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‘No understanding of Goa’: Michael Lobo slams govt’s tourism masterplan | Goa News – Times of India

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CALANGUTE: Minister for waste management and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo criticised the recently approved tourism masterplan saying that it has been prepared “some people sitting in air-conditioned offices in Bangalore” without having an understanding about Goa.
“It just makes some vague suggestions that we should shift the focus to hinterland tourism and other activities without understanding the ground reality. We don’t need an outside agency, which is paid crores of rupees, to tell us Goans how to take tourism forward. It is for us Goans to take tourism forward,” he said.
“We don’t want this master plan,” Lobo said.
Speaking at the launch of the ‘Smart Street’ initiative at Baga, Calangute, on Monday, he said tourism has developed in Goa through the efforts of Goans “who initially started by offering homestays to tourists in their houses” and then set up restaurants and pubs, which are today iconic establishments.
Talking about the tourism scenario in Goa, Lobo said, it was important to understand what the state’s requirements after looking at what is happening.
He said that to get the best tourists the state has to see what other international destinations like Sri Lanka are offering visitors. ‘It will make clear where we are lagging,” Lobo said, adding that it was not necessary to bring in a “big agency” to decide “how we are going to run our tourism”.
Stating that tourism is Goa has always been run by Goan stakeholders, Lobo said, “Calangute became world famous decades ago because of the hospitality of the Goan people. Restaurants like Souza Lobo’s, Britto’s, party spots like Tito’s, which are today world famous, were all started by Goans and are still owned by Goans.”
He said the ‘Smart Street’ concept at Tito’s lane in Baga has been conceptualised to revitalise the image of Calangute, which has been negatively affected in recent years.
“A lot of unwanted and illegal activities were happening here, which brought a bad name to Tito’s lane and Calangute. As part of the Smart Street initiative there are now CCTV cameras monitoring the lane, which will enable early detection of any crimes and create a safe environment for tourists,” he said.
As part of the Smart Street development, 30 digital signboards have also been installed in the lane, besides solar-powered blinkers on the road and LED street lights, which can bathe the lane in five different colours at intervals.
Lobo said all other streets in Calangute would also be similarly developed to turn it into a world-class destination again, and hoped that other tourist places in Goa are also developed on the same lines.

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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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