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Shigmo parades cancelled in view of rising Covid cases | Goa News – Times of India

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PORVORIM: With the number of Covid-19 cases showing a sharp increase over the last few days, the state government on Friday cancelled the Shigmo festival parades, which were scheduled to be held in the first week of April.
Making the announcement, chief minister Pramod Sawant said that Shigmo festivities organised by temple and village committees will be allowed to go ahead on the condition that Covid SOPs are followed.
“Considering that cases have started increasing in the state and because at the end of the day everyone’s health is very important, the public Shigmo parades, which the government used to organise, have been cancelled,” Sawant said while speaking in the state legislative assembly.
The chief minister said that the same rules would apply for Holi, with no public celebrations permitted. “Religious Shigmo festivities that are held in temples and in villages can go ahead, but in a limited manner with restrictions. Public Holi celebrations which are planned will not happen, and if it is in a hotel, there must be restrictions. Even though gulal is a public festivity, we ask people not to do this. No public events should be held,” Sawant said.
Shigmotsav, is Goa’s spring festival, and is celebrated over a fortnight with parades, floats, dance performances, plays and gulal.
MGP MLA Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar brought up the issue in the House and asked the government to immediately provide clarity since people had already begun preparing for Shigmo. The tourism department had planned to organise Shigmo parades in three cities in the first week of April.
Sawant said that the state would compensate all the participants and groups who had begun working on the floats and the parade. “Those who need to be compensated for what they have spent, we can compensate them just as we did last year,” the chief minister said.
“Seeing the situation in Goa and in view of the Covid-19 cases, Shigmo will not be held this time, even though the decision to organise Shigmo parades was taken about two months back. This is a sensitive issue, and the government wants to take this seriously. Covid has come before us and we need to take care of people’s health,” tourism minister Manohar Agjaonkar said.
Sawant said that temples and village groups that plan to go ahead with Shigmo festivities can do so without taking any additional permissions.
“They should just ensure that all SOPs are followed, such as wearing of masks and social distancing. Whether it is Shigmo or any other festival, there needs to be a limit on the numbers. Even for weddings and birthday parties, all must follow SOPs,” Sawant further 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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