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Jul 01, 2020 ,  8:10AM Railways to increase local train services from 200 to 350 in Mumbai from today PTI ( FILE PIC ) Railways has decided to expand to 350 local train services in Mumbai from today. At present, a total of 200 services are being run, out of which 130 services are running between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kasara/Karjat/Kalyan/Dombivali/Thane on main line and 70 services are running between CSMT and Panvel on harbour line.   150 more services will be added to the existing services making the total to 350 services. The number of services may be modified as per the requirement to ensure social distancing norms. AIR correspondent reports that considering the State Government's request to allow some more employees in essential services to travel by suburban local trains, railways have decided to add 150 more services from today.   These trains will halt at major stations only and will cater to the essential staff permit...

Jul 01, 2020 ,  8:05AM New guidelines for Unlock-2 to open up more activities in areas outside Containment Zones comes into effect today PTI New guidelines for Unlock-2 to open up more activities in areas outside the Containment Zones will come into effect today. The process of phased re-opening of activities has been extended further. It said, the lockdown will continue to be implemented strictly in the Containment Zones till 31st of July this year. Home Ministry has said that the new guidelines are based on feedback received from States and UTs, and extensive consultations held with related Central Ministries and Departments.   Under the new guidelines of Unlock -2, Metro Rail service, operation of Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places will not be allowed. Similarly, social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural and religious functions and other large congre...

Jul 01, 2020 ,  7:59AM Complete lockdown in 10 districts of Odisha on weekends; Schools, educational institutions to remain closed till August 31 PTI Odisha government has announced complete lockdown in ten districts on weekends in view of the rising COVID-19 cases in the state. These districts are Ganjam, Gajapati, Khurda, Cuttack, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Jharsuguda. Night curfew will continue to remain in force, between 9 pm and 5 am, except for essential activities.   Schools, colleges, and other educational institutions will remain closed for teaching purposes till August 31. State Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said cinema halls, theatres, gyms, swimming pools, entertainment parks, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and other similar places will remain shut till the end of this month.   Similarly, Social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other large congregations will als...

Jul 01, 2020 ,  7:55AM National Doctor's Day being celebrated today with the theme "Lessen the Mortality of COVID-19 REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE National Doctor's Day is being celebrated today. The day is celebrated on July 1 every year to thank the doctors and physicians for their relentless service to the humanity. The theme of this year's Doctors Day is 'Lessen the mortality of COVID 19'.   AIR correspondent reports that today when the world is fighting coronavirus pandemic, it has realized the importance of doctors more than ever. The day is to thank the medical professionals who treat the health of the patients above theirs and offer round the clock services.   The first National Doctor's day was celebrated in July 1991. In India, this day marks the birth as well as the death anniversary of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. He was one of the most renowned physicians in India and former Chief Minister of West Bengal. This year, West Bengal Governme...

Jun 30, 2020 ,  8:46PM Economic activities to be enhanced with due precautions in place: PM Modi @NarendraModi Prime Minister says economic activities to be enhanced with due precautions in place; Appeals to people, not to lower guard against COVID- 19.   Addressing the nation Tuesday evening, Prime Minister said that in the coming times, the government will continue to take further steps to empower the poor and the needy. Economic activities will also be enhanced, with due precautions in place. He reiterated the pledge to work towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and to be vocal for local, while also asking people to be careful, use mask and face cover and continue following the mantra of maintaining do gaz doori. Mr. Modi said, if one  looks at the death rate due to corona, India is still in a very stable situation  as compared to other countries.   The Prime Minister added that timely measures like lockdown have saved many lives. Mr. Modi, however...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chaired a high-level meeting to review the planning and preparations for vaccination against COVID-19 as and when the vaccine is available. The Prime Minister noted that vaccination of India’s vast and diverse population will need to factor in issues including those related to management of medical supply chains, prioritization of at-risk population, coordination between different agencies involved in the process, as well as the role of private sector and civil society in this national endeavour. During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi enunciated four guiding principles that will form the foundation of this national effort. He said, the first principle is that the vulnerable groups should be identified and prioritized for early vaccination such as  doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, non-medical frontline corona warriors, and vulnerable people among the general population. He said, the second principle is that vaccination of anyone, anywhere ...

Jun 30, 2020 ,  1:53PM DGCI gives approval for human clinical trials of COVAXIN, first potential COVID-19 Vaccine developed in the country Tweeted by AIR The Central Drug Standard Control Organisation, the National regulatory body for Indian Pharmaceuticals and medical devices, has granted approval to Bharat Biotech India to conduct human clinical trials for Corona Vaccine called ‘Covaxin’. The company in a statement said it is the first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine to receive the approval. The Covaxin has been developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. Bharat Biotech Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech Dr Krishna Ella informed that these trials are scheduled to start across the country during the month of July. According to the company, the Drug Controller General of India approved Bharat Biotech’s application to conduct phase I and II clinical trials for Covaxin. Dr Kri...

Jun 30, 2020 ,  7:59AM Door to door survey for COVID-19 in Delhi to be done in containment zones by July 6, says Union Home Ministry PTI Union Home Ministry has said that a door to door survey for COVID-19 in Delhi will be done first in containment zones on priority basis by 6th of July. The decision to extend the date has been taken as numbers of containment zones have increased to 435 in the city.The Ministry said, this will be followed by door to door testing in the entire Delhi. Delhi has recorded 2,084 fresh cases of COVID-19 taking the infection tally in the city to  85,161. A total 57 deaths have been reported in the national capital in the last 24 hours due to COVID-19. The number of active cases stands at 26,246 while 56,235 patients have recovered so far. As many as 16,329 patients are in home isolation.The number of containment zones in the city also jumped to 435.

Jun 30, 2020 ,  7:58AM Centre issues new guidelines for Unlock 2.0; Metro Rail services, Schools, Colleges, Cinemas and Gyms to remain shut @PIB_India The Centre has issued new guidelines for Unlock -2 to open up more activities in areas outside the Containment Zones. The new guidelines will come into effect from tomorrow and the process of phased re-opening of activities has been extended further. It said, the lockdown will continue to be implemented strictly in the Containment Zones till 31st of July this year. The Home Ministry has said that the new guidelines are based on feedback received from States and UTs, and extensive consultations held with related Central Ministries and Departments. Under the new guidelines of Unlock -2, Metro Rail service, operation of Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places will not be allowed. Similarly, social, political, sports, entertainment,  ...

Jun 30, 2020 ,  7:56AM Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the nation at 4pm this evening in wake of COVID-19 pandemic File Pic Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 4 PM today. The Prime Minister's Office said this in a tweet following the Home Ministry's announcement of Unlock 2 guidelines. This would be Prime Minister's sixth address to the nation since the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic. Mr Modi had last addressed the nation on 12th May when he had announced a 20-lakh-crore rupee financial package to boost the economy recovering from coronavirus-induced lockdown. In his Mann Ki Baat address last Sunday, the Prime Minister had urged the people to be more vigilant in the Unlock phase and take more precautions.

Government has banned 59 mobile apps which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order. Electronics and IT Ministry said in a release that these apps were banned in view of information available they are engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of the country, defence of the country and security of state and public order. The banned apps include TikTok, Helo and WeChat. Over the last few years, India has emerged as a leading innovator when it comes to technological advancements and a primary market in the digital space. At the same time, there have been raging concerns on aspects relating to data security and safeguarding the privacy of 130 crore Indians. It has been noted recently that such concerns also pose a threat to sovereignty and security of the country. The Ministry of Information Technology has received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misus...

Jun 29, 2020 ,  7:56PM Launch of “Gaganyaan” will not be affected by COVID pandemic: Dr. Jitendra Singh @DrJitendraSingh Union Minister for Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh has said that the launch of India’s first human space mission “Gaganyaan” will not be affected by COVID pandemic and preparation are carrying on in the right direction. Dr. Singh informed that even though the training of four Indian astronauts in Russia had to be halted due to the pandemic but the department had kept a contingency cushion period both in the training programme and launch deadline. He said, the training of astronauts has now been resumed and the launch is scheduled to take place as planned, before the 75th anniversary of India’s independence in 2022. Speaking about Chandrayaan-3, India's Lunar mission, Dr. Singh said, it is planned for launch next year. He said, the mission will involve a lander, rover and a propulsion system to carry the modules to move but would no...

Jun 29, 2020 ,  7:51PM NFL launches five Mobile Soil Testing Labs for testing the soil samples at farmers' doorstep nationalfertilizers.com National Fertilizers Limited- NFL has launched five Mobile Soil Testing Labs for testing the soil samples at the doorstep of farmers free of cost. It will give further boost to the Soil Testing facility in the country for promoting appropriate use of fertilizers. Chairman and Managing Director of NFL  V N Datt  today flagged off one such Mobile Lab from the premises of NFL Corporate Office in Noida. These Mobile Labs, loaded with latest soil testing equipment will  be used for macro and micro nutrient analysis of soil. In addition to this, these Mobile Labs are also equipped with Audio-Video system to educate farmers on various agricultural topics. Other than the Mobile Soil Testing Labs, the company is also serving farming community through six Static Soil Testing Labs located in different parts of country. ...

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today launched a new web portal for issue of No Objection Certificate (NOC) for power projects and Research Survey Exploration Exploitation (RSEE) activities in the Indian Territorial Waters  and Exclusive Economic Zone. The  newly developed web portal will facilitate the applicants in submitting their proposals online for seeking Security Clearance from Defence Ministry  for undertaking Power Projects and RSEE activities. Ministry of Defence in a statement said, the Online System will establish an effective, speedy and transparent mechanism to process these proposals. The Ministry had earlier launched a similar portal for grant of NOC for aerial survey. The Ministry said, it accords security clearances to various Government and private organisations for power projects in areas nearby defence installations and also RSEE activities in the Indian Territorial Waters and Exclusive Economic Zone  for applications received through differen...

Jun 29, 2020 ,  7:37PM Indian & Chinese militaries to hold Lt General-level talks on border standoff tomorrow File Pic Indian and Chinese militaries will hold another round of Lieutenant General-level talks tomorrow in an attempt to de-escalate tension in eastern Ladakh. The meet will also finalise modalities for disengagement of troops from the sensitive region. It will be the third round of Lt General-level talks and sources said it will take place in Chushul sector on the Indian side of Line of Actual Control. The meeting is scheduled to start at 10:30 AM. The Indian delegation at the talks will be headed by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh while the Chinese side is likely to be led by the Commander of the Tibet Military District. The first two meetings had taken place at Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC. In the second round of talks on 22nd of June, the two sides arrived at a mutual consensus to disengage from all the friction points in eas...

Jun 29, 2020 ,  1:54PM Budget for Ladakh increased by four times: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Tweeted by @HardeepSPuri Union Minister Hardeep Puri today said the budget for Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) has been increased by four times. He added that  the LAHDC Act has also been amended to prioritise preservation of language and culture in Ladakh. He was addressing the people of Ladakh through a virtual Jan Samvad Rally. He said the region  will quickly achieve economic development and overcome all challenges including COVID 19. Mr Puri said Leh and Ladakh will be turned into Smart Kshetras very soon. He said 54 towers have been sanctioned for telecom connectivity in the region. The Minister said he will soon visit Ladakh to take stock of all the initiatives being taken in the region.

Jun 29, 2020 ,  1:52PM Govt-run jute mills to shut down in Bangladesh DD NEWS Government of Bangladesh has decided to shut down all the state-run jute mills in the country due to recurring losses and low productivity. Announcing this the Textile and Jute Minister of Bangladesh Golam Dastagir Gazi said on Sunday that the state owned Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) will be provided 5000 crore Taka by the government to clear the arrears of workers. The Minister said that the mills will resume work later under the PPP or joint venture model. Golam Dastagir said that the just mills will be modernized in line with domestic and global demand. He said that the machinery of these mills is 60-70 years old and their production capacity has come down to zero. The government has announced that 25 thousand jute workers affected by the shut down of factories will be given the benefits of a voluntary retirement scheme. The Jute industry in Bangladesh is critically depen...

Jun 29, 2020 ,  1:51PM Plasma Bank to be set up in Delhi to treat COVID-19 patients: CM Arvind Kejriwal @ArvindKejriwal Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today announced the setting up of a 'plasma bank' to save lives of serious COVID-19 patients in the National Capital. Addressing an online media briefing, the Chief Minister said the bank will start working in the next two days. He added that the AAP government will encourage those who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate their plasma. The Chief Minister said that a helpline will be set up by the government for queries related to donation of plasma. Mr Kejriwal said that his government has so far conducted clinical trials of plasma therapy on 29 COVID-19 patients and the result was encouraging. The Chief Minister also announced that a sum of one crore rupees will be given to the family of LNJP Dr Aseem Gupta, who died due to COVID-19. The doctor had served in the front line of the war against the pandem...

Jun 29, 2020 ,  1:50PM COVID-19 recovery rate improves to 58.67 pct in country PTI The Government today said that a total of three lakh 21 thousand 723 people affected with coronavirus have been cured in the country so far. In the past 24 hours, 12 thousand ten people have recovered from Covid-19 and with this the recovery rate has reached 58.67 per cent. The Health and Family Welfare Ministry said, a total of 19 thousand 459 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the country within 24 hours taking the total number of cases to five lakh 48 thousand 318. In a single day, 380 deaths have been reported taking the nationwide toll to 16 thousand 475. Presently, the total number of active corona cases in the country is two lakh 10 thousand 120. Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research, ICMR said that one lakh 70 thousand 560 tests of corona virus samples were conducted by the various laboratories in the country within 24 hours. So far, 83 lakh 98 thousand ...

Jun 29, 2020 ,  1:46PM Pradhan Mantri Scheme for Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises launched by Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal @MOFPI_GOI Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today launched Pradhan Mantri Scheme for Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises as a part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. The Minister said, this centrally sponsored scheme will generate an investment of 35 thousand crore rupees and will provide employment to nine lakh skilled and semi-skilled workers.

Jun 29, 2020 ,  8:29AM Global coronavirus cases exceed one-crore mark PTI Global Coronavirus cases have surpassed the one-crore mark, with over five lakh fatalities. According to Johns Hopkins University in the US, more than 500,000 people worldwide have lost their lives as a result of the pandemic. Since the virus emerged in China late last year, there have been more than one crore cases. Half the world's cases have been in the United States and Europe, but Covid-19 is now rapidly growing in the Americas. The virus is also affecting South Asia and Africa, where it is not expected to peak until the end of July. Outbreaks are still spreading in many parts of the world, with one million new cases recorded in the last six days. The US has reported a total of 25 lakh cases and 125,000 deaths with Covid-19 so far - more than any other country. The country with the second-highest number of recorded cases is Brazil, with a total of 13 lakh, and more than 57 thousand dea...

Jun 29, 2020 ,  8:25AM Self reliant India will be a real tribute to our martyrs: PM Modi AIR Pics Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that self-reliant India will be a real tribute to our martyrs. In his Mann Ki Baat programme, Mr Modi said every Indian should resolve to make the country stronger, more capable and self-reliant. The Prime Minister said, no mission can be successfully achieved without people’s participation. Mr Modi said, when people buy local, become vocal for local they play a role in strengthening the country. The Prime Minister said, the entire country is paying tributes to the valour and bravery of our soldiers who were killed in Ladakh and is indebted to them. He said our brave soldiers proved that they will not let anyone cast an evil eye on the glory and honour of Mother India. Mr Modi said that the world has noticed India’s commitment and might when it comes to safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said, those who cas...

Jun 29, 2020 ,  8:24AM Govt extends deadline to bid for Air India till August 31 @airindiain The government has again extended the deadline to bid for Air India by two months till 31st August. This is the third time the deadline has been extended. The divestment process for the national carrier was initiated on 27th of January this year. Issuing a corrigendum to the Expression of Interest (EoI) for sale of Air India, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management said the deadline has been extended in view of the request received from the interested bidders due to the prevailing situation arising out of COVID-19.  While issuing the EoI in January, the last date for bids was kept at 17th of March which was later extended till 30th April and further extended to 30th of this month.   Besides, the date for intimation to Qualified Interested Bidders has also been extended till 14th of September, 2020. The government in January this year restarted ...

Jun 29, 2020 ,  8:08AM Tamil Nadu govt to recommend CBI probe in Tuticorin custodial death case @CMOTamilNadu Tamil Nadu government has decided to trasfer the probe into the death of a father-son duo, alleged victims of police torture in Tuticorin district, to the CBI. Chief Minister K Palaniswami said the government's decision will be conveyed to Madras High Court, which seized the matter, and secured its approval before transferring the case to the CBI. P Jayaraj and his son Fennix, arrested for 'violating' lockdown norms over business hours of their cellphone shop, died at a hospital in Kovilpatti on June 23, with their relatives alleging they were severely thrashed at the Sathankulam police station by police personnel earlier. The incident has triggered a national furore, leading to the suspension of four policemen, including two sub- inspectors.

Jun 29, 2020 ,  7:58AM Three terrorists killed in encounter with security forces in J&K's Anantnag PTI ( FILE PIC ) In Jammu and Kashmir, three terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district this morning. The encounter broke out after security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Khul Chohar following information about the presence of terrorists in the area. The gunfight broke out after terrorists opened fire on the search party of the forces, who retaliated. The identity of the slain terrorists is being ascertained. One AK 47 Rifle and Two pistols have been recovered from their possession. Operation has concluded but search operation in the area is going on.

Jun 28, 2020 ,  9:01PM Lockdown extended in Manipur till 15th July @NBirenSingh Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh announced that the State government has decided to extend the lockdown for another 15 days with effect from 1st July 2020. Speaking to media persons this afternoon at Imphal, Chief Minister said that the government has also decided the opening of inter-district bus service from 1st July, 2020 by maintaining SOPs and guidelines issued by the government. No other public transport system will be allowed during this period. Mr Singh said, the testing capacity has been increased to nearly 2,600 tests per day in the State. The Chief Minister said that apart from the existing 700 beds reserved for COVID-19 at present, the State government is working to add 750 additional beds. He also clarified that there is no case of community transmission of the disease in Manipur till date. In the last 24 hours, 23 COVID-19 patients were discharged from different hos...

Jun 28, 2020 ,  8:27PM Home Minister Amit Shah says, there is no community transmission of COVID-19 in Delhi AIR Pics Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said that there is no community transmission of COVID-19 in the National Capital.  In an interview to a news agency, Mr Shah said he has consulted three senior doctors on this issue and they have denied it and there is no need to fear.  He said, such a situation appeared because of the total tests done, earlier 30 per cent turned out to be positive and that was happening because tests were done at the last moment. Now that the government has started doing 20,000 tests on an average, this condition is not there.  Mr Shah also disagreed with Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia’s comments on the number of cases saying the National Capital will not have 5.5 lakh cases by July end.  He said, Mr. Sisodia’s remarks had created fear among people and expressed confidence that the stage will not be reached...

Jun 28, 2020 ,  2:20PM More than 1,47,000 Indians brought back from various countries under Vande Bharat Mission File Pic Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri today said that more than 1,47,000 Indians have returned on Vande Bharat flights and more than 52,000 have flown out to different countries so far. In a tweet, he said, 4,504 people have returned to India yesterday on Vande Bharat Flights which is one of the largest and successful evacuation missions undertaken in recent times.   Vande Bharat Mission launched by the government with an aim to bring back home stranded Indians from many countries due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Jun 28, 2020 ,  2:18PM Focus during Unlock period is on defeating corona, strengthening economy says PM File Pic Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his thoughts in Mann Ki Baat programme and reminded people that the country has moved out of the lockdown phase to the unlock phase of Corona crisis. He said, during this unlock period, one will have to focus deeply on two points - defeating corona and strengthening the economy and bolstering it. He told that during the unlock period, people have to stay more vigilant compared to the lockdown period and only their ness can save them from corona.   He said, during the corona pandemic, people have to protect themselves from different diseases also. He suggested to keep using Ayurvedic medicines, herbal decoction and hot water to stay healthy. Mr Modi said, during this unlock phase, many other things are getting unlocked, which had hitherto, shackled the country for decades. He said, for years the mining sector...

Jun 28, 2020 ,  2:00PM PM calls for people's participation towards self-reliant India AIR Pics In his Mann Ki Baat programme today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, no mission can be successfully achieved without people’s participation. He urged the citizens to strive for a self-reliant India with their collective resolve, commitment and support. Mr. Modi said, when people buy local, become vocal for local they play a role in strengthening the country. He added that this too, in its own way, is service to the nation.   Mr Modi said, during this unlock phase, many other things are getting unlocked, which had hitherto, shackled the country for decades. He said, for years the mining sector, space and agriculture were in a state of lockdown. Now the decisions taken by Government have unshackled the bottlenecks and given a boost to these sectors. He referred to commercial auction in mining, opening up of space sector and reforms in agriculture towards ...

Jun 28, 2020 ,  1:54PM 3,09,713 people affected with corona virus cured so far in country @MoHFW_INDIA The Government today said that a total of 3,0,9713 people affected with corona virus have been cured so far in the country. In the past 24 hours, 13,832 people have recovered and with this the recovery rate of COVID-19 improved to 58.56 per cent.   In terms of recovery rate, top five States and Union Territories are Meghalaya, Tripura, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh wherein the recovery rate is above 76 per cent. There are 20 States and Union Territories in India, wherein the recovery rate is above the national average of cured patients.   Health and Family Welfare Ministry said, a total of 19 thousand 906 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the country in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases to five lakh 28 thousand 859. This is the highest spike in fresh cases since the outbreak of the pandemic in India. In a single day,...

Jun 28, 2020 ,  9:01AM Flood affects 21 districts of Assam; 19,000 people shifted to relief camps PTI In Assam, flood situation remains grim as new areas have been inundated due to incessant rain. Two lakh 62 thousand people are reeling under the fury of flood in 21 districts. 18 persons lost their lives so far. The surging water caused massive damages to crop areas, roads and culverts.   Nearly 19 thousand people are taking shelter at temporary relief camps and administrations are disturbing food items to the flood hit people. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has instructed district administration to extend all helps to the flood affected people. 

Jun 28, 2020 ,  8:16AM Govt intensifies Locust control operations in seven states File Pic Government has intensified Locust control operations in seven states. These are Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Maharashtra. In total 60 ground control teams of Locust Circle Offices and 12 Drones are being used for Locust Control operations. The Locust Warning Organization and 10 Locust Circle Offices in coordination with State governments undertake locust control operations in schedule desert areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The State Governments through their Agriculture Departments undertake locust control in cropped area. This year starting from 11th April, in this season 1,27,225 hectares have been controlled till 26th of this month.   One swarm of 2 km x 4 km size which was previously controlled in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan on 26th June moved to Rewari district in Haryana. This swarm in Rewari was controlled by the Stat...

Jun 28, 2020 ,  8:11AM Karnataka govt decides to impose lockdown across state every Sunday from 5th July @CMofKarnataka Karnataka Government has announced to impose state wide lockdown every Sunday to contain the pandemic. A decision to this effect was taken at the high level meeting chaired by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa yesterday. This measure will start from July 5th.   In another decision taken, all the non essential Government offices will remain shut on every Saturdays and Sundays starting July 10th. In addition, night curfew has been extended from 8 pm to 5 am. It was also decided to increase ambulance services, and make public the information related to availability of beds and also the phone numbers of all nodal officers involved in containment of Covid-19.

Jun 28, 2020 ,  7:56AM Jharkhand govt extends lockdown till 31st July AIR Pics Jharkhand government has decided to extend lockdown till July 31st across the state. The decision comes in the wake of increasing number of COVID19 cases in the state. 66 new cases were reported during the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 2,360. The recovery rate in Jharkhand has improved to 73 percent. With the implementation of new directives issued by the Jharkhand government for enforcement of Lockdown, all movement except for essential services shall remain prohibited from 9 pm to 5 am in morning. Inter-state and intra-state bus services will also not be operational during this period. All religious places, educational institutions, coaching classes, shopping malls, hotels, cinema halls, multiplexes, theatres, entertainment parks, bars, spa and saloons, gymnasiums and swimming pools will remain closed till July 31 across the state during the extended Lockdown orders. Re...

Jun 27, 2020 ,  9:17PM Govt allows Indian Airlines to increase domestic passenger flights from 33 to 45 per cent of their pre-COVID capacity @@HardeepSPuri The government has allowed Indian airlines to increase their number of domestic passenger flights from  33 per cent  to 45 per cent of their pre-COVID capacity. The Ministry of Civil Aviation had restarted domestic passenger services from 25th of  May  after a gap of two months due to  lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19. Yesterday, the  Civil Aviation Ministry modified its previous order of May 21 where it had restricted capacity utilisation of domestic flights to  one - third of the approved summer schedule. In the revised order, the Ministry has increased the capacity limit to 45 per cent. The decision was  taken after review of the current status of scheduled domestic operations in comparison to  passenger demand for air travel. The Directorate General of C...

Jun 27, 2020 ,  8:58PM Home Minister Amit Shah, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal visit Covid Care Centre at Chhatarpur in New Delhi PIB Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy today visited the Covid Care Centre at Chhatarpur in New Delhi. Director General of ITBP SS Deswal and Senior officers of ITBP welcomed them. The Union Home Minister, Delhi Chief Minister and Minister of State for Home were briefed by the officials. ITBP was tasked by the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide medical staff and support to the  Covid Care Centre at Radha Soami Satsang Beas Chattarpur, New Delhi as a Nodal Agency to operate it. The Delhi Government has been providing all administrative support while the Radha Soami Satsang Beas Chattarpur has been providing the campus, other infrastructure and assistance including food. The total bed capacity at the centre may go up to more than 10 thousand 200 which will be t...

Jun 27, 2020 ,  8:41PM PM Modi to share his thoughts with people in 'Mann Ki Baat' programme on All India Radio at 11 AM tomorrow AIR PIC Prime Minister Narendra Modi will share his thoughts with the people in the country and abroad in the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme on All India Radio at 11 AM tomorrow. It will be the 66th episode of the monthly radio programme. It will be broadcast on the entire network of AIR and Doordarshan and also on AIR News website  www.newsonair.com  and newsonair Mobile App. It will also be streamed live on the YouTube channels of AIR, DD News, PMO and Information and Broadcasting Ministry. AIR will broadcast the programme in regional languages immediately after the Hindi broadcast. The regional language versions will be repeated at eight in the evening.

Jun 27, 2020 ,  2:31PM India calls for reformed multilateralism to restore faith in meaningful, equal partnerships @DrSJaishankar Asserting that the world stands at a transformative moment, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that a dispassionate scrutiny and reform of all multilateral entities were needed to make them purpose-built for the current times and representative of this century. Addressing a virtual ministerial meeting of Alliance for Multilateralism yesterday, Dr Jaishankar said, it is an empirical fact that every process and institution must evolve to meet the needs of its time. He said, no institution, howsoever important, can remain frozen at the moment of its foundation.   The Minister said, this is why India continue to call for reformed multilateralism - one that is relevant for the age in which we live, not when this architecture was erected. Dr Jaishankar said, the world is facing a two-pronged attack of a pandemic and mis...

Jun 27, 2020 ,  2:27PM PM says timely initiatives of govt & people driven fight has kept India at better position in fight against COVID-19 Screen Grab Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that powered by the Corona warriors, India is firmly fighting COVID-19. Addressing an event through video conferencing to mark the special occasion of the 90th birthday of Most Revered Doctor Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan, Mr Modi said, earlier this year, some people had predicted that the impact of the virus in India would be very severe.   He said, due to lockdown, many initiatives taken by the Government and a people driven fight, India is much better placed than many other nations. Mr Modi said, India's recovery rate is rising. He said, a people driven fight has given good results so far but we cannot let our guard down.   The Prime Minister said, people have to be even more careful now. He said, wearing masks, social distancing, do gaz ki doori, avoiding crow...

Jun 27, 2020 ,  2:12PM President Kovind promulgates Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 File Pic President Ram Nath Kovind has promulgated the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 in pursuance of the commitment to ensure safety of depositors across banks.   The Ordinance amends the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 as applicable to Cooperative Banks. It seeks to protect the interests of depositors and strengthen cooperative banks by improving governance and oversight by extending powers already available with RBI in respect of other banks to Co-operative Banks.   The amendments do not affect existing powers of the State Registrars of Co-operative Societies under state co-operative laws.   The amendments do not apply to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies or co-operative societies whose primary object and principal business is long-term finance for agricultural development.   The Ordinance also amends Section 45 of the Ban...

Jun 27, 2020 ,  2:07PM High Level GoM Meet in Delhi to discuss status response, management of COVID-19 pandemic in country @MoHFW_INDIA A meeting of the high-level Group of Ministers, GoM on COVID-19 is underway in New Delhi. It is being chaired by Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.   The GoM will be briefed about the latest status, response and management of COVID-19 in the country. The GOM is expected to be briefed on the progress made in the spheres of the tasks assigned to the 11 Empowered Groups.   It will also be apprised about the growing medical infrastructure in the country. The Group of Ministers will have in depth deliberation on containment strategy and management aspects of COVID-19.   External Affairs Minister, Civil Aviation Minister, Minister of State for Home, Minister of State for Shipping and Chemical and Fertilizers, Minister of State for Health are part of the GoM. Chief of Defence Staff is also part of it.  

Jun 27, 2020 ,  8:37AM India warns China against attempts to alter status quo along LAC @VikramMisri India has warned China that trying to alter the status quo on the ground by resorting to force will damage the peace that existed on the border areas. In an interview to a news agency, India’s ambassador to China Vikram Misri said that Chinese attempt to alter status quo can also have "ripples and repercussions" in the broader bilateral relationship. He said that actions taken by the Chinese forces on the ground have damaged "considerable trust" in the bilateral relationship and demanded that Beijing stop its activities in eastern Ladakh.   Mr Misri said, it is entirely the responsibility of the Chinese side to take a careful view of the relations and to decide which direction the ties should move. He said, maintenance of peace and tranquillity on the border is essential for progress in the rest of bilateral relationship between India and China.   ...

Jun 27, 2020 ,  8:20AM Southwest monsoon covers entire country, 12 days ahead of its normal date PTI India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that Southwest Monsoon has covered the entire country. The normal date for Monsoon to cover entire country is 8th July. IMD said, the Monsoon this year covered the entire country 12 days prior to normal date.   In the recent past, such early coverage of Monsoon over the entire country occurred in 2013 when it covered the entire country on 16th June 2013. The early advance over the central and northwest India was facilitated by formation of a low pressure area over Bay of Bengal which moved west-northwestwards and another cyclonic circulation over central India.   IMD said, Monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. During past 24 hours, there has been fairly widespread rainfall activity over West Rajasthan and adjoining Punjab and Haryana.  

Jun 27, 2020 ,  8:15AM Serological survey begins today in Delhi amid rising of corona cases File Pic The serological survey in Delhi will begin today and it will be carried out jointly by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Delhi Government. Training of all the concerned survey teams was completed on Thursday.   AIR correspondent reports that this survey will be conducted in all the districts of Delhi to understand the proportion of population exposed to corona infection.   Two age categorizations have been set to conduct the survey, one is for below 18 years of age group and another for above 18 years.   Depending upon the level of sero-prevalence of infection, appropriate public health interventions can be planned and implemented for prevention and control of the disease.   As per the Indian Council of Medical Research, periodic sero-surveys are useful to guide the policy makers to conduct surveys in high risk areas or vu...

Jun 27, 2020 ,  8:09AM PM says Atma Nirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Abhiyan to provide employment opportunities to migrant workers, promote local entrepreneurship PIB Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that Aatma Nirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Abhiyan will providing employment opportunities to migrant workers and promote local entrepreneurship. Mr Modi yesterday inaugurated Aatma Nirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Abhiyan through video conferencing. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Modi said that UP will benefit immensely from clusters of industries being created to promote such local products across the country under the AatmaNirbhar Rojgar Abhiyan. Prime Minister said that everyone will be able to surpass the difficulties owing to the COVID-19 Pandemic. He stressed that until a vaccine is found, maintaining Do Gaj ki Doori, covering the face with the mask are the best precautions.   PM expressed satisfaction in the manner in which Uttar Pradesh has turned the disaster ...

Jun 26, 2020 ,  8:30PM Indian Navy inducts indigenously developed Torpedo Decoy System Maareech @SpokespersonMoD Anti-Submarine Warfare capability of the Indian Navy received a major boost today with the induction of Advanced Torpedo Decoy System Maareech capable of being fired from all frontline warships. Design and Development of this anti-torpedo decoy system has been undertaken indigenously by DRDO labs-(NSTL and NPOL). The Bharat Electronics Limited, a Defence PSU, would undertake the production of this decoy system. 

Jun 26, 2020 ,  8:24PM Central team takes stock of COVID19 situation in Ahmedabad DD News A Central team on a day visit to Ahmedabad held a meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in Gandhinagar to take stock of Covid19 situation. According to official sources, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel who is also holding the portfolio of Health Ministry remained present in the meeting along with senior officials. The Central team led by Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary in Union Health Ministry was appraised by the Chief Minister about the Covid19 situation in the state and steps taken by the state government.   The team also visited CM Dashboard and reviewed the situation at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital through CM Dashboard. It also reviewed the facilities provided to Covid19 patients in civil hospital and also talked with doctors. AIR correspondent reports that the two member Central team also visited some micro containment zones of Ahmedabad city and discussed th...

Jun 26, 2020 ,  8:11PM Security forces killed three terrorists in J&K's Pulwama district File Pic In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, three terrorists were killed this morning in an encounter that broke out between security forces and terrorists in Chewa Ullar area of Tral in Pulwama district.   As per police sources, a joint team of Police, Army’s 42 RR  and CRPF laid a Cordon and Search Operation yesterday evening in the area.   As the joint team approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired upon them which was retaliated and resulted into the eruption of a gunfight. However, the operation was called off for the night due to darkness. But when the operation resumed in the wee hours of today, an exchange of firefight took place between the terrorists and security forces that resulted into the elimination of three Terrorists. All these terrorists are locals belonging to the Tral area of the district. Arms and ammu...

The Supreme Court today permitted the Centre and the CBSE to cancel the remaining board examinations due to COVID-19 pandemic and gave the go-ahead to its scheme to award marks to students for the cancelled papers scheduled to be held in July. A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna permitted the CBSE to issue the notification for the cancellation of examinations. The bench after perusing the notification of CBSE allowed the board to issue it and said that Class 10 and 12 exams of CBSE scheduled for July 1-15 will be governed by this order.  During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the CBSE, said that the assessment scheme will consider marks achieved by students in the last three papers of board exams. The Apex court was hearing pleas seeking relief, including scrapping of remaining exams of Class 12 scheduled from July 1-15, in view of increasing number of COVID-19 cases. Similar relief was sought by the I...