REQUIRED TO BE FILLED IN BY FOREIGNERS VISITING INDIA

(Plesae note that the forms/rules governing them are liable to change from time to time. You should therefore personnally verify the forms/rules in existence at the time of application before submitting them)

http://www.goagovt.nic.in/police/html/foreigners%20forms.htm

The Goa Police phone numbers are goven here:
http://www.goagovt.nic.in/police/html/phone%20nos.htm

And yes, remember the Police Hotline number: 100

Monday, June 4, 2007

Goa - Council of Ministers

The elections for the state assembly are now over, and the results are due on 05 June 2007. These were the ministers during the tenure of the outgoing government. Their fate at the hands of the electorate will be known tomorrow by 11 am.

Shri. Pratapsingh Raoji Rane
Chief Minister
Finance, Home, Forest, Information, Revenue

Shri. Babush Monserrate
Town and Country Planning

Dr. Wilfred Anthony D'Souza
Deputy Chief Minister
Science & Technology, Environment & Pollution, Tourism

Shri. Luizinho Faleiro
Education, Industries, Factories & Boilers

Shri. Digambar Kamat
Power, Mines, Art & Culture

Adv. Dayanand G. Narvekar
Information Technology, Law & Judiciary, Legislature Affairs, Health

Shri. Ramkrishna Alias Sudin Madhav Dhavalikar
PWD, Cooperation, Archaeology & Museum

Shri. Subhash Shirodkar
Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, Social Welfare, Women & Child Development, Craftsmen Training

Shri. Pandurang Madkaikar
Transport, River Navigation, Sports & Youth Affairs

Shri. Joaquim Braz Alemao
Urban Development, Fisheries, Labour & Employment

Shri. Francisco X. Pacheco
Agriculture, Animal Husbandary

Shri. Agnelo Fernandes
Parliamentary Secretary

Shri. Manohar T. Azgaonkar
Housing, Civil Supplies, Provedoria

Shri. Filipe N Rodrigues
Water Resources, Legal Metrology

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Goan Associations

These are some of the associations of Goans:

Goan Association of Florida
The Edmonton Goan Association
Goan Overseas Association, Vancouver
Goa Overseas Association New South Wales - GOANSW
Gulf Goans
Melbourne Goans
NRI Goan Association
The Goan Overseas Association Vic. - Melbourne Australia
Goan Overseas Association of Toronto
Goans of America - Los Angeles
Goan Voice Canada
Salcete Association
Goan Association UK
The Goan Association Calgary
Goan Overseas Association - DC
Gowda Saraswath Sabha (U.K.)
Goan Association of New York
Vascokars' United
Goan Voice UK
Goa Net
Cyber Club for Konkani Speakers
The Goan Institute, San Francisco
Goan Association of New Jersey, Inc. USA
The Young London Goans Society (YLGS)
Saligao Association UK
AMKA - American Midwest Konkani Association
Goan Causes
Konkani Association of California (KAOCA)

If you want to add to this list, simply leave a comment and I will publish an updated list. We also welcome your Association's news articles and news to be published on our site free of charge.

Goa Business Associations / Chambers

CII - Confederation of Indian Industry

GCCI - Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry

GSIA - Goa Small Industry Association

GMOEA - Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association

TTAG - Travel and Tourism Association of Goa

GMA - Goa Management Association

Goa Newspapers

The Navhind Times
The first English newspaper of Goa - first published in 1963 immediately after liberation from Portuguese Rule. Largest circulating daily in Goa. Owned by the Dempo Group.

Herald
A leading newspaper of Goa

Gomantak Times
Owned by Sakal Papers International

Tarun Bharat

Goa Beaches Locations

Taj Aguada, Sinquerim
Calangute Beach
Miramar Beach, Panaji

Goa Map

See these different sites for the best maps of Goa:

Tourist Map from Maps of India
Tourist Map from Lonely Planet
Goa Property Map
Mineral Map of Goa
Google Map (Miramar Beach, Panaji)