Archives for 2022

NEW DELHI:  A day after India’s drug regulator gave emergency use authorization to three Covid-19 vaccines for children, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told chief ministers that inoculating children is priority. 

There are reports from some schools that children have tested positive. However, it is satisfying that many children have received protection through the vaccines,” he said. He was referring to children between 12-18 years being vaccinated in a phased manner. 

The government is yet to start vaccinating children below 12. Modi said India’s drug regulator has given permission to administer Covaxin for 6-12 years. The Drugs Controller General of India on Tuesday also gave emergency use nod to Biological E’s vaccine Corbevax for those aged between five and 12 years. Permission was also given to Cadila for its ZyCoV-D as an additional dose with a two-jab schedule in the same age group. 

Describing vaccines as a protective shield, the PM said, “It is our priority to vaccinate all the eligible child population. Special campaigns will be needed in schools. Teachers and parents should be aware of this.” 

JAIPUR:  Prashant Kishor’s farewell to Congress even before his entry to the party seems to have cheered up Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s camp, which has been fearing that the poll strategist might persuade the high command to effect leadership changes in the state Congress in favour of rival Sachin Pilot.

Ever since Pilot met with Congress top leadership in Delhi recently, there had been a strong buzz that the Congress would undergo “big changes” in the state, based on PK’s suggestions to the high command. 
PK’s entry was seen as an advantage to the Pilot camp. Sources claimed PK had suggested the high command to give prominence to young leaders in the party.

Gehlot camp’s reservations with PK were clear when state technical education minister Subhash Garg, a close aide of the CM, targeted the strategist without naming him on Tuesday.  Garg tweeted that “the party needs a Chanakya, not any trader or service provider. Only leadership and workers can make an outfit strong”.

Even though Garg did not mention anyone in his tweet, his use of words like ‘advisor’, ‘service provider’ and ‘trader’ is seen as a direct reference to PK. Garg has been associated with Gehlot for a long time. Political pundits believe that no minister in the CM’s camp will tweet in such a way without a political motive. 

The sources said if Kishor had joined the Congress, it would have affected party’s internal politics in Rajasthan. The state has seen a constant power struggle between Gehlot and Pilot camps like the one in Punjab. After two years of reconciliation between the two sides since Pilot’s failed coup bid against Gehlot’s leadership, there are signs of the tussle intensifying in the run up to next year’s Assembly polls. 
Both Gehlot and Pilot have recently met Sonia Gandhi. 

After meeting Sonia last Thursday, on a question of strategy and change of face in Rajasthan, Pilot said the same is being discussed and Sonia will make a call. Pilot’s statement was seen as linked to the change of CM in Rajasthan. Gehlot, however, refuted this on Sunday by asking people not to fall for “rumours”. Gehlot even said his resignation is “lying permanently” with Sonia.

Before attending PK’s presentation meeting in Delhi last week, Gehlot had remarked that PK was just one expert and that there were many professionals in the field and that Congress should be in touch with various agencies. 

UP Congress yet to get new president
Lucknow: After the resignation of UP Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ajay Kumar Lallu, state unit has not got a new chief. The names of former UPCC president Nirmal Khatri, senior leaders Pramod Tiwari and PL Punia are doing rounds as the possible contenders

BENGALURU: As per Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s instruction, the Karnataka government will take up a mega-vaccination drive for children aged between 6 and 12 at schools, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, but added that no restrictions on economic activities will be imposed, though the public has to cooperate by following all Covid protocols. 

He said that the government plans to focus more on Bengaluru as the state capital has emerged as the Covid hotspot in the state. Speaking to reporters after a video-conference with Modi to discuss the prevailing Covid situation in the country on Wednesday, Bommai said they explained the present scenario in Karnataka to the Prime Minister. 

Covid is under control in the state. But after April 9, the positivity rate has started rising in Bengaluru. The state government has now increased testing, aiming to reach at least 30,000 tests per day and are now conducting over 10,000 tests daily in Bengaluru. 

Random testing for international travellers is also being done. Officials are carrying out tele-tracking of passengers from Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, South Korea and other countries where cases are high. This apart, Bommai said, Covid tests will be conducted on all severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) patients admitted at various hospitals, and if they test positive, their samples would be sent for genome testing. 

On Tuesday, the Drug Controller General of India gave approval for Covaxin by Bharath Biotech to be administered among 6-12 year-olds. The PM directed states to organise mega-vaccination drives at schools for children in this age group and also to increase vaccination of older children. The focus is on people who are over 60 years old, he added. “As per Prime Minister Modi’s direction, we are focusing more on Track, Trace, Treat and Tika (vaccination),’’ Bommai added.

Gear up for next Covid wave, says CM

There are over 50,000 beds in government hospitals and more than one lakh in private ones. This apart, the government has sufficient stocks of oxygen and 60 lakh vaccines. The government has decided to add 1,100 MT of oxygen to the existing capacity.

On Covid norms, Bommai said public-appropriate behaviour has to be followed. “Masks are compulsory and one has to maintain social distancing,” he said. He stressed on scaling up of district and taluk government hospitals and gear up for the next wave of the pandemic.

“The PM said we managed earlier Covid waves better than other nations. This is because of vaccination. Along with taking precautions, the economy should also grow and one need not panic. This is what we learnt in the last three waves.

This is why we are stressing on not imposing unnecessary restrictions. Restrictions will be limited to wherever it is needed. We are taking all the measures to control cases now when the number of Covid cases is less,” he added.

Fire audit at hospitals
Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to conduct fire audits at hospitals to avoid any major accidents, putting life of patients and staff at risk, after the tragic fire mishap in Chennai. Bommai said they will take it up at the earliest.

NEW DELHI: India on Thursday reported 3,303 fresh COVID-19 cases that took its tally to 4,30,68,799, while the active cases increased to 16,980, according to Union health ministry data.

The daily cases crossed the 3,000-mark after 46 days.

The death toll due to COVID-19 climbed to 5,23,693 with 39 more fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.04 per cent of the total infections.

The national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.74 per cent, the ministry said.

An increase of 701 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.66 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.61 per cent, the ministry said.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,25,28,126, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.22 per cent, it said.

The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive has exceeded 188.40 crores.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4, 2021 and three crore on June 23.

Parmesh S Jain

As per the central government’s instructions, manual scavengers within the BBMP limits have been issued with identity cards.And,today,Chief Commissioner,Gaurav Gupta issued identity cards to 8 manual scavengers symbolically.

Earlier,there was the practice of carrying night soil on the head.To eradicate it,the Government of India had brought the ‘Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Rules, 2013.

According to that,in 2013,201 people who were previously working as manual scavengers within the BBMP limits have been identified through a survey.

BBMP is taking up all the necessary steps to bring them and their dependents out of manual scavenging work and to create a convenient environment to lead life by engaging in society-oriented activities.

The 201 Manual Scavengers identified in 2013 are provided with a one-time Cash Assistance (OTCA) of Rs.40,000 / – from the central government.

185 Safai Karmacharis already have been availed DBT direct payment.

Identity Cards are being prepared and distributed to the 201 Manual Scavengers identified in 2013 in the BBMP limits.

Based on the identification cards,the manual scavengers allow rehabilitation facilities from the Government of India,the State Government,the State Safai karmachari Commission, and the BBMP.

Identity cards are already being distributed through the Joint Commissioners of the zones concerned.

Manual scavengers left unidentified are identified by association/organizations/other associations in 2018-19.

Again a survey was conducted and 1,424 manual scavengers were identified and data was uploaded to the Government of India’s swacchatha Abhiyan mobile app.

Facilities will be provided after approval from the central government.

All necessary steps will be taken in the BBMP limits to avail the facilities for 1,424 manual scavengers identified by the re-survey in 2018-19.

Manual Scavengers who will get ID cards are eligible for all welfare programs,including student fee reimbursement,’onti mane’ facility,skill training,self-employment, and other welfare programs of BBMP.

The BBMP aims to make society economically empowered by access to a dignified life.BBMP is taking the necessary steps to achieve this.

Today, on 21-04-2022, Identity cards were issued to:
1) Sri Munikenchappa.
2) Sri Krishnappa
3) Sri Muniswamappa.
4) Sri Mahalakshmaiah.
5) Sri Ayyanna.
6) Sri Hanumanthappa.
7) Sri Venkataramana
8) Sri Narasimha.

Special Commissioner (Welfare) B. Sharat, Deputy Commissioner (Welfare) Muralidhar, Assistant Commissioner (Welfare) Rajeshwari, and other officials were present.