Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral National Desk
Hon’ble Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan graced the inaugural Ramoji Excellence Awards 2025 at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, Telangana, as the Chief Guest. During the event, he paid heartfelt tributes to Ramoji Rao, describing him as a visionary nation-builder who transformed Indian media, championed ethical journalism, and built institutions rooted in truth, integrity, and excellence.
The Ramoji Excellence Awards were conferred across seven distinguished categories to honor eminent personalities for their exceptional contributions. Smt. Amla Ashok Ruia was recognized for Rural Development, Shri Srikant Bolla as the Youth Icon, Prof. Madhavi Latha Gali for Science & Technology, Shri Akash Tandon for Service to Mankind, Prof. Sathupati Prasanna Sree for Art & Culture, Shri Jaideep Hardikar for Journalism, and Smt. Pallabi Ghosh for Woman Achievers.
The ceremony witnessed the presence of several dignitaries, including the Governor of Telangana, Shri Jishnu Dev Varma; Former Vice-President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu; Chief Minister of Telangana, Shri A. Revanth Reddy; Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu; Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy; Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu; Former Chief Justice of India, Shri N. V. Ramana; and Chairman & Managing Director of Ramoji Group, Shri Kiron. Prominent film personalities and other notable guests also attended the event, making it a memorable celebration of excellence across multiple fields.
The Panchgram Vikas Samitee’s Multipurpose Cooperative Credit Society has taken another step forward in strengthening Goa’s cooperative movement with the launch of its new branch at Honda, Sattari. The inauguration took place in the presence of ZP Member Shri Sagun Wadkar, Sarpanch Shri Shivdas Madkar, Panchayat Members of Honda, Asst. Registrar Shri Harish Naik, and Chairman Shri Datta Gawas.
This new branch marks the second in Sattari, following the successful establishment of the first in 2018. Over the years, the Society has demonstrated remarkable resilience and commitment, particularly during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it continued to support its members and contribute to the local economy.
What began as a cooperative with 800 members in 2018 has now grown to over 2,500 members — a reflection of the increasing trust, unity, and confidence within the community. The Society’s focus on financial inclusion, cooperative values, and self-reliance has made it a cornerstone of rural empowerment in the region.
The newly inaugurated credit counter at Honda is designed to make financial services more accessible to residents, allowing them to save valuable time, access credit facilities with ease, and avail of government and cooperative schemes without having to travel long distances. By bringing these services closer to the people, the Society aims to strengthen the local economy and support sustainable growth across Sattari.
With this expansion, the Panchgram Vikas Samitee reaffirms its commitment to serving the people of Goa and fostering a strong, cooperative-led model of community development rooted in trust, service, and progress.
Every year on 8th Sep, we celebrate the International Literacy Day to further efforts to bring the light of literacy to every segment of our population. This year the theme for the occasion is ‘Promoting Literacy in the Digital Era’.
Since 1947, India has made remarkable strides, with literacy now at 81.9%, but challenges persist: almost 18% of the population remains outside the fold, the rural-urban divide is sharp, and so is the gender disparity vis-à-vis literacy rates. It is in this backdrop that Vedanta Sesa Goa has been contributing to the Nation’s effort to spread the light of literacy through its CSR initiatives , across five states, as part of Project ‘Vriddhi’.
Mr. Navin Jaju, CEO – Vedanta Sesa Goa, expressed his thoughts on the occasion , “Education is the bedrock of nation-building, and investing in literacy today means investing in a stronger, more inclusive tomorrow. At Sesa Goa, we are deeply committed to augmenting support for education in the far flung regions & to ‘give back’ meaningfully, thus creating lasting pathways for success.On International Literacy Day, we reaffirm our belief that literacy is the true passport to endless opportunities and a Viksit Bharat.”
Augmenting Rural Literacy & Education
Vedanta Sesa Goa under the aegis of the Anil Agarwal Foundation has been contributing to the educational support for children in rural areas by upgrading 119 ‘anganwadis’ into Nand Ghars, which are equipped with modern teaching & learning tools.
Over 3000 students benefitted from the ‘Back to School’ initiative in FY24 in the rural & mining belts of Goa & Karnataka, which focuses on reducing dropout rates by providing educational material.1200+ meritorious students from economically underprivileged background have received critical support as part of the Vedanta ‘Utkarsh’ Scholarship.
The Sesa Football Academy (SFA), which also functions as a residential academy for its U17 team, supports the educational journey of the Goan and non Goan players ty for players’ education. Over the years over 230 youth have benefitted from the arrangement.
Bridging the digital divide
Vedanta Sesa Goa, under the aegis of the Vedanta Foundation, has set up 19 computer labs and 6 computer centres across Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, digitally enabling over 5,000 students annually with National Council for Vocational Training approved courses. A recent addition has been the Computer Labuter lab at Shri Mahamaya High School, Mayem. At the Sesa Technical School run by the Company, the National Skill Development Council approved COPA (Computer Operator & Programming Assistant) course has been instrumental in imparting enhanced digital skills to the youth especially women, with the inaugural batch graduating in Oct 2024 and setting a new milestone.
Ms. Suman Gaonkar, Headmistress, Shri Mahamaya High School, Maem, said “The establishing of the Vedanta Computer Lab marks a significant milestone for our school. In today’s fast-evolving world, access to technology is essential for academic growth and future preparedness. This thoughtful initiative will meaningfully empower our students with the digital skills needed for the modern world.”
Ms. Leena Verenkar, Head – CSR, Vedanta Sesa Goa, said, “At Vedanta Sesa Goa, we believe that true literacy goes beyond textbooks — it is about giving children and youth the skills, confidence, and opportunities to shape their own futures. From supporting early childhood education through Nand Ghars, to equipping rural students with digital access, to empowering women with market-ready skills, our endeavour is to build communities where literacy becomes a tool of empowerment, enabling inclusive progress.”
As India marches towards the vision of Viksit Bharat, bridging the rural-urban and gender literacy gaps will be central to progress. On this International Literacy Day, Vedanta Sesa Goa reaffirms its belief: literacy is not just about learning to read and write -it is about learning to live with dignity, confidence, and hope.
Porvorim, August 7, 2025: With an eye on inclusion and innovation, the Government of Goa has launched the Mahila Digital Sashaktikaran Yojana, a transformative scheme that aims to digitally empower women, particularly in rural and underserved areas of the state.
The scheme was officially launched at the PAC Hall, Secretariat, by Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, along with Minister for ITE&C Rohan A. Khaunte, and dignitaries from Info Tech Corporation of Goa Ltd. (ITG) and the Directorate of IT.
“We are taking digital literacy to the Gramin women ensuring they are equipped with the confidence and skills to navigate today’s digital world,” said Dr. Sawant.
🎯 Why This Scheme Matters
As digital technologies increasingly shape economies and services, the gap between those with access and those without is growing. Women in rural areas often find themselves on the wrong side of this divide. This scheme directly addresses that gap by providing:
Essential digital literacy: Using smartphones, browsing the internet, accessing government schemes and financial tools.
Localized training: Conducted in familiar, accessible public venues such as panchayat halls, schools, or religious buildings.
Empowerment through knowledge: Digital fluency is linked to better financial independence, access to opportunities, and self-confidence.
🧑💻 Who Can Apply?
Women aged 18 and above
Must be a resident of Goa for 15+ years
Open to all educational and socioeconomic backgrounds
🏫 Where & How Will Training Be Conducted?
Training will be facilitated through:
Empanelled IT Knowledge Centres (ITKCs)
Common Service Centres (CSCs)
Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs)
Classes will be hosted in accessible locations such as schools, panchayat halls, or community spaces.
💸 Scheme Benefits & Financial Provisions
₹500 per participant allocated to cover training program
80% to training partner (CSC/ITKC)
20% to ITG
₹100 additional per person to CSCs/VLEs for sessions in public spaces (infrastructure support)
Three-year validity, with potential for renewal
💬 Government’s Vision
Rohan Khaunte, Minister for ITE&C, stated:
“This initiative supports Viksit Bharat 2047 and our goal of women-led development. By empowering women with digital skills, we open pathways to income generation, confidence, and active participation in the digital economy.”
🌐 Looking Ahead
The launch of the Mahila Digital Sashaktikaran Yojana is part of Goa’s broader vision to become a digitally inclusive and economically equitable state. With strong government support and a clear implementation plan, this initiative is poised to transform the lives of thousands of women—one screen, one skill, and one empowered choice at a time.
Panaji, July 2025 – In a significant push toward grassroots financial empowerment, the Department of Financial Services, Government of India, has launched a three-month state-level campaign in Goa to promote financial inclusion. Running from July 1 to September 30, 2025, the campaign targets all 192 gram panchayats and focuses on enrolling citizens in essential central government schemes.
The campaign was inaugurated at the Anjuna Caissua Village Panchayat in Bardez taluka by Sarpanch Laxmidas Chimulkar, in the presence of officials from Bank of Baroda, including Chief Manager Din Dayal Dube and Branch Head Shivnandan Kumar. Over 50 villagers attended the event, many of whom enrolled in social security schemes on the spot.
The initiative highlights and ensures saturation-level coverage of:
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY)
Atal Pension Yojana (APY)
In addition to enrolments, the campaign provides an opportunity for KYC re-verification of inactive Jan Dhan accounts, helping reactivate dormant beneficiaries.
Each panchayat has been strategically mapped to its nearest bank branch to ensure efficient implementation. Awareness sessions will also be conducted on:
Financial literacy
Digital fraud prevention
Unclaimed deposits
Grievance redressal mechanisms
District Coordinator Vinod Salunkhe, in collaboration with the State Level Bankers Committee, is overseeing the smooth rollout of the program.
The campaign underscores the government’s inclusive growth agenda, aiming to empower rural citizens by integrating them into the formal financial system. By strengthening access to banking and social security, the initiative aspires to create a more secure and economically independent society.
