Centre to sponsor 50% Goa bridge cost
Panaji, June 12 : Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said his Ministry will bear 50 per cent of the cost of an upcoming Rs 860 crore bridge across the Mandovi river near Panaji.
The Goa government is facing a cash crunch, and following a personal request from Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the Central government decided to bear a part of the expenses.
Gadkari, who was in Goa to inspect ongoing work at the multi-span beam bridge, also said the Mumbai-Goa highway project would be completed before March next year. "The effort is to inaugurate it before March next year," he said.
The Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping said Parrikar had initially requested him to allow the BJP-led Goa government to build the National Highway bridge by assuring him that the state would fund the structure, instead of the central authorities.
"I asked him not to do it as the liability will increase. Parrikar had said he will figure it out," Gadkari said at a function here.
The Minister further said that some months ago, Parrikar met him again and requested his Ministry to fund 50 per cent of the cost towards the bridge as the state was suffering from financial difficulties, to which the Central Ministry officials objected.
"But because of Parrikar's insistence, we have overruled the department and the Central government has now decided to fund 50 per cent of the expense for the bridge," Gadkari said.
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Karnataka issues nutrition advisory for govt events; recommends millets, healthier options
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Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Monday issued a nutrition advisory recommending healthier food and beverage options at meetings, functions, and other official gatherings held in the state.
The advisory has been issued by the Department of Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Services to promote healthy dietary and nutritional habits among officials and staff, noting that food, refreshments and beverages served in government offices and official programmes are "often not aligned with nutrition standards."
The advisory recommends serving snacks such as millet-based, low-fat and low-sugar foods, fresh fruits, vegetable salads, sprouts, roasted nuts and seeds during in-house office meetings and breaks.
Beverages such as green tea, low-fat buttermilk, and locally filtered or boiled water served in glass bottles or steel flasks have also been suggested.
According to the advisory, for larger government events, conferences and exhibitions, departments have been advised to include at least one millet-based item during snacks and a minimum of two millet dishes in meals, along with local cuisine and at least one regional recipe.
It also recommends the use of brown rice instead of white rice, freshly prepared vegetable salads, and fresh fruits or low-sugar fruit juices.
If non-vegetarian food is served, it should consist of well-cooked lean or white meat, the advisory stated.
In eateries operating within government office campuses, the department has recommended millet-based foods, fresh vegetable salads, boiled pulses such as horse gram or chickpeas, and low-fat beverages.
It suggests serving food using reusable metal plates and glasses.
The advisory also recommends avoiding microwave-heated food, industrially processed food, fried snacks, high-fat or heavily spiced dishes, carbonated drinks, high-sugar fruit juices, and alcoholic beverages.
It further discourages serving milk-based tea or coffee and plastic-bottled water during official events.
“Overall, hygiene and cleanliness should be maintained while serving food and water. Local cottage industries, self-help groups, prison kitchens, nutri-gardens and others should be preferred for placing food and beverage orders,” the advisory added.
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