Author: Team Admin

New Delhi: India and the United Kingdom are poised to sign a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UK, marking a major milestone in bilateral economic ties after nearly three years of negotiations. This FTA, India’s first significant trade pact with a developed country in over a decade, is expected to come into force within a year, pending legal approvals from the British Parliament and India’s Union Cabinet. Under the agreement, India has offered several key concessions. Import duties on Scotch whisky and gin will be reduced from the current 150% to 75%…

Team Goemkarponn Panaji: Concerns over the suspension of international flight connectivity from Goa were raised in the Assembly on Wednesday, with two MLAs urging the government to intervene with the Union Civil Aviation Ministry and Air India. MLA Capt. Venzy Viegas raised a point of order at the start of the session, seeking an update on the Goa-Gatwick Air India flight, which has been suspended for some time. He questioned whether the state had followed up with the Centre to ensure the resumption of this key route. In response, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured the House that the email communication…

Team Goemkarponn Porvorim: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday came down heavily on the Goa Cricket Association (GCA) for its prolonged inaction over the proposed cricket stadium at Dhargal, warning that the government will reclaim the land if construction work is not initiated within the next two years. “The GCA doesn’t seem serious at all about the Dhargal stadium. It has already been eight years and no progress has been made. If the GCA fails to begin ground work in the next two years, we will take back the land,” Sawant stated in the Assembly. He further said that the…

New Delhi: In a key move to ease bilateral tensions, India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals starting July 24, according to the Indian Embassy in China. The decision is part of broader efforts to normalise ties between the two nations, strained since the 2020 border clashes in eastern Ladakh. This development follows recent diplomatic engagements, including Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to Beijing and discussions with Chinese officials on reviving people-centric exchanges. The two sides agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in 2025 and restart cooperation on hydrological data and trans-border rivers. Earlier this month, External…

Bengaluru: A wave of GST notices has triggered panic across Karnataka’s small business community, with many shopkeepers, vendors, and daily wage workers ditching digital payments overnight. From tea stalls and milk booths to flower sellers and vegetable carts, fear is mounting over retrospective tax demands, some running into lakhs—even crores. Across the state, handwritten signs declaring “No UPI, Only Cash” are now common, as traders flee from digital transactions they once adopted for convenience and transparency. The root of this panic: GST notices sent by the state’s Commercial Tax Department, using UPI trail data to identify unregistered traders. “We’re being…

Team Goemkarponn Candolim: Ode Spa, the wellness and spa vertical of the Ridhira Group, has expanded its national presence with the launch of a new outlet at Regenta Central Imperial, Candolim. This marks a significant step in the brand’s strategic growth across India’s high-value hospitality and leisure destinations. With nearly two decades of experience and over 1.5 million customers served across India, Ode Spa is scaling its presence through a growing network of wellness destinations, strategically positioned in high-demand tourism markets. The newly launched outlet in Candolim strengthens this approach, delivering curated wellness experiences for both leisure travellers and health-focused…

Team Goemkarponn Porvorim: Aam Aadmi Party MLA Captain Venzy Viegas raised a strong demand in the Goa Legislative Assembly, urging the government not to commission the Colva Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) unless there is complete assurance that the facility is fully functional and safe. Citing repeated failures of sewage projects in Salcete due to poor planning, he warned that releasing untreated sewage would lead to the pollution of agricultural land and the already-degraded Sal River. Responding to a calling attention motion jointly moved by Opposition MLAs Yuri Alemao, Cruz Silva, Altone D’Costa, and Adv. Carlos Ferreira over the release of…