The worries of using Devnagri fonts without it getting outdated will now be put to rest with new Gangal1 font to be introduced in the market.

Gangal 1 compatible for all kinds of computers will be formally launched on Friday, February 26 at the International Centre, Dona Paula.

Marathi veterans Shubhanan Gangal and Yamaji Malkar, based in Mumbai, have discovered this font which claims to be user friendly.

“Gangal1 font, which gets well with all type of softwares and can be used on almost all window-based editors, is expected to replace the existing fonts in Devnagri script,” Srikant Barve, promoter of Marathi Editor told reporters this evening.

He said that the font will be accessible for the purpose of download from the sites.

Talking to reporters from phone during the press conference, Shubhanan Gangal said that just like an Arial font, Gangal1 font will never become outdated.

He said that the font is compatible for all kind of applications and can be shared with others through an email by attaching a file.

The font is readily and freely available for the people, which will facilitate Marathi, Hindi and Konkani typing.

“This will give an opportunity for the development of Devnagri script not only on Microsoft Word but also in the world of Internet,” the promoters claims.

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In what could be termed as the biggest catch in terms of arrests so far, the Goa Police Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) has arrested Israeli national Dudo, who is said to be one of the main distributors of contrabands in the State’s coastal belt.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Ravindra Yadav addressing a press conference said here that the police had been keeping an eye on the accused since the last one month.

“The ANC team had kept an eye on him for quite long time to arrest him with drugs after Sadanand Chimulkar, who was arrested last month, had disclosed that David alias Dudu was supplying the drugs to the dealers and drug traffickers,” Yadav informed.

Yadav said that in 2008 Dudu was also arrested at Mumbai by anti narcotic police.

Giving details of the operation last night, DIG disclosed, “The raid was conducted between 11.35 pm and 3.35 am last night, near St Anthony’s Chapel, Priaswado, Anjuna, after receiving specific information.”

“The ANC caught Dudu (34) red handed for being in illegal possession of 144 Ecstasy tablets weighing 55 grams (worth Rs.1.10 lakh), heroin powder weighing 5 grams (worth Rs.15000), cocaine weighing 6.5 grams (worth Rs.30,000), liquid LSD weighing 7.30 grams (worth Rs.1,10,000) and charas weighing 1.165 kgs ( worth Rs.1.16 lakh),” Yadav said adding, “the total drugs were approximately worth Rs. 3,81,500, which Dudu had come to deliver to his customer.”

The officer said that the preliminary investigations have revealed that Dudu has a house at Anjuna and has started his business with a local person, as a director of his company named Dudu Division Import Export Private Ltd. at Anjuna.

The drugs seized were attached under panchanama along with cash of Rs.5,000 and a Santro Car bearing registration number GA-02-S-6492.

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Demanding freezing of all eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) till the new Regional Plan 2021, the Goa Bachao Abhiyan(GBA) today threatened to launch mass agitation from March 4 against the government’s failure to accept their demands.

GBA and village groups formed a working committee to fight the “destruction of Goa” while the RP2021 is being finalised.

Representatives of about 20 village and all-Goa level groups , involved in the participatory planning process for Regional Plan 2021, attended a meeting facilitated by the GBA today at the TB Cunha hall, in the city

The meeting demanded protection of forested lands, paddy fields and plateau regions and other areas marked as Eco-Sensitive-1 and Eco-Sensitive-2 in the draft Regional Plan 2021 notified in October 2009.

It also demanded that notification of the Regional Plan 2021 for public information and suggestions/objections at an early date to put an end to the rampant “development” and mining of eco-sensitive and other areas across Goa and enactment of panchayat, municipal and town planning laws in tune with Article 243 of the Constitution of India after the 73rd and 74th amendments.

All the persons present were unanimous in their demand that the government announce a firm date by which the Regional Plan would be made public and to freeze all no objection certificates (NOCs) and permissions for construction or mining or any other development in eco-sensitive zones till the final notification was issued.

As the government was not responding to the demands, the meeting resolved to come on the streets on March 4 to press for their demands.

Besides members of the GBA core committee, there were representatives of the Mull Goenkaranchi Songhottona [MGS], the Benaulim Villagers Action Committee (BVAC), Pilerne Citizens Forum (PCF), the Zagrut Raikarancho Awaz, South Goa Public Interest Action Group, Voice of Villagers-Verna, SEZ Virodhi Manch, (SVM) the Nagrik Samittee of Kerim, the Jardin Bachao Samiti of Ponda and other organizations and individuals. Civil society organizations (CSOs) were represented by their office bearers and many concerned citizens also attended.

The members will share the decisions with their respective village groups and meet again by the end of February, 2010, to finalize the future course of action.

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The Department of Education, with an objective to provide a career alternative to those students who are incapable of coping with the general curriculum and opt for dropping out of school, has asked the schools in the state to introduce skill development initiative (SDI) scheme for such pupils. A circular has already been sent to all the schools.

“The directorate of general employment and training under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, in pursuance of excellence in vocational training has developed a new strategic framework for Skill Development Initiative Scheme for early school leavers and existing workers, in close consultation with the industry, state government and experts,” the circular says, pointing out that the scheme has been operational from May 24, 2007, with the objective of covering one million persons in the next five years. It is almost after three years of implementation of this scheme on the national level, that it has now officially arrived in Goa.

The deputy director (vocational) of Education, Mr Anil Powar told ‘The Navhind Times’ on Thursday evening that the objective of the scheme is to provide training to school dropouts, existing workers, ITI graduates, etc, to improve their employability by optimally utilising the infrastructure available in the government, private institutions and the industry. “Existing skills of the persons can also be tested and certified under this scheme,” he added. Mr Powar also stated that the scheme envisages building capacity in the area of development of competency standards, course curricula, learning material and assessment standards in the country.

The key features of the scheme include demand-driven short term training courses based on modular employment skills (MES) decided in consultation with industry, testing and certification of skills acquired informally and testing of skills by independent assessing bodies which would not be involved in training, to ensure that it is done impartially. The essence of the scheme is in the certification that will be nationally and internationally recognised.

The prescribed fees, which includes cost of material, honorarium etc are Rs 500 per module for modules having duration up to 90 hours, Rs 1,000 per module for modules having duration from 91 to 180 hours, Rs 1,500 per module for modules having duration from 181 to 270 hours and Rs 2,000 per module for modules having duration of more than 270 hours. The candidates belonging to the ST and SC category and women will be given 25 per cent relaxation in these fees.

Furthermore, in order to motivate trainees to take the training programmes seriously, training fees of all those trainees who successfully complete the training would be refunded to them. The training fee structure initially prescribed for a year is subject to revision.

Altogether 10 government ITIs have been registered in the state for vocational training programme under SDI scheme. The courses under the scheme include basic welding, TIG welding, basic refrigeration and air conditioning, cooking tandoori cuisine, Chinese food and bakery products, computer fundamentals, MS Office and Internet, basic electrical training, basic automotive servicing, repair of home appliances, house wiring, repair and maintenance of TV receiver, computer networking, desktop hardware, desktop publishing, Internet kiosk operation, web designing, machine embroidery operation, hand embroidery, tailoring, hair colourist, basics of beauty and hair dressing, hair cutting specialist, beauty therapist, hair therapist, diesel/fuel injection technician, bicycle and tricycle repairs, turning, milling, grinding, and domestic BPO among many other courses.

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