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Goa hikes VAT as fuel costs hit all-time high | Goa News – Times of India

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PANAJI: At a time when fuel prices are already at an all-time high, the state government has decided to levy higher taxes on the commodity. The BJP government has hiked the VAT on petrol to 27% and on diesel to 23%. This will make petrol dearer by Rs 1.3 and diesel by 60 paise.
The price of petrol in North Goa currently hovers around Rs 83.13 per litre while diesel costs around Rs 80.13 per litre, depending on the distance from the oil marketing company’s tanks.
The move to increase taxes on petrol and diesel at a time when the prices of both the fuels are close to triple digits suggests that the Pramod Sawant government is desperate to shore up its revenues.
“The decision was taken at the chief minister’s level,” a senior government official said when asked about the price hike.
This is the second time during this financial year that Sawant, who is also the finance minister, has hiked VAT on fuel.
Since the time he was sworn in as chief minister in March 2019, VAT has been increased on four occasions, the first being on June 14, when VAT on petrol was hiked from 15% to 20% and VAT on diesel was increased from 15% to 18%.
“Sawant doesn’t realise the daily struggles of Goans. At a time when fuel prices are at an all-time high, this incompetent & inconsiderate chief minister has decided to hurt Goenkars even more. Instead of VAT, why don’t you offer subsidies? Wasn’t Rs 300 crore enough?,” said GFP president and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai.
According to data tabled in the recently concluded winter assembly session, Goa earned just Rs 625 crore in 2020-21 (till December) against Rs 1,124 crore in 2019-20. While presenting his budget last year, Sawant had estimated VAT collections at Rs 1,220 crore. GST collections for the current fiscal have also dropped drastically because of the Covid pandemic and the close to 80-day stringent lockdown.
“An insensitive central government watches fuel hikes with cruel silence along with state governments. The opposition is also not holding any bullock cart rallies while the perennially suffering common man’s woes keep multiplying proportionally with repeated fuel price hikes,” said Porvorim independent MLA Rohan Khaunte.

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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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