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Goa government trips power works, may as well sit at home: Nilesh Cabral | Goa News – In Goa 24×7

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PANAJI: Three days after chief minister Pramod Sawant rejected his proposal for compulsory pre-marital counselling, power minister Nilesh Cabral on Tuesday came down heavily on his own government and held Sawant’s finance department responsible for the electricity mess in the state by refusing to sanction infrastructure upgradation projects.
“Files are being sent back by the finance department with a note that the proposal should be sent after the budget, but no one knows when the complete budget will be passed. I am going to ask CM (who also holds the finance portfolio) whether I should work or sit at home,” Cabral said.
He said even after the budget is passed—currently it is only a vote on account that has been taken—the finance department will send another circular curtailing expenditure.
The power minister said that it had been decided by the state government to give priority to underground cabling of 33KV and 11KV lines, but the work has not progressed as planned.
“I am asked all the time and I keep assuring that the work is being done. I feel ashamed of myself. If we lay underground cables, our people will not be inconvenienced as much. I will ask the CM how works like underground cabling are to be taken up,” Cabral said. He said the issue wasn’t shortage of funds but the indifference of the finance department officials.
“I have told the CM that I will get the funds too. There is the Power Finance Commission and other such bodies, and the Centre has given them power to give funds to the states for electricity infrastructure. I have got Rs 1,400 crore sanctioned from them. But they require government guarantee,” he said.
Taking a dig at Sawant for his misplaced priorities, Cabral said the focus of the government should be to provide the basics of good water supply, good roads and reliable electricity, but the finance department was creating hindrance in delivering these necessities.
“If we cannot give three necessities—water, electricity and roads—then we are not proper. We have to work sincerely and deliver to the people. If I cannot work and deliver, then I should not be part of the political system. I want to tell the CM, and it is for him to decide whether his finance department understands,” he said.
Cabral also requested the CM for an urgent meeting with the finance department officials “after the cabinet meet on Wednesday to decide on the electricity infrastructure” issues.
The power minister said due to the finance department officials, staffers from his department were left to face the brunt of the citizens. “Work is not being held up by them. It is because of finance,” he said.
“If things are going to go like this and if files are going to keep coming back for no fault of the department, then where will the progress take place, and why should my department face the music? There are groups who are holding morchas and dharnas against department staffers. If the government cannot give the administration proper direction, then I do not know,” Cabral said.
He said the funds from the Centre for electricity infrastructure upgradation do not have to be paid back in the first three years.
“If you provide the electricity, then the people will also pay, and we will be able to recover the expenditure within 5-6 years. I think the CM does not know these issues,” he said.
The minister said individual departments did not have the free hand they need to carry out infrastructure works.
“When budgets are given, you should give a free hand to departments to do the work. After the budget, we have spent Rs 300 crore, but we are yet to get the money as the budget could not take place and it was only a vote on account,” Cabral said.



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Broke Swiggy guy walks 3 km to deliver food, Social media helps him find better job. Heartwarming story is viral

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Social media can be a wondrous place at times. While on most days, its ugly face is on display, on days like today, it sets examples of the power of kindness. In a social media post, a LinkedIn user shared how a delivery executive, in need of money and a better job, bagged one after the users on the platform came together to help the person out.

Priyanshi Chandel, Marketing Manager at tech company Flash, shared an incident about a Swiggy delivery agent who had come to deliver food at her residence. When she asked the late and out-of-breath delivery person, identified by her as Sahil Singh, about what happened, he told her that he had no transport and had to walk 3 km to deliver the order.

He also said that he was out of money and had nothing left to pay his landlord too. Singh told her that he was not looking for money from her but requested her to help him bag a job. He said that he had a degree in Electrical and Communication Engineering, and had worked with Byju’s and Ninjacart before. He had to move back to Jammu during the pandemic.

“I have not eaten for a week, just drinking water and tea to get by. I am not asking for anything, please if you can find me a job, I used to make 25k before, I am 30 years old, my parents are getting old and I can’t keep asking for money from them (sic),” Chandel quoted saying.

She also shared his marksheets and contact number for people to help. His details shared show that he is a 2018 BTech graduate from Mewar University, and completed his schooling from the Jammu and Kashmir state board.

After she shared the details, the comments section was filled with people who stepped up to help. While someone recharged his Yulu account so that he did not have to walk around to deliver food, someone offered a place to stay. Many offered to help him with his applications, while some offered jobs too.

Chandel, later on put an update on the post, and said that he received a job.

However, so far it is unclear what job he has received.

2023 has so far been a year of job losses, an eventual outcome of the pandemic and increased hiring by tech companies. For instance, the SSC MTS 2023 recruitment exam that took place in Uttar Pradesh in May saw over 55 lakh applications for Group D jobs. Numerous candidates who applied for positions such as peon, watchman, gardener had educational backgrounds like BTech, MBA, and Master’s degrees.

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Goa CM, NRI Commissioner writes to MoEF for help in safe return of Goans from Ukraine

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Panaji: Goa chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Thursday urged Union Minister for External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar to help in safe return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

Sawant tweeted “we are concerned about the Goans in Ukraine who are considering to return to India in the light of ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis. I request Union Minister for External Affairs @DrSJaishankar ji for help in the safe return of Goans. I am keeping track of the situation.”

The chief minister’s tweet comes hours after Goa’s NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar wrote to the Union External Affairs ministry seeking help in return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

“Many Goans are currently residing in Ukraine due to various purposes including higher studies and due to the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine, I have started receiving requests for help and assistance from them to return back to India,” Sawaikar wrote.

The Commissioner further wrote in the letter that advisories have already been issued by the Ministery of External Affairs to Indians currently in Ukraine and our Indian Mission in Kyiy is currently handling the matter.

“Striking note of urgency, the Government of India has recently asked the family members of Embassy officials in Ukraine as well as students and citizens whose stay is not vital , to leave the Eastern European nation amid it’s raising tensions with Russia,” the letter reads.

Sawaikar wrote that the Goans in Ukraine are in touch with this office as they are anxious to temporarily return till the situation normalizes.

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Election Commission announces polling dates and counting days for Vidhan Sabha elections in 5 states

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On Saturday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates for the Vidhan Sabha elections in 5 States, namely, Goa, Punjab, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

While briefing the media, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra informed that the elections in the poll-bound States will commence from February 10, 2022, to March 7, 2022. Elections in the State of Uttar Pradesh will be conducted in 7 phases, followed by Manipur with 2 phases. Elections in Goa, Uttarkhand and Punjab will be conducted in a single phase.

According to the Election Commission of India, the votes will be counted on March 10, 2022. ECI informed that all physical campaigning will be ceased until January 15, 2022, in light of the rising cases of Coronavirus.

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