from daijiworld's special correspondent

Monorail project

Panaji, Jul 27: Goa government is seriously thinking to opt for monorail project in the state.

The Monorail, the mass rapid transit system (MRTS) based, project is considered for the state, transport minister Pandurang Madkaikar, told the state legislative assembly Thursday.

In a written reply, the transport minister has stated that the tendering process for this public transport project is underway.

Goa cabinet has already approved the proposal on September 12, 2005, to float global expression of interest cum request for qualification to design, develop, construct, finance, operate and maintain elevated MRTS on Built-Own-Operate-transfer (BOOT) basis, the minister said.

He said that tender for feasibility has not been floated.

Tillari project

Goa government has shown its keenness on speeding up the work on tillari irrigation project, a joint irrigation project between Goa and Maharashtra.

"We have revived the project and we want the water to irrigate our land," Goa chief minister Pratapsingh Rane told the state legislative assembly indicating state's keenness on the project, which is financially distributed 75-25 percent between Goa and Maharashtra respectively.

Reply in the state legislative assembly reveals that considerable progress has been made on this project taking shape on border of both the states on northern side.

Figures state that there has been substantial 32.69 per cent progress on the work on right bank main canal and 47.21 per cent progress on sanquelim branch canal during last one year.

Chipping in with its share, Goa government for last two years have paid Rs 50 crore to the Maharashtra government while it still owes Rs 120.71 crore towards this project.

Reply on the floor of the house, states that between 2001 till date, Rs 66.09 crore were spent on this project in Goa region. Highest expenditure was done during 2005-06, during which 17.57 crore, were spent on works in Goa for this project.

 Children's homes

Goa has 24 children's homes of which 13 are enjoying the foreign fundings, Goa government stated in a written reply on the floor of the house.

Amongst all the children's homes, Preet Mandir based at Aldona in North Goa, has a foreign trustee, who has also been a trustee on children's home outside Goa like Kalyaninagar, Pune, Aurangabad, women and child development minister subhash Shirodkar, stated.

The minister has stated that all these homes are registered under Goa Children's Act, 2003 and grants are sanctioned to them under this act.

Shirodkar has stated that those enjoying foreign fundings are registered under the foreign contribution (regulation) act, 1976. Except two, rest 11 homes eligible for foreign fundings are located in North Goa.

Of the total 24 homes registered, eight did not received any government grants for the year 2005-06, the figures stated.