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Wed, 20 May 2020
Important cabinet decisions taken today: PM

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23:47   Domicile certificate must for admission to educational institutions in J-K
Days after issuing the domicile rules, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday made domicile status certificate an eligibility condition for admission to educational institutions in the union territory.

It said in a circular that the requirement of Permanent Resident Certificate wherever prescribed for admission into educational institutions will be replaced with 'Domicile Certificate'.

The administration also advised all administrative secretaries to immediately effect corresponding changes in statutes or rules.

'With the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, series of constitutional changes have been affected. In terms of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2019, any reference by whatever form to 'permanent residents of the state or hereditary state subject', wherever they occurred in any Act or notification issued or rules, orders made there under, stands omitted with necessary grammatical variation,' the circular said.

On Monday, the administration reopened 'fresh registration' for Kashmiri migrants and displaced persons, paving way for inclusion of bona fide people who migrated from the union territory.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) appealed to Lt Governor Girish Chander Murmu to consider existing state subjects of the residents as domicile certificates.

"The people having state subjects of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir should be considered as domicile.

"They should not be forced to stand in queues for new domicile certificates which would be injustice for the residents, who have already completed their documents, and it would create chaos in the society," senior JKAP leader Vikram Malhotra said.

He appealed that the government should use technology to find out existing people who have the State Subjects and it should be considered as their domicile.

"If the State Subject holders are not considered as domiciles, it would lead to chaos and anarchy. People will have to undergo unnecessary hassle. Government should find a way out," he suggested, while referring to the confusion among the people soon after the notification on domicile was issued.

Appreciating the domicile rights of those residing in Jammu and Kashmir since many years, Malhotra said, these people had been suffering for decades as they were deprived of basic rights in the past.

"It was the humanitarian cause. These people have been staying here, and have contributed to the development of Jammu and Kashmir," he said, appreciating their role in the union territory.

With regard to concerns of the people on domicile notification, Malhotra said, "It is a document, and no document is complete in itself. As and when the elected Government comes back in J&K, it will make the changes accordingly."   -- PTI
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23:01   Important cabinet decisions taken today: PM
The decisions taken by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday were focused on welfare of migrant workers, senior citizens, easier availability of credit and harnessing opportunities in the fisheries sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said.

'During today's Cabinet meeting, important decisions were taken which are focused on welfare of migrants, senior citizens, easier availability of credit, harnessing opportunities in the fisheries sector,' he wrote on Twitter.

The decisions, he said, will benefit several citizens.

Referring to the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Modi said it will revolutionise the fisheries sector.

'It will invigorate it with latest technology, infrastructure and ensure financial assistance. Our hardworking fishermen will gain immensely,' the prime minister pointed out.

He said another important decision of the cabinet will contribute to a vibrant food processing sector.

'It will also strengthen the efforts towards Atmanirbhar Bharat (a self-reliant India),' he said.

According to the Food Processing Ministry, the Union Cabinet's decision on scheme for formalisation of micro food processing enterprises will provide a big boost to the self-help groups, cooperatives and micro food businesses and ensure adequate livelihood for rural-urban communities.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday also extended the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), a social security scheme for senior citizens, for three years till March, 2023.

The PMVVY scheme, implemented through the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), is intended to give an assured minimum pension to senior citizens (60 years and above) based on an assured return on the purchase price/subscription amount.   -- PTI
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23:01   Important cabinet decisions taken today: PM
The decisions taken by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday were focused on welfare of migrant workers, senior citizens, easier availability of credit and harnessing opportunities in the fisheries sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said.

'During today's Cabinet meeting, important decisions were taken which are focused on welfare of migrants, senior citizens, easier availability of credit, harnessing opportunities in the fisheries sector,' he wrote on Twitter.

The decisions, he said, will benefit several citizens.

Referring to the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Modi said it will revolutionise the fisheries sector.

'It will invigorate it with latest technology, infrastructure and ensure financial assistance. Our hardworking fishermen will gain immensely,' the prime minister pointed out.

He said another important decision of the cabinet will contribute to a vibrant food processing sector.

'It will also strengthen the efforts towards Atmanirbhar Bharat (a self-reliant India),' he said.

According to the Food Processing Ministry, the Union Cabinet's decision on scheme for formalisation of micro food processing enterprises will provide a big boost to the self-help groups, cooperatives and micro food businesses and ensure adequate livelihood for rural-urban communities.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday also extended the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), a social security scheme for senior citizens, for three years till March, 2023.

The PMVVY scheme, implemented through the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), is intended to give an assured minimum pension to senior citizens (60 years and above) based on an assured return on the purchase price/subscription amount.   -- PTI
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22:27   Domestic air travel no longer prohibited by MHA
JUST IN: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) deletes 'domestic air travel of passengers' from the list of prohibited activities in lockdown guidelines.
  -- ANI
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22:05   Maha reports 2,000-plus Covid cases for 4th day
Maharashtra recorded 2,250 new coronavirus patients on Wednesday, taking the tally of cases in the state to 39,297.

With 65 COVID-19 patients dying, 41 of them in Mumbai, the death toll in the state stood at 1,390, said the health department.

This was the fourth consecutive day when the state reported more than 2,000 coronavirus cases.

Maharashtra coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 39,297, new cases 2,250, deaths 1,390, discharged 10,318, active cases 27,581, people tested so far 3,07,072.  -- PTI

IMAGE: Central forces deployed in Mumbai to help local police. Photograph: Sahil Salvi
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21:43   Call on lifting home delivery ban on newspapers soon: Maha CM
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the ban on door-to-door delivery of newspapers was a temporary step and a decision regarding revoking it will be taken after evaluating the prevailing coronavirus situation.

Thackeray, who held a meeting with newspaper distributors, said the decision to ban door-to-door delivery of newspapers was taken to curb the spread of the viral infection.

In the fourth phase of the lockdown, which is in force till May 31, focus is on red zones and COVID-19 containment areas, he said, adding some relaxation in curbs had been given elsewhere.

Thackeray said due to the prevailing health emergency, there are restrictions on newspaper distribution but added that a solution will be found soon.

The distributors told the chief minister during the video conference meeting that since housing societies are not allowing doorstep delivery of newspapers, they are being sold at stalls while maintaining social distancing.

Thackeray said even though food supplies and other essentials are allowed for home delivery, adequate precautions should be taken to ensure there is no spread of the virus and nobody's life is put at risk.  -- PTI
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21:41   Railways to resume intrastate services on May 22
The Railways is set to resume intrastate services as it approved commencement of two trains in Karnataka from May 22, the South Western Railways said on Wednesday.

The two special trains are the Bengaluru -- Hubli -- Belagavi and Mysore-Bengaluru Special Express train, according to an order issued by the SWR.

The bookings for these trains will be online through the IRCTC portal.

These will be the first intrastate trains to be run by the Railways since it suspended its passenger services due to the coronavirus lockdown.

The Railways, however, began the Shramik Special trains from May 1, and 15 pairs of special trains on the Rajdhani route connecting major cities to Delhi from May 12.

From June 1, it will also begin operations of non-air conditioned passenger services for all.  -- PTI
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21:38   Tirupati sacred laddus soon for devotees in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad
Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, devotees of Lord Venkateswara at the famous hill shrine of Tirunala will soon be able to receive the sacred 'laddu prasadams' at subsidised prices in Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad and all district headquarters in Andhra Pradesh, a top TTD functionary said in Tirupati on Wednesday.

TTD Board Chairman Y V Subba Reddy said that this followed repeated requests from devotees, who have been barred from darshan of Lord Venkateswara on the hills since March 20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The date of arrival of theTirupati Laddu in the respective places would be communicated in three days, he said, adding that devotees who wished to purchase more laddus for free distribution among other faithul in these TTD specified regions could contact the Deputy Executive Officer on 9849575952 and Potu Peishkar on 9701092777.

The Laddu, which is priced at Rs 50 each, would be sold at subsidized price of Rs 25 as a token of gift to the devotees in the COVID-19 lockdown period, he said.

The laddus will be made available at TTD information centres and TTD marriage halls in these areas, he said. Interestingly,e-hundi cash offerings by devotees fetched a record income of Rs1.97 crore in April this year against Rs 1.79 crore during the same month last year, an increase ofRs 18 lakh, he said.

Reddy also categorically denied media reports and social media messages that TTD was facing a financial crunch and was unable to pay salaries to the TTD staff.

He said salaries had been paid for the past two months and would be given for May and June also.  -- PTI
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20:59   Puri to issue rules for fliers on Thursday
After electrifying the nation with his tweet today that domestic passenger flights will resume from May 25 in a limited manner, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri will release the standard operating procedures for passengers and flight operators at 3 pm on Thursday.   

Insiders say the SOP packs some tough protocols, and speculation is rife that it could even include 14-day quarantine for fliers post-flight, which system will be in place till June 25.   

The flights will most likely have flat rates, not dynamic pricing, which seems to have left private operators upset.   

While a Delhi-Chennai flight is expected to cost Rs 9500 one way, a Delhi-Mumbai flight may cost Rs 7500.   

Hold your breath, said a source, and don't be shocked by the SOPs.
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20:26   Rahul to launch Kisan Nyay scheme in C'garh
Chhattisgarh's new Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, which will be launched on Thursday, will benefit 19 lakh farmers and help increase the area under cultivation, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said.

He said the aim of the scheme is to help farmers earn more and bring more area under cultivation from the current 20 per cent in the state.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be part of the joint launch of the scheme on May 21 to mark the death anniversary of the former prime minister, Baghel said.

"The state is launching the new Rajiv Gandhi Nyay Scheme for farmers to help them earn more money of their produce and to help bring more area under cultivation. The scheme will be launched from tomorrow," Baghel told PTI.

He said around 19 lakh farmers will benefit from the 'first-of-its-kind scheme' that will help provide Rs 10,000 per acre to paddy farmers as subsidy.

Those cultivating sugarcane will get Rs 93 per quintal and that will come to nearly Rs 13,000 per acre.

The chief minister said even though the state has 50 inches of rainfall, the cultivated land area is only 20 per cent, with 43 per cent being forest land which has only 0 to 5 per cent farming.

"The cost of inputs for farmers is also high and Chhattisgarh has only one crop. To encourage farmers grow more crops and earn a better living, the state has evolved this scheme," he said.

Baghel said the state is also seeking to improve the irrigation facilities.

He said a government of India survey has revealed that the state has 40 per cent people still below the poverty line, 41.7 per cent women anaemic and 37.5 per cent children malnourished.

Under the scheme, a sum of Rs 5,700 crore will be transferred directly to the accounts of 19 lakh farmers of the state in four instalments.

Under this scheme, 18,34,834 farmers will be provided Rs 1,500 crore as first instalment for paddy crop.

Similarly, for sugarcane crop, payment of FRP amount of Rs 261 per quintal and incentive and input support, amounting to Rs 93.75 per quintal, i.e. maximum Rs 355 per quintal, will be made depending on the quantity of sugarcane purchased by the cooperative mill in the crushing year 2019-20. Under this scheme, 34,637 farmers of the state will get Rs 73 crore 55 lakh in four instalments and the first instalment of this amount, Rs 18,43 crore will be transferred on May 21.  -- PTI
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20:11   Pak woman legislator succumbs to coronavirus
A 60-year-old woman legislator of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party in Punjab province died of COVID-19 on Wednesday, making her the first lawmaker in the country to succumb to the virus that has killed over 900 others in Pakistan.

Shaheen Raza, 60, was admitted to the Mayo hospital in Lahore a few days ago after she was tested positive for the coronavirus.

Her health deteriorated over the weekend following which she was put on ventilator, Gujranwala Deputy Commissioner Sohail Ashraf said.

However, Raza succumbed to the viral infection in the hospital on Wednesday, he said.

She was also suffering from other diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes and her situation deteriorated fast, officials said.

Prior to developing coronavirus symptoms, Raza had been inspecting various quarantine centres.

Raza was the only PTI member from Gujranwala district in the Punjab Assembly. She was elected on a special seat in 2018.

President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed deep grief and sorrow at her demise.

Earlier, many Pakistani politicians -- including National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Pakistan Peoples Party legislator in Sindh Assembly Saeed Ghani -- had contracted the virus, but all of them recovered.

Pakistan has recorded over 45,895 coronavirus cases and more than 980 deaths.   -- PTI
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19:36   MHA monitoring implementation of lockdown 4.0
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is monitoring the implementation of the lockdown 4.0, under which only a limited number of public activities have been prohibited till May 31, in coordination with state governments to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country, an official said Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, an MHA Joint Secretary said the lockdown has been extended till May 31 in public interest for which fresh directives have been issued keeping only a limited number of activities prohibited.

"Only essential services will be permitted in containment zones. State and Union Territory governments have issued directives according to the prevailing situation," she said.

She said state governments are marking areas as Red, Green, Orange, Buffer and Containment zones in accordance with the health ministry guidelines.

They are issuing directives about permitted activities in their respective states, she said.

The home ministry is monitoring the lockdown measures, along with state governments, she added.  -- PTI
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19:35   UP police files case against Cong leader Pankaj Punia over tweet
The Uttar Pradesh Police Wednesday filed a case against Haryana Congress leader Pankaj Punia for allegedly 'hurting religious feelings' and making 'situation explosive' through a social media post, officials said.

A first information report has been registered against Punia, also a member of the All India Congress Committee, at the Hazratganj Police Station in Lucknow for his alleged objectionable tweet.

A senior police official told PTI Punia has been booked under Indian Penal Code sections related to promoting enmity between different groups (153 A), outraging religious feelings (295 A), public mischief (505-2), and some sections of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008.

The FIR was registered by cyber cell Sub-Inspector Suresh Giri.

'During social media monitoring, we noticed the tweet of the leader which mentioned a particular community and their God. There is a possibility of this leading to political and religious clashes. It has made the situation explosive,' Giri has said in his complaint.

Punia in his tweet on Tuesday targeted the UP's Yogi Adityanath government referring to the politics over plying of buses by the Congress for ferrying migrants.

He had also mentioned the name of the God and referred to the Sangh Parivar.  -- PTI
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18:52   Cong-arranged buses return from UP border: Cops
Buses arranged by the Congress for the migrant workers started turning back from the Rajasthan-Uttar Pradesh border on Wednesday, a police official said.

"The buses are returning now after the Uttar Pradesh government denied entry," said Sarvan Pathak, the in-charge of the Chiksana police station in Bharatpur.

"There are nearly 400 buses."

The buses were arranged by the Congress for the migrant labourers wanting to return to Uttar Pradesh, but the state government denied permission for the vehicles to enter.  --  PTI
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18:19   2 BSF personnel killed in terror attack in J-K
JUST IN: Terrorists attacked a Border Security Force (BSF) party at Pandach, Srinagar.

Two BSF personnel who were injured in the attack have succumbed.

Reports received that two weapons also been lifted, the BSF said.

Details to follow.   -- ANI
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17:52   Govt has no lockdown exit strategy: Cong
The Congress on Wednesday accused the government of implementing the countrywide lockdown in an unplanned manner and also alleged it does not have any exit strategy.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said this government is synonymous with 'inefficiency, incompetence and insensitivity' and its taskforce has been indulging in 'data jugglery' to claim that 'there will be zero cases by May 16'.

"This government has become synonymous with inefficiency, incompetence, and insensitivity," he said.

"Lockdown might be a good technique and we support it. But this government has no strategy for going into lockdown or coming out of it," Singhvi told reporters at a virtual press conference.

"What has been the cost-benefit ratio of an unplanned lockdown and a clueless government on how and when to exit it? Let the nation judge," he asked.

He said the government's own taskforce showed a graph of coronavirus cases, with everything peaking on April 24 and then dropping to zero on May 16.

"Is it (the government) shamelessly misleading its people without any apology and contrition," he asked.

The Congress leader said the cases, deaths and testing are the three major parameters for gauging the country's COVID response, and the Modi government has 'failed you miserably on this'.

Singhvi also alleged that according to a CMIE study India's unemployment rate as of May 3 is at a record high of 27.1.

"India's unemployment rate is four times that of the US and you have given 400 times less economic support to your employees," he said, noting that the rate of unemployment was 8.7 per cent in March before the lockdown came into force to contain the spread of coronavirus.

"There's no doubt in my mind that when we come to look back on this, damage done by lockdown will exceed any saving of lives by a huge factor. Lockdown is a huge mistake.

"Countries applying them harshly will be harshly judged," Singhvi said quoting Nobel Laureate Michael Levitt.

He said among 122 million people who have lost their jobs, 91 million are small traders and labourers, while 18 million salaried class.

On an age analysis, he said 27 million youth in age group of 20-30 lost their jobs in April 2020 and 33 million people in their 30s lost jobs in April.

The Congress leader also alleged that 383 people have died due to lockdown till May 10 and 58 due to starvation and financial distress, 91 suicides due to fear of infection, loneliness etc, 89 road or train accidents due to walking/migration.

"What has been the cost-benefit ratio of an unplanned lockdown," he asked.

Citing figures of various countries on the rate of testing for COVID-19, he said, Iceland has tested 166 persons per 1000 population, Italy 50, USA 34, Singapore 31, South Africa 7.7, Taiwan 3, whereas India just 1.5 per persons.

During the lockdwn period, the percentage coronavirus growth rate between 2nd and 3rd lockdown is 170 and 257 between the third and the fourth lockdown.  -- PTI
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17:39   Web check-in, masks in flight must: New rules for air travel
UPDATE: This is the protocol for air travel for the next six months:

Web check-in is a must, and take a boarding card print out.

Wearing mask in flight is compulsory.

No stamping of boarding card by CISF.

Reach airport three hours before flight departure.

For the first time, passengers can take a 350 ml sanitiser on board.

No food items will be available in the aircraft for the first two months of resumption of flights.
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17:18   Domestic flights to resume from May 25: Puri
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweets:

Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from May 25.

All airports and air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from May 25.

Standard Operating Procedures for passenger movement also being separately issued by the ministry.
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16:42   5 lakh evacuated from Bengal: NDRF
Update on Amphan: Based on experiences during cyclone FANI, all the teams are equipped with tree cutters/pole cutters for post landfall restoration, if need arises, says SN Pradhan, NDRF chief.

More than 5 lakh people have been evacuated in West Bengal and 1,58,640 people in Odisha, he says.  Bhadrak and Balasore (in Odisha) will continue to have damaging impact for 2-3 more hours. After this Odisha will not have any damaging impact, Indian Meteorological Department Chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said. 
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16:36   BJP can take credit, but let buses run: Priyanka
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, UP Congress general secretary says in a video presser that at 4 pm, 24 hours have gone my since the buses were made available. "If you want to use it, do it. Give us permission. If you want to use BJP party flags and stickers on buses then do it. If you want to say that you made those buses available, do it. But let the buses run.

"We'll have to understand our responsibilities. They (migrant labourers walking to return to their native states) aren't just Indians but India's spinal cord. The country runs on their blood and sweat. It's everyone's responsibility. It's not the time for politics."

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma on Wednesday lashed out at Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over the issue of buses arranged by the Congress for stranded migrant workers, saying it is for a "political stunt." He further claimed that the condition of the buses provided by the Congress was "unfit" for ferrying people from one state to another.
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16:27   Trump says US topping world coronavirus cases is 'badge of honour'
President Donald Trump has said it is a "badge of honour" for America to "lead" the world with 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases since it means the US is testing more people for the disease that has killed over 300,000 people across the world. The US has 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases and over 91,000 deaths, both the world's highest. 

"I look at that as, in a certain respect, as being a good thing because it means our testing is much better," he said on Tuesday at the White House as he hosted his first Cabinet meeting since the COVID-19 outbreak began. "By the way," he told reporters, "you know when you say that we lead in cases, that's because we have more testing than anybody else." "So when we have a lot of cases," he continued, "I don't look at that as a bad thing, I look at that as, in a certain respect, as being a good thing because it means our testing is much better." 

He added: "So I view it as a badge of honour. Really, it's a badge of honour. Trump was responding to a question about whether he was considering a travel ban on Latin America, Brazil in particular. "It's a great tribute to the testing and all of the work that a lot of professionals have done," the president said. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, a federal agency, the US had conducted 12.6 million coronavirus tests by Tuesday. -- PTI
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16:24   Cabinet approves Rs 3 lakh cr emergency credit line for MSME
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved additional funding of up to Rs 3 lakh crore at a concessional rate of 9.25 per cent through the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for the MSME sector hit hard by the coronavirus crisis. 

The ECLGS was the second-biggest component of Rs 21 lakh crore comprehensive package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last week. Under the scheme, 100 per cent guarantee coverage will be provided by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company for additional funding of up to Rs 3 lakh crore to eligible MSMEs and interested MUDRA borrowers, in the form of a guaranteed emergency credit line facility, an official statement said. 

For this purpose, a corpus of Rs 41,600 crore shall be provided by the Government of India spread over the current and the next three financial years, it said. The Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi also approved that the scheme would be applicable to all loans sanctioned under GECL Facility during the period from the date of announcement of the scheme to October 31 or till an amount of Rs 3 lakh crore crore is sanctioned under the GECL, whichever is earlier. -- PTI
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16:21  
Cyclone Amphan currently entering West Bengal coast near Sunderbans: IMD DG.
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16:14   X, XII Board exams with masks, distancing: MHA
The MHA has granted exemption from lockdown to conduct board examination for classes 10 and 12,  Home Minister Amit Shah has said. "Taking into consideration the academic interest of large number of students, it has been decided to grant exemption from the lockdown measures to conduct Board examination for classes 10th and 12th,with few conditions like social distancing, face mask etc for their safety," the MHA order read. 
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16:08   Cabinet gives ex post facto nod to domicile for employment in J-K
The Union Cabinet on Tuesday gave ex post facto approval to a law on specified domicile criterion for employment in the public sector in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. "The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its ex post facto approval for the Jammu & Kashmir (Adaptation of State Laws) Second Order, 2020 issued under section 96 of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019," an official statement said. 

This order has further modified the applicability of domicile conditions to all levels of jobs in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir under the Jammu & Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation and Recruitment) Act (Act No. XVI of 2010), it said. 

"This Order would apply the specified domicile criterion for employment to all posts in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir," the statement said, without mentioning further details. The Jammu & Kashmir (Adaptation of State Laws) Second Order, 2020 was notified by the Home Ministry on April 3. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had on Monday issued new rules allowing people belonging to West Pakistan, Valmikis, women marrying outside their communities, non-registered Kashmiri migrants and displaced people to get domicile. Children of the people in these categories can now also get jobs in Jammu and Kashmir as they will be entitled to rights after they are granted domicile, according to the Jammu and Kashmir grant of domicile certificate (procedure) rules, 2020. -- PTI
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15:49   Landfall process of cyclone Amphan begins
The landfall process of cyclone 'Amphan' commenced at 2.30 pm on Wednesday between Digha in West Bengal and Hatiya island in Bangladesh, the Met department said. The landfall process will continue for about four hours, it said. "The forward sector of the wall cloud region is entering into land in West Bengal," the Met said. The intensity of the cyclone near its centre as the landfall process started was recorded at 160-170 kmph, gusting to 190 kmph, it said. Heavy rain and gale wind have affected several districts in the Gangetic West Bengal since morning and the intensity of the downpour and wind increased gradually with every passing hour. At 3.05 pm, wind speed at Dum Dum airport was recorded at 76 km per hour, the Met said. The system is likely to move north-northeastwards after landfall and pass close to Kolkata in its eastern side causing extensive damage and flooding of low-lying areas of the city, the Met department warned.

The National Disaster Response Force personnel have cleared electricity poles and wires and uprooted trees off the road between Digha in East Midnapore district and the Odisha border. 


Image: Disaster management and civil defence personnel urge citizens to stay indoors as Digha sees high tide and strong winds ahead of cyclone Amphan's landfall. Pic: ANI 
Rebel Congress MLA Aditi Singh
Rebel Congress MLA Aditi Singh
15:36   Cong's buses unfit for ferrying migrants: UP Dy CM
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma on Wednesday lashed out at Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over the issue of buses arranged by the Congress for stranded migrant workers, saying it is for a "political stunt." He further claimed that the condition of the buses provided by the Congress was "unfit" for ferrying people from one state to another. 

"Whatever Congress is doing is a political stunt. The condition of buses is so bad that they are unfit for the labourers to even sit in them," he said at a press conference. "There are many buses of Rajasthan government in the list of 1,000 buses which Congress claims to have arranged for migrant workers. 297 buses do not have fitness certificate, 98 are three-wheelers, cars and ambulances and 68 vehicles do not have any papers," Sharma added. 

"In Uttar Pradesh, our government is doing very well. The Congress should send these buses to Rajasthan, Punjab and Maharashtra where they are required," he added. 

Rebel Congress MLA Aditi Singh said, "When UP Govt looked into the list of buses provided by Congress, it turned out that many vehicles are autorickshaw, two-wheelers & three-wheelers. Congress is wasting the time of govt officials by providing bogus list & creating political pressure."
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14:53   PoK hospitals get used PPEs, paan-stained masks
Poor healthcare facilities in Pakistan were once again exposed when authorities at Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zaid Combined Military Hospital in Muzaffarabad complained of receiving personal protective equipment (PPEs) which were already used, with some of them stained with betel leaf. 

A tweet posted on the official account of the Chief Minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, read, "Hospital across AJK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) has received around 3 lakh PPE kits from a military hospital, Rawalpindi but the kit we got in our hospital were already used before. Some of the masks had a red stain on them, after lab testing it was found those were paan (betel leaf) stain." 

"As per our hospital protocol, we destroyed all kits to ensure no infection gets spread in our hospital. It's shameful that after receiving fake Made-in-China testing machine, AJK has now become a dumping ground for used PPE kits," the Twitter thread added. 

The hospital was constructed with humanitarian assistance donated by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates to alleviate the sufferings of the people of the region, who were affected from the devastating earthquake in 2005. 

Pakistan's tally of coronavirus cases soared to 45,898, with 1,932 new ones reported on Wednesday. With poor testing and trained medical staff, PoK has registered 133 COVID-19 cases whereas Gilgit Baltistan has reported 556 positive cases. -- ANI
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14:34   Two-month fishing ban along Karnataka coast to begin on June 1
The annual two-month monsoon trawling ban along the Karnataka coast will come into force from June 1, as per the notification issued under the Karnataka Marine Fishing (regulation) Act. All fishing activities with mechanised and traditional boats using inboard or outboard engines of over 10 HP capacity using nets or other means has been banned from June 1 to July 31. The ban is not applicable for fishing with traditional and country boats which use engines of less than 10 HP capacity. Fishing boats which violate these orders and the fishermen concerned face the risk of being punished as per the Marine Fishing Act 1986, besides losing diesel subsidy for a period of one year. -- PTI
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14:32   Maha: Labourer dies of hunger, dehydration while walking home
A 40-year-old farm labourer died of hunger and dehydration while walking to his native place in Maharashtra's Parbhani district from Pune, police said on Wednesday. Pintu Pawar was found dead on Monday at Dhanora village in Beed district, located about 200 km from his native place, Ambhora police station's assistant inspector Dnyneshwar Kuklare told PTI. 


"The postmortem was later done and it was found that he died of excessive walking, hunger and dehydration around May 15," the official said. The victim was a native of Dhopte Pondul village in Manwat tehsil of Parbhani. He used to work as a sugarcane cutter but after the lockdown came into force, he went to stay at his brother's place in Pune, he said. 


However, he decided to return to his native village in Parbhani and set off on foot from Pune on May 8. He later reached Ahmednagar on May 14. Since he did not have a mobile phone, he contacted his family in his native village that day by using someone else's phone. From there, he walked another 30 to 35 km till Dhanora and took rest under a tin shed there, the official said. On Monday, some passersby complained of foul smell emanating from the shed and alerted the police. 

Later, the police reached the spot and found Pawar dead, the official said. Following the postmortem, his last rites were performed by officials of the Dhanora gram panchayat and police after consulting with his family members, he said. -- PTI
Nurse Cristella said they were often spat on
Nurse Cristella said they were often spat on
14:21   Manipur nurses in WB return after racism, abuse
In a shameful incident, 185 nurses were forced to quit their jobs from hospitals in Kolkata and have returned to Imphal because of social discrimination. Cristella, a nurse says, "We're not happy that we left our duties, but we faced discrimination, racism and people sometimes spat on us. There was a lack of PPE kits as well. People used to question us everywhere we went," she said.

In Assam, nurses employed at a private hospital in Guwahati have alleged that they have been verbally harassed and called 'coronavirus' by people on the streets.

Asians around the world are facing racial attacks, with people blaming them for the Covid-19 outbreak that originated in China last year. 
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14:14   Dalai Lama Trust donates 200 PPEs to HP's Kangra Police
The Dalai Lama Trust has donated 200 personal protection equipment kits, 200 hand sanitisers (500 ml), 5,000 face masks and 300 gloves to Himachal Pradesh's Kangra Police to help them in the fight against coronavirus, a senior official said. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Kangra SP Vimukt Ranjan thanked the trust for extending help to the police. 

"Kangra Police extends its sincere gratitude and thanks to The Dalai Lama Trust for helping us fight the coronavirus pandemic by donating 200 PPE Kits, 200 hand sanitisers (500ml), 5000 face masks and 300 gloves," he said. 

Kangra district has 27 COVID-19 cases -- the highest in the state. While eight of the 27 patients have been cured, one person died on March 23 and 18 are active cases. -- PTI
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14:10   Garma garam samose, but online orders only
Food shops open for online delivery in Ludhiana. Vipin Sharma, a samosa shop owner says, "We have some relief that we will be able to meet few expenses due to this. But we only have 20% work as compared to earlier days. Only online delivery is allowed."
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13:49   Ola to layoff 1,400 staff as revenue falls 95%
Cab aggregator Ola is laying off 1,400 staff from rides, financial services and food business as revenues declined by 95 per cent in the last two months due to coronavirus pandemic, a note by CEO Bhavish Aggarwal said. In an email to employees, Aggarwal made it clear that the prognosis ahead for the business is "very unclear and uncertain" and the impact of this crisis is "definitely going to be long-drawn for us". 

"The fallout of the virus has been very tough for our industry in particular. Our revenue has come down 95 per cent over the past 2 months. Most importantly, this crisis has affected the livelihoods of millions of our drivers and their families across India and our international geographies," he said. The company has decided to downsize and "let go" of 1,400 employees, Aggarwal added. -- PTI
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13:46   Who botched up the migrant crisis?
"Why has this turned out to be one of the greatest humanitarian crisis that has caught the Centre and the states in a bind with no answers to this unexpected tsunami?" asks Brigadier Narender Kumar (retd). Read the column here 
Migrants from UP walk from Delhi
Migrants from UP walk from Delhi
13:27   UP Cong chief Ajay Kumar Lallu arrested for dharna over migrants
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu was arrested here after he sat on a dharna for grant of permission to the buses arranged by the party to enter the state, police said on Wednesday. Senior party leaders Pradeep Mathur, Vivek Bansal and Manoj Dixit were also arrested, they said. 

"A case has been registered against Ajay Kumar Lallu under various sections of the IPC and the Epidemic Act at the Fatehpur Sikri police station. Lallu was arrested on Tuesday evening, and he along with other Congress leaders were put in the Police Lines," Senior Superintendent of Police, Agra, Babloo Kumar said. 

On Tuesday, Lallu and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's secretary were booked by the police after the state government said a list of 1,000 buses submitted by the party to ferry migrant workers contained registration numbers of auto rickshaws, cars and trucks. Also, records showed that many of the buses in the list did not have valid fitness certificates or insurance papers, the BJP government said, accusing the opposition party of playing with the lives of workers. -- PTI
Uprooted trees at Paradip, Odisha
Uprooted trees at Paradip, Odisha
13:23   Super cyclone Amphan just 170 km shy of WB
Cyclone Amphan lay centred about 170 km south of West Bengal's Digha as an extremely severe cyclonic storm over west central Bay of Bengal and is likely to make landfall near Sunderbans between Wednesday afternoon and evening, the MeT department said. Amphan is likely to move north-northeastwards after landfall and pass close to Kolkata in its eastern side, causing extensive damage and flooding of low-lying areas in the city, the weather office said. 

The system, which was moving in a northward direction at a speed of 20 km per hour, was situated 300 km southeast of Kolkata at 11 am on Wednesday, it said. It is likely to weaken and move through Nadia and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal as a cyclonic storm and then into Bangladesh as a deep depression on Thursday morning, the MeT department said. 

The intensity near the centre of the storm was 170 to 180 kmph gusting to 200 kmph, it said. "The cyclone is very likely to move north-northeastwards and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coast between Digha and Hatiya, close to Sunderbans between afternoon and evening on Wednesday with a wind speed of 155 to 165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph as a very severe cyclonic storm," the weather office said. 

The MeT department has issued an "orange message" for West Bengal, which warned of extensive damage in Kolkata, Hooghly, Howrah, South and North 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts. It advised that all establishments and markets remain closed in Kolkata and adjoining areas and movement of people be restricted on Wednesday. 

The metropolis has been experiencing light to moderate rainfall since the morning with gusts of strong wind. Traffic on the roads was thin as most people chose to remain indoors owing to the inclement weather. 

With the COVID-19-related restrictions in place, the tourist destinations of Digha, Mandarmani, Tajpur and Shankarpur on the shores of the Bay of Bengal are deserted, as locals living close to the coast have been evacuated at many places by the state government. 

There is likely to be disruption of rail and road link at several places, uprooting of communication and power poles, extensive damage to all types of kutcha houses and some damage to old badly managed pucca structures and potential threat from flying objects, the weather office warned. There is also likelihood of extensive damage to standing crops, plantations and orchards, the MeT department said. 

It has advised diversion or suspension of rail and road traffic in the districts which are likely to be affected. The Eastern Railway has cancelled the departure of Howrah-New Delhi AC Special Express for Wednesday. The departure of 02301 Howrah-New Delhi AC Special Express on Wednesday and 02302 New Delhi-Howrah AC Special Express on Thursday would remain cancelled, the ER said. 

The weather office has forecast wind speed of 75 to 85 kmph with gusts up to 95 kmph from Wednesday morning along and off districts of North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly. 

"It will gradually increase thereafter becoming 110 to 120 kmph gusting to 130 kmph over West Midnapore, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata and wind speed of 155 to 165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph over the districts of North and South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore of West Bengal from the afternoon to night of May 20," Regional MeT Director G K Das said. 

Under its impact, rainfall would occur in most places over the districts of Gangetic West Bengal on Wednesday, with heavy to very heavy downpour at a few places in Kolkata, Howrah, East Midnapore, North and South 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts, he said. 

"Storm surge of 4 to 5 metres above astronomical tide is likely to inundate low-lying areas of South and North 24 Parganas and about 3 to 4 metres over low-lying areas of East Midnapore district of West Bengal during the time of landfall," he said. The Indian Navy has dispatched a diving team for providing assistance to the West Bengal government in relief operations, according to a defence official. -- PTI
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13:15   L&T Infotech shares surge nearly 8 pc after Q4 results
IT company L&T Infotech shares rallied nearly 8 per cent on Wednesday after the firm reported a 12.9 per cent growth in consolidated net profit for the January-March 2020 quarter. Stock of the company jumped 7.71 per cent to Rs 1,798 on BSE. It zoomed 7.77 per cent to Rs 1,800 on NSE. L&T Infotech on Tuesday reported a 12.9 per cent growth in consolidated net profit to Rs 427.5 crore for the January-March 2020 quarter. 


This is against a net profit of Rs 378.5 crore in the same period a year ago, the company said. Its revenue was up 21.2 per cent to Rs 3,011.9 crore in the reported quarter from Rs 2,486 crore in the year-ago period, L&T Infotech (LTI) added. Seen sequentially, the net profit was up 13.5 per cent, while the topline rose 7.1 per cent. -- PTI 
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12:58   WB announces $160 bn aid to 100 countries
The coronavirus pandemic is expected to put over 60 million people into extreme poverty globally, the World Bank has said as it announced emergency operations worth USD 160 billion in 100 developing countries to fight the deadly virus. 


"The pandemic and shutdown of advanced economies could push as many as 60 million people into extreme poverty -- erasing much of the recent progress made in poverty alleviation,' World Bank President David Malpass told reporters during a conference call on Tuesday. 


"The World Bank Group has moved quickly and decisively to establish emergency response operations in 100 countries, with mechanisms that allow other donors to rapidly expand the programmes," he said. 

 Of the 100 countries, home to 70 per cent of the world's population, 39 are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly one-third of the total projects are in fragile and conflict-affected situations, such as Afghanistan, Chad, Haiti, and Niger. "To return to growth, our goal must be rapid, flexible responses to tackle the health emergency, provide cash and other expandable support to protect the poor, maintain the private sector, and strengthen economic resilience and recovery," Malpass said. 

"This represents a significant milestone in the World Bank Group's effort to deploy USD 160 billion over a 15-month period. So this is a milestone in the USD 160 billion that we have committed to," he said. 

Malpass said the programmes are tailored to the countries to effectively respond to the health, economic and social shocks that each of them are facing. The programmes will reinforce healthcare systems and also help procure vital life-saving medical equipment and supplies. And these programmes contain mechanisms that allow other donors to rapidly expand the programme, he added.  -- PTI
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12:42   Allow autos to carry two passengers in Delhi, say commuters
Several auto-rickshaw drivers in Delhi on Wednesday demanded the government to allow them to ferry at least two passengers in one ride during the lockdown. They told ANI that locals, in most times, travel with their family members if they are stepping out of their homes. 

"Most of the time, there are two people together. The government should allow at least two people to travel in auto as well apart from cabs. If we refuse, people cancel the ride," one of the auto-rickshaw drivers said. 

Even passengers are also facing trouble in travelling alone during the crisis. "How is it possible that I take one auto and the children take a separate auto?" said one of the passengers. 

As per the new COVID-19 guidelines, the Delhi government has allowed auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws, and cycle-rickshaws to ply on roads with only one passenger. On the other hands, taxis and cabs are allowed with only two passengers. Gramin, phat-phat and eco-friendly sevas are also been allowed with only two passengers. Maxi cabs were allowed with only five passengers and RTVs with only 11 passengers. 

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has asked the drivers to ensure the disinfection of the passenger seat after each drop-off for the safety of the next passenger. -- ANI    
Representational image
Representational image
12:27   500 Kolkata cops protest deployment at Covid areas
Around 500 personnel of the Kolkata Police Combat Force staged a protest here, alleging that they were being deployed in areas where chances of contracting COVID-19 are high, a senior official said on Wednesday. The policemen demonstrated inside the Police Training School complex on Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Road late on Tuesday, he said. 

Sources said they gheraoed the vehicle of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Combat Battalion, Col Nevendera Singh Paul when he tried to initiate a dialogue with them, and allegedly vandalised his vehicle.

"We are being sent on duty in high-risk areas. There are several policemen who have been infected with the virus. This cannot go on," a police officer of the Combat Force told PTI. When contacted, a senior police officer of Kolkata Police said an investigation has been launched to ascertain the facts. 

"An investigation is underway. There can be disappointment among the policemen regarding the duty schedule, but no acts of indiscipline will not be tolerated...," he said. 

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had visited the complex and assured the agitating police personnel of looking into their demands. At least seven policemen have so far been infected by COVID-19 in West Bengal. -- PTI
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12:19   Stimulus pkg fails to involve banks: RBI banker
The stimulus package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman "fails to involve" banks in the economic revival process, a member of the Reserve Bank of India's central board said on Wednesday. The stimulus package is "imaginative and forward looking, yet fails to involve banks as frontline warriors in revival of economy," Satish Marathe, a member of RBI's central board, said in a social media post. 


Sitharaman had announced a series of measures following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of a Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package to help the economy. Marathe shared a viewpoint from analysts at rating agency Crisil's research wing, which is sceptical about the near-term benefits of the package to make his point. 


He said the three-month moratorium offered for loan repayments announced by Reserve Bank of India is "not enough" and also listed out other expectations for the benefit of the banking sector. These include relaxations in non performing asset (NPA) and provisioning, he said. 

Marathe, who has been deeply associated with the cooperative banking sector, said all these "norms need to be part of the stimulus for putting India once again on the growth trajectory". 


It can be noted that industry bodies have also been pitching to the RBI for relaxations on aspects like moratorium, NPA recognition and provisioning. The package announced by Sitharaman has been termed as "maximum bang for the minimum buck" by an analyst for the very low impact on the fiscal math and dependence on other factors like guarantees to achieve the impact. 


According to estimates, its fiscal impact varies from 1-2 per cent of the GDP, while Modi had mentioned that the measures will entail a stimulus close to 10 per cent of the GDP. However, most of the analysts have welcomed the long-term potential of the moves, especially the long awaited reforms, but have been sceptical about its short-term impact on growth. Many analysts believe the Indian GDP will contract despite the stimulus package, with some pegging the decrease in the economy at as high as 5 per cent. -- PTI
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12:10   Mumbai's migrant-run khao gallis empty
Mumbai's popular street snacks like 'bhel puri', 'paani puri' and 'vada pav', which used to be relished by people cutting across community and class barriers, have no takers now during the lockdown, throwing street food vendors and roadside stalls out of business.  

Kanhaiya, who ran a paani puri stall at Bhuleshwar in Zaveri Bazaar of south Mumbai, returned to his native village near Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh after his business dried up. 

"In mid-March, when some coronavirus cases were detected in the state and the government ordered closure of malls, swimming pools, gyms, I realised that I should leave for my native place. When malls are shut, what value will I have," he told PTI over phone from his village.

He is now busy working at his family farm land, growing wheat, sugarcane and paddy. Asked if he willcome back, Kanhaiya said, "Let's see how the situation unfolds. Even though I have a farm in the village and a house of my own, agriculture is unreliable. Never know what you have sown will remain, it depends on rain. At my shop in Mumbai, I could at least make some savings." 

He has been missing his stall at Bhuleshwar, which was the hub of wholesale and retail cloth, gold, diamond, steel, plastic and readymade garments. Taxi drivers and low wage workers frequently visited the area, where 'puri bhaji', 'bhel puri', 'vada pav' and 'dosa' were available at prices ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 200. 

Three khau gullies in Bhuleshwar, streets near the Churchgate station, Flora Fountain in Fort, Bombay Stock Exchange and other areas in south Mumbai used to be packed with food stalls and canteens selling snacks at cheap prices on normal days, but now these areas wear a deserted look. 


Pappu Singh, another 'paani puri' vendor from Vile Parle area, also left for his native village Khedlakhurd in Dausa district of Rajasthan amid the lockdown. 


"I used to earn Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 every month and lived at a rented room in Vile Parle with my sons. I came back when business started suffering," he told PTI over phone. "I am penniless since the last two months. There is no water or work in my village. I have been surviving on roti- mirchi (flat bread and chilly)," he said. -- PTI
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12:02   50/30 day cycles of lockdown, easing work: Report
Scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have shown that an alternating cycle of 50 days of strict lockdown followed by 30 days of easing can effectively reduce the number of COVID-19-related deaths, and lower admissions to intensive care units in hospitals. 

Since no effective treatments or vaccine for COVID-19 is available, reducing virus transmission via measures like isolating suspected infected individuals, school closures, and lockdowns are crucial, according to the researchers, including Rajiv Chowdhury from the University of Cambridge in the UK. 

While such measures are effective at slowing disease spread and preventing health systems becoming overwhelmed, they can also lead to job losses and social disruption, noted the study, published in the European Journal of Epidemiology. 

The scientists said there is growing concern that these interventions may be unsustainable over the long term. Hence they suggested an approach of alternating stricter measures with intervals of relaxed social distancing. 

They said this strategy could be enforced with measures of effective "test-contact trace-isolate", and shielding of the vulnerable kept in place. In the study, the scientists assessed the difference in impact between strategies aimed at mitigation, and those aimed at suppression. 

Mitigation measures like physical distancing, hygiene rules, case-based isolation, restricting of large public events, and school closures, can reduce the number of new infections, but at a relatively slow rate, they explained. 

On the other hand, the study said suppression measures can lead to a faster reduction in the number of new infections by applying additional interventions like lockdown. -- PTI
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Representational image
11:47   TB testing machine to be used for Covid: ICMR
Diagnostic machines used for testing drug-resistant tuberculosis can now be used for screening and confirmation of COVID-19 cases, the apex health research body, ICMR, said. As part of its efforts to ramp up the testing capacity, the Indian Council of Medical Research had approved the use of TrueNat system for conducting coronavirus tests on April 10, while recommending it only as a screening test. 

Now, the ICMR has issued revised guidelines for TrueNat testing for COVID-1, saying the "TrueNat system is now a comprehensive assay for screening and confirmation of COVID-19 cases". 

According to the guidelines, all samples of suspect COVID-19 should be first tested by the E gene screening assay. All negatives are to be considered as true negatives. All positive samples should be subjected to confirmation by another step. The step 2 is RdRp gene confirmatory assay. All samples that test positive by this assay must be considered as true positive. 

"No further RT-PCR based confirmation is required for samples that are positive after step 2 of the assay," the revised guidelines stated. All positive and negative results must be reported to the ICMR portal in real time manner.    

The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 3,303 and the number of cases climbed to 10,6750 in the country registering an increase of 140 deaths and a record spike of 5,611 cases in the last 24 hours since Tuesday 8 am, according to the Union Health Ministry. -- PTI
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11:35   NIA arrestes Hizb terrorist involved in killing of RSS activist
A Hizbul Mujahideen militant allegedly involved in the killing of an RSS functionary and his PSO was arrested by the NIA in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, officials said on Wednesday. He was apprehended by the National Investigation Agency from the Hanjala area of the district Tuesday night, they said. The militant has been identified as Rustam Ali. He was named in a chargesheet filed by the NIA in the killing of RSS activist Chander Kant Sharma and his Personal Security Officer in April last year, the officials said. 

Jammu and Kashmir Police had on September 23 last year arrested Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists -- Nissar Ahmed Sheikh, Nishad Ahmed and Azad Hussain -- in connection with the murder cases of a senior BJP leader and an RSS functionary in the region. 

BJP state secretary Anil Parihar was killed in 2018, while senior RSS functionary Sharma and his PSO were shot dead in April last year. Both the killings had triggered protests in Kishtwar. The killings were part of a conspiracy to revive militancy in Kishtwar and were hatched by longest surviving Hizbul Mujahideen commander in the area Jahangir Saroori, according to the officials. -- PTI
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11:32   Cyclone Amphan: Heavy downpour, high velocity winds pound Odisha
As cyclone "Amphan" hurtled towards the coast, heavy downpour coupled with high velocity winds pounded coastal Odisha, uprooting trees and flattening fragile structures, officials said on Wednesday. More than 1.25 lakh people have so far been evacuated from low-lying coastal areas and the process of evacuation was still underway in some places like Balasore on Wednesday morning, Special Relief Commissioner, P K Jena, said Intense rainfall was recorded in several areas of Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Ganjam, Ganjam, Bhadrak and Balasore districts since Tuesday, officials said. 

The extremely severe cyclonic storm lay about 120 km east-southeast of Paradip in Odisha, 200 km south of Digha (West Bengal) and 360 km southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), said H R Biswas, the Director of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar. The current intensity of wind speed near the centre of the system stood at 170 to 180 kmph, while the wind velocity near Paradip was 102 kmph. 


Near Chandbali the wind speed was 74 kmph, he said. It is likely to move north-northeastwards across northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sunderbans during evening hours of Wednesday, with a maximum sustained wind speed of 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph. 

The system is now being continuously tracked by the Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) at Vishakhapatnam, Paradip and Gopalpur, he said. Jena said Paradip recorded 214 mm of rainfall since Tuesday, while it was 87 mm in Puri, 70.5 mm in Chandbali, 58.5 mm in Balasore and 50 mm in Bhubaneswar as heavy downpour battered many parts of coastal Odisha. 

People living in thatched, mud and 'kucha' structures are being persuaded to move to the cyclone shelters for their safety, he said, adding that many people were initially reluctant to shift in view of COVID-19 scare. While a thorough assessment of damage caused by the cyclone will be made, there are reports of many trees being uprooted from different areas including Erasama and Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district. 

Many betel vines have also been damaged in Dhinkia area of Jagatsinghpur district, the SRC said, adding response teams have been deployed in all the coastal districts to ensure quick restoration of power and road communication wherever they suffer damage. 

The impact of Amphan will remain in the state till the afternoon, he said, adding that the wind speed in some places is expected to reach 100 kmph to 110 kmph gusting to 125 kmph in northern coastal parts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts during the period. 

A report from Bhadrak district said many trees and electric poles were uprooted in the district under the impact of gusty winds and heavy downpour, blocking roads in several areas. -- PTI

Image: NDRF officials ask people to go to shelters in Jagatsinghpur as Amphan approaches. Pic: ANI
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11:09   25 lakh+ samples tested for Covid: ICMR
1,08,121 samples tested for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours in India. Total number of samples tested till 9 am today is at 25,12,388: Indian Council of Medical Research. 

The ICMR has also released revised guidelines for TrueNat, a comprehensive assay for screening and testing for positive cases for COVID-19, on Tuesday. 

The circular published by the apex medical body also elaborated on the steps to be followed for new testing. As per the guidelines, all samples of COVID-19 suspect should be first tested by this assay, and later be subjected to confirmation by step 2. 

Step 2 is called RdRp gene confirmation assay, and if the sample tests positive through this it must be considered as true positive. 

As for the negative samples, they must be considered as true negatives. No further testing is needed for them, it said. 
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10:53   Maharashtra has highest Covid cases, fatalities
The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 3,303 and the number of cases climbed to 1,06,750 in the country on Wednesday, registering an increase of 140 deaths and a record spike of 5,611 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry. 

Of the 140 deaths reported since Monday morning, 76 were from Maharashtra, 25 from Gujarat, six each from West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, five each from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, three each from Tamil Nadu Karnataka and Telangana, two each from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir and one each from Odhisha and Punjab. 


Of the 3,303 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 1,325 deaths. Gujarat comes second with 719 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 258, West Bengal at 250, Delhi at 168, Rajasthan at 143, Uttar Pradesh at 123, Tamil Nadu at 84 and Andhra Pradesh at 52. 


The death toll reached 40 in Karnataka, 38 each in Punjab and Telangana. Jammu and Kashmir has reported 17 fatalities due to the disease and Haryana 14. Bihar has registered nine deaths and Odisha five. Kerala and Assam have reported four deaths each. Jharkhand, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh each have recorded three COVID-19 fatalities, while Meghalaya, Uttarakhand and Puducherry have reported one fatality each, according to the data shared by the health ministry. 

According to the ministry's website, more than 70 per cent of the deaths are due to comorbidities, the existence of multiple disorders in the same person. 

As per the health ministry data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 37,136. 

It is followed by Tamil Nadu at 12,448, Gujarat at 12,140, Delhi at 10,554, Rajasthan at 5,845, Madhya Pradesh at 5,465 and Uttar Pradesh at 4,926. 
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10:31   Amphan to hit WB this evening, flights suspended
Update on Super Cyclone Amphan. The cyclone lies about 120 km east-southeast of Paradip, Odisha at 8:30 am today. It is expected to cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sunderbans. Landfall expected near Sunderbans in West Bengal by late evening today. 

An hour ago, the wind speed of 102 kmph was observed at Paradip. The next six to eight hours is crucial, says PK Jena, Special Relief Commissioner, Odisha.

All operations have been suspended at Kolkata Airport till 5 am tomorrow in view of CycloneAmphan including special flights, which were operational in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, says Airport Director, West Bengal.
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10:16   Howrah-New Delhi AC Special Express cancelled due to cyclone Amphan
The departure of Howrah-New Delhi AC Special Express for Wednesday has been cancelled owing to the super cyclone 'Amphan', the Eastern Railway said here. It said that since the system is most likely to cause heavy rain and storm, the departure of 02301 Howrah-New Delhi AC Special Express on Wednesday and 02302 New Delhi-Howrah AC Special Express on May 21 would remain cancelled. The Met department in an advisory asked for stoppage or diversion of train movements owing to damage likely to be caused by the super cyclonic storm. -- PTI
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10:05   Sensex surges over 300 points in opening trade
Equity benchmark Sensex jumped over 300 points in opening session on Wednesday tracking gains in index-heavyweights ITC, HDFC twins and HUL amid mixed cues from global markets. After rising to 30,524.53, the 30-share index was trading at 217.69 points or 0.72 per cent higher at 30,413.86. 

Similarly, NSE Nifty rose 57.70 points, or 0.65 per cent, to 8,936.80. ITC was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, surging around 3 per cent, followed by L&T, Tata Steel, NTPC, HUL, PowerGrid, HDFC twins and UltraTech Cement. On the other hand, Hero MotoCorp, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance, Asian Paints and SBI were among the laggards. In the previous session, the BSE barometer settled 167.19 points or 0.56 per cent higher at 30,196.17, while the broader Nifty advanced 55.85 points or 0.63 per cent to end at 8,879.10. 

Foreign portfolio investors offloaded equities worth Rs 1,328.31 crore in the capital market on Tuesday, provisional exchange data showed. -- PTI
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09:57   Number of Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries crosses 1 crore mark; PM speaks with latest beneficiary
The number of people who have benefited from the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme has crossed the one crore-mark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, noting that the initiative has had a positive impact on several lives. 

In September 2018, Modi had launched the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana-Ayushman Bharat. It has been termed as the biggest government-sponsored healthcare scheme in the world. 

"It would make every Indian proud that the number of Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries has crossed 1 crore. In less than two years, this initiative has had a positive impact on so many lives," the prime minister wrote on Twitter. 

He congratulated all the beneficiaries and their families and prayed for their good health He appreciated the doctors, nurses, healthcare workers and all others associated with Ayushman Bharat, saying their efforts have made it the largest healthcare programme in the world. 

"This initiative has won the trust of several Indians, especially the poor and downtrodden," he said. One of the biggest benefits of Ayushman Bharat is portability, the prime minister pointed out. 

"Beneficiaries can get top quality and affordable medical care not only where they registered but also in other parts of India. This helps those who work away from home or are registered at a place where they don't belong," he explained. He said during his official tours, he would interact with Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries. -- PTI
Scattered remains of jackfruit the farmers were carrying
Scattered remains of jackfruit the farmers were carrying
09:51   Six jackfruit farmers killed in road accident
Six farmers were killed and one injured after the pickup truck in which they were traveling collided with another truck in the Friends Colony area of Etawah on Tuesday night. 

"The farmers were going to the market to sell jackfruit. The injured person has been admitted to Saifai Medical College," said R Singh, Superintendent of Police. 


Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the death of six people in Etawah. He has directed to provide financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured, the Chief Minister's Office stated. 

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party has also announced that it will provide financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of the farmers killed in the accident. -- ANI
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09:39   Migrant gather to collect train passes to UP, Bihar
Migrant workers gather in large numbers at Sundarapuram, Coimbatore to collect train passes for today's 'shramik special' trains for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. 
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09:31   Two more test coronavirus +ve in Goa; active cases rise to 41
An Indian Coast Guard officer and a female have tested positive for coronavirus in Goa, taking the tally of active COVID-19 cases in the state to 41, a health department official said on Wednesday. The Coast Guard officer was part of an 11-member team that came to Goa from Mumbai, he said. 

Tests conducted on 10 other members of the team came out negative, but they are quarantined, he said. 

Besides, samples of a female who travelled to Goa from Pune came out positive in TrueNat (rapid) test, he said, adding that her repeat sample has been sent for confirmation at the virology lab of the state-run Goa Medical College. 

She travelled to Goa with 21 other people, who tested negative and are currently kept at a quarantine facility, he said. Till Tuesday evening, the state reported 39 active COVID-19 cases. With two new cases, the tally has now gone up to 41. No death has been reported so far due to the disease. Goa has so far tested 9,549 samples, the official said. 

The state was declared a green zone on May 1, after all the seven COVID-19 patients previously found recovered. However, the coastal state has witnessed a rise in the number of cases over the last few days. -- PTI
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09:19   India records highest spike of 5,611 Covid cases
No good news coming from India. The country has recorded the highest ever spike of 5,611 COVID-19 cases and 140 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in the country are now at 1,06,750, including 61,149 active cases and 3,303 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
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09:06   Only India, China, Indonesia economies will grow
Amidst global economic recession due to coronavirus, foreign investors have pulled out an estimated USD 26 billion from developing Asian economies and over USD 16 billion out of India, a latest Congressional report has said, increasing concerns of a major economic recession in Asia.

The report was published by an independent Congressional Research Center on global economic effects of COVID-19. 

In Europe, over 30 million people in Germany, France, the UK, Spain, and Italy have applied for state support, while first quarter 2020 data indicates that the eurozone economy contracted by 3.8 per cent, the largest quarterly decline since the series started in 1995, it said. 


In the US, preliminary data indicated that the GDP fell by 4.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2020, the largest quarterly decline since the fourth quarter of 2008 during the global financial crisis, the CRS said. 


According to CRS, the pandemic crisis is challenging governments to implement monetary and fiscal policies that support credit markets and sustain economic activity, while they are implementing policies to develop vaccines and safeguard their citizens. 

While almost all major economies are shrinking as a result of coronavirus, only three countries China, India, and Indonesia are projected to experience small, but positive rates of economic growth in 2020, it said. The IMF in its recent report argued that recovery of the global economy could be weaker than projected as a result of lingering uncertainty about possible contagion, lack of confidence, and permanent closure of businesses and shifts in the behaviour of firms and household, the CRS said. -- PTI
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08:53   US should end reliance on China: Haley
The coronavirus pandemic has underscored the need for the United States to move away from its reliance on communist China, Indian American Republican politician Nikki Haley said on Tuesday. 

"While Beijing has abused the free market in order to destroy it, America must harness the free market to protect our freedom and national security," Haley, a former Governor of South Carolina and US Ambassador to the United Nations said in an op-ed on Medium. 

The United States, she said, should start by setting up stronger guardrails to prevent China from exploiting America's economic openness and punish it for its predatory actions. 

"It involves pushing back against Beijing's manipulation of international forums like the World Trade Organization. It means ensuring that our most important security-related industries -- from essential medicine to semiconductors -- have American-friendly supply chains, instead of depending on an authoritarian rival state," she wrote. 

Americans, she wrote, have always understood that national security is the foundation of economic security. "As we strive to come through the coronavirus crisis stronger and safer, we must courageously and creatively act to protect our people from Chinese communist duplicity and aggression,' she added. 

Haley suggested that the US should adopt an approach similar to the Cold War times, when it crafted new policies to check Soviet military technological progress, which included export control and trade promotion. 

"Now, it's time to take a similar approach with Communist China. The coronavirus pandemic has shown just how dependent we are on that country for vital medical supplies, from specific drugs to much-needed personal protective equipment. This crisis is as dangerous as the coronavirus itself, and addressing it should be one of our top priorities," she wrote. 

The US Ambassador to the United Nations said the country's reliance on China for medical supplies was clear from the early stages of the pandemic as people rushed to purchase masks, gloves and hospitals tried to stock up on everything they needed, resulting in shortages. -- PTI
The new mother on the train
The new mother on the train
08:50   Migrant headed to Bihar gives birth on train
A migrant woman, who was going from Gujarat's Surat to Sitamarhi in Bihar, gave birth to a child on a train on Tuesday. Both the mother and the child are doing well. A doctor, who attended her at the Danapur Railway Station, said, "The child was delivered with the help of passengers. We clamped the baby's umbilical cord when the train stopped here. Both the mother and child are healthy." 

Meanwhile, the lockdown, imposed as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19, has been extended till May 31. 
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08:43   World carbon pollution falls 17% due to Lockdowns
The coronavirus-triggered lockdown has led to a steep fall in global carbon emissions by 17 per cent in early April as compared to 2019 levels with India's emissions dropping by 26 per cent, according to a study. 
 
An international study published in the UK-based journal National Climate Change showed that the world experienced a sharp decline in carbon emissions between January and April, compared to average levels in 2019, and could decline anywhere between 4.4 per cent to 8 per cent by the end of this year. 
"That figure would mark the largest annual decrease in carbon emissions since World War II," researchers said
The study confirmed that the impact of the confinement on annual emissions in 2020 is likely to lead to the largest single annual decrease in absolute emissions since the end of World War II. 
Besides India, other countries like the UK and the US reduced 30.7 per cent and 31.6 per cent emissions, respectively. 

In China, the emissions reduced by 23.9 per cent, the study revealed.
"The first peer-reviewed analysis of the drop in carbon emissions during the COVID-19 lockdown has shown that daily emissions decreased by 17 per cent or 17 million tonnes of carbon dioxide globally during the peak of the confinement on April 7, dropping to levels last observed in 2006. 
"Emissions from land transport accounted for almost half (43 per cent) of the decrease, while power generation accounted for 19 per cent, industry for 25 per cent and aviation for 10 per cent," it said.
The authors tested for three scenarios of easing out of the lockdown later this year, and found that the world could be on course for a 4-7 per cent drop in the total emissions by the end of 2020. 
"The UNEP report says decreases in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 2.7 per cent per year are needed to keep warming well below 2 degrees Celsius and 7.6 per cent per year to keep below 1.5 degrees Celsius. 
"But the decrease in emissions this year will not do much to impact climate change, as it is extremely small compared to the emissions accumulated so far, and compared to the emissions cuts needed to tackle climate change," the study said.
The authors warn that the rush for economic stimulus packages must not make future emissions higher by delaying new green deals or weakening emissions standards, and COP26 remains a vital milestone in this effort. -- PTI
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08:16   HCQ a 'line of defence' against COVID-19: Trump
United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended his taking antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a 'line of defence' against coronavirus.  
   
"I think it's worth it as a line of defence and I'll stay on it for a little while longer. I'm just very curious myself, but it seems to be very safe," Trump told reporters at the White House, a day after he disclosed that he has been taking the drug to ward off the deadly infection.
 
The US president said the drug has gotten a bad reputation only because 'he was promoting it'.
 
"So, I am obviously a very bad promoter. If anybody else were promoting it, they would say this is the greatest thing ever," he said.
 
"It is a very powerful drug I guess but it doesn't harm you and so I thought as a frontline defence, possibly it would be good, and I have had no impact from it," Trump said, adding that the antimalaria drug has received tremendous reviews from doctors all over the world.
 
There have been some great studies about it in countries like Italy, France and Spain and doctors in the US have been very positive about it, he claimed.
 
"Many doctors came out and said it's great," he said.
 
"I have a doctor in the White House. I said what do you think? And it's just a line of defence," he said, adding that the drug was inexpensive.
 
Trump alleged that a recent study on Veteran Affairs patients was inaccurate and the drug was given to those who were on the verge of dying.
 
"There was a false study done where they gave it to very sick people, extremely sick people, people that were ready to die. It was given by obviously not friends of the administration and the study came out, the people were ready to die. Everybody was old, had bad problems with hearts, diabetes and everything else you can imagine," he said.
 
"So, they gave it. So, immediately when it came out, they gave a lot of false information," Trump said.
 
Separately in an interview, Vice-President Mike Pence said he is not taking hydroxychloroquine.
 
"I'm not. But I would never begrudge any American taking the advice of their physician," he said. -- PTI
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00:50   Amphan: Migrant trains to WB, Odisha cancelled
As a precautionary measure in the backdrop of 'Amphan' cyclone, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced that three Shramik Special trains for West Bengal and Odisha have been cancelled till May 21.

These trains were to carry migrant workers to West Bengal and Odisha which are expected to be hit by super cyclone 'Amphan' on Wednesday.

The Maharashtra government has received approval form its counterparts in West Bengal and Odisha to send trains in the next couple of days.

"It was planned to send one train to West Bengal and two trains to coastal Odisha but as we learned about the severity of tropical cyclone Amphan, it was decided to cancel these trains," said Parag Jain, secretary in the state's social justice department.

Each Shramik train carries on an average 1,500 to 1,600 passengers.

"However, we have now appealed to labourers not to rush to any train stations," he said.

Further announcement regarding running these trains will be taken after assessing the weather and other necessary conditions, Jain said.  -- PTI

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