Nirmala Sitharaman on Economic Package LIVE Updates: FM to announce fourth tranche of Rs 20-lakh-crore relief package shortly
15:59 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
2. Rs 10,000 crore scheme for micro food enterprises.
3. Rs 20,000 crore allocation for fisheries
4. Rs 15,000 crore for animal husbandry infrastructure
5. Amendment to the Essential Commodities Act
15:54 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttarakhand Latest Updates
Uttarakhand reports 88 COVID-19 cases
Six new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Uttarakhand, taking the total number of cases to 88 including 51 recoveries. Number of active cases stands at 36 said the Uttarakhand Health Department.
15:53 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Nirmala Sitharaman to announce fourth tranche of economic package shortly
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to announce the the fourth tranche of the economic package at 4 pm.
15:47 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
98 BSF personnel, who earlier tested positive, now discharged
As many as 98 BSF personnel who had earlier tested positive for COVID-19 were discharged on Saturday after their reports for the novel coronavirus came negative, the BSF tweeted.
15:11 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Delhi Latest Updates
Delhi registers 438 new COVID-19 cases, six deaths
As many as 438 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in Delhi, according to the latest bulletin by the state government. Over 406 recoveries and six fatalities were also reported on Saturday.
14:56 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Tamil Nadu Latest Updates
Tamil Nadu CM urges migrant workers to not leave for hometowns, assures state to provide travel expenses
Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami asked migrant workers in the state to not leave for their home states or towns on their own. He further said that the state government will take care of their travel expenses.
14:51 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Karnataka Latest Updates
Karnataka's COVID-19 recovery rate at 45.8%
Of the total 1,079 confirmed cases in Karnataka, as many as 494 COVID-19 patients have been discharged till now, thereby taking the recovery rate to 45.8 percent on Saturday, according to the latest data relaesed by the state health department.
14:40 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Bihar Latest Updates
Bihar govt says only containment areas must be declared red zones
In its recommendations to the prime minister on easing restrictions of the coronavirus-induced lockdown, the Bihar government suggested that only containment zones should be declared as Red Zones, according to sources.
District administration should have powers to declare a particular area as 'Red Zone' not the entire district. This would help reopening activities in other green zone and orange zone of that district.
14:30 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Madhya Pradesh Latest Updates
Video on Twitter shows plight of migrants at Jabalpur station; workers break into food stall for water
A video emerged on Twitter on Saturday showing migrant workers returning from Mumbai to Bihar's Darbhanga breaking into a food stall at the Jabalpur railway station for water. Firstpost could not independently verify the video.
The Centre recently announced an economic package for the migrant workers but experts are skeptic of how much of this relief will actually reach the migrant workers.
भूख और प्यास 👇
— Milind Khandekar (@milindkhandekar) May 16, 2020
मुंबई से दरभंगा ट्रेन जा रहे थे
ये जबलपुर स्टेशन का वीडियो है
pic.twitter.com/nzXgiD63x4
14:15 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
GoM recommends SOPs for migrant labourers returning home, calls for welfare fund at times of distress
A Union Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting over COVID-19 listed out set of recommendations on 'Skill Development and Employment Generation in COVID-19 crisis'. The recommendations came in the wake of the migrant crisis unfolding on India’s street, as thousands set off on a risky walk to their native states from the cities they work in.
In the SOPs, the group of ministers have called for an inclusion of migrant workers in the formalised economy with access to social security protection, standard operating procedures for their safety, a migrant worker welfare fund to aid them in distress and an employment exchange to ensure better salaries and job protection.
It also advised a district-level authority to address their grievances.
Chaired by minister for social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot, the GoM has recommended that EPF and ESIC may be opened up for the unorganised workers.
It also said that every worker be automatically enrolled in Ayushman Bharat and be able to access cashless medical facilities in the place of work.
A GoM recommends steps for #MigrantWorkers 👇🏼
— Anubhuti Vishnoi (@anubhutivishnoi) May 16, 2020
- SOP for incentivising return of workers, for assisting those returning home
- Migrant Worker Welfare fund to aid them in distress
- National employment exchange to register every skilled/unskilled worker
https://t.co/ff2gKukxtQ
14:08 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Italy Latest Updates
Italy to allow travel to and from abroad from 3 June
Italy’s government on Saturday approved a decree which will allow travel to and from abroad from 3 June, in a major development as it moves to unwind one of the world’s most rigid coronavirus lockdowns.
The government will allow free travel across the country from that same day. Some regions had pushed for a swifter rollback, but Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has insisted on a gradual return to normal to prevent a second wave of infections.
13:41 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
MHA asks States to ensure no migrant labourers walk on road or rail tracks, facilitate their return through Shramik trains or buses
The Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla asked chief secretaries of all States urging them to ensure migrant labourers are not walking on roads or railway tracks and facilitate their return to home states through special buses or Shramik special trains, Live Law reported.
"Government has allowed the movement of migrant workers by buses and 'Shramik' special trains to enable them to travel to their native places. It is now the responsibility of States and Union Territories to ensure the movement of stranded migrant workers who are willing to go to their home States is facilitated," Ajay Bhalla wrote in the letter.
In the letter, Bhalla noted that despite the Ministry's earlier advise to State/UT authorities to appropriately counsel migrants walking on roads and provide them with food, water and shelter, thousands of them were still seen walking on roads, railway tracks and travelling in trucks in different parts of the country.
13:17 (IST)
Coronavirus in Assam Latest Update
Assam reports two new cases related to Aloo Godam case
Two more persons, related to the Fancy Bazaar case, were tested positive for coronavirus in Guwahati, taking the state's total to 91. Two deaths have been reported
As of Friday, 15 new cases relating to a single person, who used to work in a potato warehouse on the outskirts of Guwahati as well as a hotel in the city, were tested positive for COVID-19. The warehouse worker found to be positive on Monday, after which the warehouse and hotel were sealed and declared containment zones.
13:05 (IST)
Coronavirus in Karnataka Latest Update
23 new cases reported in Karnataka
Karnataka reported 23 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the total number of infections in the state to 1,079. The active cases in the state stand at 548, while 36 deaths were reported.
13:03 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak Latest Update
3 CISF personnel test positive in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata
In the last 24 hours, three CISF personnel tested positive for coronavirus. While one personnel was posted at the Mumbai airport, the others were with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and GRSEL Kolkata.
The total number of cases among the force across the country is now at 118, with 4 personnel having recovered. The highest number of CISF personnel to test positive were at GRSEL Kolkata (40). followed by Mumbai airport (35) and DMRC (28).
12:56 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak Latest Update
Govt should give money to poor, not behave like 'money lender': Rahul Gandhi
Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the economic stimulus package announced by the Centre, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that he should consider direct bank transfer, MGNREGA for 200 days and sending money to farmers directly.
"The government shouldn't act like a money lender for its children by giving credit. It should put money into accounts of poor," he said. He added that if demand is not generated, the country will suffer a bigger loss economically than from coronavirus. "I have heard that the reason behind not giving money is ratings. It is being said that if we increase our deficit today, the foreign agencies will downgrade our ratings, Gandhi said.
He also stressed the need to lift the lockdown "intelligently without sacrificing old, vulnerable people" to coronavirus.
12:42 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Update
33-year-old policeman succumbs to COVID-19
A 33-year-old assistant police inspector died in Mumbai, making it the eighth death of a cop recorded in the city. So far, 11 policemen across Maharashtra have succumbed to the coronavirus.
The policeman's death comes after the demise of 57-year-old police official, who was attached with the motor transport department, owing to COVID-19 complications.
1,140 Maharashtra Police personnel have been infected with COVID-19, including 862 active cases and 268 recoveries.
12:34 (IST)
Coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh Latest Update
Andhra Pradesh reports 48 cases in 24 hours
Andhra Pradesh reported 48 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the state's total to 2,205. The figure includes 803 active cases, 49 deaths and 1,353 cured persons.
12:32 (IST)
Coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh Latest Update
Five migrant workers killed in accident near Banda
Five migrant labourers died when a truck carrying them met with an accident near Madhya Pradesh's Banda. A police official told ANI that the migrant workers were travelling from Maharashtra to Uttar Pradesh.
12:13 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates
Policeman dies of COVID-19 in Mumbai; 10th cop to die in Maharashtra
A 57-year-old police official died of COVID-19 in Mumbai on Friday, an official release said. The official, attached to the Motor Transport Department, had been sent on leave for the last 15 days in view of the raging pandemic as he was considered to be in the high-risk age group.
So far, the coronavirus pandemic has claimed lives of 10 police personnel in Maharashtra — seven in Mumbai and one each in Nashik, Pune and Solapur.
- PTI
11:59 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Yogi Adityanath announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for kin of victims, Rs 50,000 for those injured in Auraiya accident
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to the families of the migrant workers who were killed in the accident in Auraiya and Rs 50,000 to those who suffered from major injures.
The SHOs of Fatehpur Sikri (Agra) and Kosi Kalan (Mathura) have been suspended with immediate effect on directions from the chief minister
Those who have sustained serious injuries have been taken to PGI Saifai for treatment, while others have been admitted to a hospital in Auraiya.
Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath holds a meeting with officials over Auraiya accident. At least 19 people have been injured in the accident which took place today morning. pic.twitter.com/5f2KzcPPU9
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 16, 2020
11:48 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Yogi Adityanath conducts meeting over Auraiya accident
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath conducted a meeting with officials over the truck accident in Auraiya that left at least 24 migrant labourers dead and several others injured.
11:16 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Modi condoles death of migrant workers in Auraiya
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the deaths of 24 migrant workers in Uttar Pradesh's Auraiya on Saturday morning after two trucks collided, leaving several injured.
"The road accident in Auraiya of Uttar Pradesh is very tragic. The government is busy in relief work. I express my condolences to the families of those killed in this accident, as well as wish the injured as soon as possible," tweeted Modi.
11:08 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Nirmala Sitharaman likely to announce relief plans for tourism, aviation sector
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's press conference at 4 pm announcing details of the fourth tranche of finacial stimulus package is likely to focus on economic relief plans for the tourism and aviation sector, News18 reported.
11:04 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Odisha Latest Updates
Odisha reports 737 COVID-19 cases after 65 more test positive
After 65 more people tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Odisha, the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state climbed to 737 on Saturday till 9 am, said the health department. The toll remained at three so far.
Of the total 737, there are 568 active cases in the state. While, 166 COVID-19 patients have been discharged till now, taking the recovery rate in the state to 22.5 percent.
10:58 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
INS Jalashwa departs from Malé for Kochi with 588 Indians on board
Indian Naval Ship INS Jalashwa left Male port in Maldives for Kochi with 588 Indian citizens on board on Saturday morning. The exercise to repatriate Indian nationals from foreign shores by sea is part of phase two of operation Samudra Setu.
INS Jalashwa departs from Malé, Maldives with 588 Indian citizens on board as part of the Phase-2 of #OperationSamudraSetu: Indian Navy pic.twitter.com/x6A9R5IoVA
— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2020
10:49 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Tripura Latest Updates
625 more COVID-19 samples tested in Tripura: CM
Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb said that at least 625 more COVID-19 samples have been tested in the state. Of the total samples, 11 individuals tested positive for COVID-19.
"Seven people from 86-Bn BSF and 4 civilian from Churaibari Gate (2 drivers from other state, 2 people returned from Guwahati). All the positive patients are under proper medical care," said the chief minister.
625 samples have been tested for #COVID19 and among them 11 persons found #COVID19 POSITIVE.7 people from 86-Bn BSF & 4 civilian from Churaibari Gate ( 2 driver from other state, 2 people returned from Guwahati ).
— Biplab Kumar Deb (@BjpBiplab) May 16, 2020
All the POSITIVE patients are under proper medical care.
10:45 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Tripura Latest Updates
11 more test positive in Tripura bringing confirmed cases in state to 167
Eleven more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura, including seven BSF jawans from the 86th battalion of BSF unit in Ambassa under Dhalai district and four civilians from Churaibari gate under North Tripura district.
Taking to Twitter, chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb announced the development.
With this, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Tripura now stood at 167, of which 159 cases have been reported in BSF units in Ambassa, where the first case was reported on 2 May.
10:40 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
India among seven countries to conduct over 2 million COVID-19 tests: NITI Aayog CEO
NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said that India's test-positivity rate (TPR), which is the ratio of positive cases to the total tests conducted, is just at 4 percent while USA's TPR was at 14 percent.
"Since 20 March, our testing has grown by 100 times. Also, India is one of the only seven countries to have crossed two million tests. Focus on high case load cities," he said.
10:00 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Akhilesh Yadav asks BJP govt in UP to 'take moral responsibility of Auraiya accident'
Slamming the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh under Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "Taking moral responsibility, the ruthless BJP government should give an amount of Rs 10 lakh per deceased person."
He further said that his party will provide an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh to the family of each labourer deceased in the state.
09:53 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Rajnath Singh condoles death of labourers in Auraiya tragedy
Defence minister Rajnath Sigh condoled the death of the 24 migrant labourers who were killed in Auraiya in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. "I express my condolences to the families of those who died in Auraiya. Also the workers who were injured in the accident," tweeted Singh.
The labourers were killed after the truck they were travelling in from Rajasthan collided with a DCM van coming from Delhi early on Saturday.
09:44 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
US to donate ventilators to India: Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump has announced that America will donate ventilators to India, moments after he underlined the close partnership between the two countries and called Prime Minister Narendra Modi his "good friend".
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India crossed 85,000 on Friday, surpassing China's count of 82,933.
09:40 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Incidents like Auraiya mishap not an accident but, killings: Akhilesh Yadav
Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav remarked on the incident in Auraiya district in Uttar Pradesh that killed 24 migrant workers, saying that such cases are "not accidents, but killings."
"Let's see for how long heartless people and their supporters who have kept quiet despite knowing everything and seeing everything will justify this neglect," Yadav tweeted.
उप्र के औरैया में सड़क हादसे में 24 से भी अधिक ग़रीब प्रवासी मज़दूरों की मौत पर अवर्णनीय दुख. घायलों के लिए दुआएँ.
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) May 16, 2020
सब कुछ जानकर... सब कुछ देखकर भी... मौन धारण करनेवाले हृदयहीन लोग और उनके समर्थक देखें कब तक इस उपेक्षा को उचित ठहराते हैं.
ऐसे हादसे मृत्यु नहीं हत्या हैं.
09:17 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Yogi Adityanath expresses condolences to kin of victims of Auraiya mishap
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences to the families of the migrant labourers who lost their lives in the road accident in Auraiya district's Mihauli region after two trucks collided early on Saturday.
"Instructions have also been given to provide all possible relief to the victims, to provide proper treatment to the injured and to promptly investigate the accident," tweeted Adityanath.
जनपद औरैया में सड़क दुर्घटना में प्रवासी कामगारों/श्रमिकों की मृत्यु दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण एवं दुःखद है, मेरी संवेदनाएं मृतकों के शोक संतप्त परिजनों के साथ हैं।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) May 16, 2020
पीड़ितों को हर संभव राहत प्रदान करने,घायलों का समुचित उपचार कराने व दुर्घटना की त्वरित जांच करवाने के निर्देश भी दिए गए हैं।
09:09 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in West Bengal Latest Updates
Active cases in West Bengal soar to 1,407 after 84 more test positive
The number of active cases in West Bengal climbed to to 1,407, with at least 84 more individuals testing positive for COVID-19, the department said its bulletin on Friday.
The total number of confirmed cases in the state is now at 2,461.
09:06 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in West Bengal Latest Updates
10 new COVID-19 deaths in West Bengal take toll to 153
With 10 more COVID-19 patients succumbing to the viral infection in West Bengal in the past 24 hours, the toll in the state climbed to 153, according to a health bulletin released on Friday.
Of the total, five were reported in Kolkata, three in North 24 Parganas district and two in Howrah, it said.
08:25 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
DCM van colliding with truck in Auraiya was coming from Delhi
According to the Uttar Pradesh Police, the trailer truck carrying the migrant workers killed in Auraiya road accident, was coming from Rajasthan. The truck had collided with a DCM van coming from Delhi.
08:03 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Migrants injured in Auraiya road accident admitted to Safai PGI, says Chief Medical Officer
24 people were brought dead, 22 have been admitted & 15 who were critically injured have been referred to Saifai PGI. They were going to Bihar & Jharkhand from Rajasthan: Archana Srivastava, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Auraiya https://t.co/YKsoS6Jit6 pic.twitter.com/W9FZKYvjHl
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 16, 2020
08:01 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
24 migrant labourers killed in Auraiya road accident: Chief Medical Officer
At least 24 migrant workers were brought dead, 22 have been admitted and 15 who were injured have been referred to the Saifai Medical College hospital. They were going to Bihar and Jharkhand from Rajasthan, said Archana Srivastava, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Auraiya.
07:58 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Migrant workers killed in Auraiya road accident were headed to Jharkhand and Bihar
The truck in which the migrant labourers, killed in Auraiya road accident in Uttar Pradesh, were travelling in collided with a lorry in the wee hours of Saturday. The injured have been shifted to Saifai Medical College hospital.
Reports suggest that the workers were going to Jharkhand and Bihar from Rajasthan.
07:50 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Over 20 migrant workers killed in road accident in Uttar Pradesh's Auraiya
More than 20 migrant labourers were killed and dozens were left injured after the truck they were travelling in collided with another in Auraiya of Uttar Pradesh early on Saturday, news agency ANI reported.
"The incident took place at around 3.30am. Twenty-three people have died and around 15-20 have suffered injuries. Most of them are from Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal," Abhishek Singh, Auraiya's district magistrate, was quoted as saying by ANI.
Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: Karnataka reported 23 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the total number of infections in the state to 1,079. The active cases in the state stand at 548, while 36 deaths were reported.
Of the total 1,079 confirmed cases in Karnataka, as many as 494 COVID-19 patients have been discharged till now, thereby taking the recovery rate to 45.8 percent on Saturday, according to the latest data released by the state health department.
The Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla asked chief secretaries of all States urging them to ensure migrant labourers are not walking on roads or railway tracks and facilitate their return to home states through special buses or Shramik special trains, Live Law reported.
"Government has allowed the movement of migrant workers by buses and 'Shramik' special trains to enable them to travel to their native places. It is now the responsibility of States and Union Territories to ensure the movement of stranded migrant workers who are willing to go to their home States is facilitated," Ajay Bhalla wrote in the letter.
In the letter, Bhalla noted that despite the Ministry's earlier advise to State/UT authorities to appropriately counsel migrants walking on roads and provide them with food, water and shelter, thousands of them were still seen walking on roads, railway tracks and travelling in trucks in different parts of the country.
Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the economic stimulus package announced by the Centre, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that he should consider direct bank transfer, MGNREGA for 200 days and sending money to farmers directly.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to the families of the migrant workers who were killed in the accident in Auraiya and Rs 50,000 to those who suffered from major injures.
The SHOs of Fatehpur Sikri (Agra) and Kosi Kalan (Mathura) have been suspended with immediate effect on directions from the chief minister
Those who have sustained serious injuries have been taken to PGI Saifai for treatment, while others have been admitted to a hospital in Auraiya.
Indian Naval Ship INS Jalashwa left Male port in Maldives for Kochi with 588 Indian citizens on board on Saturday morning. The exercise to repatriate Indian nationals from foreign shores by sea is part of phase two of operation Samudra Setu.
NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said that India's test-positivity rate (TPR), which is the ratio of positive cases to the total tests conducted, is just at 4 percent while USA's TPR was at 14 percent.
"Since 20 March, our testing has grown by 100 times. Also, India is one of the only seven countries to have crossed two million tests. Focus on high case load cities," he said.
Slamming the Uttar Pradesh government over Auraiya accident, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that the state government must take moral responsibility for the mishap and offer an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each to families of victims.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed that all the injured in the Auraiya accident be provided medical care immediately. He has instructed the commissioner and IG Kanpur to visit the site and give the report on the cause of the accident immediately.
"Instructions have also been given to provide all possible relief to the victims, to provide proper treatment to the injured and to promptly investigate the accident," tweeted Adityanath.
At least 24 migrant workers were brought dead, 22 have been admitted and 15 who were injured have been referred to the Saifai Medical College hospital. They were going to Bihar and Jharkhand from Rajasthan, said Archana Srivastava, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Auraiya.
More than 20 migrant labourers were killed and dozens were left injured after the truck they were travelling in collided with another in Auraiya of Uttar Pradesh early on Saturday.
"The incident took place at around 3.30am. Twenty-three people have died and around 15-20 have suffered injuries. Most of them are from Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal," Abhishek Singh, Auraiya's district magistrate, was quoted as saying by ANI.
India registered an increase of 100 deaths and 3,967 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours since Thursday morning with confirmed cases reaching 81,970 and fatalities from the novel coronavirus now at 2,649, according to health ministry, even as indications emerged about greater relaxations in the fourth phase of the lockdown beginning Monday while the Centre announced fresh measures to ease economic burden of the pandemic.
There are more than 51,000 active cases, while nearly 28,000 have recovered, giving a recovery rate of over 34 percent, the ministry said.
However, going by the numbers declared by different states and Union territories, and a tally maintained by news agency PTI, India seems to have 85,538 cases as of 9 pm Friday, surpassing China's official tally of 82,933 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday.
Based on the PTI figures, India is now the 11th most affected nation in the world, but each one of the top-ten have one lakh or more cases.
The US tops the charts with more than 14 lakh cases, followed by Russia, UK, Spain, Italy and Brazil with over 2 lakh cases each; and France, Germany, Turkey and Iran having over 1 lakh cases each.
COVID-19 figures from states
On Friday, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Karnataka breached the 1,000-mark in terms of the number of people having tested positive, while testing and containment measures were ramped up in places like, Kerala, Goa and Manipur that were being seen as being mostly virus-free till a few days back. Even a quarantine centre had to be sealed in Manipur.
On the other hand, large numbers of cases continued to get detected in big urban clusters. Maharashtra, the most-affected state, reported 1,576 new cases to take its tally to 29,100, while its death toll rose to 1,068.
In Mumbai, one of the worst-hit cities in Maharashtra and the country, the facilities at the Wankhede Stadium are likely to be used for COVID-19 containment.
Tamil Nadu crossed the 10,000 mark with 434 new cases, while Gujarat saw 340 more people testing positive to push its tally to 9,932.
Of the 100 deaths reported since Thursday morning, 44 were in Maharashtra, 20 in Gujarat, 9 in Delhi, 8 in West Bengal, five each in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, four in Rajasthan, two each in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and one in Andhra Pradesh.
Of the 2,649 fatalities, Maharashtra tops tally with 1,019 deaths, Gujarat comes second with 586 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 237, West Bengal at 215, Rajasthan at 125, Delhi at 115, Uttar Pradesh at 88,Tamil Nadu at 66 and Andhra Pradesh at 48.
The death toll reached 35 in Karnataka, 34 Telangana and 32 in Punjab.
Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir have reported 11 fatalities each due to the disease while Bihar has registered seven and Kerala has reported four deaths.
Jharkhand, Chandigarh and Odisha have recorded three COVID-19 fatalities each while Himachal Pradesh and Assam have reported two deaths each.
Meghalaya, Uttarakhand and Puducherry have reported one fatality each, according to the ministry data.
More than 70 percent of the deaths are due to comorbidities (existence of multiple disorders), according to the ministry.
Meanwhile, according to the Union Health Ministry, 30 municipal areas account for 79 percent of India's coronavirus infection caseload.
At a meeting of a group of ministers chaired by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, it was stressed that the focus of COVID-19 management strategy needs to be on the states with the highest number of confirmed cases and fatalities. Also, focus is needed on treatment and case fatality management, for which timely detection and contact tracing were the best way forward.
Centre focuses on agriculture in third tranche of stimulus
The Finance Ministry in the meantime unveiled the third booster dose aimed at helping the agriculture sector and those involved in allied activities tide through the pandemic.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a Rs 1.63 lakh crore outlay, of which, the government will provide Rs 1 lakh crore for the agri infrastructure fund while a Rs 10,000 crore fund will support two lakh Micro Food Enterprises (MFEs) for promoting health and wellness, herbal, organic and nutritional products.
Further, a Rs 15,000 crore Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund has been announced to support private investment in dairy processing, value addition and cattle feed infrastructure.
The govt also said that it will be amending the stringent Essential Commodities Act to remove cereals, edible oil, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potato from its purview.
Also, a new law will be framed to give farmers the option to choose the market where they want to sell their produce by removing inter-state trade barriers and providing e-trading of agriculture produce.
Modi said the third tranche will help the rural economy and boost farmers' income.
However, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, howver, slammed the finance minister's plan, saying the Narendra Modi government has not put a single penny in pocket of farmers or farm labourers through the package.
"One thing is absolutely clear that the so-called Rs 20-lakh crore economic package has proved to be a jumla package. It reflects the 'voodoo' economics being followed by the prime minister and the finance minister," Surjewala said at a press conference through video-conferencing.
Surjewala said the farmers have lost Rs 21,000 crore by distress sale of wheat far below the minimum support price (MSP) and an equal amount through other crops like chana, sarson and masoor, while anoher Rs 10,000 crore was lost through distress sale of vegetables and fruits.
"Neither farmers nor farm labourers will benefit from these jumla announcements of the finance minister. Today, farmers and farm workers are frustrated and disappointed," he said.
States favour relaxations in non-containment zones
Though a final decision is yet to be taken on the fourth phase of lockdown, state governments seem to be in favour of more relaxations in restrictions and for scaling up economic activities in non-containment coronavirus zones.
According to PTI, officials said there could be greater relaxations and more flexibility for states and Union territories while measures being explored include gradual reopening of the railways and domestic airlines.
During his last interaction with chief ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked them to submit their suggestions by 15 May.
According to officials, Punjab, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam and Telangana want the lockdown to continue, while some states have sought powers to decide the zoning of districts — green, orange and red — as per the COVID-19 situation.
Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka are among some states which are not in favour of complete resumption of train and air services, at least till May-end.
The railways have already started special trains to 15 destinations from Delhi and have been running several hundred 'shramik special' trains from different parts of the country. Air India is also engaged in evacuation of thousands of Indians stranded abroad during the lockdown under the 'Vande Bharat Mission'. Meanwhile, the AAI issued guidelines for domestic passengers to follow while using flight services.
However, there have been cases of people testing positive after reaching their native places using these trains and flights.
Final guidelines will be issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after going through the suggestions of various state governments.
SC dismisses PIL seeking relief for migrants
The Supreme Court which has postponed its summer vacation by five weeks, was in the news on Friday after a bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao and comprising Justices SK Kaul and BR Gavai, dismissed two PILs related to the COVID-19 situation.
While one PIL sought closure of liquor shops across the country, the other sought to provide food, water and travel for migrants stranded across India due to lockdown.
"How can we stop them from walking?" the bench said stating that it was impossible for the court to monitor who is walking and who is not.
The bench added that it was up to the state governments to take necessary action to dissuade migrant workers from walking from state to state.
"Let the state decide. Why should the court hear or decide?" the court said on Friday.
The SC's dismissal came even as more reports came to surface of migrants walking to their homes. In one such visual, a migrant mother was seen pulling a suitcase while her child slept half hung on it.
As for the PIL seeking closure of liquor shops citing violation of social distancing norms, the bench dimissed it as well, observing that it has been filed only for publicity.
With inputs from agencies
from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2LyD9Ka
FP Staff
Comments
Post a Comment