This morning 23/2/2006 the UPA Chairperson and Congress President Ms Sonia Gandhi could meet only a top delegation of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association and the lone pro-Indian National Congress NGO Lok Shakti of Margao besides other GPCC office bearers.
There was a major hitch in the finalisation of appointments requested with Madam Gandhi by the Group headed by Mr M K Jos, and Fr Pratap J Naik TSKK Mr Wilson Mazarello President Dalgado Konknni Academy and also the undersigned which were routed through the 10 Janpath, New Delhi. The twin issues that the Group decided to take up separately with the Congress President Ms Gandhi was the a) highandedness of the Defence authorities in not permitting customary feast on the Anjediva Island and neglect of the Chapel of St Francis de Assisi and b) the demand for bringing about an amendment to clause 2(c) of the Goa Daman & Diu Official language Act 1987 for granting official recognition to Roman script. Last minute enquiries made by this writer on cell this morning at New Delhi 10 Janpath Tel Nos 011 23018651, 011 2301 7047, and 011 2301 4161 from the Raj Bhavan end revealed that the same was routed through Ms Margaret Alva's office 011-23792777 at New Delhi but upon contacting them they too left it on the Goa Government and expressed helplessness. Incidentally Ms Alva an ex MP from Karnataka has been displaying lip sympathies on these twin issues, and this could have been the result of the "hitch". She does not appear inclined to promote the cause of Roman and Kannada scripts nor does she wish to dwell on the Anjediva issue having lost elections on home turf part of which is Karwar. This writer had a slight inclination of the impending development given the past experience in New Delhi in November 2005 when he called on Ms Gandhi at Parliament House. Hence all relevant material and petition on these twin issues was faxed to Raj Bhavan on 22nd February, 2006 afternoon itself and it was thanks to Dr N Radhakrishna Jt Secretary to the Governor who forwarded the same this morning to Madam Sonia Gandhi through both the SPG Security Chief Mr Patnaik and Mr Sudhir overseeing her security cover in Goa (as confirmed by him today). Efforts to contact Mr Pillai at 10 Janpath New Delhi to confirm the lapse have not been successful yet. Given the developments this writer spoke to Mr Shantaram L Naik Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha and Secretary AICC and he assured to take up the Anjediva issue in all seriousness with Madam Gandhi and the Defence Minister and raise the issue in Parliament during this session itself. He himself seemed agitated on the Navys stance in Goa as well. Mr Altinho Gomes General Secretary GPCC-I co-ordinating the same from the Goa end was unable to intervene, despite his efforts even though copies were faxed to GPCC office and the Chief Minister. The time was too short just one and half hour and the security cover extensive given that Parliament is in session. In fact such was the confusion that this writer had to literally assist the security personnel and the SPG team at the entrance of the Raj Bhavan to identify the Congressmen, and industrialist for their entry as they were not provided the list of those granted appointments initially niether were passes issued to those who managed to meet Madam Gandhi. A group of Dhangars who had come well adorned in tradtional costumes and head gear to petition the Prime Minister had to be restricted to just 6 nos while another group was just rushed through at last minute to meet Ms Gandhi. Even the ex Cortalim MLA Mr Mauvin Godinho was not aware that his appointment was cleared until his emissary was informed of the same by this writer from the Raj Bhavan end. Earlier Ms Gandhi had a breakfast meet at Raj Bhavan with all the GPCC Executive Members leaders of frontal organisations and party MLA's. The Deputy Chief Minister of Goa Dr Wilfred A de Souza was also present. The Lok Shakti NGO impressed upon Ms Gandhi the need to revamp the party to meet the challenges in the changed circumstances in Goa, or face imminent wash out according Mr Cleofato Almeida Coutinho Adv and ex Judge who spoke briefly to this writer at Raj Bhavan. Later Ms Gandhi drove down to the venue of the IT Habitat at Dona Paula christened Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat. Ms Gandhi reminded the audience of Ministers partymen bureaucrats and students of Polythecnic and Engineering Colleges in the State and other invitees that 20 years ago when Mr Rajiv Gandhi ex PM initiated the IT revolution in Goa he was "bitterly criticised even mocked but Mr Gandhi stuck steadfastly to his dream" as a result of which India today has ranked high in the commity of nations and earned world recognition as a growing economic power" . She also stated that it was also the foresight of late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and late Ms Indira Gandhi ex PM's of India who laid the infrastructure that could help Rajivji implement his dreams of a dynamic and vibrant India. It was Rajivji who took the bold initiatives to use Information Technology to bring about its use in Land Survey records to and the reservations by rail. Ms Gandhi said that besides use of IT in tax administration it is now being put into use to ensure that the National Employment Gurantee Act which is currently being implemented in over 200 districts will act as a check to ascertain that there is accountability. It can also be used in other social areas and public administration. Finally Ms Gandhi asked the CM to see that the IT Habitat project sees fruition at the earliest and that the name of Goa shines as an IT destination besides its other sobriquets as a number one tourist desitination , land of peace-loving hospitable people and for its communal harmony. Ms Gandhi also stated that to put the IT technology in the over five lacs villages the same would be made user friendly in all the 22 languages recognised by the Constitution of India. Presently Hindi Punjabi Telegu versions of familiarisation packages are available to deseminate information at the grass root level she said. Earlier Ms Gandhi inuagurated the plaque and a group of students of the Goa College of Music gave a rendition of --all the world is one Ms Gandhi then presented allotment letters of Direct to Home (DTH) satellite sets to Incharges of Home for the Aged Saligao Lar de Terezinha Pajifond Margao Sarpanchs of Keri Shiroda Sattari Bandora Aldona It may be recalled that to empower Goans in every nook and corner of Goa the Congress led coalition government felt the need to introduce DTH television in all the village panchayats the old age homes the orphanages etc so that the Government could empower the people. Mr Rane speaking on the ocassion stated that Goa would now be advancing from the BPO (Business Process Outsourcing to the KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing) Thus youth in India could beet the demand of USA which is contemplating outsourcing their business. The IT Minister Mr Dayanand Narvekar, stated that he was impressed by Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhis determination to introduce IT in India when he met him in early 1982 He recalled how Mr Sam Pitroda was brought to introduce the five key missions for the upliftment of Indian society. Rajiv had then in 1984 thought of a global village and therefore put in place a Computer policy. Mr Narvekar was also impressed how Ms Gandhi cleared the Draft IT policy of the State of Goa in August 2005 no sooner he undertook a study tour of important destinations in June 2005 and presented the report. He stated that the 400 crore IT Habitat was entirely a private enterprise endeavour. The Goa Government would only provide land at the market price and announced the early bird offer to make the IT a reality by June 2007. The IT habitat will have an employment potential of 10,000 people by 2008. This was in keeping with NASSCOMS projection of a 37% rise the IT technology demand. The Governor Mr S C Jamir also spoke while the new incumbent Chief Secretary of Goa Mr J P Singh IAS, in his vote of thanks assured the IT Minister of full co-operation of the bureaucracy for the success of the Rajiv Gandhi IT habitat. This won the applause of all those present. A surprise last minute guest was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh probably his presence had something to do with the next hop of Ms Gandhi to Nasik in Maharastra afternoon. Incidentally the R G IT habitat is located on the Nagarhalli Hills of Dona Paula Plateau about 5 minutes drive from the Dona Paula junction where the four road leads opposite the Raj Bhavan, to Cidade de Goa and Goa University. The entire BJP opposition boycotted the function apparently irked by the Congress party's decision to name the IT Habitat as Rajiv Gandhi. SIDE LIGHTS OF THE DAY: ***Bungling up of the list of those seeking appointments was owing to lack of co-ordination and non appointment of a single pointsman to deal with such issues; *** while yesterday all Congressmen where seen in Khadi clothes (white) today most of them were in black trouser and spotless white shirts giving an impression of a mournful atmosphere ++ the ex MP Mr John Fernandes ex MLA and ex MP Mr Ramakant Khalap, Mr R (Sudin) Dhavlikar MGP Mr Filipe Neri Independent and Mr Francisco Mickey Pacheco of NCP were present at the inaugural seated on the front rows. *** the IT Minister was visibly nervous almost tongue tied and committed several slips in his speech which provoked a laughter from his own cabinet colleagues. His repeated mention of Bharat Ratna -Rajiv Gandhi was in bad taste given that such titles are not permitted to be prefixed as salutations. *** CM Rane initally described his Maharastra counterpart as a Minister from Maharastra. His near American English accent also raised eyebrows. *** ironically the MLA of Taleigao and TCP Minister Mr Atnasio Babush Monseratte was given the pride of place on the dais but did not speak. Niether was he allowed the honour of saying the vote of thanks considering that it is in his constituency the IT Habitat will take birth. >From the RAJ BHAVAN / IT HABITAT DONA PAULA end GODFREY J I GONSALVES Borda Margao Goa 9822158584 [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://yahoo.shaadi.com