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Sawant faces first big test as rural Goa goes to vote today | Goa News – Times of India

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Panaji/Margao: Unusual times have led to an unusual scenario. As rural Goa goes to polls on Saturday to elect representatives for 48 seats of North and South Goa’s district-level panchayat bodies, the week preceding the zilla panchayat (ZP) election has been marked with an unprecedented level of indifference among voters, giving rise to concerns of low voter turnout amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The ZP election is a litmus test for chief minister Pramod Sawant, as this is the first time BJP is contesting a full-fledged election under his watch after he took over the reins of the state following the demise of former CM Manohar Parrikar.
The ZP election has also been marked with an unusually long pause of nearly eight months between the end of campaigning and polling day.
The elections were initially scheduled for March 15, but with the threat posed by the pandemic, the state government postponed it to March 22. Following a call for a ‘janta curfew’ on March 22 by PM Narendra Modi, the polls were further postponed by two more days, to March 24. However, following Modi’s intervention, the state government indefinitely deferred the polls.
The successful conduct of the Bihar polls last month inspired the state government to go ahead with the ZP polls.
On December 5, the state election commission announced the fresh date.
With the state election commission banning public campaigns as the model code of conduct kicked in, election fever went missing, despite this being the first time these polls are being fought on party lines. In the last ZP polls, although BJP had fielded candidates, other political parties refrained from doing so.
Amid various agitations plaguing the state, including over the three Centre-sponsored infrastructure projects, besides issues of unemployment, non-resumption of mining activities, and tourism activities taking a hit due to Covid-19, it would be a testing time for the BJP government, with the crucial assembly election hardly 13 months away.
Opposition parties have tried to create political capital of the protests and will try to keep the issues burning till the 2022 elections.
Nearly 8 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise for the two ZP bodies on Saturday, even as altogether 200 candidates are in the fray, 78 of whom are independents.
Elections will be held in only 23 of the constituencies of South Goa zilla panchayat—while the election for Navelim constituency has been countermanded following the death of a candidate, in Sancoale constituency, BJP has won the seat unopposed.
The elections will be held across 1,187 polling stations across both districts. 9,500 polling staff, including police personnel, have been deployed for the purpose.
The polling will be held from 8am to 5pm using ballot papers. Covid positive patients will also be allowed to vote during the last one hour from 4pm to 5pm. PPE kits would be provided for Covid patients at polling booths across the state. The general precaution of masks, hand hygiene and social distancing shall be maintained throughout the election process.
BJP has fielded candidates in all constituencies in North Goa, which is said to be its stronghold, but have restricted themselves to only 16 constituencies in South Goa.
Despite having MLAs representing the party in Salcete after 10 Congress MLAs joined the saffron party in 2019, BJP has fielded candidates only in Guirdolim and Davorlim constituencies, while supporting independent candidates in the rest.
Congress has fielded 37 candidates, of which 21 are in North Goa and 16 in South Goa. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which has one MLA in the assembly, has fielded six candidates—three in each district. Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) has fielded 17 candidates—seven in North Goa and 10 in South Goa.
Aam Aadmi Party, which has no representation in the assembly, has fielded 20 candidates—seven in North Goa and 13 in South Goa.
In North Goa, MGP and Congress have extended support to each other’s candidates to directly challenge BJP. In some constituencies, independent candidates too are challenging candidates of both the national parties.
Both Congress and BJP have exuded confidence of winning the ZP elections.
Counting of ballot papers will be held on December 14 across 15 counting centres.

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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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