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Jan 01, 2021 ,  8:14AM Countries around the world welcome New Year 2021 with fireworks AIR Countries around the world have welcomed 2021 with fireworks, but crowds were only allowed at some displays. New Zealand was one of the first countries in the world to welcome the New Year. Fireworks exploded over Hagley Park in Christchurch during New Year celebrations. Fireworks explode over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as New Year celebrations begin in Australia. One million people would usually crowd the Sydney Harbour to watch the annual fireworks. But this year authorities advised revelers to watch the fireworks on television amid COVID-19. Melbourne, Australia's second-most populous city, cancelled its fireworks. Taiwan hosted its usual fireworks display by its capital city's iconic tower, Taipei 101. Thailand ushered in the New Year with a fireworks display at the Iconsiam mall in Bangkok. The country had imposed a ban on large gatherings and events...

Jan 01, 2021 ,  7:45AM Centre orders 83 crore syringes for COVID-19 vaccination; Nationwide dry run to begin tomorrow Tweeted By AIR Government has ordered 83 crore syringes for COVID-19 vaccination drive and Universal Immunization Programme in the country. The Union Health Ministry said the centre has also invited bids for 35 crore more syringes. Government has prioritized 30 crore people for COVID vaccine which includes health workers, frontline workers and sanitation staff. Earlier, the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration of COVID-19 has recommended three prioritised population groups including Healthcare Workers of about one crore, Frontline Workers about 2 crore and Prioritized Age Group about 27 crore. As vaccines are temperature sensitive and need to be stored in specific temperature, the present cold chain system consisting of 85 thousand 634 equipment for storage of vaccines at about 28 thousand 947 cold chain points across the country will be ...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of Light House Projects (LHPs) under Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC)-India at six sites across six States at 11 AM today through video conferencing. The Prime Minister will also announce winners under Affordable Sustainable Housing Accelerators (ASHA)- India and give out annual awards for excellence in implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U) Mission. During the event, Mr Modi will also release a certificate course on innovative construction technologies named NAVARITIH (New, Affordable, Validated, Research Innovation Technologies for Indian Housing) and a compendium of 54 innovative housing construction technologies identified through GHTC-India. The Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs along with Chief Ministers of Tripura, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh will be present on the occasion. The LHPs showcase the best of new-age alternate globa...

Dec 31, 2020 ,  8:20PM Nationwide dry run for COVID-19 vaccination to take place on Saturday File Pic The dry run for COVID-19 vaccine will take place across the country on 2nd January 2021. The Centre has asked all States and Union Territories to ensure effective preparedness for the vaccine roll out. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan today chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness at session sites for COVID-19 vaccination with Principal Secretaries (Health), NHM MDs and other health administrators of all States and UTs through video conference.   During the dry run, the activity is proposed to be conducted in all State Capitals in at least three session sites. 

Dec 31, 2020 ,  2:25PM Night curfew to be imposed in prominent places across country in view of New Year celebrations amid COVID pandemic REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE Night curfew will be imposed in prominent places across the country in view of New Year celebrations amid COVID pandemic. In national capital Delhi, night curfew will be imposed for today and tomorrow to check the gatherings, congregations and public celebrations of New Year. The assembling of more than five persons at public places as well as New Year celebratory events and congregations at public places will not be permitted from 11 P.M. tonight to 6 A.M. tomorrow and also from 11 P.M. tomorrow to 6 A.M. on the next day.    However, there will be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods during the curfew period. The decision has been taken in view of threat posed by the mutant UK strain of COVID-19 virus and after observing the local incidents of the pandemic...

Dec 31, 2020 ,  1:55PM Fastag mandatory for all vehicles from tomorrow www.fastag.org FASTag will be mandatory for all vehicles in the country from tomorrow. It will be useful for the commuters as they will not need to stop at toll plazas for cash payments. It will also save time and fuel.   The Road Transport and Highways Ministry had issued a notification last month making FASTag mandatory by 1st of January 2021 in old vehicles also sold before 1st December, 2017.   The Ministry said, the steps for ensuring the availability of FASTag at multiple channels are being made through physical locations and also through online mechanism so that the citizens are able to have them affixed at their vehicles within the next two months at their convenience. Last week, the Ministry had said that more than two crore 20 lakh FASTag have been issued till date.   FASTag is easily available at over 30 thousand points of sale across the country and mandatorily av...

Dec 31, 2020 ,  8:28AM Education Minister to announce schedule for CBSE class 10th and 12th board examinations today @DrRPNishank Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank will announce the dates of commencement of CBSE Board examinations- 2021 for classes 10th and 12th this evening. Earlier, during virtual interaction with teachers, Mr Nishank informed that CBSE is making necessary preparations for conducting the 2021 board examinations for classes 10th and 12th after taking into consideration the suggestions given by students, teachers and parents.

Dec 31, 2020 ,  8:02AM Centre declares Nagaland ‘disturbed area’ for six more months FILE PIC The entire state of Nagaland has been declared a disturbed area for six more months. The Home Ministry in a notification said, the Central government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary.   It said, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, the Central government declares that whole of the State of Nagaland to be disturbed area for a period of six months.   The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been in force in Nagaland for several decades.

Dec 30, 2020 ,  8:42PM Govt further extends date to file income tax returns Tweeted By AIR The Government has further extended the deadline to file income tax returns for individual taxpayers till 10th January 2021 in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. The deadline for filing ITR for the financial year 2019-20 by companies has also been extended till 15th February 2021.   In a tweet, the Income Tax department today said, in view of the continued challenges faced by taxpayers in meeting statutory compliances due to Covid-19 outbreak. The due date for filing income tax return by individuals and companies was December 31, 2020, and January 31, 2021. This is the third time that the I-T department has extended the return filing deadline. The last date for making a declaration under Vivad Se Vishwas Scheme has been extended to 31st January, 2021. The date for passing of orders under Vivad Se Vishwas Scheme has been extended to 31st January, 2021. The date for pas...

Dec 30, 2020 ,  8:27PM PM Modi to lay foundation stone of AIIMS at Rajkot in Gujarat tomorrow File Pic Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, AIIMS at Rajkot, Gujarat tomorrow morning through video conferencing.   For the project, 201 acres of land has been allotted. It will be built at an estimated cost One thousand One hundred 95 crore rupees and is expected to be completed by mid of 2022.   The state-of-the-art 750 bed hospital will also have a 30 bed AAYUSH block. It will have 125 MBBS seats and 60 nursing seats. Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Union Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey will be present on the occasion.

Dec 30, 2020 ,  8:16PM Cabinet clears modified scheme to enhance ethanol distillation capacity in country File Pic The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA has approved modified scheme to enhance ethanol distillation capacity in the country for producing 1st Generation, 1G ethanol from feed stocks such as cereals like rice, wheat, barley, corn and sorghum and sugarcane, sugar beet etc.   Briefing the media in New Delhi today  after the Cabinet meeting, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, Cabinet approved an interest subvention of 4 thousand 5 hundred 73 crore rupees for new distilleries producing ethanol. He said, India will need about one thousand crore litre of ethanol by 2030 with a view to cut dependency on imports for meeting oil needs. He said India currently has a capacity of 684 crore litres.   Mr Pradhan said, Government would bear interest subvention for five years including one year moratorium against the loan availed by pr...

Dec 30, 2020 ,  8:14PM Govt approves export of indigenous Akash missile system @RajnathSingh_in The government has approved the export of the indigenous Akash missile system. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has welcomed the move and said it will help India increase its revenue from defence export. Mr Singh said,  under the AtmaNirbhar Bharat, India is growing in its capabilities of manufacturing wide variety of Defence platforms and missiles.    The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister today approved the export of Akash Missile System and a Committee for faster Approvals has been created. Mr Singh said the Akash missile system is an important defence asset for the country with over 96 per cent indigenization. He also noted that the Akash is a surface-to-air missile with a range of 25 kilometres.   Developed by DRDO, it is India’s first indigenously designed missile system and can target fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones and other aerial asset...

Dec 30, 2020 ,  2:19PM President Ram Nath Kovind says digital India initiative should continue to strive towards reducing the digital divide @rashtrapatibhvn President Ram Nath Kovind today said the digital India initiative of the government should continue to strive towards reducing the digital divide. He said a large segment of the population is still not able to derive the benefits of digital services. Mr Kovind said, the number of such people needs to be minimised by extending digital access to them through effective innovations. He, however, said,  India utilised the Corona Pandemic crisis as an opportunity to march ahead in various arenas.  Conferring  the Digital India Awards 2020  through video conferencing, Mr Kovind said, it was possible only because the digital infrastructure has been strengthened in recent years. He said, this pandemic has changed the world in terms of social relations, economic activities, health care, education and se...

Dec 30, 2020 ,  1:46PM Govt Extends the temporary suspension of flights to and from the UK till 7th January 2021 FILE PIC Government extended the temporary suspension of flights to and from the UK till 7th January 2021. Informing this on Wednesday , Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said thereafter strictly regulated resumption will take place for which details will be announced shortly.   Earlier, all flights originating from the UK to India were suspended till 31st of this month. The Health Ministry has recommended to the Ministry of Civil Aviation the extension of the temporary suspension of flights originating from UK into India to be further extended till 7th January  2021. This has been recommended based on the inputs received from the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) headed by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) and the National Task Force jointly headed by DG, ICMR and Member (Health), NITI Aayog. The Union Health Secretary has wr...

Dec 30, 2020 ,  1:43PM 3 Terrorists killed in an encounter in the outskirts of Srinagar REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE In Kashmir valley,  three terrorists  were  killed in an ongoing encounter between  terrorists  and security forces in Hokarsar area on the outskirts of Srinagar. Police sources told AIR that  three terrorists have been  killed this morning in fresh exchange of firing between hiding  terrorists   and security forces. The identity of the  slain   terrorists  is yet to be ascertained. SECURITY forces had launched cordon and search operation in the area last evening on specific input  about presence of  terrorists  . As searching party reached the targeted house,  terrorists  opened fire triggering an encounter. The police sources said the operation was suspended in the night to avoid collateral damage. However, cordon was strengthened to prevent  terrorists ...

Dec 30, 2020 ,  10:01AM Cold wave conditions intensify in northern parts of country AIR Pics Cold wave conditions intensify in northern parts of country after the fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In Himachal Pradesh the minimum temperature dropped on to two notches acorss the state. However, weather remaind dry in most parts of the state. Maximum and minimum temperatures dropped at most places as icy winds swept through the state. The minimum temperature of 7 cities of the state has been recorded below zero degrees. In Uttarakhand, normal life has been affected in remote places at high altitude areas of the state. Meanwhile, tourists' rush was witnessed in Mussoorie, Dhanaulty, Nainital and other places at year end. District administrations have made special arrangements in this regard. The Met department forecast that cold wave condition is likely to prevail at various places in the state. In Rajasthan col...

Dec 30, 2020 ,  8:22AM Govt assures vaccines will work against new variants of corona virus PIB India The Government has assured that vaccines will work against the new variants of coronavirus and there is no evidence that current vaccines will fail to protect against the new variants reported from the UK and South Africa. Briefing media in New Delhi yesterday, Principal Scientific Advisor K. Vijay Raghavan said that the changes in the variants of corona virus are not sufficient to make the vaccines ineffective. He said, most vaccines target the spike protein and stimulate our immune system to produce a wide range of protective antibodies. Giving the details about the new variants, Mr. Raghavan said, 17 important changes have been seen in the new variants and it increases the spread of transmission. He added that the UK variant is more transmissible and it increases the positivity rate. He however clarified that these new variants do not increase the severity of th...

Dec 29, 2020 ,  8:30PM Skipper Ajinkya Rahane guides India to series-levelling victory against Australia in 2nd Test at Melbourne @BCCI In Cricket, stand in Skipper Ajinkya Rahane guided India to level the Test series against Australia by 1-1 by registering an eight wicket victory in the second match at Melbourne. With couple of players of Indian side injured and major players out of the ground, the win is historic. Chasing a low target of 70 runs this morning, Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara got out early. However, Shubman Gill and Rahane kept their cool and achieved the meagre target with ease. Ajinkya Rahane who hit 112 runs in the first innings to craft the win for the Indian side was adjudged Man of the Match. For Australia Micheal Starc and Pat Cumins claimed one wicket each. Earlier, the hosts were bowled out for 200 in their second innings before lunch.  

Dec 29, 2020 ,  8:11PM Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurates India's highest Meteorological Centre in Leh @drharshvardhan Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan, virtually inaugurated India's highest Meteorological Centre in Leh, today. After Itanagar Centre in Arunachal Pradesh, Leh Met centre at 3500 meters highest from mean sea level is the highest in the Himalayan region. AIR correspondent reports that with four Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) a Meteorological Department centre for Ladakh region started working from today. Despite Covid pandemic, within Nine months of time the new centre is established to cater the arid cold desert and geo politically all important Ladakh weather requirements.   Speaking on the occasion, Minister Dr Harshavardhan said, Ladakh Met Centre is one of the commitments fulfilled by the Union Government for the welfare of new Union Territory Ladakh. The new Centre will provide Ladakh specific weather forecasts more accurately...

Dec 29, 2020 ,  8:10PM Dry run for COVID-19 vaccination successfully conducted in Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab & Gujarat Representational Pic Union Health Ministry today said that the dry run for COVID-19 Vaccination has been successfully conducted in four states of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat.   The two-day end-to-end dry run was undertaken in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, Rajkot and Gandhinagar in Gujarat, Ludhiana and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar in Punjab and Sonitpur and Nalbari districts of Assam. The exercise is aimed at identifying challenges and make required changes in the plan so that the final process becomes foolproof.   The Ministry said, specific teams were formed for various tasks by the district administration and activities like uploading of dummy beneficiary’s data, vaccine allocation, communication vaccination details to vaccinators and beneficiaries, beneficiary mobilization were carried out.   The obj...

Dec 29, 2020 ,  2:21PM Infrastructure built for future generations, it must not be damaged during protests: PM Modi PMO India Infrastructure is built from hard earned money of people of the country for future generations, it must not be damaged during protests, says the Prime Minister while speaking on the occasion of the inauguration of ambitious New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor in Uttar Pradesh through video conference today. Prime Minister Modi said that development of infrastructure is not a matter of politics but it is for the future generations. The infrastructure is of the people of the country and not of any political party. He said that every attack on this is an attack on countrymen and while protesting for our democratic rights we must not damage the infrastructure.

Dec 29, 2020 ,  2:01PM Odisha Govt school students to get reservation in admission into medical & engineering colleges @Naveen_Odisha Students who studied in government schools in Odisha will now get the benefit of reservation in admission into medical and engineering colleges of the state. A decision to this effect was taken by the state cabinet on Monday. According to the decision, a high level committee under the chairmanship of a retired judge of the Odisha High Court will be constituted to establish the modalities to implement the policy. AIR correspondent reports, the decision is consequent upon the realisation by the government that even meritorious students from government schools are not adequately represented in the medical and engineering colleges of the state. The government felt that these students, particularly those of rural hinterland, fail to prove their talent in All India Entrance Tests like JEE and NEET, for lack of exposure to specialised...

Dec 29, 2020 ,  7:55AM PM Modi to inaugurate New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor today PMO India Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, EDFC  at 11 AM today  through video conferencing. The 351-kilometre New Bhaupur- New Khurja section of EDFC is situated in Uttar Pradesh and is built at a cost of Rs. 5,750 crore. The section will open new vistas of opportunity for the local industries such as aluminium industry in Kanpur Dehat district, dairy sector in Auraiya, textile production in Etawah, glassware industry in Firozabad and locks and hardware in Aligarh district. The section will decongest the existing Kanpur-Delhi main line and will enable Indian Railways to run faster trains. During the event, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate EDFC’s Operation Control Centre (OCC) at Prayagraj. This will act as the command centre for the entire ro...

Dec 28, 2020 ,  8:49PM Country's first ever driverless metro train begins operation in Delhi @OfficialDMRC Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed that rapid urbanisation must be seen as an opportunity rather than as a challenge. He said, this opportunity can provide the platform to build better infrastructure in the country and improve the ease of living. Mr. Modi was speaking after flagging off India’s first ever driverless train operations on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line which will connect Janakpuri West to Botanical Garden metro station. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the fully operational National Common Mobility Card service on the Airport Express Line. The National Common Mobility Card will enable the passengers to travel on the Airport Express Line using the RuPay-Debit Card issued from any part of the country. In his address, the Prime Minister said, the government is committed to convert challenges into opportunity by developing the urban landsca...

Dec 28, 2020 ,  8:45PM European Union Ambassadors unanimously approve EU-UK post- Brexit trade deal Representational Pic Ambassadors from 27 European Union (EU) Member States today unanimously approved the EU-UK post-Brexit trade deal. The deal is likely to become law on 1st January, as the UK Parliament is expected to approve it on Wednesday. Under EU rules, it can take effect provisionally, though the European Parliament will vote on it in January. The deal sets the framework for trade once the UK leaves the EU single market and customs union in four days' time. Spokesman for the German Presidency of EU Sebastian Fischer said, the deal, which ended nine months of negotiations, will be approved by all 27 EU Governments in writing on Tuesday. The deal ends nearly 50 years of UK membership of the bloc, covering a vast array of policies besides those governing common trade rules.  

Dec 28, 2020 ,  2:09PM Dry run for Coronavirus vaccination begins in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Assam REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE The dry run for COVID-19 vaccination has begun in India. In the first phase, four states - Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and Assam began the two day exercise from today.  The aim of the exercise is to identify challenges and make required changes in the plan so that the final process becomes foolproof. The Health Ministry said, this two days exercise will provide a hands-on experience to programme managers at various levels.  This will also enable end-to-end mobilisation and testing of COVID-19 vaccination process, except the vaccine and check the usage of Co-WIN in field environment, the linkages between planning, implementation and reporting mechanisms and identify challenges and guide way forward prior to actual implementation including improvements that may be required in the envisaged process. The Ministry said, an imp...

Dec 28, 2020 ,  2:01PM US President Donald Trump signs Coronavirus relief package bill @POTUS US President Donald Trump has signed into law a Coronavirus relief and spending package bill, averting a partial government shutdown. President Trump had initially refused to sign the bill, saying he wanted to give people bigger one-off payments. The delay meant that millions of Americans temporarily lost unemployment benefits. In a statement, Mr Trump said, he was signing the bill to restore unemployment benefits, return airline workers back to work and add substantially more money for vaccine distribution. The relief package worth 900 billion dollar was approved by Congress after months of negotiation. It is part of a 2.3 trillion dollar spending package that includes 1.4 trillion dollar for normal federal government spending. If President Trump had not signed the bill into law by midnight tonight, a partial government shutdown would have begun unless legislators pass...

Dec 28, 2020 ,  7:59AM PM Modi to flag off 100th Kisan Rail from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal today @PMOIndia Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the 100th Kisan Rail from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal at 4:30 pm today through video conferencing.   The multi-commodity train service will carry vegetables such as cauliflower, capsicum, cabbage, drumsticks, chillies, onion, as well as fruits like grapes, oranges, pomegranate, banana and custard apple.   Loading and unloading of perishable commodities will be permitted at all enroute stoppages with no bar on size of consignment.   The Central Government has extended a subsidy of 50 per cent on transportation of fruits and vegetables.   Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal will also be present on the occasion.   AIR correspondent reports that the first Kisan Rail was introduced from Devlali to Danapu...

Dec 28, 2020 ,  7:54AM MoRTH extends validity of vehicular documents till 31st March 2021 morth.nic.in Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has extended the validity of vehicular documents such as driving licenses (DLs), registration certificates (RCs) and Permits till 31st of March 2021 in the light of need to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The Ministry issued a directive to the States and Union Territory administrations in this regard on Sunday. The Ministry had earlier issued advisories on 30th March, 9th June and 24th August this year regarding extension of validity of documents related to Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. It was advised that the validity of Fitness, Permit (all types), License, Registration or any other concerned documents may be treated to be valid till 31st of December this year. The advisory said, taking into consideration the need to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , it is further advised that the validit...

Dec 28, 2020 ,  7:49AM EAM Dr. S Jaishankar meets business leaders in Qatar; highlights investment opportunities in India @DrSJaishankar External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar met business leaders in Qatar and highlighted the investment opportunities in India.   Dr. S Jaishankar reached Doha on Sunday on a two-day visit to the Gulf nation.   He began his trip with the India-Qatar Business Roundtable.   The External Affairs Minister appreciated the commitment for strengthening business partnerships between the two countries.   In a tweet, Dr. S Jaishankar said, he briefed them about new opportunities flowing from 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.   He thanked chairperson of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI)  Sheikh Khalifa and Chairman of Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) Sheikh Faisal.   Dr. Jaishankar also visited the Qatar National Musuem where he learned about the historical connections between India and Qatar...

Dec 28, 2020 ,  7:48AM PM Modi to inaugurate India’s first-ever driverless train operations on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line today @OfficialDMRC Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India’s first-ever driverless train operations on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line at 11 AM today through video conferencing. These innovations will herald a new era of travelling comfort and enhanced mobility. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the fully operational National Common Mobility Card service on the Airport Express Line. This will enable anyone carrying a RuPay - Debit Card issued from any part of the country to travel on the Airport Express Line using that card. This facility will become available on the entire Delhi Metro network by 2022. AIR correspondent reports that the Delhi Metro currently operates on a network of about 390 kilometres with 285 stations. Delhi Metro has been a pioneer in introducing technology driven solutions for passenger comfort and this is an...

Dec 27, 2020 ,  8:23PM Validity of vehicular documents extended till 31st March next year due to COVID-19 @MORTHIndia Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has extended the validity of vehicular documents like DLs, RCs and Permits till 31st March 2021 in the light of need to prevent spread of COVID-19. The Ministry has today issued a directory to the States and Union Territory administrations in this regard. The Ministry had earlier issued advisories on 30th March, 9th June and 24th August this year regarding extension of validity of documents related to Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. It was advised that the validity of Fitness, Permit (all types), License, Registration or any other concerned documents may be treated to be valid till 31st December this year. The advisory said, taking into consideration the need to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is further advised that the validity of all of the above referred documents may ...

Dec 27, 2020 ,  2:29PM Home Minister Amit Shah lays foundation for several major development projects in Manipur Screen Grab Home Minister Amit Shah today laid the foundation stone for several developmental projects and inaugurated three major projects at Imphal in Manipur today. Mr Shah said, the projects unveiled today will bring ample employment opportunities and GDP of the state will increase immensely. He also assured that a Forensic Science College will be set up in the state and requested Chief Minister N. Biren Singh to initiate the process. The Home Minister said, the youth of the state have excellent IT Skills and Prime Minister Narendra Modi knew about it fully well. He said,  to help them, the Prime Minister has given connectivity to IT. He said, during the three years, the BJP led government has brought unprecedented development and peace in Manipur. Mr Shah said, the past governments never gave importance to the North East Region and neglected ...

Dec 27, 2020 ,  2:15PM Prime Minister calls upon people to resolve to make country free of single-use plastic AIR Pics Prime Minister Narendra Modi  said, there are also some people who continuously keep on doing something new and keep on fulfilling new resolutions. He mentioned Pradeep Sangwan of Gurugram who is running a campaign Healing Himalayas since 2016. The Prime Minister said, Mr Sangwan goes to different areas in the Himalayas with his team and volunteers where they clean plastic waste dumped there by tourists. So far, he has cleaned tons of plastic from various tourist locations in the Himalayas. He also spoke about a young couple from Karnataka, Anudeep and Minusha who got married last month in November. Mr Modi said, the couple decided to clean up the garbage that people have left behind at the Someshwar beach. It was the first resolve that both husband and wife took after marriage. Together they cleaned up a lot of garbage from the beach. Later a...

Dec 27, 2020 ,  8:12AM Two terrorists killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir AIR In Jammu and Kashmir, two terrorists have been killed in an encounter with security forces in the Kanigam area of Shopian. DGP Dilbagh Singh said, the slain terrorists belonged to Al-Badr outfit. The encounter broke out after security forces launched a search operation in the area following specific input. They had joined the terror outfit in July-August this year.

Dec 27, 2020 ,  8:07AM Date for CBSE board examinations to be announced on 31st of this month @DrRPNishank The date of CBSE board examinations for 2021 will be announced on 31st of this month. In a tweet, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said he will announce the date for CBSE board exams on the 31st of December. Every year, the Central Board of Secondary Education conducts board exams in the month of February and March and releases the datesheet in November.  However, this year, due to the Covid 19 pandemic, the board exams timetable has been delayed. Mr Pokhriyal had recently informed that the CBSE board exams will be conducted after February and in offline mode.

Dec 27, 2020 ,  8:04AM Farmer unions propose to hold another round of talks with government on Tuesday @_YogendraYadav The farmer unions have proposed to hold another round of talks with the government on Tuesday at 11 AM. Briefing reporters at Singhu border Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav said, all farmer leaders and all farmer unions' representatives who are protesting against farm laws have mutually decided to hold another round of talks with the Centre. On Thursday, the Central government had written to the protesting farmers unions and invited them for fresh talks. Joint Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry Vivek Agrawal had reiterated the government's commitment to discuss and find a solution to all the issues raised by the farmers. Mr Agarwal had asked farmer Unions to decide the date and time for the next round of talks.  

Dec 26, 2020 ,  8:12PM Govt. says, India’s cumulative COVID-19 recoveries are highest in the world @MoHFW_INDIA Government today said that India’s cumulative COVID-19 recoveries are the highest in the world. The Health Ministry said, the number of recovered COVID cases has reached around 97,50,000. The Ministry said, India’s present active caseload of around 2,81,000 consists of 2.77 per cent of India’s total positive cases. The country's COVID-19 recovery rate has also reached 95.78 per cent. It said, the country has reported less than 30 thousand daily new cases continuously for the last 13 days.   During the past 24 hours, 22,272 new cases were reported taking the total number of positive cases to over one crore one lakh. Currently, India’s Case Fatality Rate is at 1.45 per cent which is one of the lowest globally. During the last 24 hours, 251 deaths were reported taking the toll to 1,47,343.  

Dec 26, 2020 ,  8:12PM PM Modi to share his thoughts with people in country and abroad in 'Mann Ki Baat' programme on AIR tomorrow at 11 AM AIR Pics 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 tomorrow at 11 AM. It will be the 72nd 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.  

Dec 26, 2020 ,  2:00PM Union Minister Nitin Gadkari says govt is making 22 Green Express Highways to connect different parts of country @nitin_gadkari In an exclusive interview with AIR News, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs Nitin Gadkari has said that the government is fully committed towards development in the field of infrastructure. He informed that construction of 22 Green Express Highways which is in progress will prove to be a game changer in the field of transportation and traveling. Mr. Gadkari also spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and making India a number one global economy. He said, the centre is taking every measure to boost the cottage, small, medium and micro enterprises in the country. Listeners can tune in to FM Gold at 9:15 PM today to listen to the complete Interview with the Union Minister for Road, Transport, Highways and MSMEs Nitin Gadkari in our feature programme SPOTLIGHT.

Dec 26, 2020 ,  7:58AM Home Minister Amit Shah to launch several development projects at Amingaon in Guwahati @AmitShah Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend a program  at Amingaon in Guwahati to start several development projects. He will take part as the Chief Guest in the ceremonial program for the establishment of Guwahati's second medical college today.  Home Minister  will also distribute financial assistance to namghars under Asom Darshan scheme and also lay the foundation stone for development and beautification of Batadrava. In the same program, Mr. Shah will also ceremonially start the work of 9 law colleges today. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and his cabinet colleagues will also take part in the event. The Home Minister also addressed the gathering. He will also hold a meeting with state BJP leadership during his visit.  

Dec 26, 2020 ,  7:53AM PM Modi to launch Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY SEHAT to ensure universal health coverage to people of J&K @airnewss Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY SEHAT to extend coverage to all the residents of Jammu and Kashmir at 12 noon   through video conferencing. The scheme will ensure Universal Health Coverage and focus on providing financial risk protection and ensuring quality and affordable essential health services to all individuals and communities. Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha will also be present on the occasion. The Scheme provides free of cost insurance cover to all the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. It provides financial cover upto five lakh rupees per family on a floater basis to all residents. It provides for the operational extension of PM-JAY to 15 lakh additional families. The scheme will operate on insurance mode in convergence with PM-JAY. The ben...

Dec 25, 2020 ,  9:01PM Nation pays homage to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's on his birth anniversary and 'Good Governance day' AIR Pics Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today paid floral tributes to former Prime Minister, Bharat Ratna awardee Atal Bihari Vajpayee and freedom fighter & educationist, Bharat Ratna awardee Madan Mohan Malviya, in the Central hall of the Parliament. On the occasion of the 96th birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mr. Modi released a book titled  ‘Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Parliament: A Commemorative Volume’, highlighting the life and works of the former Prime Minister. Lok Sabha Speaker OM Birla, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and several Members of Parliament were present on the occasion. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid floral tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Sadaiv Atal memorial in New Delhi today. Union Minister Amit Shah, Rajnath ...

Dec 25, 2020 ,  8:37PM Boxing Day Test between India and Australia to begin at Melbourne tomorrow File Pic India’s squad for the second Test against Australia was announced today. Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammad Siraj are in the playing Eleven for the Boxing Day Test, starting from tomorrow at Melbourne Cricket Ground. India will take on the Aussies in the absence of regular skipper Virat Kohli. Ajinkya Rahane-led team will have two debutants, Shubman Gill and Mohd Siraj, in the team. While Wriddhiman Saha has been replaced by Rishabh Pant and all rounder Ravindra Jadeja is also making a comeback to the Test side.  India had lost the opener of the four match test series played at Adelaide.  

Dec 25, 2020 ,  7:57PM More than 54 lakh paddy farmers benefit from procurement during current Kharif Marketing Season AIR Pics Government has said that 54 lakh 78 thousand paddy farmers have been benefited from current Kharif Marketing Season Procurement Operations with MSP value of over Rs 84,178 crore.   The Agriculture Ministry said, over 445 lakh tonnes of paddy have been procured from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar.  It said, the government continues to procure Kharif crops at its Minimum Support Price from farmers as per its existing MSP schemes.  

Dec 25, 2020 ,  1:52PM Christmas being celebrated across globe; President, PM, other dignitaries greet the people AIR Pics Christmas is being celebrated across the globe today. Christians all over the world celebrate Christmas to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. On the occasion, people decorate their houses by putting a Christmas tree, illuminated paper star, Holly wreaths and exchange gifts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conveyed greetings of Christmas to everyone. He said, the life and principles of Lord Christ gives strength to millions across the world. Mr. Modi wished that the path shown by Lord Christ may keep guiding everyone towards building a just and inclusive society. In Goa, the mood of traditional fervor of Christmas celebrations is reverberating. Midnight masses were held in Churches and chapels. Kerala is celebrating Christmas  with prayers and enthusiasm amid strict adherence to Covid protocols.  Houses are decorated with Christmas t...

The Central Government is gearing up for the roll out of COVID19 vaccination program across the country. As the vaccine administrators will play an important role in the vaccination process, training of trainers and those who shall administer the vaccine has been taken up across various States. To strengthen the capacity of the human resource for COVID-19 vaccine introduction and roll-out, detailed training modules have been developed for different categories of vaccine handlers and administrators. The training includes organization of vaccination sessions, use of Co-WIN IT platform for management of the entire vaccination process,  deployment of HR Cold chain preparedness, Management of adverse events, etc. 2 thousand 3 hundred 60 participants were trained during national level Training of Trainers which comprised state immunization officers, cold chain officers, IEC officials, development partners etc. Cascading down, 681 districts comprising 49 thousand 604 trainees have com...

Dec 25, 2020 ,  8:21AM Nation pays homage to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary AIR Pics The Nation pays homage to former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 96th birth anniversary today. The day is also celebrated as Good Governance Day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay floral tributes and also release a book titled Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Parliament : A Commemorative Volume on the birth anniversary of Vajpayee. This book, published by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, highlights the life and works of Vajpayee ji and contains notable speeches that were delivered by him in Parliament. The book also contains some rare photographs from Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s public life. Vajpayee was elected ten times to the Lok Sabha and twice to the Rajya Sabha. He was a parliamentarian par excellence, who had the trust, affection and belief of the people in his leadership. As a parliamentarian and particularly as Prime Minist...

Dec 25, 2020 ,  8:10AM Over 18 thousand crore rupees to be transferred to more than 9 crore farmers' account under PM-KISAN scheme by PM Modi today PMO India Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the next instalment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) at 12 noon today through video conferencing. With the push of a button, the Prime Minister will enable the transfer of more than 18 thousand crore rupees to over nine crores beneficiary farmer families. The Prime Minister will also have a conversation with farmers from six different States during the event. The farmers will share their experiences about PM-KISAN and also on various other initiatives taken by the government for the welfare of farmers. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will also be present on the occasion. Under the PM-KISAN Scheme, a financial benefit of six thousand rupees per year is provided to small and marginal farmers, payable in three equal ...

Dec 25, 2020 ,  7:59AM European Union and Britain reach an agreement over post-Brexit trade @BorisJohnson European Union and United Kingdom have struck a post-Brexit trade deal, after months of negotiations over future business rules, just a week before the deadline. The British government has announced that the deal is done.  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared that they have completed the biggest deal yet worth 668 billion pound a year. He said it will protect jobs across this country and enable UK goods to be sold without tariffs, without quotas in the EU market. Mr Johnson said, it is a good deal for the whole of Europe. The Britain’s Parliament is set to vote 30th of this month on the deal. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said, this was a long and winding road but we have got a good deal to show for it. She said, the deal was fair and balanced and UK remains a trusted partner. Once ratified by EU leaders, the European parliam...