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Lockdown snatched their jobs, turned them ‘ agriculture’entrepreneurs | Goa News – In Goa 24×7

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MARGAO: Having realised the importance of sustainable living during Lockdown 1.0, two young entrepreneurs from Salcete have taken to agriculture, and scripted success stories within a short time. Significantly, both these agripreneurs were remotely connected with agriculture before the lockdown.
Nitin Naik from Seraulim, who was working in Kuwait for the preceding 10 years, returned to Goa in February 2020 on his annual vacation. The extended nation-wide lockdown that followed cost him his job. Loss of livelihood forced him to explore other options and ultimately, he decided to make his living from the agricultural land he had inherited that was lying barren for the last 30 years. Naik is thankful to the agriculture department for providing him with the right guidance and technical inputs that has turned him into a successful first-generation organic farmer.
“There were many hurdles, but with the help and support of my family and the zonal agriculture office, Margao, I took up organic farming. The first challenge I faced was choosing the right type of farming. I opted for cultivation of vegetables and pulses. The next challenge was to grow the veggies organically. With no usage of chemical fertilisers, the yield gets comparatively less, which I learnt from hands-on experience, but I persevered and succeeded,” Naik told TOI.
Naik grows lady’s fingers, brinjals, watermelons, green chillies, moong, cow peas, etc. Though he is yet to break even, he says the pleasure he derives from “sustainable farming” is immense. “It’s a great feeling to know that my efforts go into providing a healthy product to the society.”
Orlim resident Keith Gracias took to organic farming after he suddenly found himself jobless after the multinational firm he was employed with closed down the branch in mid-2020.
“I had a piece of ancestral agricultural land, and I started with paddy farming in July 2020, but soon decided to try out other agro avenues. I happened to read about Cassava, a tuber, did some research and spoke to an exporter who was into exporting this product to the Netherlands,” Gracias said.
In October 2020, Gracias, with technical guidance from Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), began Cassava cultivation. The 6,000 plants of Cassava he cultivated yielded a harvest of 2-3 tonnes, which was processed for export. The next harvest will be ready by June-end, he said.
Gracias has also grown nutmeg and areca plants in his farm, and plans to go in for integrated farming, a piggery being his next project.
“I may not have started earning as much as I would in my previous job, but it definitely is a great feeling to be your own boss. Long-term profitability is guaranteed here,” he said, his voice brimming with optimism.



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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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