National
Goa to ban plastic from all government offices: Parrikar
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Panaji, Oct 4 (IANS) Government offices in Goa will soon ban all plastic from their premises as part of a Swachh Bharat initiative, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Wednesday.
Parrikar said he exhorted government officials to make Swachh Bharat a “personal agenda”.
Addressing the media at the Secretariat, Parrikar also said the BJP-led coalition government was targetting near total coverage of government financial transactions via digital mode by March 2018.
“We are preparing the memo and no plastic will be used by government department,” Parrikar said.
The Chief Minister said that on Tuesday he addressed a meeting of all government departments where he spelled out his government’s vision for Swachh Bharat, which included banning the use of plastic from government offices.
“I have told them to consider it as their personal agenda. They should not use plastic in government offices,” Parrikar said.
Parrikar said his government was targetting 99.99 per cent coverage for government financial transactions to go digital by March 2018.
“We plan to achieve that target or come close to it,” Parrikar said.
–IANS
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National
Cheers and Cheers: Barzilla’s Joyful Ode to Inclusivity and Celebration
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The RG Marathon Championship Run 2023 in Goa was a testament to inclusivity. Initially resistant to including persons with disabilities, it eventually featured wheelchair and standing categories, thanks to advocates’ efforts. Participants showed exceptional determination, emphasizing unity in diversity. Despite challenging weather, they demonstrated the power of community support, highlighting the need for accessibility and inclusion in all state-level events in Goa.
Following the marathon, a gathering of differently-abled individuals, predominantly wheelchair users, convened for a celebratory lunch at Barzilla. The event, orchestrated by Mr. Shariq Khan and Mr. Zain Aftab, proprietors of Barzilla, honored the birthday of Sadaf Fatima, who also uses a wheelchair and is Mr. Shariq Khan’s wife.
The lunch featured esteemed guests including the Tourism Minister of Goa, MLA Rohan Khaunte of Porvorim, Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai, and the State Commissioner for Persons with Disability in Goa, Guruprasad Pawaskar. The event was impeccably hosted by Ms. Falak Fatima and Mr. Adarsh Parashar, offering activities such as Karaoke and Billiards. The youth of Goa exhibited their unwavering support for the community, making the party an unequivocal success.