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Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Tuesday said that the coastal state's government was mulling making HIV tests mandatory before the registration of marriages. "We are considering making an HIV test compulsory for the prospective couples before registration of marriage in Goa. It is not mandatory right now," Rane told IANS. Rane, who is also a Minister for Law, added that the proposal to make HIV testing compulsory before marriage was being vetted by the Law Department. "If it is cleared by the Department soon, then we will table the law in the monsoon session of the state Legislative Assembly," Rane said. The monsoon session will begin on July 15. In 2006, a similar proposal was mooted by then Health Minister Dayanand Narvekar, with the Goa cabinet approving the legislation making HIV testing mandatory before marriage. But the initiative did not reach fruition.

Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said there would be clarity on who would be the state's new chief minister by 2 pm Monday. Tendulkar said this after meeting Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari at a hotel near here over the issue. Hectic political activities are on in the coastal state to select the new chief minister after the death of chief minister Manohar Parrikar Sunday. ALSO READ: LIVE updates: Decision on next Goa CM by 2 pm, Parrikar's funeral at 4pm "The decision on chief ministerial candidate is yet to be taken. But the picture will be clear by 2 pm," Tendulkar said, adding that the new chief minister would be sworn in after 3 pm Monday. Tendulkar met Gadkari along with Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant, who is a contender for the top post. Earlier in the day, Gadkari met ally Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs led by Sudin Dhavalikar and BJP legislator Vishwajit Rane. Dhavalikar and Rane are also aspirants ...

Agoda, one of the world's fastest growing online travel agents (OTA), shares some top tips and destinations to help you enjoy Holi, the traditional Hindu Festival of Colors . Historically marking the arrival of spring, Holi has evolved as a celebration of love, fertility, friendship and youth. It's an opportunity for people to get together with friends and loved ones to have good old-fashioned fun. Central to the celebration is an afternoon devoted to playing with water, covering each other in colored powders known as gulal, and indulging in sweet treats -- a day that children (and adults) look forward to all year. Holi takes place from 20-21 March 2019, though dates may vary in different countries. If Holi sounds like something you'd enjoy, here are some destinations to consider and tips to help you have a great time: 1.Go all out with a celebration in Goa, India India and Nepal are great destinations to get the true taste of this beloved festival. Head t...

As many as 8,000 candidates appeared for an examination conducted for 80 posts of accountant in the Goa government, but all failed the test. The candidates, all graduates, needed to secure a minimum of 50 marks out of the total 100 to qualify but none got it, a senior official said on condition of anonymity. Goa's director of accounts, in a notification issued yesterday, said none of the candidates, who appeared for the initial recruitment examination held on January 7 this year, secured the minimum qualifying marks required to get through. The Directorate of accounts had advertised 80 posts of accountant in the common account cadre in October last year. The five-hour examination included a 100 marks paper on English, general knowledge and accounts-related questions, the official said. The successful candidates were supposed to go through a round of oral interview before the final selection. Read Complete Article

LARGEST SINGLE PARTY Vs A COMBINATION WITH MAJORITY SUPPORT The Congress Party complains a bit too much. It accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of ‘stealing’ the mandate in Goa. It unsuccessfully petitioned before the Supreme Court. It attempted to raise issues in the Lok Sabha. What are the facts? The Assembly Elections in Goa produced an inconclusive verdict. There was a Hung Assembly. Obviously in a Hung Assembly post-poll alliances will be formed. The BJP managed to form an alliance and presented to the Governor 21 out of 40 MLAs. They appeared before the Governor in person and submitted a letter of support. The Congress did not even submit a claim to the Governor. It had only the support of 17 MLAs. The Congress Party protested at the Governor’s decision to invite Mr Manohar Parrikar to form the Government with support of 21 out of 40 MLAs and described it as ‘a murder of democracy’. In the face of claim of these 21 MLAs led by Mr ...

BJP may retain power in Goa, wrest power in U'khand; consolation prize for Cong in Punjab If the predictions of several of the exit polls, made public on Thursday, for the five states that had Assembly elections in February-March turn out to be true, Prime Minister  Narendra Modi  is set to emerge as the most influential leader of India since Indira Gandhi, who had held sway over the country’s political landscape 40 years back. Findings of at least four exit polls suggested that Modi’s blitzkrieg of public rallies in Uttar Pradesh (UP) could help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) either comfortably cross the majority mark of 202 in the 403-seat UP Assembly, or come close to it.  The BJP, along with ally Apna Dal, had bagged 73 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP in 2014, winning a staggering 337 of the 403 Assembly segments. At least two exit polls— India Today-Axis and Today’s Chanakya — could come close to that tally by winning up to 285 seats. H...