Archives for May 2021

NEW DELHI: Following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacking the Union government over its Central Vista project terming it “criminal wastage”, Union urban affairs minister Hardeep Puri on Friday said that Congress’s discourse on Central Vista is “bizarre”. 

“Congress’s discourse on Central Vista is bizarre. Cost of Central Vista is about Rs 20,000 crore, over several years. GoI has allocated nearly twice that amount for vaccination! India’s healthcare budget for this year was over Rs 3 lakh crore. We know our priorities,” the minister asserted in a series of tweets. 

“Moreover, only projects for New Parliament Building & Central Vista Avenue have been awarded at an estimated cost of Rs 862 crore & Rs 477 crore respectively till now. As I said, there are many components in Central Vista project which are spread over several years,” the minister tweeted. 

“While Central Vista is not new, see Congress’ hypocrisy. Congress & its allies are splurging on a new MLA hostel in Maharashtra & building a new Assembly in Chhattisgarh. If this is fine, what is the problem with Central Vista?” Puri said 

“During UPA, Congress leaders wrote about the need for a new parliament. The Speaker in 2012 wrote a letter to Urban Development Ministry for the same. And now they have the gall to oppose the same project?,” the minister added. 

Union minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat said, “While the world recognises our efforts to stand up to the challenges, the Congress is desperate to  dismiss India’s mammoth efforts.” 

MUMBAI: Actor Kangana Ranaut on Saturday said she has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and is under home quarantine.

The 34-year-old actor, whose Twitter account was permanently suspended for repeated violations of rules earlier this week, shared her diagnosis on Instagram.

“I was feeling tired and weak with slight burning sensation in my eyes for past few days, was hoping to go to Himachal so got my test done yesterday and today the result came I am covid positive.

“I have quarantined myself, I had no idea this virus is having a party in my body,” she wrote.

Terming COVID-19 a “small time flu”, Ranaut said she is determined to “destroy” the virus from her body.

“…Now that I know I will demolish it, people please don’t give anything any power over you, if you are scared it will scare you more, come let’s destroy this Covid -19 it is nothing but a small time flu which got too much press and now psyching few people,” she added.

Bhopal: After facing defeat in Damoh Assembly bypoll in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP’s state unit has issued a show-cause notice to former minister Jayant Malaiya for indulging in “anti-party activities” and suspended the primary membership of his son and five mandal presidents, a party functionary said on Saturday.

The Congress on Sunday retained the Damoh Assembly seat with the party candidate Ajay Tandon defeating his former colleague and nearest BJP rival Rahul Singh Lodhi by a margin of 17,097 votes.

Lodhi had later alleged that “massive internal sabotage” by Malaiya (74) and others had led to his defeat.

Talking about the action taken against them, state BJP media in-charge Lokendra Parashar said, “As per the directives of MP BJP president V D Sharma, the party’s state unit on Friday served a show-cause notice to former minister Jayant Malaiya, seeking clarification for the anti-party activities during Damoh bypoll.”

The party also suspended the primary membership of its five mandal presidents and convenor of the party’s district Prashikshan Prakosht (training cell) Siddharth Malaiya (son of Jayant Malaiya), he said.

According to Parashar, the action was taken for their alleged involvement in anti-party activities during the bypoll, for which polling was held on April 17 and the votes were counted on May 2.

The bypoll was necessitated after Lodhi left the Congress and joined the BJP late last year.

For his bypoll defeat, Lodhi had held Jayant Malaiya and his family responsible.

Union minister Prahlad Patel, who represents Damoh Lok Sabha seat, had also blamed “conspiracies” of insiders for the party’s defeat in the Damoh bypoll.

Jayant Malaiya, who was a BJP MLA for several terms from the area earlier, had stayed away from the bypoll campaign, sources said, adding that there were several local leaders in the party who were upset over Lodhi joining it.

In the 2018 assembly polls, Lodhi had defeated Malaiya. At that time, Lodhi was with the Congress.

State Home minister Narottam Mishra had also said that the BJP lost the Damoh seat “due to our own Jaichands”.

It is a common reference for an insider who betrays, the term coming from the role played by Jaichand who back- stabbed Prithviraj Chauhan in the latter’s fight against invader Muhammad Ghori in the 12th century.

New Delhi: The Income Tax Department has issued a notification allowing hospitals and nursing homes to accept cash payments of Rs 2 lakh and more for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which frames policy for the department, issued the notification on Friday.

It said hospitals, dispensaries, nursing homes, COVID care centres or similar other medical facilities providing COVID-19 treatment to patients are being “specified for the purpose of section 269ST of the Income Tax Act”.

This section restricts any person from receiving an amount of Rs 2 lakh or more in cash, from a person in a day, in respect of a single transaction or in respect of transactions relating to one event or occasion from a person.

It was introduced by the Union government in 2017 as a measure to curb black money.

The notification said the latest provision is being made for a period between April 1-May 31 “on obtaining the PAN or Aadhaar of the patient and the payee and the relationship between the patient and the payee” by such hospitals or COVID care centres.

Officials said the move was aimed to remove the hardship being faced by relatives and caregivers of COVID-19 patients who visit hospitals for treatment.

The country is grappling with the onslaught of a massive COVID-19 wave with a record 4,187 deaths and 4,01,078 new infections being reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Saturday.

New Delhi: Former India hockey player and a member of the 1980 Moscow Olympics-winning side, Ravider Pal Singh, died on Saturday morning in Lucknow after battling COVID-19 for nearly two weeks.

He was 65.

Singh was admitted at the Vivekananda Hospital on April 24 after contracting the deadly virus.

According to family sources, Singh had recovered from the virus and was shifted to non-COVID ward on Thursday after testing negative.

But his condition suddenly deteriorated on Friday and he was put on a ventilator.

Singh, who also played at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, did not get married and is survived by a niece, Pragya Yadav. Singh also played in the 1979 Junior World Cup and took voluntary retirement from State Bank of India after quitting hockey.

Born in Sitapur, Singh excelled as a centre-half from 1979 to 1984.

Besides two Olympics, Singh had also represented India in the Champions Trophy in Karachi (1980, 1983), Silver Jubilee 10-nation Cup in Hong Kong in 1983, 1982 World Cup in Mumbai and 1982 Asia Cup in Karachi, among other tournaments.

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju condoled the death of the double Olympian.

“I’m deeply saddened to learn that Shri Ravinder Pal Singh ji has lost the battle to Covid19. With his passing away India loses a golden member of the hockey team that won Gold in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. His contribution to Indian sports will always be remembered,” he tweeted.

Chennai: With Tamil Nadu witnessing a sharp increase in the COVID-19 cases, the government on Saturday announced clamping a two-week “total lockdown” across the state to curb the spread of the pandemic, starting May 10.

Chief Minister M K Stalin said in a statement that the lockdown was being enforced due to “unavoidable reasons” and pointed out that the decision was taken based on inputs received at a review meeting he had with district collectors on Friday, besides consultations with medical experts.

The recommendations made by the Union Home and Health ministries had also been factored in.

“The total lockdown will be enforced from 4 am on May 10 to 4 am on May 24 to further intensify the efforts to curb the spread of the disease,” he said.

Stalin announced relaxing existing restrictions on business hours for shops on Saturday and Sunday, when a full day-long lockdown is supposed to be in effect, allowing them to remain open till 9 pm to aid people since stricter curbs would kick in from May 10.

The state-run liquor outlets operated by Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), all bars, spas, gyms, beauty parlours, saloons, auditoria, cinema theatres, recreation clubs and amusement and zoological parks will be shut during this period.

Beaches and tourist attractions in the hilly locations of Udhagamandalam and Kodaikanal will be out of bounds for people.

Offices of government departments other than those dealing with essential services including Health, Revenue, Police, Fire and Rescue Services and Disaster Management will not function, he said.

All private offices and companies and IT and ITES firms shall also remain closed and employees can work from home.

Existing restrictions regarding places of worship, cap on attendees in wedding and death-related events will continue while educational institutions will remain closed.

Inter and intra-district public and private bus services will be suspended while hire taxies and auto rickshaws cannot ply.

Those travelling for essential work like wedding, death, interview or exams shall produce proof to be allowed permission to proceed, the chief minister added.

Standalone shops selling vegetables, groceries, provision items, fish and meat products can remain open till 12 noon with only fifty percent customers.

E-commerce firms distributing these can do so till noon, he added.

“Other than the aforementioned shops, no other establishments can run,” during the lockdown, Stalin said.

There shall be no dine-in services in hotels and tea shops and the former can sell takeaways in staggered working hours through the day. Tea stalls have to down shutters by noon.

Among those allowed to work during the lockdown period include media, courier firms, hospitals and related services, fuel outlets, continuous process industries, data centers, and telecom services, he said.

State-run Amma Canteens will remain open, platform vendors selling vegetables and flowers can do so till 12 pm and fair price shops will work from 8 am to 12 noon, he said.

Stalin urged people to follow the covid protocols and extend cooperation to the government’s pandemic prevention activities.

Tamil Nadu saw 26,465 new coronavirus cases on Friday, pushing the caseload to 13.23 lakh while a record 197 deaths in the last 24 hours took the toll to 15,171.

According to the health department, the active cases stood at 1,35,355.

Stalin said 23 districts in the state had a positivity rate of 10 percent.

New Delhi: At least four private hospitals in Delhi sent SOS calls to authorities over shortage of medical oxygen on Friday.

The healthcare facilities included Kukreja Hospital in Mayur Vihar, Batra Hospital in Tughlakabad Institutional Area, Sir Ganga Ram-Kolmet Hospital, Pusa Road, and Irene Hospital in Kalkaji.

Government officials promptly responded to SOS calls and supplied three D-type cylinders to Irene Hospital and Kukreja Hospital.

A tanker carrying oxygen was supplied to Batra Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram-Kolmet Hospital, officials said.

Delhi got just 577 metric tonnes of oxygen on May 6, which is 59 per cent of the total requirement of 976 MT, AAP leader Raghav Chadha said on Friday.

The capital had received 730 MT of oxygen on Wednesday, the highest so far, which had led to a significant reduction in SOS calls from hospitals.

MUMBAI: India Test batsman Ajinkya Rahane and his wife Radhika on Saturday received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Test vice-captain also highlighted the importance of getting vaccinated amid the coronavirus crisis.

“Both me and Radhika got our first dose of the vaccine today. We’re getting vaccinated not only for ourselves but also for those around us. I urge everyone to get vaccinated if you’re eligible,” Rahane captioned the post on Instagram.

Earlier this week, India opener Shikhar Dhawan received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The left-handed batsman also urged everyone to get vaccinated as it will ‘help us defeat’ the coronavirus.

Dhawan also thanked the frontline warriors for their “sacrifices and dedication” which they have shown as the country grapples with the coronavirus crisis.

Dhawan and Rahane were playing for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2021 before the tournament was postponed.

Rahane will now be seen in action when India lock horns with New Zealand in World Test Championship (WTC) final in June. The showpiece event gets underway on June 18 and will continue till June 22 with June 23 kept as a reserve day.

While it was initially set to be played at the Lord’s, the ICC decided to move it to Southampton with an eye on the COVID-19 situation across the globe.

The BCCI on Friday named a 20-member squad (two subjects to fitness clearance) which will also have four standby players. Of the four standby players, three are fast bowlers — Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan Nagwaswalla.