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Tue, 15 December 2020
Harsimrat slams govt on not holding Parliament
Timeline Refresh
23:49 Several European countries agree to coordinate vaccinations
Germany, France, Italy and five other European states will coordinate the start of their Covid-19 vaccination campaigns, the countries health ministers have said.
The countries will promote the coordination of the launch of the vaccination campaigns and will rapidly share information on how it is proceeding, the statement said, along with other commitments on areas such as transparency.
The statement was released by Italy and also signed by the health ministers of Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.
23:27 Harsimrat slams govt on not holding Parliament
SAD lawmaker Harsimrat Kaur Badal and AAP MP Bhagwant Mann slammed the BJP-led central government for not convening Parliament's winter session, saying the Centre was "running away" from its responsibility to resolve grievances of farmers.
Mann said the Centre was trying to "run away" from discussing "anti-farmer" agri laws which have led to the farmers' protest, while Badal described the government's move as "murder of democracy".
Badal, who had resigned as union minister over the farm laws issue, demanded that a special one-day session be held at the earliest to repeal the three laws as per the wishes of the farming community.
She said the government was "running away" from its responsibility to resolve the grievances of farmers by repealing the three agricultural marketing laws.
"'The Centre knows that it is in the wrong. It knows it has legislated on agriculture which is a state subject and that farmers of all states have rejected the three Acts it bulldozed through in the last season. It knows it cannot face the people on this issue and that is why it has invented the excuse of COVID-19 to cancel the winter session of Parliament," the Bathinda MP said in a statement.
She said parliamentarians had been denied an opportunity to raise the voice of the farmers.
"The farmers are suffering untold hardship in biting cold wave conditions and parliamentarians wanted to highlight this. They also wanted to put pressure on the government to repeal the three farm laws which have been rejected by the farmers. There is no reason to keep laws in force which the people do not want," she said.
-- PTI
23:08 No New Year's Eve bash in Bhubaneswar
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation authorities on Tuesday said that no New Year's Eve bash will be allowed in the Odisha capital due to the COVID-19 pandemic while churches are permitted to celebrate the Christmas festival adhering to safety norms.
The famous Lingaraj Temple was allowed to reopen on December 27 for servitors and their family members, BMC Commissioner P C Chaudhury said.
"Keeping in view the request made by different churches, the BMC has made special provision for the Christmas. The church authorities will inform the BMC on the space available on their premises and the number of people to attend the prayer. They will be asked to maintain social distancing," Chaudhury said.
Earlier, the Odisha Chapter of the All India Christian Council wrote to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeking permission to reopen churches for prayer on the Christmas day.
"No celebration is allowed as of now (on December 31). The state government's December COVID-19 guideline strictly prohibits any social, cultural or religious gathering during the month," the BMC commissioner said.
Though the BMC allowed churches to observe the Christmas festival in Bhubaneswar, the state government has bestowed the power on taking a decision in this regard on district magistrate-cum-collectors in their jurisdictions keeping in view the prevailing pandemic situation.
-- PTI
22:39 Second Covid vaccine nears US approval
Moderna's vaccine is safe and 94 per cent effective, regulators say, clearing the way for US emergency authorisation.
The analysis by the Food and Drug Administration's means it could become the second coronavirus vaccine to be allowed in the US.
It comes one day after Americans across the country began receiving jabs of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
The news comes as the US coronavirus death toll passes 300,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Endorsement of the Moderna vaccine by FDA scientists was announced on Tuesday, two days before the vaccine panel meets to discuss emergency approval.
The 54-page document said there were "no specific safety concerns" and that serious adverse reactions were rare.
If approved by the team of experts later this week, and by the FDA's vaccine chief, shipments could begin within 24 hours.
The FDA found a 94.1% efficacy rate out of a trial of 30,000 people, according to the document they released.
22:15 Meghan and Harry sign exclusive podcast deal with Spotify
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have signed an exclusive deal with Spotify that will see them host and produce podcasts.
Under the new multi-year deal, announced on Tuesday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will create exclusive content for the streaming giant with their newly formed Archewell Audio production company.
The content, which is expected to premiere in 2021, will build community through shared experience, narratives and values, Variety reports.
The couples latest partnership comes just months after they signed a deal with Netflix for exclusive content including documentaries, docuseries, feature films, scripted shows and childrens programming, and a day after it was revealed that Meghan has become an investor in an oat milk latte startup.
Earlier this year, the duke and duchess announced they would be stepping down from their roles as senior members of the royal family and would be seeking financial independence. They have since relocated to California with their son Archie.
21:58 Maha reduces COVID test cost from Rs 980 to 700
Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced a reduction in COVID-19 RT-PCR test by Rs 280. The test which used to cost Rs 980 will now be available at just Rs 700.
The announcement has come days after the Central government directed all states to increase the number of RT-PCR tests in a bid to detect the deadly contagion at a faster rate.
Back in March, when the pandemic struck the country, private laboratories were charging Rs 4,500 for COVID-19 testing. However, the prices were slashed to Rs 980 in September.
It should be noted that Maharashtra still remains the worst-affected state in the country with coronavirus.
21:38 Haryana's Anil Vij shifted to Medanta in Gurgaon
COVID-19 positive Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij was on Tuesday evening shifted to the Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon, a family member said.
Vij (67), who is also the state's home minister, was admitted to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak on Saturday night after he complained of discomfort. Earlier, he was being treated at the Civil Hospital in Ambala.
Vij's younger brother Rajinder Vij told reporters outside PGIMS: "We are shifting him to Medanta because we are not seeing the kind of improvement which we were expecting."
He said the doctors at the Rohtal hospital "gave their best treatment" and "provided best facilities", yet there has not been much improvement (in Anil vij's condition).
Asked if the minister had insisted on being treated in a government facility, Rajinder Vij said: "That is a different issue, but this decision (to have him shifted to Medanta) has been taken by the family."
He said Anil Vij has an infection in the lungs while his other parameters are normal.
The Medanta Hospital is about 80 km from PGIMS.
Earlier in the day, Haryana BJP president Om Prakash Dhankar visited the PGIMS and met the doctors there to enquire about the minister's health.
"He will recover soon and will be back to his normal routine," Dhankar had said.
On Monday, Anil Vij was examined by a special medical board comprising a team of senior doctors of PGIMS.
The minister had last month got one shot of the two-dose trial of the COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin after he offered to be a volunteer.
He had tested positive for COVID-19 on December 5.
The firebrand BJP leader had offered to be the first volunteer in the phase three trials for Covaxin, an indigenous potential vaccine being developed by Bharat Biotech against COVID-19.
He was administered the dose on November 20 at the Civil Hospital in Ambala Cantonment, about 50 km from Chandigarh.
Bharat Biotech had said that clinical trials of the vaccine are based on a two-dose schedule, given 28 days apart. The vaccine efficacy will be determined two weeks after the second dose, it said.
-- PTI
21:20 Fauci recommends Trump and Pence get vaccinated for Covid-19
Dr Anthony Fauci would recommend that both US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence receive the Covid-19 vaccine, which has been approved for emergency use authorisation and is being rolled out nationwide.
"You still want to protect people who are, you know, very important to our country right now," Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Tuesday on ABC's "Good Morning America." "Even though the president himself was infected and he has likely antibodies that likely would be protective, we're not sure how long that protection lasts."
"I would recommend that he get vaccinated, as well as the vice president," Fauci added.
Fauci also said that he really feels strongly that US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris should be vaccinated "as soon as we possibly can."
"You want him fully protected as he enters into the presidency in January," Fauci said of Biden. "So that would be my strong recommendation."
Trump administration officials have discussed how and when Trump might receive a coronavirus vaccine, but haven't yet made a final decision on scheduling his shot, according to a person familiar with the plan.
20:45 Bihar cabinet approves free Covid vaccine shot
The Nitish Kumar cabinet has approved free Covid vaccine shot to every resident of Bihar.
Earlier, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey had said that seven lakh COVID-19 vaccine shots will be provided to Bihar in the first phase.
While reviewing the supply of vaccination in the state, the Bihar minister made the announcement adding that another one crore doses will be provided to the state in the second phase. The Minister also revealed that the preparation of supply and storage of vaccination was being carried out satisfactorily in the state, adding that the first line of vaccination will be provided to the health officials followed by frontline workers and common people.
Notably, when it comes to the Centre's vaccination plan, the BJP in its poll manifesto ahead of the Bihar Assembly Elections had promised that after ICMR's nod, every Bihari will get a free COVID-19 vaccination. Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the newly-elected NDA government will provide the vaccine made available by the Centre to the people free of cost.
20:25 Wait for official word on party name, symbol: Rajini forum
The Rajini Makkal Mandram on Tuesday asked its members to wait for 'official' announcement from it on the name of the political party to be launched soon by Rajinikanth and the symbol allotted by the Election
Commission.
The RMM, citing reports in a section of media which mentioned a party's name and symbol as that of Rajinikanth's soon to be launched outfit, appealed to its fans and supporters to wait.
"We request office-bearers to wait till such time an official announcement is made by the top leadership," the Mandram said in a release.
RMM, a launch vehicle for the actor's party, however, did not dismiss such news reports as incorrect.
Rajinikanth recently said he would launch his political party in January 2021 and his outfit shall face the assembly elections, due during April-May, next year.
19:48 Putin congratulates Biden after win
Russian President Vladimir Putin has become one of the last world leaders to congratulate US President-elect Joe Biden on his victory.
The Kremlin had said it would wait for official results from November's vote before recognising the victory.
Biden was confirmed as winner on Monday by the electoral college.
Most world leaders congratulated Biden within days of the 3 November poll, when it was clear he had defeated sitting US President Donald Trump.
Biden and Putin had frosty relations when the former served as vice-president under Barack Obama.
Democrat Joe Biden won November's contest with 306 electoral college votes to Republican Donald Trump's 232.
19:20 Indian Navy to get 38 new BrahMos missiles, say sources
Seeking to strengthen firepower of its warships, the Indian Navy is looking to equip its warships with 38 new BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles which can hit targets at 450 km range.
"A Rs 1700 crore proposal for acquiring 38 extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is with the Defence Ministry and is expected to approved soon," government sources have said.
19:03 Will 'make' govt repeal new agri law: Farmers
Hardening their stance on the three new agri laws, farmer leaders Tuesday said they will "make" government repeal these legislations, and asserted their fight has reached a stage where they are "determined" to win it no matter what.
They said they will completely block the Chilla Border between Delhi and Noida on Wednesday to press for their demands.
Addressing a press conference at Singhu Border here, farmer leader Jagjeet Dallewal said, "The government is saying 'we won't repeal these laws', we are saying we will make you do it."
"The fight has reached a stage where we are determined to win no matter what," he said.
He also said, "We are not running away from negotiation, but the government has to pay heed to our demands and come forward with concrete proposals."
Several other farmer leaders also addressed the press conference, and called upon people to pay tributes on December 20 to those farmers who have lost their lives during the ongoing protests.
Farmer leader Rishipal said that one farmer has died every day on an average since the protest started in the last week of November.
"A Homage Day (Shraddhanjali Diwas) for all the farmers who lost their lives and became martyrs in the ongoing protest will be organised across the country in villages and tehsil headquarters on 20th December from 11 am to 1pm," said another farmer leader.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that farmers gathered near Delhi are being misled as part of a conspiracy.
Speaking after laying foundation stones for some development projects in his home state Gujarat, Modi also said his government is addressing farmers' concerns over the new agri laws. -- PTI
18:39 BJP is real 'tukde tukde gang': Sukhbir Badal
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP over farmers' protest against the three central farm laws, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday called the saffron party the "real tukde tukde gang", accusing it of setting Hindus against Sikhs in Punjab.
Asking the former ally to shun the "arrogant attitude" over the farm laws and accept what farmers want, Badal warned the BJP against any attempt to set Hindus against Sikhs.
He said if one speaks in favour of the central government, he is called 'Desh Bhakt' and if he speaks out against it, he is branded as tukde tukde gang.
"BJP is the real #TukdeTukdeGang in the country. It has smashed the national unity to pieces, shamelessly inciting Hindus against Muslims & now desperately setting peace-loving Punjabi Hindus against their Sikh brethren esp #farmers. They're pushing patriotic Punjab into communal flames" Badal alleged in a tweet.
The SAD had quit the National Democratic Alliance over the issue of farm legislations.
SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal had also resigned as Union minister.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and elsewhere have been protesting at various border points of Delhi including Singhu and Tikri for over a fortnight demanding the repeal of the Centre's three farm laws. -- PTI
Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan
18:09 Kamal Haasan invokes AIADMK icon MGR's legacy
On his campaign trail, Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan on Tuesday invoked the welfare legacy of iconic leader late M G Ramachandran and said the former chief minister belonged to the whole of Tamil Nadu. Refraining from naming the AIADMK, he said the party was annoyed after he highlighted MGR in his recent address to a gathering and they claimed the leader belonged only to them.
"The late leader, however, belonged to the whole of Tamil Nadu and not just to a party, he said addressing a MNM event. It was the reason why the people adored him as 'Makkal Thilagam' (leader of the people) notwithstanding his party affiliation, be it the DMK or later, the AIADMK which he founded," Haasan noted.
"All the people in the state would say MGR belonged to them and when this was the case, if the ruling party wanted to get him labelled as the leader of only one party, then the public shall give their verdict against such a stand," he said, adding such a flawed stand worked in their favour.
He tweeted saying he grew up 'on the lap of MGR' while several Tamil Nadu Ministers would not have even seen him personally. He tagged a 1980's video clip of MGR honouring him with a shawl and award and kissing him. The video appeared to be recorded at a film function. -- PTI
Protesting farmers play volleyball even as a the govt refuses to blink
18:03 Farmers' protests affected trade, economic activities worth Rs 5,000 cr: Traders' body
The farmers' protests affected trade and other economic activities worth Rs 5,000 crore during the past 20 days, said Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Tuesday.
As per a statement, an estimate of about 30 to 40 per cent of the goods coming to Delhi have been affected by the protests, adversely affecting trade activities.
The CAIT held a meeting with leaders of sectors of the economy associated with agriculture, calling on farmers to resolve their issues by talking to the government, and also called upon the Centre to listen to the farmers.
The leaders sympathised with the legitimate demands of the farmers saying that it was essential to convert the deficit farming to profit farming and to encourage common farmers to continue in a better way.
They also said that the farm laws not only affected farmers, but also allied sectors such as transport, agricultural commodity trade, food grains, consumers, food processing, seed and pesticide sector, fertilizers, etc, and that there was a need to protect the interest of all stakeholders through these laws.
A joint committee has been formed to discuss matters with the farmers, with farmer leader Naresh Sirohi as the Convener. -- ANI
17:47 Benchmarks inch up to fresh highs; HDFC twins sparkle
Equity indices ticked higher to new closing highs on Tuesday as smart gains in finance and metal stocks offset profit-booking in FMCG and select banking counters amid mixed global cues.
A depreciating rupee also weighed on the bourses, though investors took heart from the unabated foreign fund inflows, traders said. The 30-share BSE Sensex recovered from early losses to end just 9.71 points or 0.02 per cent higher at 46,263.17, its new closing record.
Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 9.70 points or 0.05 per cent to finish at its fresh all-time high of 13,567.85. Bajaj Finance was the top performer in the Sensex pack, spurting 4.69 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finserv, HDFC, Tech Mahindra, HDFC Bank, UltraTech Cement and Tata Steel.
On the other hand, HUL, Nestle India, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, SBI, TCS and ITC were among the laggards, shedding up to 2.12 per cent. Asian markets closed lower while European bourses were off to a positive start as fresh lockdowns in multiple countries cooled investor optimism over the COVID-19 vaccines. -- PTI
17:44 Farmers' union leaders meet Agri minister
Members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Kisan) meets Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar at Krishi Bhawan. This is the 20th day of the farmers' protest.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that a conspiracy is going on in and around Delhi to confuse farmers.
"Farmers are being misled about the new agrarian reforms. They are being told that others will occupy their lands. The agriculture reforms that have taken place are exactly what farmer bodies and even Opposition have been asking over the years. Government of India is always committed to farmer welfare and we will keep assuring the farmers and addressing their concerns," he said.
"People who are sitting in the opposition and misleading farmers today were in the favour of these farm reforms during their government. They could not make a decision during their government. Today when the nation has taken a historical step then these people are misleading farmers," he added.
17:14 First Indian, then Bengali, says TMC leader
Amid speculations over his next political move, disgruntled Trinamool Congress leader Suvendu Adhikari Tuesday appeared to inch closer to the BJP as he slammed the TMC over the insider-outsider debate and said those coming from other states can't be branded as outsiders.
Adhikari, who had resigned from the state cabinet and had been distancing himself from the party over the last few months, said, he is first an Indian and then a Bengali. He also criticized the TMC leadership, saying it is giving more importance to the party than people.
Adhikari was addressing the birth anniversary celebrations of freedom fighter Satish Chandra Samanta at Haldia in Purba Medinipur district. Referring to the insider-outsider debate triggered by the TMC leadership to counter the BJP in the next assembly polls, Adhikari said, Bengal is very much a part of India and "people coming from other states can't be treated as outsiders".
The ruling party in West Bengal has often criticised the BJP for sending its leaders from other states to gear up for the Assembly polls. "For us, we are first Indians and then Bengalis. Satish Chandra Samanta was a stalwart parliamentarian from Medinipur. Even the country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru used to respect him a lot. Neither Satish Chandra Samanta ever called Nehru an outsider nor did Nehru ever brand him as a non-Hindi speaking MP. There was mutual respect," he said echoing the views of the saffron party on the insider- outsider debate -- ANI
An aerial view of snow covered mountains in Kashmir
16:53 Gulmarg coldest at minus 10.2C
Night temperatures in the Kashmir Valley dipped below the freezing point owing to a clear sky, with the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg shivering at minus 10.2 degrees Celsius, Meteorological department officials said here on Tuesday.
All weather stations in the Valley recorded sub-zero night temperatures several degrees below the normal for this part of the season, the officials said.
They said the temperature in Gulmarg, the famous ski-resort in north Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 10.2 degrees Celsius, which is six degrees below the normal for this time of the season. The resort was the coldest recorded place in the UT, the Met officials said.
Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.3 degrees Celsius, and Srinagar the summer capital of the union territory recorded a low of minus 3.2 degrees Celsius, they said. Qazigund the gateway town to the valley recorded a low of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara, in the north, registered a low of minus 2.3 degrees Celsius and Kokernag, in the south, minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, the officials said. The Met Office has said the weather is likely to remain mainly dry till December 21 with the possibility of a further decrease in night temperatures. -- PTI
PM meets self-help groups in Kutch
16:28 Oppn misguiding farmers, claims Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his government is addressing the concerns of farmers over the new agri laws and accused the opposition parties of misguiding them. Modi was speaking after laying foundation stones of a desalination plant, a hybrid renewable energy park, and a fully automated milk processing and packing plant in his home state Gujarat.
"Farmers gathered near Delhi are being misled as part of a conspiracy. Farmers are told that their land will be grabbed by others if new farm reforms get implemented. I want to ask you, did the dairy owner take your cattle because you are selling milk to him?" the prime minister said.
"Opposition parties, when they were in power, were in favour of these farm sector reforms, but did not take any decision back then. Now when the country has decided to embrace these reforms, these people are spreading falsehood and misleading farmers. I want to reiterate that my government is ready 24 hours to resolve all your doubts," Modi said.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and elsewhere have been protesting near various border points of Delhi including Singhu and Tikri for over a fortnight demanding the Centre repeal three new farm laws. PTI
PM meets self-help groups in Kutch
16:28 Oppn misguiding farmers, claims Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his government is addressing the concerns of farmers over the new agri laws and accused the opposition parties of misguiding them. Modi was speaking after laying foundation stones of a desalination plant, a hybrid renewable energy park, and a fully automated milk processing and packing plant in his home state Gujarat.
"Farmers gathered near Delhi are being misled as part of a conspiracy. Farmers are told that their land will be grabbed by others if new farm reforms get implemented. I want to ask you, did the dairy owner take your cattle because you are selling milk to him?" the prime minister said.
"Opposition parties, when they were in power, were in favour of these farm sector reforms, but did not take any decision back then. Now when the country has decided to embrace these reforms, these people are spreading falsehood and misleading farmers. I want to reiterate that my government is ready 24 hours to resolve all your doubts," Modi said.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and elsewhere have been protesting near various border points of Delhi including Singhu and Tikri for over a fortnight demanding the Centre repeal three new farm laws. PTI
Former President Pranab Mukherjee with Sharmishtha
15:48 Don't stop publication: Pranab's daughter on book
Pranab Mukherjee's daughter, Sharmishtha tweets on her father's soon to be released book, and her brother's demand that the book not be released for publication.
Sharmishtha tweets, "I, daughter of the author of the memoir 'The Presidential Years', request my brother @ABHIJIT_LS not to create any unnecessary hurdles in publication of the last book written by our father. He completed the manuscript before he fell sick.
"The final draft contains my dads' hand written notes & comments that have been strictly adhered to. The views expressed by him are his own & no one should try to stop it from being published for any cheap publicity. That would be the greatest disservice to our departed father.
"Btw bro, the title of the book is 'The Presidential Years', not 'The Presidential Memoirs'."
In a series of tweets, Abhijit Mukherjee said that the excerpts that were released were "motivated' and that the former President would not have approved.
Days after publishing house Rupa announced the launch of former President Pranab Mukherjee's final volume of memoirs, his son and former Lok Sabha member of Parliament Abhijit Mukherjee has demanded that the publication be stopped till he gives his approval.
The former President, who died in August, appears to blame former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the party's 2014 defeat. He also writes that "some members of the Congress" believed had he been Prime Minister, the party would not have lost power.
15:38 90% of J-K village voted for this woman as sarpanch
Rubina Chowdhary has been elected as sarpanch of Dherrian Panchayat in Rajouri district. "I'm thankful to the people here for choosing a woman as their leader. Over 90% of people have voted for me. I will try to resolve their issues," she says.
15:24 We don't deserve this, say striking AIIMS nurses
The AIIMS-Delhi Nurses' Union tweets this image alongside, of an injured nurse being given first aid during the strike today. "This is not the treatment we deserved to be," the tweet reads.
The AIIMS Delhi nurses went on an indefinite strike from Monday over their long pending demands, including those with regard to the Sixth Central Pay Commission, following which the Union health ministry directed the institute's director to ensure no disruption of nursing functions.
The ministry also said non-compliance of the "code of conduct", laid down as per a Delhi High Court judgment, whereby no employee or staff or faculty member will cease work for any reason, will be treated as an offence under the Disaster Management Act.
From Monday afternoon, around 5,000 nurses went on strike, hampering patient care services at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi.
15:06 India's population stabilises: Govt
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, on Tuesday, released the factsheets of key indicators on population, reproductive and child health, family welfare, nutrition and others for 22 States/Union Territories (UTs) of the First Phase of the 2019-20 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) on Universal Health Coverage Day on December 12, 2020.
The press release stated, "The fieldwork in the remaining 14 (Phase-II) States/UTs is currently under progress. The main objective of successive rounds of the NFHS is to provide reliable and comparable datasets on health, family welfare and other emerging issues. The NFHS-5 is being conducted in around 6.1 lakh sample households to provide disaggregated data up to district levels. And this data so generated when completed would be comparable with NFHS-4 without any loss of information."
The main objective of successive rounds of the NFHS is to provide reliable and comparable datasets on health, family welfare and other emerging issues. Four rounds of NFHS (1992-93, 1998-99, 2005-06 and 2015-16) have been successfully completed in India.
All the rounds of NFHS have been conducted by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, as the national nodal agency. Earlier the Health Ministry itself used to conduct District Level Health Survey (DLHS) and Annual Health Survey (AHS).
MoHFW has decided to conduct integrated NFHS with a periodicity of three years in lieu of different surveys from 2015-16 onwards to meet the evolving requirements for frequent, timely and appropriate data at the National, State and District levels. -- ANI
15:00 First 10 days after leaving hospital carry high risk for Covid patients: Study
The first week and a half after leaving the hospital carry a high risk for COVID-19 patients, including trips back to the hospital, and death, according to a study. Researchers found that COVID-19 patients had a 40 to 60 per cent higher risk of ending up back in the hospital or dying in the first 10 days, compared with similar patients treated at the same hospitals during the same months for heart failure or pneumonia.
The study, published in the journal JAMA, found that by the end of 60 days, the COVID-19 patients' overall risk of readmission or death was lower than that for the other two serious conditions.
It compared post-hospital outcomes for nearly 2,200 veterans who survived their hospitalisation at 132 hospitals for COVID-19, with outcomes for nearly 1,800 similar patients who survived a stay for pneumonia that wasn't related to the disease, and 3,500 who survived a heart failure-related stay.
In the first two months, 9 per cent of the COVID-19 patients who survived hospitalisation had died, and almost 20 per cent had suffered a setback that sent them back to the hospital, the researchers said. That was in addition to the 18.5 per cent who had died during their hospitalisation, they said.
"By comparing COVID-19 patients' long-term outcomes with those of other seriously ill patients, we see a pattern of even greater-than-usual risk right in the first one to two weeks, which can be a risky period for anyone," said John P. Donnelly, the study's first author and an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan in the US. -- PTI
14:50 Finally, Putin congratulates Biden on win
More than a month after world leaders congratulated Joe Biden on winning the US presidential election, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent in his congratulatory message today.
Putin's message to Biden came a day after the Electoral College confirmed Biden as the nation's next president, ratifying his November victory in an authoritative state-by-state repudiation of President Donald Trump's refusal to concede that he had lost.
The Kremlin had said earlier that the Russian president would hold off on congratulating Biden until the winner was officially confirmed.
Deputy Chairman Dharme Gowda was pulled out of his seat
14:47 Pandemonium mars Karnataka Council proceedings
Pandemonium broke out at the Karnataka Legislative Council on Tuesday, as Deputy Chairman S L Dharme Gowda was literally pulled down from the Chairman's seat and the House was adjourned sine die without taking up any business.
After it was adjourned sine die originally on December 10, the council was convened for a day by the government, accusing the Chairman K Pratapachandra Shetty of "abruptly" adjourning the session, for today.
Though the no-confidence motion against Shetty moved by the BJP members did not find mention in today's agenda, as the Chairman had rejected it citing procedural lapses, the ruling party members have been insisting that it should be taken up. As the House met for the day, Gowda occupied the Chairman's seat, which angered the Congress MLCs who rushed to the chair demanding that he vacate it, following which BJP and JD(S) members came to Shetty's protection.
Separately, few Congress members were seen forcefully opening the door through which the Chairman enters the house, accusing the ruling side of shutting it with an intention not to allow Shetty to enter the House.
Congress members accused the government of trying to start the proceedings even before the Chairman could come, with the help of Gowda with an intention to take up the no- confidence motion against Shetty, which has been rejected by him. Some Congress members, including M Narayanaswamy were seen forcefully pulling down the Deputy Chairman from the chair.
Several members and marshals of the council were also allegedly manhandled in the melee, even as the Congress managed to make one of its members occupy the chair. Several BJP and JD(S) MLCs objected to this and questioned whether the person occupying the Chair was among the panel members who could sit on it.
After some time Chairman Pratapachandra Shetty entered the House and went up to the chair even as Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan tried to obstruct him from occupying it. Shetty then announced that the house was adjourned sine die. Leader of opposition in the Council S R Patil alleged that the Deputy Chairman occupied the chair against the rules and procedures and it was against the constitution -- PTI
14:35 UK PM accepts invite as Republic Day chief guest
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab at the joint presser after a meeting with Foreign minister S Jaishankar confirmed that UK PM will be India's chief guest at Republic Day. "I'm pleased that PM Boris Johnson has invited PM Modi to join the UK-hosted G7 summit next year. UK PM Johnson has also accepted the very generous invitation to attend India's Republic Day celebrations in January, which is a great honour."
14:17 India's COVID-19 recovery rate crosses 95%
India's active COVID-19 caseload has fallen below 3.4 lakh, a mere 3.43 per cent of the total infections, supplemented by an impressive recovery rate of over 95 per cent, which is among the highest in the world for countries with high caseloads, the Union health ministry said Tuesday.
The daily new cases recorded on Tuesday -- 22,065 -- were also the lowest in over five months. As many as 22,252 cases were reported on July 7, the ministry said.
The number of recoveries have crossed 94 lakhs (94,22,636), pushing the national recovery rate to over 95 per cent, which is "one of the highest in the world for countries with high caseload", the ministry underlined.
With a high number of patients recovering every day and the sustained fall in the mortality rate, the country's steady trend of decline in active cases continues, the ministry said.
There are 3,39,820 active cases of coronavirus infections as on Tuesday.
The slide in the active cases is supplemented by an exponential rise in the recoveries.
"The gap between active cases and recovered cases is continuously increasing and stands at 90,82,816. The national recovery rate has further escalated to 95.12 per cent," the ministry said.
A total 34,477 patients have recovered in a span of 24 hours, of whom 74.24 per cent are concentrated in 10 states and UTs, the ministry said in its data updated at 8 am Tuesday.
Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries at 4,610, followed by 4,481 in Kerala and 2,980 in West Bengal. -- PTI
13:27 183 students at IIT Madras test +ve for Covid
183 students have tested positive for COVID-19, from December 1 till today: IIT Madras. That's a 100 per cent increase from the earlier number of 66 positive cases.
The technical institute has been functioning on limited capacity with only 100 per cent of students in the hostels. As soon as a spurt in symptomatic cases was reported by some students residing in the hostels, the institute consulted the civic authorities and arranged for all students residing in hostels to be tested for coronavirus.
All students have been asked to remain in their hostel rooms while packed food is being supplied to them.
IIT Madras has been permitting research scholars who need to do experimental work to return to campus in a cautious manner -- with a 14-day quarantine and testing of each returnee, the statement said.
13:23 Farmers' protests resulting in daily loss of Rs 3,500 cr: ASSOCHAM
Urging the government and farmers' organisations to resolve the impasse over new agri laws, industry body ASSOCHAM said on Tuesday the ongoing protests are dealing a big blow to inter-connected economies of the region.
A daily loss of Rs 3,000 crores to 3,500 crores is resulting in economies of the region from the value chain and transport disruption because of protests, according to ASSOCHAM rough estimates.
Though the economies of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are predominantly based on agriculture and horticulture, several industries like food processing, cotton textiles, automobile, farm machinery, IT have become their lifeline.
Besides, vibrant services sectors including tourism, trading, transport and hospitality, have added to the strength of the regions, known for their enterprising farmers, entrepreneurs and innovators.
"The size of the combined economies of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and J&K is about Rs 18 lakh crore. With the ongoing farmers' agitation and blockade of roads, toll plazas and railways, the economic activities have come to a halt," said ASSOCHAM President Niranjan Hiranandani.
"Industries like textiles, auto components, bicycles and sports goods which cater significantly to the export markets will not be able to fulfil their orders ahead of Christmas, harming the goodwill among global buyers," he said in a statement.
ASSOCHAM Secretary General Deepak Sood said the supply chain disruptions are also taking a toll on retail prices of fruits and vegetables across the country as the region is a major producer of these items.
"Industries, farmers and also the consumers are paying a heavy price for the serious disruption in the supply chain. Ironically, these disruptions have come about when the economy had started unlocking from the COVID-19 impact," he said. -- ANI
13:05 Modi seen as feeble administrator: Farmers union
The All India Kisan Sabha says the government is trying to divide farmers' groups. In a press release, the Sabha said, "The unprecedented growing unity of the agrarian classes will be further cemented through the ongoing Kisan struggle across the country, and will strongly counter the cynical handwork by the Modi Government to divide the Kisan movement.
"The central government, apart from using repression against the farmers in struggle, has also used all other means to defame and discredit the struggle. But all these efforts have gone in vain.
"The growing unity among the agrarian classes is clearly visible in the ongoing farmers struggle. The enduring agrarian crisis that had taken a toll of over five lakh peasant suicides due to indebtedness is the major cause that ensures consolidation of the peasant classes against the neo-liberal policies.
"The unprecedented massive participation in the ongoing struggle needs to be assessed in the background of the systemic crisis of the capitalist system the world over and the plan of multinational corporate forces to overcome the crisis by intensifying the exploitation of the basic classes by denying them the right price and wage for a dignified life.
"The struggle has taken the correct direction of massive movement against the corporate forces with the slogan 'Boycott Ambani-Adani Products and Services'.
"The Prime Minister's stand to not settle the struggle and refusing the repeal of laws as a prestige issue will lead to such a situation that more and more sections of the people will come forward and join the struggle in the days to come.
"It gives Narendra Modi an image as a feeble administrator under the corporate grip, unable to resolve the massive struggle of the farmers who are sitting in lakhs, day and night in the cold winter. AIKS demands that the Modi Government change its adamant stand and settle the struggle by keeping the tradition of India's democratic governance."
12:57 Pandemic a magnifying glass for injustice: Premji
Wipro Non-Executive Chairman Azim Premji on Monday compared the Covid-19 pandemic with a magnifying glass for inequalities and injustices. He said the pandemic has been a reminder that the economy is a part of the society and that human well-being matters in all its dimensions equally.
"The pandemic has also been a magnifying glass for all our structural inequities and injustices, which exclude hundreds of millions of our fellow citizens from a life of basic dignity," said the Wipro stalwart in a message showcased during Ficci's 93rd Annual General Meeting on Monday.
"It has made clear that while markets and businesses have an irreplaceable role in a society, even more fundamental are the public goods and public systems."
According to him, the agenda for the nation must include food, shelter, safety, and basic social security; equitable and high quality public education and public health systems; care for the planet and all life on it; elimination of any kind of prejudice and discrimination; and jobs and livelihoods that are just and fair.
"If all of us come together I am sure that this agenda can be fulfilled in large measure. And then we can truly hope to have a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society."
-- Samreen Ahmad/Business Standard
AAP leaders break their hunger strike yesterday
12:44 AAP to contest 2022 UP polls: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced that the Aam Aadmi Party will contest the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2022. "In eight years, the AAP formed government thrice in Delhi and has come out as main opposition in Punjab. We will fight Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2022," Kejriwal said.
"Many brothers and sisters of Uttar Pradesh live in Delhi. When AAP formed govt third time in Delhi, then many people belonging to UP gave us suggestions that we should contest polls in the state. They said that they were unhappy from the present parties in the state," he added.
On Monday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that his party will form the alliance with smaller parties in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Speaking to media when asked about the party's alliance in the upcoming Assembly election in the state to stop the BJP, Yadav said, "Samajwadi Party will forge an alliance with smaller parties. Our experience has not been good with big parties.
"The former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh said, "We are hopeful that in 2022 Samajwadi party will form the government in the state with the majority.
"BJP had stormed back to power in the state in the 2017 Assembly polls. In the 403 member UP Assembly, among the major parties, BJP has 309 legislators, SP 49, BSP 18, and Congress 7. -- ANI
Farmers break their 1-day hungerstrike yesterday
12:19 For Modi govt, farmers = Khalistanis: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that for the Modi government, crony capitalists are "best friends" and protesting farmers are Khalistanis. His attack on the government comes at a time when thousands of farmers have been protesting for more than two weeks on the borders of Delhi, demanding withdrawal of three new farm laws.
"For Modi Govt: Dissenting students are anti-nationals. Concerned citizens are urban naxals. Migrant labourers are Covid carriers. Rape victims are nobody. Protesting farmers are Khalistani. And crony capitalists are best friends," Gandhi said in a tweet.
Farmers are protesting against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.
Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates. -- PTI
12:03 Committed to remain open, neutral: Facebook
Social media giant Facebook, which has over 400 million people using its family of apps in India, on Tuesday said it continues to remain committed to being an open, neutral and non-partisan platform. Facebook, which sees around 2.5 billion people globally use Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp apps daily, has drawn flak in the past for its handling of hate speech on the platform in India, which is among its biggest markets.
"When hundreds of millions of people use our services every day, talking to each other, sharing their lives, their opinions, their hopes and their experiences, a tiny fraction can be hateful. We recognise that puts a big responsibility on us, one which we take very seriously," Facebook India vice-president and managing director Ajit Mohan said.
The company is not complacent on the issue and continues to remain committed to being an open, neutral and non-partisan platform, he added.
"We've been a part of India story since 2006. Our journey began in Hyderabad with just one app with less than 15 million people using it to connect with friends and family. Today, we are Facebook and WhatsApp and Instagram. More than 400 million people use these apps," he said at the Facebook Fuel for India 2020 event. Mohan said India has placed itself at the heart of a transformation where digital is playing a central role in changing lives, in creating opportunity and in spurring entirely new models of innovation and enterprise for the world.
"One in two Indians own a smartphone today, more than half the population has access to the internet, and data costs are amongst the lowest in the world. As the world's largest democracy, with an open and boundaryless internet, India's transformation is one of hope and immense possibility," he noted. -- PTI
A Nihang sikh braves the biting cold during the farmers' protest at Delhi
11:57 Cold wave engulfs Delhi, 4.1C is season's lowest
A cold wave gripped Delhi on Tuesday as icy winds blowing from the snow-covered western Himalayas brought the minimum temperature down to 4.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the city this season so far, the India Meteorological Department said. For the plains, the IMD declares a cold wave when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 4.5 notches less than the normal for two consecutive days.
"However, for small areas such as Delhi, a cold wave can be declared if the criteria is fulfilled even for a day," Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD's regional forecasting centre, said. At 4.1 degrees Celsius, the minimum temperature at Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, was five notches below normal on Tuesday morning. At Jafarpur, the mercury dipped to 3.6 degrees Celsius. The Ayanagar and Lodhi Road weather stations recorded a minimum of 4 degrees Celsius and 4.2 degrees Celsius respectively, the IMD said.
On Monday, the maximum temperature in the national capital had dropped to 19.4 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal and the lowest so far this month, as cold winds swept the city. The air quality has also improved to the "moderate" category due to the strong winds. The city's air quality index (AQI) was 190 at 10 am.
The24-hour average AQI was160 on Monday, 305 on Sunday and 356 on Saturday. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe". PTI
11:39 2000 women to join farmers protest
The protest against the Centre's new farm laws looks set to intensify further as more farmers are expected to join the ongoing agitation at Delhi's border points to press for their demands. Over 2,000 women from the families of those protesting at the Singhu border here are likely to join the demonstration in the coming days.
Farmer leaders said they were making arrangements for the women coming from different parts of Punjab. Tents are being put up, a separate langar is being planned, and extra temporary toilets are being arranged, they added.
ANI reports that protesting farmers at Singhu border say there's lack of cleanliness at the site. "Administration is totally at fault for not providing water in washrooms here. We'll die of diseases but we won't leave till our demands are met," says Bhaag Singh, a farmer from Sangrur, Punjab.
With farmers from different states camping at Delhi's Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur border points for over two weeks to demand a repeal of the farm laws enacted in September, several roads have been closed, and commuters advised to take alternative routes to avoid inconvenience.
Police said Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Sabholi and Mangesh borders were closed, and commuters have been advised to take alternative routes via Lampur, Safiabad and Singhu school toll tax borders while traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK road. Outer Ring Road, GTK road and NH-44 can be avoided, they said.
The Ghazipur border also remains closed for traffic coming from Ghaziabad to Delhi due to the protest. Commuters have been advised to take other routes via Anand Vihar, DND, Chilla, Apsara and Bhopra borders. Multi-layered cemented barriers, additional police force and barbed wires formed the first layer of security at the Singhu border protest site.
The second layer of barricades deployed by the Delhi Police is being guarded by a team of Rapid Action Force along with personnel from the paramilitary forces. Water cannons, trucks, containers and iron barricades have also been deployed. On Monday, leaders of around 32 farmer unions observed a day-long hunger strike at the Singhu border as part of the protest. -- PTI
11:36 Union cabinet to meet on December 16
Meeting of the Union Cabinet is scheduled to be held on Wednesday via video conferencing. "Union Cabinet meeting scheduled to be held at 11:25 hours tomorrow, via video conferencing," an official said on Tuesday. The meeting is scheduled to be held amidst the farmers' protest across the Delhi border.
At the last meeting on December 9, the Union Cabinet gave a nod for Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) to boost employment in the formal sector and incentivise the creation of new employment opportunities during the COVID-19 recovery phase under Atmanirbhar Bharat Package 3.0. -- ANI
11:33 Singapore to launch segregated travel lane for businessmen
Singapore will launch a new segregated travel lane aimed at business travellers on short-term visits from the second half of January 2021, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing announced on Tuesday. The travel lane, or the Connect@Singapore initiative, will be open to a "limited number" of business, official and high economic value travellers from all countries who are staying in the country for up to 14 days, said the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) in a separate press release following the announcement.
Applications for the segregated travel lane will open in the middle of January 2021, and Singapore can expect the first travellers to arrive from the second half of the month, the Channel News Asia reported, citing the MTI release.
"Global travel, especially global business travel has been severely impacted by the need for quarantine measures, and many people in different countries cannot meet each other for business activities," added Chan in an online media conference.
11:23 66 students of IIT-Madras test positive for Covid-19
The big news yesterday, republishing, in case you missed it: Sixty-six students from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras have tested positive for the novel coronavirus from December 1 till Sunday. According to a statement from IIT Madras, the technical institute has been functioning on limited capacity with only 100 per cent of students in the hostels.
As soon as a spurt in symptomatic cases was reported by some students residing in the hostels, the institute consulted the civic authorities and arranged for all students residing in hostels to be tested for coronavirus.
All students have been asked to remain in their hostel rooms while packed food is being supplied to them.
IIT Madras has been permitting research scholars who need to do experimental work to return to campus in a cautious manner -- with a 14-day quarantine and testing of each returnee, the statement said.
"Our capacity to quarantine (with room service) is limited, and this limits the rate at which we can bring back scholars to the hostels," the institute said.
An SoP is in place to determine how many scholars and project staff can work safely in each lab based on its size, ventilation etc. Research scholars who wished to return earlier (out of turn with respect to the SoP involving quarantine before releasing into the hostels) were permitted to do so if they were willing to stay off-campus similar to project staff, till their turn came to be accepted in the hostels, and provided their lab could accommodate them.
11:11 India loses Navy's seniormost submariner to Covid
Navy's seniormost submariner Vice Admiral Srikant passed away due to COVID19 related complications in Delhi last night. He was Director-General of Project Seabird and had earlier held appointments of Inspector General Nuclear Safety & Commandant of NDC: Indian Navy officials
11:00 UK, India FMs meet
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab meets External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar in New Delhi. Note our foreign minister's colour coordinated mask and kerchief.
10:41 No winter session of Parliament due to Covid
There will be no winter session of Parliament because of the coronavirus outbreak, the government has said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has said that all parties favour scrapping the session to avoid any Covid spread and jump straight to the Budget session in January.
Joshi confirmed this in a letter responding to Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary's demand for a session to discuss controversial new farm laws that are at the core of massive farmer protests on highways near Delhi.
Chaudhary, the Congress's Lok Sabha leader, had stressed on the need to amend the laws, which he said were rammed through parliament by the government.
The minister replied that he had held discussions with leaders of all parties and the consensus was not to call a session due to COVID-19.
10:40 Stocks turn bearish amid broad-based selloff
Equity benchmark indices dropped by 0.7 per cent during early hours on Tuesday as traders booked profits amid weak signals from Asian markets.
Investor sentiment was also dampened by increasing COVID-19 deaths globally and restrictions overshadowed vaccine-related enthusiasm.
At 10:15 am, the BSE S&P Sensex was down by 349 points or 0.77 per cent at 45,904 while the Nifty 50 edged lower by 95 points or 0.7 per cent at 13,463.
Most sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were in the negative terrain with Nifty PSU bank down by 2.2 per cent, FMCG by 1 per cent, metal by 0.8 per cent and private bank by 0.7 per cent.
Among stocks, Larsen & Toubro slipped by 1.9 per cent to Rs 1,225.60 per share. ONGC, Tata Motors, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Axis Bank and ITC too lost by 1.7 per cent.
The other prominent losers were IndianOil Corporation, State Bank of India, ICICI Bank and Coal India. However, those which gained were Eicher Motors, HCL Technologies, Wipro, Bajaj Auto, Cipla and Dr Reddy's.
Meanwhile, Asian stocks drifted lower as worries about increasing COVID-19 deaths and lockdowns overshadowed optimism about the roll-out of coronavirus vaccinations. -- PTI
10:32 No sanitation at farmers' protest sites
Protesting farmers at Singhu border say there's lack of cleanliness at site. "Administration is totally at fault for not providing water in washrooms here. We'll die of diseases but we won't leave till our demands are met," says Bhaag Singh, a farmer from Sangrur, Punjab.
Farmers at the Singhu border
10:28 Govt to hold talks with farmers clause by clause
With farmers firm on their demand about repealing of the three agriculture laws passed by the Centre, their protest entered the 20th day on Tuesday with demonstrations continuing on Sant Nirankari Samagam ground in Burari on the outskirts of Delhi and at various border points.
The protesting farmers on Monday observed a daylong hunger strike against the three new agricultural laws. Union Agriculture Minister Tomar has said that the government will hold further talks and want to hold a discussion with farmers' leaders on clause by clause of the farm laws.
They also claimed that more people are expected to join the ongoing agitation at Delhi border points.
Ten organisations from various states such as Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Bihar and Haryana associated with All India Kisan Coordination Committee met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday to extend their support on three farm laws enacted by the government recently.
The committee submitted a memorandum to Tomar which said that some elements in the farmers' agitation in some parts of the country, especially in Delhi, were trying to create misunderstanding among farmers about the farm laws. The memorandum urged the government not to withdraw the three laws under the pressure of farmers' agitation in some parts of the country. "Because, if it happens, farmers from different parts of the country will be bound to come on the streets for their rights," it said.
Agriculture Minister Tomar said after the meeting that members of All India Kisan Coordination Committee had come from Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra, Bihar.
"They supported farm bills and gave us a letter on the same. They said that the Modi government has done this for the welfare of farmers and they welcome and support it," he said. -- PTI
10:08 AIIMS nurses go on indefinite strike
Members of the AIIMS Nurses Union in Delhi sit on an indefinite strike over redressal of their demands, including that related to 6th Central Pay Commission. "Our Union is ready for talks with the administration. We are feeling bad for patients but we're helpless as our demands haven't been met. We had given notice for strike a month ago but even then the administration didn't listen to our demands," they say.
The poster they are holding up, demanding raise over praise, is true for all professions.
10:04 India's Covid tally nears 1 crore
Active Covid cases remain below 30,000 per day in India, with 22,065 new infections registered in the last 24 hours. India's total cases rise to 99,06,165 With 354 new deaths, toll mounts to 1,43,709. Total active cases at 3,39,820 Total discharged cases at 94,22,636 with 34,477 new discharges in the last 24 hours.
09:36 Good suggestions on farm laws welcome: Gadkari
Noting that the government is ready to accept all good suggestions from farmers about the farm laws, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said it will 'convince farmers, explain and find a way through dialogue'.
In an interview with ANI, he said dialogue is the only way to find a solution to protest by farmer unions and a break in talks can lead to miscommunication.
The minster, who is minister of Road Transport and Highways and a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, said there will no injustice with the farmers in the Narendra Modi government.
"The government is ready to accept all good suggestions (from farmers). It will take some time. Our government will convince the farmers, explain and find a way through dialogue," he said.
The minister said the farmers should be told the truth 'in the right way'.
"If there is no dialogue, it can lead to miscommunication, to controversy and sparring. If there is a dialogue then issues will be resolved, the whole thing will end, farmers will get justice, they will get relief. We are working in the interest of farmers," Gadkari said.
"Farmers should come and understand these laws. Our government is dedicated to farmers and is ready to accept the suggestions given by them. There will not be any injustice with farmers in our government," he added.
The Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) Minister said that farmers' union should discuss the farm laws clause by clause with Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar who is ready for it.
"I want to ask a simple thing. If you go to the pharmacy, who decides the cost of medicine, shopkeeper or the company? You go to restaurant for having food, who decides the cost of your bill. It is the owner of the hotel," he said.
"While travelling by airplane who decides the cost of the ticket? It is the company who owns it. But why the farmers don't decide the cost of their crop production, is it right? When farmers go to mandi for procurement of their crop, the middlemen or the businessmen decide the rate," he said.
Gadkari said if he is asked to talk to farmers, then he will talk to them.
"Right now Agriculture and Commerce Ministers are engaged in dialogue with farmers. If I am told to talk to farmers, I will definitely talk to them," he said.
The minister said that the NDA government has increased the minimum support price of crops several times in the past six years.
"In the last six years, we increased the MSP of crops six times. Tell me how are we against the farmers? Works which were done in the last six years in the interest of farmers were not done in last 50 years," he said.
Asked about social activist Anna Hazare warning of hunger strike if the Centre does not fulfil his demands including the implementation of the recommendations made by MS Swaminathan Commission, the minister said: "I don't think Anna Hazareji will join. We have not done anything against the farmers. It is the right of farmers to sell their produce in mandi, traders or anywhere else."
He said poor farmers are committing suicides.
"I come from Vidarbha. Over 10,000 farmers committed suicide. It should not be politicised. Those suggestions by farmers, farmers organisations which are correct we are ready to make those changes," he added.
Farmers are protesting on borders of Delhi demanding the repeal of three farm laws enacted recently by the government.
They have been on protest since November 26.
They have rejected the proposals of the government concerning changes in the farm laws and have held five rounds of talks with the Centre besides attending a meeting called by Home Minister Amit Shah.
Farmers have been protesting against Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. -- ANI
08:23 Free vaccine: EC seeks explanation from Kerala CM
The State Election Commission has sought an explanation from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan regarding violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) over his recent announcement that COVID-19 vaccine will be provided free of cost in Kerala, an official said.
Both Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress had filed complaints with the Election Commission alleging that Kerala Chief Minister had violated the MCC.
Vijayan made the announcement of the free COVID-19 vaccine on November 12, prior to the third phase of the local body polls in the state.
The local body polls were concluded in three phases in Kerala.
The votes will be counted on December 16.
Though the Kerala Chief Minister clarified that he had not made any violation, BJP and Congress reiterated that by making the announcement, Vijayan has violated the code of conduct. -- ANI
00:13 Wisconsin SC tosses Trump election lawsuit
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has rejected US President Donald Trump's lawsuit attempting to overturn his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the battleground state, ending Trump's legal challenges in state court about an hour before the Electoral College was to meet to cast the state's 10 votes for Biden.
The ruling came after the court held arguments Saturday, the same day a federal judge dismissed another Trump lawsuit seeking to overturn his loss in the state. Trump appealed that ruling.
Trump sought to have more than 221,000 ballots disqualified in Dane and Milwaukee counties, the state's two most heavily Democratic counties.
He wanted to disqualify absentee ballots cast early and in-person, saying there wasn't a proper written request made for the ballots; absentee ballots cast by people who claimed "indefinitely confined" status; absentee ballots collected by poll workers at Madison parks; and absentee ballots where clerks filled in missing information on ballot envelopes.
Liberal Justice Jill Karofsky blasted Trumps' case during Saturday's hearing, saying it "smacks of racism" and was "un-American." Conservative justices voiced some concerns about how certain ballots were cast, while also questioning whether they could or should disqualify votes only in two counties.
Biden won Wisconsin by about 20,600 votes, a margin of 0.6 per cent that withstood a Trump-requested recount in Milwaukee and Dane counties, the two with the most Democratic votes. Trump did not challenge any ballots cast in the counties he won.
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