Team Goemkarponn
Porvorim: Minister for Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, Rohan A. Khaunte, announced a series of key initiatives during the ongoing Goa Assembly session aimed at strengthening the state’s digital infrastructure and fostering innovation. Among the most significant was the launch of the Har Ghar Fiber programme, which will bring high-speed internet connectivity to every household across Goa. The rollout will begin with a pilot phase in Porvorim, Sankhalim, and Bicholim.
To further improve citizen access to government services, the Minister revealed that four new Citizen Service Centres (CSCs) will be established in Darbandora, Valpoi, Panjim, and Porvorim. These centres will help expand last-mile delivery of digital services across both urban and rural areas. Highlighting the broader network expansion, Khaunte noted that under the Goa Broadband Network (GBBN), 414 locations—including 189 Village Panchayats and 225 government offices—are already connected, extending secure network access to over 1,500 institutional locations. Additionally, 137 public Wi-Fi hotspots have been set up across all 40 constituencies, based on feedback from local MLAs. These currently support over 52,000 active users, particularly benefiting rural areas.
Digital governance has also seen major progress through the GoaOnline portal, which now offers 247 services from 41 government departments. To date, it has facilitated more than 31 lakh transactions and reached over 8 lakh citizens. These services are also accessible via the CSCs, ensuring availability at the grassroots level.
Speaking on the state’s innovation landscape, the Minister shared that Goa now has 759 registered startups under the Goa Startup Policy and DPIIT. The government has disbursed ₹4.10 crore in support, with 28 startups receiving seed funding of up to ₹10 lakh each. Under the state’s IT Policy, 18 IT units have been registered and ₹80 lakh in performance-based incentives has been distributed to encourage investment and job creation.
In a major step toward fostering aerospace innovation, Khaunte announced the upcoming establishment of a Drone Design and Aero Centre at Quitol. This centre will offer a controlled environment where startups and innovators can design, test, and operate drones, thereby building a complete drone innovation ecosystem in the state.
As part of the government’s efforts to ensure digital inclusion, Khaunte reiterated the importance of schemes targeted at marginalised communities. Under the Free Laptop Scheme for ST and SC students, laptops are being distributed based on academic merit. The Empowering ST & SC Communities Using ICT Tools programme is also helping students and citizens receive free, certified IT training at IT Knowledge Centres (ITKCs). In addition, a proposal is underway to extend free laptops to students from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) who have secured admission into engineering colleges in Goa.
Khaunte emphasized that all these initiatives are part of a broader strategy to position Goa as a digitally connected, innovation-driven, and inclusive state, using technology as a means of empowerment and economic development.
