Goa Tourism and IT Minister Rohan Khaunte on Sunday visited Sri Kashi Math Samsthan at Bandora, Ponda on the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Samsthan’s Goa branch.

Khaunte sought blessings from Srimad Samyamindra Tirtha Swamiji and discussed several key topics including tourism, education, IT, and others concerning Goa’s development and growth.

He further briefed Swamiji about the efforts being made by the state government to promote Goa as a Spiritual Tourism destination. Further, Srimad Samyamindra Tirtha Swamiji felicitated Rohan Khaunte and blessed him and hoped Goa reaches greater heights with positive efforts.

The Kashi Math has devotees all over the Konkan belt from Mumbai, parts of Maharashtra, Goa, Udupi, Mangalore, other parts of Karnataka, Kochi and parts of Kerala.

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Goa government on Thursday sanctioned financial assistance to eight start-ups and one IT company under Goa startup and IT policy.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and IT, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, and chairman ITG Dr Chandrakant Shetye gave the cheques to the startups at an event. Addressing the media, Rohan Khaunte said talent is the major challenge as Goa goes ahead with IT reforms and with this scheme, the state is moving ahead in getting the right talent.

Highlighting the brain drain in Goa, Khaunte said the state allows preferred talent to groom up to reduce the brain drain and increase employment opportunities in the state. He further said with ease of doing business, setting talent in the right direction and making manpower available is the need of the hour.

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He also informed that the state is working in a collaborative manner to make Goa an IT Creative Capital of India.

In November, Goa IT and Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte spoke at the India International Trade Fair that took place in New Delhi.

Speaking at the event, Khaunte said the state government is working on a plan to use technology to allow visitors to work flexibly. He also said Goa’s IT industry has a promising future.

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Goa is all set to launch a new public relations campaign which will rival Kerala’s iconic God’s Own Country campaign and increase tourism revenue, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said at the Swadesh Tourism Conclave on Tuesday.

At the conclave organised by APN News and Balaji Foundation, Khaunte said the state is launching a new PR campaign that will focus to bring revenue to the state and boost employment. The state is also working towards making the ‘Sun, Sand, Sea, and Software’ campaign successful, Khaunte said.

Recalling Goa tourism’s success during the Covid pandemic, Khaunte said, “We tried to convert adversity into opportunity and initiated the idea of Work From Goa culture. The state put efforts to eliminate the tourists’ fear and focused on changing the image of Goa even during the coronavirus pandemic.” The minister said this was an opportunity for the state to change the image of Goa from sun, sand and sea to work from Goa and flex its IT muscle.

“We cannot compete with Hyderabad and Bengaluru. But we put Brand Goa as the creative capital of the country.

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Khaunte said, “Imagine a digital nomad working from the beach shack. They can surf, have a drink and get back to work, this will increase productivity.”

Identifying more scope for tourism, the minister listed eco-tourism, food tourism, and the showcasing of Indo-Portuguese culture and adventure. “More than 400 bird species are in Goa. Bird-loving tourists like to spend time looking for them. Dudh Sagar Falls are another attraction in sylvan surroundings.”

Apart from medical and wellness tourism, spiritual tourism is also a hallmark of Goa, he said, since the state has the temples of Mangueshi and Shanta Durga as well as the iconic Bom Jesus Church and the Se Cathedral. The new Mopa airport will be a game changer for us and we can connect to tier one and tier two cities, Khaunte added.

Addressing a question on why Goa hasn’t focused on wedding tourism as a concept, Khaunte admitted that since event planners haven’t brought the government’s attention to the interest among people to get married in the state.

Giving an outline of Goa’s tourism journey since independence from Portugal in 1961, Khaunte said hippie culture was the flavour of the Sixties and that conversely has birthed homestays as a business concept in the 21st century. He said tourism in Goa changed for the better in the 1990s and since then, it has replaced mining as Goa’s main contributor to the GSDP.

The state with a population of 15 lakh hosts 8 million tourists of whom 9 lakh are international tourists. Khaunte admitted that a large number of foreign tourists are from Russia and the United Kingdom.

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On Thursday, the Goa cabinet decided to amend the Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Act, 2001, to ensure that the tourist places and the beaches kept clean and safe for the tourists and others, tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said.

This bill includes proposal for imposing a fine of Rs 2,000 for people who drink alcohol or cook in public. A failure to shell out the penalty will attract imprisonment for up to three months.

The penalty will also be applicable if a group is seen drinking in public, in that case the fine will be Rs 10,000.

According to state Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, the Bill is yet to be passed in the Assembly and once passed an advisory will also be issued. The amendment is expected to be tabled during the Assembly session, which starts on January 29.

“We have brought this amendment for those who break bottles on the beach, (and) cook and drink alcohol in public places like beaches,” Ajgaonkar told the media.

“Nobody can drink alcohol on our beaches and tourist places anymore. Bottles cannot be carried there. Food also cannot be cooked in the open. All these offences will attract a fine of Rs 2000. If the fine is not paid, an offence can be registered. The offender can be arrested and imprisoned for three months,” Ajgaonkar added.

As part of the amendment, photographs of the offenders can be sent to the tourism department, who will then impose the fine.

The state tourism minister further said, “We want good tourists, those who follow Goa’s discipline and culture and Goenkarponn.”

Goa witnessed a sharp decline in tourist arrivals last year which forced the government to consider regulating food prices in restaurant and beach shacks.

Speaking on this issue Ajgaonkar had said that, “The government is also planning to keep an eye on online booking sites that increase the room rates termed as dynamic pricing.”

The minister had also said that the government will fine restaurants if the prices of the dish go above Rs. 500.

Among other issues, the association had also pointed to the lack of law and order management across beaches in Goa, where the beach patrolling police do not have official powers to book anyone for littering, spitting, or drinking liquor on the beach and not disposing beer bottles properly.

(Inputs from media reports)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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