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Tue, 14 April 2020
PM failed to provide roadmap for economic revival: TMC
Timeline Refresh
23:54 Modi failed to provide roadmap for economic revival: TMC
The TMC on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had failed to provide a roadmap for the economy's revival in his address to announce the extension of the lockdown till May 3.
"The prime minister made a mere announcement about the extension of the lockdown. Everybody knew that lockdown would be extended," senior TMC leader and MP Sougata Roy told PTI.
He said the country was waiting for the PM to talk about a roadmap and an outlook on how the economy would be revived and how the unorganised and agricultural sectors would be helped but he "failed" to do so.
"We thought he would announce some concrete steps to mitigate the woes of poor, migrant labourers and farmers waiting to harvest crops, but nothing of that sort was announced," Roy said.
Modi announced that the lockdown will be extended till May 3, stressing that it was a necessary move to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The nationwide lockdown that came into effect on March 25 was to expire on April 14. -- PTI
23:26 Gujarat MLA tests COVID-19 +ve after meeting CM
A local Congress MLA, who attended a meeting called by Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday morning, tested positive for coronavirus in the evening, said a civic official.
Congress MLA Imran Khedawala tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday evening, said deputy municipal commissioner Om Prakash Machra.
The MLA from the Khadia-Jamalpur seat of Ahmedabad will be admitted to a designated COVID-19 hospital soon, he said.
Khedawala, along with some other Congress MLAs, was present in the meeting with Rupani held at the CM's official residence in Gandhinagar. -- PTI
23:15 Rlys set to cancel around 39 lakh tickets booked for Apr 15-May 3
Railways is set to cancel around 39 lakh tickets booked for travel between April 15 and May 3 due to extension of the nationwide lockdown and suspension of passenger trains till then in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, sources told PTI.
With the national transporter allowing tickets to be booked during the 21-day lockdown for journeys after April 14, around 39 lakh bookings were made by passengers hoping that trains will be in operation post-lockdown.
However, with the announcement of the extension of the lockdown period, the railways on Tuesday not only cancelled all its passenger services till May 3 but also stopped all advance bookings.
Even as the announcement stalled over 15,000 passenger trains of the railways, thousands of migrant workers converged near the Bandra railway station in Mumbai hoping to catch trains back to their home states.
While they were dispersed later, questions were raised as to why railways kept bookings open despite the uncertainty over the extension of the lockdown period.
Railways, however, said all passengers will get full refund for tickets booked for the cancelled trains as well as for those booked in advance.
Railways has also said full refunds would be automatically provided by the national transporter for its online customers, while those who have booked at the counters can take the refunds up to July 31.
Customers will also get full refund of their tickets if they are cancelling their advance bookings of tickets for trains that are not yet cancelled, it said.
It also said that no advance reservation of train tickets, including e-tickets will be allowed till further orders though the facility of online cancellation will remain functional.
"As far as trains cancelled up to May 3 is concerned, the refunds would be made automatically by the railways online to the customers while those who have booked at the counters, refund can be taken up to 31st July. Full refund will be given for tickets for the bookings made for the trains cancelled.
"Full refund will also be there for those cancelling the advance bookings of tickets for trains not yet cancelled," Railways said.
Before the pandemic, on an average, around 8.5 lakh tickets were booked daily on the IRCTC website. -- PTI
22:25 Maha COVID-19 tally stands at 2,684; 178 deaths
The number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra on Tuesday jumped to 2,684 with 350 persons testing positive for coronavirus infection, a health department official said.
The death toll due to the pandemic also increased to 178 with 18 more people succumbing during the day.
Mumbai, the country's financial capital, alone accounts for 1,756 COVID-19 cases and 112 deaths, the official said.
Across the state, a total of 259 people have so far been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the viral infection.
On Tuesday, 11 deaths due to COVID-19 were recorded in Mumbai, which is worst hit by the pandemic, four from Pune and one each from Ahmednagar and Aurangabad, the official said.
One of the deceased persons was from another state.
Thirteen of the 18 deceased were also suffering from diabetes, asthma and heart disease, the official said.
Besides Mumbai city, in Thane circle, which consists of Thane city as well as several municipal corporations in Thane and Palghar districts, the total number of COVID-19 cases is 315 with 15 deaths.
Nashik circle has reported 77 patients and five deaths while Pune circle has reported 358 cases and 38 deaths so far.
There are 39 patients in Kolhapur circle with one death. In Marathwada region, the Aurangabad circle has 25 patients of coronavirus and witnessed two deaths while Latur circle has 13 patients.
There are 41 patients in Akola circle with two deaths while Nagpur circle has 45 patients and one death.
Eleven patients from neighbouring states were treated for coronavirus in Maharashtra. Two of them died.
Out of 46,588 samples sent for testing, 42,808 have tested negative and 2,684 positive. Some results are awaited.
Under the cluster containment strategy, as many as 5,059 teams have covered 18.37 lakh people in surveys. As many as 67,701 people are home quarantined while 5,647 are in institutional quarantine. -- PTI
22:15 Migrant workers stage another protest in Surat
Hundreds of migrant workersgathered in Surat on Tuesday evening, demanding that they be sent to their native places despite lockdown, police said.
The migrant workers gathered in Varachha area of the city and sat on a road demanding that they be allowed to go to their native places, police said.
Varachha is the diamond polishing hub of Surat, giving employment to lakhs of workers from different parts of Gujarat and the country. Many textile units are also located here.
"These migrant workers want to go to their native places. We have asked them not to be impatient because a lockdown is in force at present.
"Since some of them were complaining about food, we have called an NGO and immediately brought food packets for them. The situation is now under control," a police officer at the spot told reporters.
Local MLA and minister of state for health Kishor Kanani went to the spot to convince the migrant workers, who are mostly from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
"These migrant workers want to go home. They became impatient because they were hopeful that the lockdown will end today," he said.
Migrant workers staged violent protests in Surat on Friday, demanding that they be sent to native places despite lockdown. -- PTI
21:16 Lockdown is not lock-up, stay put: Uddhav to migrants
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday tried to reassure migrant workers who are stranded in the state that lockdown is not "lock-up", and appealed them to face the "challenge" of coronavirus by staying back.
He was speaking in a live webcast after hundreds of migrant workers gathered near Bandra railway station in Mumbai, seeking to head back home, even as country-wide lockdown was extended till May 3.
The CM spoke briefly in Hindi as he made a direct appeal to the migrants.
Thackeray also said his government was working on how to lift the lockdown and resume industrial activities.
Rising number of cases in Mumbai and Pune was a cause of concern, he admitted.
Maharashtra has conducted maximum number of coronavirus tests and has asked the Centre to allow experimental plasma treatment, he said. -- PTI
21:15 More chances of snowfall in Lahore than India-Pak match: Gavaskar
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar says it's possible that Lahore receives some snowfall but a bilateral series between India and Pakistan can not be played in present circumstances.
Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar had proposed a made-for-television three-match ODI series between India and Pakistan to raise funds for the fight against the pandemic in both the countries.
World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev had rejected the idea recently and now Gavaskar too does not seem optimistic.
"There are more chances of snowfall in Lahore than bilateral series between India and Pakistan," Gavaskar told former Pakistan batsman Rameez Raja on his Youtube channel.
"Both teams will keep on meeting in World Cups and ICC tournaments, but a series between them seem unlikely right now."
India and Pakistan have not played a full-series since 2007 due to the diplomatic tension between the two nations.
They only play each other in ICC events and Asia Cup. -- PTI
Siddharth Varadarajan, editor of The Wire
20:42 3500 personalities call for dropping charges against The Wire, editor
Over 3500 jurists, academics, actors, artists, writers and people from all walks of life have endorsed a statement expressing shock at the action of the Uttar Pradesh government and police under Yogi Adityanath in filing criminal charges against The Wire and one of its founding editors, Siddharth Varadarajan for its report on Covid-19 and religious events, terming it "a direct attack on freedom of the media".
The signatories called upon the government of Uttar Pradesh to withdraw the FIR against Siddharth Varadarajan and The Wire, and drop all criminal proceedings, and urged the Government of India and all state governments not to use the pandemic as a cover to trample upon media freedom.
A medical emergency should not serve as the pretext for the imposition of a de facto political emergency, they said.
The signatories also called upon the Indian media to not communalise the pandemic.
The signatories included Justice Madan B Lokur, former judge of the Supreme Court of India; Justice K Chandru, former judge of the Madras high court; and Justice Anjana Prakash, former judge of the Patna high court; several former bureaucrats including Shivshankar Menon; former foreign secretary and former National Security Adviser; writers like Vikram Seth, Nayantara Sahgal, Arundhati Roy, Anita Desai, K Satchidanandan and Kiran Desai as well as actors and artistes such as Amol Palekar, Naseeruddin Shah, Nandita Das, Farhan Akhtar, and Mallika Sarabhai.
20:23 HM calls Uddhav over protest, expresses concern
Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday called up Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and expressed concern over the gathering of a large number of people in Mumbai's Bandra area in defiance of the ongoing lockdown, officials said.
Shah stressed that such events weaken India's fight against coronavirus and the administration needs to stay vigilant to avoid such incidents.
"The home minister spoke to the Maharashtra chief minister and expressed concern over the large gathering of people in Mumbai's Bandra area," a home ministry official said.
Shah also offered his full support to the Maharashtra government in dealing with the situation, the official said.
About 1,000 migrant workers who earn daily wages gathered in Mumbai's Bandra area on Tuesday demanding transport arrangements for them to go back to their native places, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced extension of the coronavirus-enforced lockdown till May 3.
A police official said the migrants were dispersed two hours later and have been assured that they will be provided accommodation and food till the lockdown lasts.
In viral videos, police personnel were seen using mild cane-charge to disperse the migrants, who had gathered near the Bandra railway station in suburban Mumbai.
Daily wage workers have been rendered jobless ever since the lockdown was announced late last month to stem the spread of COVID-19, making their lives a constant struggle. -- PTI
20:04 Aaditya blames Centre for protest by migrants
Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday blamed the Centre for the protest by hundreds of migrant workers near Bandra railway station in Mumbai and sought a road map to facilitate their journey back to their native places.
Hundreds of migrant workers who earn daily wages in Mumbai came out on road on Tuesday afternoon demanding transport arrangements to go back to their native places.
The protest took place hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an extension of the coronavirus-enforced lockdown till May 3.
In a series of tweets, Thackeray said, "The current situation in Bandra, now dispersed or even the rioting in Surat is a result of the union government not being able to take a call on arranging a way back home migrant labour."
"They don't want food or shelter, they want to go back home," Thackeray said.
He felt a mutual road map drawn up with the Union government will help migrant labourers travel from one state to another during the lockdown period and reach their homes.
Time and again this issue has been raised with the Centre, he said.
Thackeray said feedback from all migrant labour camps is similar -- that these workers want to go back to their native places.
"Many are refusing to eat or stay in these camps," he said.
Currently, more than six lakh people are housed in various shelter camps across Maharashtra, he said. -- PTI
19:42 Young migrant worker from Bihar ends life in Telangana
A 24-year old migrant worker from Bihar allegedly committed suicide in Hyderabad reportedly upset over not being able to return home due to the coronavirus lockdown, police said on Tuesday.
The man, who belonged to Lakhisarai district, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his rented room in Uppal area on Monday, they said.
The room locked from inside was broke open after a friend of the worker informed police on being alerted by the family that he was not responding to their phone calls since Sunday.
Based on preliminary investigation, police said the man, engaged in automobile tinkering work, was planning to go home and got upset as he could not do so in view of the lockdown. -- PTI
19:31 Migrants expected opening of borders: Maha HM
The hundreds of migrant workers who gathered outside Bandra railway station in Mumbai on Tuesday might have expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would order reopening of state borders, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said.
They were told by the police that borders are not going to be opened and the situation was now under control, he said.
The migrants were assured that the state government will make arrangement of food and accommodation for them, following which the crowds dispersed, he said.
"Lakhs of workers from other states work in Mumbai. They expected that the PM would open the state borders today. They felt they could go to their home states," the minister said.
"But the PM and CM (Uddhav Thackeray) took a very good decision to extend the lockdown. The state borders will remain sealed. Permission will not be given to go to other states from Maharashtra," he said.
"We have assured them the state government will arrange facilities for stay and food, and the situation is under control now," Deshmukh told Marathi news channel ABP Majha. -- PTI
19:12 Mumbai: 11 dead, 204 COVID-19 cases in 24 hrs
Eleven coronavirus patients died and 204 new COVID-19 cases came to light in Mumbai on Tuesday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said.
The death toll due to the pandemic in the country's financial capital thus rose to 111 and the total number of coronavirus cases in the city jumped to 1,753, it said.
At the same time, the number of persons discharged from hospitals reached 164 with 23 patients being discharged during the day, the civic body said. -- PTI
18:36 US okays H-1B extension, relief for Indians
In a big relief for thousands of stranded Indian professionals in America due to the coronavirus pandemic, the United States government has decided to allow applications by H-1B visa holders for an extended stay in the country.
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.
The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a new notification has said it recognises that there are immigration-related challenges as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The announcement comes at a time when countries around the world have closed their borders and all international passenger flights have been suspended globally.
The travel restrictions have left a number of H-1B visa holders stranded in the US with their visa permits soon to expire.
However, the DHS will shortly start accepting applications for the extension of expiring visas.
"We recognise that non-immigrants may unexpectedly remain in the United States beyond their authorised period of stay due to COVID-19," the DHS said.
"We continue to carefully analyse these issues and to leverage our resources to effectively address these challenges within our existing authorities.
"The DHS also continues to take action to protect the American people and our communities, and is considering a number of policies and procedures to improve the employment opportunities of US workers during this pandemic," it said.
Generally, non-immigrants must depart the United States before their authorised period of admission expires, it said. Non-immigrants could apply for an extension of stay (EOS) or change of status (COS) permit.
Without a visa extension, thousands of students and professionals in the US would have suffered.
If applicants put in their forms within the specified time frame, their presence will not be taken as 'unlawful' and where applicable, 'employment authorization with the same employer, subject to the same terms and conditions of the prior approval, is automatically extended for up to 240 days when an extension of stay request is filed on time', the notification said.
The US Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) added that it 'reminds petitioners and applicants that it can consider delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic when deciding whether to excuse delays in filing documents based on extraordinary circumstances'.
According to rules, if an employer terminates the contract of an H-1B holder, the employee needs to find new employment within 60 days, in order to retain the visa status.
Indian IT workers have been seeking an extension of this 60 day grace period to 180 days.
According to the USCIS, Indians are the biggest beneficiaries of the H-1B visa programme. -- PTI
18:19 1000 migrants throng Bandra station in Mumbai
A large group of migrant workers gathered outside Bandra Station in Mumbai, demanding for permission to return to their native states.
They later dispersed after police and local leaders intervened and asked them to vacate.
More details awaited. -- ANI
18:12 1,463 COVID-19 cases, 29 deaths in 24 hrs
JUST IN: 29 deaths and 1,463 new cases reported in last 24 hours, the sharpest ever increase in cases.
India's total number of coronavirus positive cases rises to 10,815 (including 9272 active cases, 1190 cured/discharged/migrated and 353 deaths), says the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. -- ANI
17:48 Anand Teltumbde sent to NIA custody till Apr 18
Court remands scholar and activist Anand Teltumbde to National Investigation Agency custody till April 18 in Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case.
Teltumbde was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday after he surrendered before it in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.
Teltumbde surrendered at the NIA office at Cumbala Hill in south Mumbai following the Supreme Court's directives.
He was subsequently arrested by the NIA and shall be produced before a court here shortly, an official said.
Earlier, the scholar reached the NIA office in the afternoon along with his wife Rama Teltumbde and brother-in-law and Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar.
Anand Teltumbde is the grandson-in-law of Dalit icon Dr B R Ambedkar, whose 129th birth anniversary is being observed on Tuesday. -- PTI
17:33 Lockdown: Freedom fighter Prafulla Chaki's grandniece goes hungry
Madhabi Talukdar, the grandniece of freedom fighter Prafulla Chaki, said she is spending her days in hunger in a shanty near Gangarampur police station in West Bengal's South Dinajpur district due to the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
Recalling the days of struggle for independence from the British rule, Talukdar said she used to visit the hideouts of the freedom fighters as a 10-year-old and perform movement-related work assigned by Prafulla Chaki, the youngest brother of her grandfather Pratap Chaki.
Along with Khudiram Bose, Chaki had attempted to assassinate the then Muzaffarpur District Judge, Douglas Kingsford in 1908.
While Bose was nabbed and hanged, Chaki evaded arrest by committing suicide.
More than 70 years after Independence, Talukdar works as a cleaner at a temple in the nondescript West Bengal town. The religious institution is shut due to the lockdown.
Her 23-year-old son runs a small eatery which is also closed due to the lockdown.
"Despite participating in the freedom struggle according to my capacity, I don't get freedom fighter's pension. With the imposition of the lockdown, I have to survive on the scant relief materials distributed by some people," Talukdar told PTI.
"I was married to a well-to-do businessman in Gangarampur. But after his death, we lost everything and for many years, we live in the shanty," she said.
Gangarampur MLA Goutam Das said he was unaware of Talukdar's misery and promised to extend aid to her. -- PTI
17:18 Time magazine honours frontline workers
Time Magazine's latest issue features five covers, all honoring workers on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic. From cafeteria workers to paramedics, they share stories of how they do their jobs amidst a global crisis.
17:16 Airlines decline refund for cancelled tickets as lockdown is extended
With the central government extending the lockdown to May 3 and subsequently the suspension of all commercial passenger services also till then, domestic airlines have again decided not to refund the customers in cash for their cancelled flights and instead offer them rescheduling of tickets for a later date without any additional fee. India had imposed a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Consequently, all domestic and international commercial passenger flights were suspended for this time period. However, most of the airlines had been taking bookings except national carrier Air India for domestic flights for the period beyond April 14. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of lockdown till May 3, the aviation regulator DGCA issued a circular stating all international as well as domestic flights will remain suspended during the lockdown. "Following orders from the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued to all airlines, we have extended the suspension of our operations until May 3, 2020. "We are in the process of cancelling the affected bookings and we will offer customers free of charge rescheduling to another date until December 31, 2020," a Vistara spokesperson told PTI in statement. The customer, however, will have to pay the fare difference, if any, at the time of rebooking, the airline said.
A GoAir spokesperson said that it has already "factored in" these type of scenario and that the airline will review its earlier scheme of providing rescheduling free of cost at a later date while protecting their existing bookings for one year. The airline had on Monday announced that it was extending the Protect Your PNR scheme till April 30, 2020.
17:13 India orders 15 million PPEs from China
India has ordered 15 million personal protection gear besides a few million testing kits from China to fight the coronavirus pandemic in the country and their smooth procurement at stable prices will send the "best signal possible" for Sino-Indian ties, India's Ambassador in Beijing Vikram Misri said on Tuesday. As its factories resumed operations after over two-month of grim battle against coronavirus, China is busy tapping into the vast business opportunities of export of key medical goods, specially ventilators and personal protection equipment (PPE), across the world, including India, where both private and government bodies are placing orders for the import of these products.
Addressing an online press briefing, Misri said India is procuring a host of medical equipment from both domestic and international firms as part of its efforts to expand hospital facilities across the country to deal with coronavirus cases. "The requirement in India at this time is medical equipment such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and kits, masks, gloves, ventilators, etc, and China is a very large and significant producer of these products," Misri said.
He said orders are being placed to procure 15 million medical kits from China. India, Misri said, also plans to procure three million COVID-19 testing kits, half of which have already been delivered. "I think facilitation of our needs and our requirements in a timely manner, in a smooth manner, on a predictable timeline at prices that are stable and orderly, would be the best signal possible to send for the India-China relationship," he said.
Misri said India's current target is to produce and procure a total of 17 million PPE sets and "tens and thousands of ventilators'. Misri said India appreciated efforts by China to ensure the quality of goods being exported and requested the Chinese government to expedite the new registration process of the local companies, which have been supplying the materials to India in the past. China on Friday last stepped up quality checks on exports of 11 categories of medical products, including masks, protective suits, goggles and ventilators, following a string of complaints from several countries about the faulty and substandard supplies.
Commenting on reports of Chinese firms diverting supplies due to the burgeoning demand, Misri said, "We have seen media reports. But we have not come across authoritative reports of supplies intended for India having been diverted."
16:53 India orders 70 lakh COVID-19 testing kits
Union Health Ministry briefs the media over the coronavirus pandemic.
ICMR on testing kits: Yesterday, we mentioned that we have kits that could last for 6 weeks. We have received another installment for RT-PCR kits which are far more sufficient in numbers, which would essentially mean that we would be able to cover ourselves for a long period of time. Additionally, we are ordering close to about 33 lakh kits for RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction) & 37 lakh rapid kits are expected to come at any point in time.
"Until yesterday we had tested 2,31,902 samples. Till now 1036 people have been cured. Yesterday 179 people were diagnosed and found cured: If no COVID-19 case is reported for 28 days from specific area, we can say we have been able to break chain of transmission."
16:21 Gadkari asks India Inc to clear outstanding payments to MSMEs
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday asked India Inc to clear huge outstanding payments to micro, small and medium enterprises at the earliest in order to ease the distress in the sector and inject liquidity into market. In a discussion with senior industry members of Ficci via video conferencing, the MSME minister exhorted the industry to clear pending dues owed by them to the units. "We were earlier considering framing a law entailing stringent rules regarding such payments. However, now is not the right time for this. We do not wish to go down that road," the minister said.
The government's endeavour was to protect MSMEs, which contribute 29 per cent to the country's GDP (gross domestic product), from coronavirus-induced crisis. "We have decided to raise (turnover) limits for MSMEs. An order to this effect should hopefully be out in 8-10 days, which will naturally enhance their coverage," Gadkari said.
The Union Cabinet had in 2018 approved changes in the basis of classifying micro, small and medium enterprises from 'investment in plant & machinery/equipment' to 'annual turnover'.
16:20 Congress asks PM to spell out plans for migrant workers, farmers
The Congress party on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out the Centre's plans for the stranded migrant workers and farmers, who are waiting to harvest their crops.In an hour-long press conference after Prime Minister Modi's address to the nation today, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari claimed that the PM has not spoken about the plight of migrants, who are quarantined at state borders.
A witty tweet from Sanjay Jha of the Congress party. "Modi Ji is the most democratic leader in world history. This is truly a peoples government: the people have to do everything on their own."
"The PM told the countrymen what he expects out of them but he did not address the major concerns of the people or talk about what his government is doing for the citizens of India, something the people wanted to hear," he said. "What the Prime Minister has not spoken about and made for the most horrifying images when the lockdown was first implemented, is with regard to the plight of the migrant workers. They are residing in camps in various parts of the country," he added.
"What is the Central government's roadmap for harvesting? Are you going to allow farmers to go in the fields and carry out the harvest? How will the harvest then be collected and transported to the procurement centres? How will the procurement be facilitated? Will the Centre provide a bonus over the minimum support price," asked Tewari.
He also said that Prime Minister Modi did not mention about ensuring maintenance of supply chain of essential commodities.Asking about the testing strategy to fight COVID-19. -- PTI
16:02 India critically short of testing kits: Rahul
Rahul Gandhi red flags the low numbers of COVID-19 testing in India. "India delayed the purchase of testing kits & is now critically short of them. With just 149 tests per million Indians, we are now in the company of Laos (157), Niger (182) & Honduras (162). Mass testing is the key to fighting the virus. At present we are nowhere in the game."
Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain says the national capital has not received the rapid testing kits yet. "There is a great need for them. The central govt is about to receive the kits which have been imported, then we will get too. We will start working with it, the day we receive it."
He said there are 47 'Red Zones' in Delhi now. We've made the criteria more stringent now. Earlier an area used to be declared a 'Red Zone' if 10 or more positive cases were found there. Now,if 3 cases are found in an area it'll be declared a 'Red Zone' & contained.
An area where 1 or 2 positive cases are found is considered an 'Orange Zone'. It is monitored & declared a 'Red Zone' if more cases are found there.
15:51 No fresh coronavirus case in 11 days
With no fresh coronavirus positive case being detected in Goa in the last 11 days, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said the entire coastal state could become a "green zone" by April 17 if no new patients are found. Out of the total two districts in the sate, South Goa has already been declared a "green zone" (no COVID-19 cases) by the Union Health Ministry. Out of the total seven COVID-19 cases detected in Goa earlier--all from North Goa district, five patients recovered from the viral infection while two are undergoing treatment. No new coronavirus positive case has been reported in Goa since April 4.
"South Goa district has already been declared as the green zone (No COVID-19 case) as per the Central guidelines. If there are no more detections, then the North District will also become a green zone by April 17," the CM said.
He also said that vigilance at the Goa's borders has been stepped up in view of neighbouring Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra being classified as "Orange Zone" (Where few COVID-19 cases were found in past) and Belgavi in Karnataka also reporting coronavirus positive patients. Goa has already sealed its borders except for medical emergencies and transportation of essential goods. -- PTI
15:47 When we were free
Not Thursday, but a throwback pic that wildlife conservationist Bear Grylls tweeted: TBT freer days - here with Prime Minister of India @narendramodi - laughing together in the middle of river in the pouring rain in a spectacular Indian rainforest. Special moment in my life. #nevergiveup #survival #adventure #modi #india #gratitude.
File pic: Gautam Navlakha
15:41 Elgar case: Teltumbde arrested, Navlakha surrenders
Elgar case: NIA arrests activist Anand Teltumbde. He will be produced in court shortly. Just ahead of the arrest, civil rights activist Gautam Navlakha surrendered before the NIA in the same case.
In an open letter before his surrender Navlakha assailed the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) under which he was charged by the Pune Police for their alleged Maoist links and other charges following the violence at Bhima Koregaon village near Pune on January 1, 2018.
Such Acts turn the normal jurisprudence upside down. No longer is it the axiom that a person is innocent unless proven guilty. In fact, under such Acts, 'an accused is guilty unless proven innocent'," he wrote. He also criticised the manner in which evidence is gathered and submitted, saying the "draconian" provisions of UAPA are not accompanied by stricter procedures.
15:31 India sends 11.7 lakh Paracetamol tablets to UK
Pharmaceuticals major Indoco Remedies has sent 11.7 lakh Paracetamol tablets to Britain as part of the government initiative to combat COVID-19. "Indoco has been part of the great initiative by the Indian government to export Paracetamol tablets to Britain in its fight against COVID 19," it said in a statement.The first shipment of 11.7 lakh Paracetamol tablets to Britain was airlifted on April 12 from Goa airport. The permission granted by the government is for a total air shipment of 4.48 crore tablets.
"The remaining quantity is ready for shipment and will be airlifted depending on availability of flights," said Indoco Remedies. Indoco Remedies is a fully integrated, research-oriented pharma company with presence in 55 countries. The Rs 1,000 crore company employs over 5,500 people including more than 300 scientists. It has nine manufacturing facilities. -- ANI
15:29 Army dismisses reports suggesting its deployment in Gujarat to enforce lockdown
The Indian Army on Tuesday dismissed reports suggesting that its troops have been deployed in Gujarat for implementing the lockdown there.The force also dismissed reports about purported instructions passed on to its personnel on leave and other retiring from the service.
"Fake and incorrect was found published in certain sections of print media regarding the Army being deployed in Gujarat for implementation of the lockdown. Furthermore, print media also mentions about instructions being passed on the movement instructions of the Army personnel on leave and due for retirement under present circumstances. Both the news are factually incorrect," said the Army sources. -- ANI
15:21 How did we get 1st corona case: Akhilesh to PM
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion that the country had begun screening people coming from abroad long before even a single corona-positive case was found in the country. In a tweet in Hindi on Tuesday, Akhilesh Yadav said, "It was claimed that the screening started at different airports when there was not even a single corona case in the country. But the question then is how much serious and meaningful it proved. If it is true, then it should be told how the country got its first corona case," said the Samajwadi party president.
"The country would be truly benefitted, if and only if the meaningful work is done," added Yadav. While announcing the extension of the current lockdown by another 19 days, the prime minister, in his address to the nation on Tuesday, had said the country had begun taking preventive and precautionary measure against the virus much before the detection of even a single case. "Long before we had even a single case of Corona, India had started screening travellers coming in from corona-affected countries at airports," the prime minister had said. -- PTI
15:14 11 new COVID-19 cases reported in Palghar; count at 53
At least 11 more people tested positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra's Palghar district on Tuesday, taking the tally to 53 in the region. A health bulletin issued by the district administration stated that 11 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Palghar and the toll stood at five.
According to the report, of the 11 new cases, 10 were reported from the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation limits, while one person tested positive in Dahanu taluka. The VVMC now has 47 positive cases, Palghar taluka has two and Vasai rural has three patients, it said. As many as four persons have succumbed to the infection in the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation limits so far and one person had died in Palghar taluka. -- PTI
15:01 Hero MotoCorp to donate 60 first-responder mobile ambulances
Corporate India doing what they can to help in relief and rehab efforts in a country ravaged by the virus. Hero MotoCorp is donating 60 first-responder mobile ambulances to authorities. "These unique and utilitarian mobile ambulances will be useful for reaching out to patients in rural and remote areas and comfortably moving them to the nearest hospitals," the company said in a statement on Tuesday.These ambulances have been custom-built as an accessory to be fitted on Hero MotoCorp motorcycles, with an engine capacity of 150cc and above. The ambulance accessories include sleeping arrangement with essential medical equipment such as a first-aid kit, oxygen cylinder, fire extinguisher and siren. These mobile ambulances will be handed over to authorities in multiple regions across India.
The Hero Group has committed a corpus of Rs 100 crore as aid for the ongoing COVID-19 relief efforts. Half of this sum is being contributed to the PM-Cares Fund and the remaining Rs 50 crore is being spent in other relief efforts.
The BML Munjal University run by the Hero Group at Dharuhera in Haryana has offered its 2,000-bed hostel for use as isolation and treatment ward by the local health department.
Hero MotoCorp is also distributing more than 15,000 meals every day to daily wage-workers, stranded labourers and homeless families in several areas of Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. -- ANI
14:50 WHO lauds India's tough anti-corona actions
The World Health Organization on Tuesday lauded "India's tough and timely actions" against the coronavirus spread as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of current lockdown till May 3.
"It may be early to talk about results in numbers, but a six-week nationwide lockdown to facilitate effective physical distancing, coupled with the expansion of core public health measures such as detection, isolation and tracing contact of coronavirus positive people, would go a long way in arresting the virus spread," said WHO's South-East Asia Regional Director, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh.
"Despite huge and multiple challenges, India has been demonstrating unwavering commitment in its fight against the pandemic," she said. "In these testing times, the action lies as much with the communities as with the authorities and the health workforce," she added.
"It is indeed time for each and every one to contribute their best and together to beat the virus," Dr Singh said. Modi on Tuesday said the implementation of the lockdown will be strictly ensured in coming days to ensure that the virus does not spread to new areas. -- PTI
14:47 Denial of food to Hindus, Christians in Pakistan 'reprehensible': US govt
Terming as "reprehensible" the reports of food being denied to Hindu and Christian communities in Pakistan amidst the coronavirus crisis, a US government organisation has urged Islamabad to ensure that food aid from distributing organisations is shared equally with all religious minorities in the country.
"As COVID-19 continues to spread, vulnerable communities within Pakistan are fighting hunger and to keep their families safe and healthy, food aid must not be denied because of one's faith," the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Commissioner, Anurima Bhargava, said on Monday.
The USCIRF said it is "troubled" by the reports of food being denied to Hindu and Christian communities in Pakistan amidst the coronavirus outbreak in the country. "These actions are simply reprehensible," Bhargava said. "We urge the Pakistani government to ensure that food aid from distributing organisations is shared equally with Hindus, Christians, and other religions minorities," she said.
In Karachi, there have been reports that the Saylani Welfare International Trust, a non-government organisation established to assist the homeless and seasonal workers, has been refusing food assistance to Hindus and Christians, arguing that the aid is reserved for Muslims alone.
USCIRF Commissioner Johnnie Moore said that in a recent address to the international community, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has noted that the governments in the developing world are facing the challenge of saving people from dying of hunger, while also trying to halt the spread of COVID-19.
"This is a monumental task laying before many countries. Prime Minister Khan's government has the opportunity to lead the way, but they must not leave religious minorities behind. Otherwise, they may add on top of it all one more crisis, created by religious discrimination and inter-communal strife," Moore said. -- PTI
14:03 MSMES can't pay wages for April
Apex exporters body FIEO on Tuesday said the micro, small and medium enterprises do not have adequate liquidity to pay wages to their employees for the month of April as they are unable to conduct any business activity during the lockdown. The Federation of Indian Export Organisations reiterated that the government should immediately announce an incentive package and give permisssion for partial resumption of operations in manufacturing units.
"The exporters, particularly MSME exporters, have no liquidity to pay wages for the month of April as they are unable to conduct any business activity during the lockdown," FIEO President Sharad Kumar Saraf said in a statement. He also expressed disappointment on deferment of the decision to allow selective opening of the manufacturing sector, particularly export units.
"We were expecting some announcement in this regard in the Prime Minister's address to the nation this morning. Non-adherence to the delivery schedule for exports will result in cancellation, penalties and market loss, besides the business loss to enterprises, he added.
Saraf also said that the shifting of the goalpost will not help in avoiding the stark realities which exporters have to face whenever "we open". The start of selective manufacturing units will be a long drawn battle due to the unavailability of labour, raw material, transport, Saraf said adding that even countries such as Spain, one of the worst affected nations, have started opening the economy to bring it on track.
The president demanded that a comprehensive economic package may be announced to help the economy, with interest free credit to cover six months of wages, rental and utilities along with a moratorium to repay in installments after six months. "Without such support, the government should not expect the industry to pay wages during the lockdown and any coercive action to bring about the same will only be counterproductive," he said. -- PTI
13:54 IPL likely to be postponed indefinitely as lockdown extends
The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to be postponed indefinitely as Prime Narendra Modi announced the extension of the nationwide lockdown as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.The sources within the BCCI confirmed the development hours after PM Modi's announcement. "Since lockdown has been extended, we have to postpone the IPL for the time being, the decision will be intimated, we will discuss the matter later today," sources within BCCI told ANI.
13:53 UP cancels construction projects
The decision to resume construction works from April 15 in Uttar Pradesh stands cancelled in view of PM Narendra Modi's address today: Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya
13:51 Without additional resources states will be constrained: Kerala FM
Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac says the Union Government is forcing state governments to cut their expenditures in times of the pandemic slump. "Five states have already deferred even the salaries of their employees. The additional allocation given to the states is a meagre Rs 7000 crores from the health package. There is collapse of livelihoods. The number of families employed in MGNREG falls to 1% of normal. Transfer half of last years wages, even if as advance at least, to the accounts of every registered worker. Increase the work days to 150.
"There is no option other than extending the lockdown. But Centre must learn lessons from the past 3 weeks.
1 Without extensive testing lockdown won't be effective.
2 Without income support compliance will be low.
3 Without additional resources states will be constrained .
Image: The Kerala FM tweeted this image of COVID-19 cases in Kerala saying the curve has started to flatten in the state. The active cases for the last one week has declined. The recovered cases (green curve) will cross the yellow curve soon, he said.
13:46 PM should spell out strategy to tackle coronavirus: Cong
The Congress on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out the government's strategy to tackle coronavirus and what steps it plans to take to mitigate woes of migrant labourers and farmers waiting to harvest crops. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said the prime minister has not talked about the plight of migrant workers who are quarantined at state borders and what the government intends to do about them, as most of them have completed their 14-day quarantine.
Addressing a press conference through video, he said the prime minister has also not talked about ramping up mass testing in the country for COVID-19 or about steps taken to increase purchase of personal protection equipment. He said the prime minister also did not talk about ensuring maintenance of supply chain of essential commodities and for harvesting of the Rabi crop.
"The PM told the nation what he expects out of the people but the PM did not address concerns of the people or talk about what his government is doing for the people of India, something the people wanted to hear,"he said. "What we have not heard from the PM is what is this Govt's strategy regarding testing. Will it be limited to hotspots or will there be community level screening as it has happened in Bhilwara. What is the strategy of this Government," he asked.
"What the PM has not spoken about and made for the most horrifying images when the lockdown was first implemented, is with regard to the plight of the migrant workers. They are in camps, spread out in various parts of the country,"he said asking whether the government has any plan to ensure that they are taken back to their homes.
"Essentially, if someone has gone through the mandatory quarantine period and is not showing any symptoms, does it not become the Government's responsibility to facilitate their return. That's what we wanted to hear, what is the Government doing about it,"Tewari asked. "Are you going to allow them to go back to their homes? Is there a calibrated plan to facilitate their travel," he asked. The Congress leader said the party understands the inevitability of the lockdown and hence the Indian National Congress supports the extension of the lockdown, as the Centre and all the states agree on this. He also asked about steps the government is taking to stop retrenchment of workers and asked whether it will take action against those employers sacking their employees at such time of crisis.
"What is Government's roadmap for harvesting? Are you going to allow people to go in the fields, carry out the harvest? How will the harvest then be collected and taken to procurement centres. How will procurement be facilitated, will Govt pay a bonus over the MSP," he said.
Tewari said one has not heard from the PM about our frontline workers who are battling Covid-19, health workers, municipal workers and what is the status with regard to procurement of their PPEs. He said the country wanted to hear from the PM is with regard to tests, as there is no vaccine and so far the only medical treatment available is preemption and prevention and for that what we require is mass testing. -- PTI
13:39 PM failed to address economic woes: Sena-NCP
The Shiv Sena and NCP said Prime Minister Narendra Modis address to the nation on Tuesday lacked substance as he did not suggest ways to strengthen the economy or a relief package for the poor and those worst hit by the lockdown. Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande also took a dig at the prime minister, saying he thankfully did not give any activity to people this time like clanging utensils or lighting lamps. Modi on Tuesday announced that the lockdown across the country will be extended till May 3, saying the measure has produced a significant outcome in containing the infection. He said implementation of the lockdown will be strictly ensured in its second phase and detailed guidelines will be brought out on Wednesday to ensure that outbreak does not spread to new areas.
Kayande said Modi could have announced extension of the lockdown on Wednesday itself along with the new guidelines, instead of declaring it separately. "He could have elaborated steps to be taken to tackle the coronavirus, relaxing restrictions on movements in different areas (depending upon threat posed by the disease)," she said.
"His speech normally is more of a rhetoric than substance. Thankfully, he did not give any other event to the people like lighting up lamps or clanging utensils. There was nothing substantial (in the address), the only takeaway was that the lockdown has been extended, she added. Maharashtra Minister and NCP national spokesman Nawab Malik noted that Modi talked about helping the poor.
13:04 20 control rooms to address problems of 40 crore workers
The Labour Ministry on Tuesday said it has set up 20 control rooms on pan-India basis to address wage-related grievances and to mitigate problems faced by migrant workers amid the lockdown period to contain the Covid-19 crisis.
The Prime Minister has announced extension of the nationwide lockdown till May 3 with conditional relaxation from April 20 in some areas on the basis of evaluation of the situation. The workers, especially migrant labourers, are the worst among due to the lockdown as a large number of them either faced pay cut or job loss.
According to an International Labour Organisation assessment, 40 crore informal sector workers in India could be pushed deeper into poverty due to this lockdown.
"The Ministry of Labour and Employment has set up 20 control rooms under the Office of Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC) (C) on pan-India basis due to issues arising in the backdrop of Covid-19," it said in a statement. These control rooms have been set up to address wage related grievances of workers employed in the Central Sphere, the ministry said, adding that it would also work to mitigate the problems of migrant workers through coordination with various state governments. These call centres can be accessed by the workers through phone numbers, Whatsapp and e-mails.
The control rooms are being managed by labour enforcement officers, assistant labour commissioners, regional labour commissioners, and deputy chief labour commissioners of the respective regions. -- PTI
Image: Around 300 people including specially-abled, migrants, and homeless being rescued and provided shelter, food and other essentials including medical services at Dadoji Kondeo Stadium in Thane on Monday. Pic: ANI
The Cabinet meeting on March 25
12:56 Union Cabinet to meet at PM's home tomorrow
A meeting of the Union Cabinet is scheduled to be held on Wednesday evening at the Prime Minister's 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence in the national capital.Earlier today in his address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the country will remain under lockdown till May 3 to contain COVID-19 cases. The 21-day lockdown, which was announced by the Prime Minister last month, was slated to end today.
However, he also indicated at easing of lockdown restrictions in the places where there is no hotspot after April 20.
Odisha, Punjab, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have already announced the extension of lockdown.India's total number of coronavirus positive cases has climbed to 10,363 including 8,988 active cases, 1,035 cured/discharged/migrated and 339 deaths, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said today. -- ANI
Workers carry mattresses at a quarantine center in Dharavi
12:44 Updates at this hour
Union Cabinet meeting scheduled to be held tomorrow at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.
All domestic and international commercial passenger flights will remain suspended till 11.59 pm of May 3: Aviation Ministry.
Shashi Tharoor supports extended lockdown but slams lack of relief measures.
12:37 121 new COVID-19 cases in Maha; tally 2,455
The number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rose to 2,455 after 121 more people tested positive for the disease on Tuesday, a health official said. Among the new cases, 92 were reported from Mumbai, 13 from Navi Mumbaai, 10 from Thane city, five from Vasai-Virar (in Palghar district) and one from Raigad, he said. Maharashtra has so far reported 160 deaths due to coronavirus. -- PTI
Image: Police have deployed drones for surveillance in COVID19 hotspot areas of Dharavi and Worli.
Watching the world upside down: A vendor in Guwahati
12:33 Enough stock of essentials, don't worry: HM
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday assured everyone that there is enough stock of food, medicines and other essential commodities and no one should worry for the extended period of lockdown. In a series of tweets, the home minister also appealed to the affluent people to help the needy living nearby.
"As the home minister of the country, I assure the public again that there is enough stock of food, medicines and other commodities in the country. No one should worry about that. "I also request the affluent people to come forward and help the poor living nearby," he said.
Praising the role of the state governments, Shah said the way all the state governments are working with the central government is truly praiseworthy. "Now, we have to intensify this coordination so that all citizens follow the lockdown properly and no citizen should have the problem of the things they need," Shah said.
The home minister said the contribution of the doctors, healthcare workers, sanitation workers, police and all the security personnel who are playing an important role in this fight is very touching. "Your courage and understanding in this odd situation inspires every Indian. Everyone should follow the guidelines and cooperate with them," he said. -- PTI
12:16 Economic cost of lockdown is nothing compared to people's lives: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the nationwide lockdown to combat coronavirus pandemic may have affected the country's economy but the cost is worth paying in order to save the lives of the citizens. "It is evident from the experience of the past few days that we have chosen the right path. Our country has greatly benefited from social distancing and lockdown. From economy's point of view, it undoubtedly looks costly right now, but compared to the lives of Indian citizens, it is nothing," the Prime Minister said in his address to the nation today.
Modi said that the path that India has taken within its limited resources has become a topic of discussion in the entire world today.
The Prime Minister also announced the extension of lockdown till May 3 amid surging coronavirus cases in the country."I have been in continuous touch with the states on how the fight against corona should progress in India. Everyone has suggested that the lockdown should be continued. Many states have in fact already decided and declared to continue the lockdown," Modi said.
"Keeping all the suggestions in mind, it has been decided that the lockdown in India will have to be extended till May 3. Each and every one of us will have to remain in the lockdown till May 3. During this time, we must continue maintaining discipline in the way we have been doing till now," he said.
Odisha, Punjab, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have already announced the extension of the lockdown.India's total number of coronavirus positive cases has climbed to 10,363 including 8,988 active cases, 1,035 cured/discharged/migrated and 339 deaths, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said today. -- ANI
12:10 Extension of lockdown necessary: Omar
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the decision to extend the lockdown till May 3 was a necessary step in view of the threat posed by COVID-19. "The extension of lockdown till May 3 isn't something we all wanted but given the threat we face from COVID-19, it's a necessity. Let's do everything we can to cooperate with authorities to avoid a further extension in May," he tweeted after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of nationwide lockdown.
Abdullah also urged people to help poor and weaker sections of the society during these tough times. "We owe it to the poor and weaker sections of society to do everything we can, whether financially or otherwise, to help them through these tough times. Govts must take the lead but it can't be just their responsibility," he said. -- PTI
12:04 Rlys extends suspension of services till May 3
The Indian Railways has extended the suspension of its passenger services till May 3, senior officials said on Tuesday. They said the decision was taken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the lockdown across the country will be extended till May 3 to fight the coronavirus pandemic. "We have taken the decision keeping in view the extended lockdown period. More updates will be available shortly," the official said. Earlier, all passenger services were cancelled till April 14 midnight. -- PTI
11:53 COVID-19 derails affordable housing growth
The COVID-19 pandemic is all set to derail the growth momentum of affordable housing in 2020, according to a new report by property brokerage firm Anarock. This will be one of the worst-affected segments. Nearly 6.1 lakh affordable units were under construction across the top seven cities until the lockdown was announced.
This is over 39 per cent of the total 15.62 lakh under-construction units in the top seven cities -- the higher share of all budget categories.While the report estimates overall unsold housing inventory to shrink annually by one to three per cent this year, the unsold affordable stock may actually increase by one to two per cent in this period.As on Q1 2020 end, there are more than 2.34 lakh unsold affordable homes in the top seven cities -- 36 per cent of the total unsold stock across all budget categories.
"The government's 'Housing for All' push coupled with multiple sops to buyers and developers brought an avalanche of affordable housing projects in India," said Anuj Puri, Chairman of Anarock Property Consultants.
"As much as 40 per cent of the new supply added across the top seven cities in the past few years was in the affordable segment (units priced at less than Rs 40 lakh each). Resultantly, there is a huge under-construction supply of about 6.1 lakh units in the affordable segment."
Puri said this segment will be severely impacted by the current COVID-19 outbreak. The target audience typically has limited income and unemployment fears currently loom large.
"This can result in deferred property purchase decisions in 2020 and ultimately derail the segment's growth momentum. As a result, unsold affordable stock can rise by one to two per cent on a year-on-year basis.
"The National Capital Region has the maximum under-construction affordable housing stock with more than 1.87 lakh units. Unsold stock in this budget category is nearly 64,430 units in NCR.The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is next with nearly 1.72 lakh affordable units under construction. The unsold affordable stock as on March 2020-end is 68,970 units. -- ANI
11:46 Corona-positive cases soar past 200 mark in JK: Officials
The corona-led lockdown in Kashmir entered 27th day on Tuesday with the infected cases crossing the 200-mark in the valley amid the continued restrictions on the movement and assembly of people to curb the pandemic, said officials.
They said to enforce the restrictions on the movement and assembly of people, the security forces have sealed off main roads in most places in the valley and erected barriers at several other places. Only persons with valid passes were allowed to move, they added.
The officials said in the declared red zones across the valley, the restrictions have been intensified as authorities have warned of strict action against anyone violating prohibitory orders.
"There will be no inward and outward movement of any person from the areas declared red zones and the people will have to stay in their homes to ensure complete lockdown as restrictions have been intensified. Strict action will be taken against those who violate the prohibitory orders," they said.
-- PTI
Image: An area near the Dal Lake in lockdown. Pic: Umar Ganie
11:34 Cong on PM's speech: Cry, my beloved country!
The Congress on Tuesday termed as rhetoric and hollow on specifics the prime minister's address to the nation, saying there was no mention of a financial package or concrete steps to revive the economy. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said, "The poor have been left to fend for themselves for 21+19 days, including practically soliciting food. There is money, there is food, but the government will not release either money or food. Cry, my beloved country," he said on Twitter.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the PM's address was like Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark. "Amazing PM address. Exhortation, rhetoric, inspiration.....yet hollow on specifics! No financial package, no details, no concrete item. Neither for poor nor middle class nor industry nor businesses. Lockdown is good but cannot be end in itself! Where is single livelihood issue," he asked.
He said the PM be assured that all stakeholders will do their duties and will strictly observe lockdown. "After this: should we pray? We want concrete palliatives for these deprived classes and even for middle india and MSMEs," he said. -- PTI
11:25 Bengal dances to its own tune
That's Asansol in West Bengal where people presumably have not heard of social distancing. Large numbers descend at a vegetable market amid the lockdown to contain the spread of the disease. Reports of people thronging markets, sweet shops abound.
11:03 Maha govt evaluating how to resume industrial production
Maharashtra Industries Minister Subhash Desai has asked his department to draft a proposal on how to restart industrial production in districts where no coronavirus cases have been found. But, there would be no permission for any industrial or business activity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Pune, which have been categorised as red zones due to a large number of coronavirus cases, he said.
"I have asked my department to come up with a proposal on how to start industrial production from districts excluding Mumbai and Pune," Desai tweeted late Monday evening.
"One key demand we will be making before the Centre is extending bank loans for next couple of months so that small and medium scale industries could pay salaries to its employees," he added.
The country's financial capital now alone accounts for over 1,540 COVID-19 cases and 101 deaths, an official earlier said. -- PTI
Image: Migrants and homeless at a relief camp in Andheri, Mumbai.
10:52 After home-made mask, Modi opts for gamcha
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on Tuesday was seen covering his mouth and nose with a traditional 'gamcha'.Modi's 'gamcha' was a white colour with a red placed alongside a black and white pattern. At the beginning of the speech, he greeted the nation with a namaskar with the 'gamcha' covering his mouth and nose. He later took it off while addressing the nation.
Previously, in an interaction with the Chief Ministers of various states on Saturday, he was seen wearing a homemade mask as a precautionary measure against Coronavirus.
In his address to the nation, the Prime Minister announced that the national lockdown is extended till May 3 and urged the people to follow all norms.
-- ANI
10:43 PM: Lockdown relaxation from April 20 but...
Update: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that the current lockdown will be extended till May 3, saying it is very necessary to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. In a televised address to the nation, Modi said implementation of the lockdown will be strictly ensured in coming days to ensure that the virus does not spread to new areas.
The prime minister said detailed guidelines on implementation of the new lockdown will be announced on Wednesday. Some relaxations may be allowed after April 20 in places where there is no hotspot, he said.
He said India has managed to contain the spread of infection well due to its holistic approach in dealing with the crisis and sacrifices made by people of the country in the fight produced positive results. Modi said India received huge benefits from the 21-day lockdown in checking the pandemic and added that the country has dealt with the situation better with limited resources. The lockdown that came into effect on March 25 was to expire on midnight of April 14.
While making new guidelines, Modi said the the government has kept in mind the interests of the poor and daily wage workers. Harvesting of Rabi crops is also underway. Central Govt and state Govts are working together to ensure that farmers face minimal problems.
The drastic measure shone the spotlight on the miseries of lakhs of migrant workers whose journeys on foot from several urban centres to their villages
hundreds of kilometres away grabbed headlines for many days last month.
The PM said there are 220 labs which can do testing for the COVID-19 virus. There are over a lakh beds and 600 hospitals exclusively for patients.
The catastrophic effect of the lockdown on the overall economy and livelihoods of lakhs of migrant workers triggered severe concerns following which a number of chief ministers in their video conference with Modi on Saturday sought some kind of relaxation for a number of sectors.
10:26 Lockdown relaxations from April 20
Details on PM Modi's address to the nation: People have gone through hardships to save India. I know how many difficulties you have faced. I respectfully bow to the people of India for their sacrifice.
Even when India did not have a single corona patient, India had begun screening passengers from COVID19 affected countries.
Even before COVID19 cases touched 100, India made it compulsory for foreign returnees to remain in 14 days isolation. We imposed 21-day lockdown when we had 550 cases.
India did not wait for the problem to escalate, rather, as soon as the problem appeared, we tried to stop it by taking swift decisions. I can't imagine what the situation would have been if such quick decisions were not taken.
Till 20th April, all districts, localities, states will be closely monitored, as to how strictly they are implementing norms. States which will not let hotspots increase, they could be allowed to let some important activities resume, but with certain conditions.
10:14 PM extends nationwide lockdown to May 3
To cut to the chase, the PM announced that the nationwide lockdown has been extended till May 3.
10:05 PM invokes unity of people in fighting COVID-19
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the nation on the 21st day of the nationwide lockdown said, the penance of the people have worked to a large extent to control the spread of the coronavirus and reducing its impact.
09:57 48 more COVID-19 cases in Rajasthan, tally 945
At least 48 more COVID-19 cases have been reported in Rajasthan, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 945, the state Health Department said on Tuesday. All 48 new coronavirus cases have been reported from the state capital, Jaipur. The tally of positive COVID-19 cases in the city rose to 418.
With 1,211 new cases and 31 deaths reported in last 24 hours, the total number of COVID-19 cases in India climbed to 10,363, according to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.Out of the total number, 1,036 people have been cured/discharged/migrated and 339 persons have died. -- ANI
09:52 European leader calls for reducing dependence on Chinese goods of critical importance
A Member of the European Parliament has strongly urged Europe to produce enough goods of critical importance in order to reduce "excessive dependence on China." The remarks from Urmas Paet came as Europe continues to grapple with China-originated coronavirus.
"The current crisis has shown that the European Union must be able to produce enough goods of critical importance on its own, even if it costs a little more than what is made in China," ERR News quoted Paet as saying on social media.
Underlining how a pandemic cripples the supply-chain system, the Estonian leader particularly emphasised on Europe's dependence on Chinese medical protective equipment.It may be noted that as coronavirus crisis heightened in Europe, perishing hundreds of people, Beijing sold medical equipment to various European countries like Italy, Spain and Czech Republic.These Chinese face masks, ventilators, protective gears, test kits were later found to be faulty, thereby putting lives at stake besides adding insult to the injury.
"Europe found itself in a situation of being vitally dependent on Chinese medical protective equipment production," wrote Paet, who served as Estonia's foreign minister from 2005 to 2014.
The continent has been hit hard by the outbreak of the virus and became an epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic, claiming thousands of lives in just few days.
"We now need to rethink here in Europe what is included among such products of critical importance, regarding which we must not depend on third countries. Definitely at the top of the list are medical supplies and medicinal products. But quite a bit more, too," Paet suggested.The leader also highlighted how 'dishonest techniques' were used in the middle of the pandemic. -- PTI
09:29 China's imported coronavirus cases climb to 1,464
China is grappling with increase in imported coronavirus cases after stamping out the disease from its epicentre Wuhan as it has reported 89 new infections and the rise in asymptomatic patients, posing a serious concern for the authorities, health officials said on Tuesday.
The COVID-19 cases have been increasing again after China managed to contain the first wave of infections as hundreds of Chinese nationals returned home from various countries, including European nations, the US, Russia and Iran to escape the fallout of the pandemic.
China's National Commission in its daily report on Tuesday said that 89 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, including three local infections, were reported in the country on Monday.
All three new locally transmitted cases were reported in Guangdong Province, it said. The officials said 2,000 Chinese nationals were brought home in 16 chartered flights. All of the new arrivals are being screened in different cities other than Beijing. China has banned the entry of foreign nationals by cancelling all existing visas.
As of Monday, China has reported a total of 1,464 imported cases of which 905 are still undergoing treatment. Worrying proposition for Chinese health officials are the growing number of asymptomatic cases which climbed to 1,005 with 54 new cases. -- PTI
09:26 WHO does not recommend BCG vaccine for Covid-19
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday played down studies suggesting that the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine may be effective in the prevention of the highly contagious coronavirus infection.
BCG vaccination prevents severe forms of tuberculosis in children and diversion of local supplies may result in neonates not being vaccinated, resulting in an increase of disease and deaths from tuberculosis.
In its daily situation report, the WHO said there is no evidence that the BCG vaccine protects people against COVID-19.
"There is experimental evidence from both animal and human studies that the BCG vaccine has non-specific effects on the immune system. These effects have not been well characterized and their clinical relevance is unknown," the report said.
On April 11, the WHO updated its ongoing evidence review of the major scientific databases and clinical trial repositories, using English, French and Chinese search terms for COVID-19, coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and BCG.
The review yielded three preprints wherein the authors compared the incidence of COVID-19 cases in countries where the BCG vaccine is used with countries where it is not used and observed that countries that routinely used the vaccine in neonates had less reported cases of COVID-19 to date.
"Such ecological studies are prone to significant bias from many confounders, including differences in national demographics and disease burden, testing rates for COVID-19 virus infections, and the stage of the pandemic in each country," it said in the report.
Two clinical trials addressing this question are underway, and the evidence will be evaluated when it is available, the WHO stated.
Therefore, the global body said it continues to recommend neonatal BCG vaccination in countries or settings with a high incidence of tuberculosis.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus around the world have surpassed 2 mln, the US-based Johns Hopkins University. According to its data, 2,019,320 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus globally. Some 119,483 people have died of the disease caused by this virus. -- ANI
09:26 Trump: Very close to completing a plan to reopen US
US President Donald Trump has said he is "very close" to completing a plan to reopen the country currently under a lockdown imposed to stem the spread of the global coronavirus pandemic.
As a result of the deadly spread of the novel coronavirus, more than 95 per cent of the country's 330 million population are under stay-at-home order. The social mitigation guidelines have been in place for a month now and will continue till April 30.
"I've been having many discussions with my team and top experts and we're very close to completing a plan to open our country hopefully even ahead of schedule, and that's so important," Trump told reporters at his White House news conference on coronavirus on Monday. Trump said that his administration will soon finalise new and very important guidelines to give governors the information they need to start safely opening their states.
"My administration's plan and corresponding guidelines will give the American people the confidence they need to begin returning to normal life,' he said.
"That's what we want. We want to have our country open, we want to return to normal life. Our country is going to be open and it's going to be successfully opened, and we'll be explaining over very short number of days exactly what is going to be,' he said.
On Tuesday, he plans to announce a second task force consisting of eminent people from various walks of life. The task force would recommend him on reopening the country's economy. The impact of coronavirus on the US economy has been devastating. New York, the epicenter of coronavirus in the US, has come to a standstill, the booming tourism and travel industry has come to a halt, a record number of millions of people have lost their jobs.
It has spent a whooping USD 2.2 trillion as part of its efforts to stimulate the economy, but has failed to make any impact so far. -- PTI
09:19 Harvard, MIT announce salary, hiring freeze and leadership pay cuts
Prestigious US educational institutions Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are implementing salary and hiring freeze and their top leadership will take pay cuts as part of "hard choices" to control costs in a tough economic environment resulting from the global coronavirus pandemic, according to a report.
The report in The Harvard Crimson, the daily student newspaper of Harvard University, said that Harvard was "instituting an immediate university-wide salary and hiring freeze, cancelling or deferring discretionary spending, and considering deferring all capital projects."
University President Lawrence Bacow announced in an email to Harvard affiliates on Monday that he along with Executive Vice President Katherine Lapp and University Provost Alan Garber will each cut their salaries by 25 per cent.
The report added that senior school administrators, including the deans of Harvard's 12 schools, their vice presidents and vice provosts will also be either reducing their salaries or contributing to a support fund for employees experiencing hardship.
On the possibility of layoffs or furloughs, the three wrote in the email that Harvard was still working to "gain a more complete picture" before deciding whether to take such action.
"We will be scrutinizing the FY21 budget to determine what other steps are necessary to respond to the financial impact of the pandemic on our operations. We will communicate with you when more information is available," the report quoted them as saying. Bacow said Harvard will tap into its endowment to address financial concerns, but its ability to do so was limited. Harvard's endowment - its largest financial asset - consists of more than 13,000 funds, according to the university's website. -- PTI
09:01 With 1,211 newcases, India crosses 10,000 mark
India's toll of confirmed cases has gone past 10,000 after 1,211 positive cases were identified in the last 24 hours.
The country's total number of Covid-19 cases has gone up to 10,363 with over 1,000 cured.
The death toll has gone up to 339 with 31 deaths in the last 24 hours, confirmed the health ministry.
The new tally comes as the nation is eagerly awaiting Prime Minister Narendra Modis address at 10 am today. He is expected to announce an extension of nationwide lockdown by minimum of two weeks to further contain the Covid-19 outbreak in India. But lockdown 2.0 may come along with the resumption of some economic activities as the nation stares at a deep economic crisis in the wake of the virus outbreak.
08:55 COVID-19: New Zealand extends its state of emergency for another 7 days
Authorities in New Zealand have extended the country's state of national emergency for another seven days in order to support the government's efforts to combat the spread of Covid-19.
The initial declaration was made on March 25, and today's extension is the third of its kind. The seven-day declaration can be extended as many times as necessary, Minister of Civil Defense Peeni Henare said in a statement.
The state of emergency provides those managing the response in an emergency the ability to access powers they would not normally have, but might require now to implement and enforce these measures, "including managing roads, traffic and public places; providing first aid, food, shelter and accommodation," Henare said.
New Zealand has reported 1,366 coronavirus cases and nine Covid-19 related fatalities, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
08:38 Sonia Gandhi lauds coronavirus warriors
Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday lauded healthcare personnel, police and sanitation workers who are on the forefront in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
She also urged people to follow lockdown rules and said that a sense of unity, discipline and self-confidence will defeat the virus. "What can be more patriotic than all of us fighting the pandemic together. Our coronavirus warriors are fighting this war despite lack of basic safety gear. Our doctors, health workers and social service organisations are providing treatment despite the lack of personal protective equipment. Police and jawans are enforcing lockdown rules. Sanitation workers are constantly cleaning to prevent the spread of infection even in the difficult times," Gandhi said.
She also praised government officials who were working hard to control the virus and providing facilities to people round the clock.
The Congress chief condemned the "misbehaviour" with doctors and said this is against our culture.
-- ANI
08:18 Maharashtra health minister thanks SRK for donating 25,000 PPE kits
While the whole country continues to struggle against the COVID-19 crisis, Shahrukh Khan's name has been added to the list of renowned personalities who have come forward to give the frontline workers a boost to help them in their battle against the deadly infection.
The actor has contributed 25,000 personal protective equipment kits to the Maharashtra health department for the safety of the doctors and healthcare workers in the State.
However, Khan's generous contribution came to light only after the Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare, Maharashtra, Rajesh Tope took to Twitter to thank him. "Many thanks, Mr Shah Rukh Khan for your kind contribution of 25,000 PPE kits. This will go a long way in supporting our fight against COVID19 and protecting our frontline medical care team," Tope's tweet on Monday read.
Responding to this, Khan thanked the minister for "sourcing the kits" and added that he stood with all the others in this hour of need.
"Thank you, sir, for all your help to source the kits. We are all together in this endeavour to protect ourselves and humanity. Glad to be of service. May your family and team be safe and healthy," Khan's response on Twitter read.
-- ANI
07:56 PM Modi to address country today at 10 am
For those who missed it yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 10 am today, on the last day of the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed with the aim to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19.
Prior to this, the PM had on Saturday held consultations with Chief Ministers through video-conferencing, during which talks were held over the need for extending the lockdown further after taking into consideration the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
During the course of the meeting, the Prime Minister had said that there seems to be a consensus amongst the States on the extension of lockdown by another two weeks. He underlined that the motto of the government earlier was 'jaan hai to jahaan hai' but now it is 'jaan bhi jahaan bhi'.
Talking about the way ahead post the end of the 21-day lockdown period, the PM had said that the coming three to four weeks would be critical in determining the impact of steps taken to curb the spread of the disease and had also suggested specific measures for agriculture and allied sectors, including those needed to facilitate the sale of farm produce.
00:14 COVID-19: HDK to go ahead with son's wedding
Despite lockdown in the country to contain the spread of coronavirus, former chief minister of Karnataka and Janata Dal-Secular leader, HD Kumaraswamy has decided to go ahead with marriage of his son Nikhil.
"Marriage will be performed in closed doors among the family members, which may be around 50 people. Family members only will be present in the marriage and all the precautionary measures will be followed as per the guidelines given by the government," Kumaraswamy told ANI.
Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who contested Lok Sabha election from Mandya, is also the national youth wing president of Janata Dal-Secular.
His marriage has been fixed with niece of former Congress minister M Krishnappa on April 17.
"Date was fixed months ago and we canot miss the good star and holy muhurtham. That is why we have decided to perform marriage on the fixed date among the family members," he said.
Marriage will be performed at bride Revati's residence.
Earlier, Kumaraswamy and family had plans to perform the marriage at a location near Ramnagar, which is also former chief minister's constituency. -- ANI
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