#mayawati akhilesh press conference

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New Post has been published on http://newsreaders.in/2019-ls-polls-akhilesh-mayawati-alliance-to-contest-in-up/

2019 LS polls: Red sign for PM Modi as Akhilesh-Mayawati alliance to contest in UP

Lucknow : Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has announced their alliance in Uttar Pradesh for contesting 2019 Lok Sabha polls by sharing 38 seats each out of the state’s 80 parliamentary constituencies.

The parties kept the Congress out of the alliance, but said they will not field candidates in Amethi and Rae Bareli, represented by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The alliance left two more seats for smaller allies.

Making the announcement at a joint press conference with SP president Akhilesh Yadav here, BSP chief Mayawati said that the alliance will rob Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah of their sleep.

“The BJP taught us how to do ginti (arithmetic),” said Mr. Yadav on Friday, claiming that despite having a superior record on development, his party had lost out on the arithmetic.

A result of this strategy was seen in Gorakhpur, Phulpur and Kairana where the BJP lost its in by-polls as the grand-alliance tested waters successfully. Mr. Yadav said the number of alliances stitched up by the BJP to win elections had gone unnoticed.

The proximity between the two old rivals, the SP and BSP, started soon after the drubbing in the 2017 Assembly election in which the BJP and its allies secured 325 seats out 403.

The BJP played down the potential of the SP-BSP alliance, with CM Yogi Adityanath calling it a “desperate attempt to save their existence.” “Public knows the truth and they will give the reply when time comes,” he said.

Read more : News Readers

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मायावती और अखिलेश ने की लिया मोदी के अंत का फैसला, दोनों लड़ेंगे 38-38 सीट पर चुनाव

मायावती और अखिलेश ने की लिया मोदी के अंत का फैसला, दोनों लड़ेंगे 38-38 सीट पर चुनाव

बीजेपी और मायावती उत्तर प्रदेश में मिलकर चुनाव लड़ेंगे. दोनों पार्टियों ने 76 सीटों पर गठबंधन किया है जिसमें दोनों 38-38 सीटों पर चुनाव लड़ेंगे. गठबंधन ने अमेठी और रायबरेली सीट कांग्रेस पार्टी के लिए छोड़ दी है.

बसपा सुप्रीमो ने कहा कि यह प्रेस वार्ता पीएम नरेंद्र मोदी और बीजेपी अध्यक्ष अमित शाह की नींद उड़ाने वाली है. हमारे गठबंधन से देश को बहुत उम्मीदें हैं. यह बीजेपी को केंद्र में आने से…

[sachkiawaaj]

Why is BSP supremo Mayawati miffed with Akhilesh Yadav? Know the reason here

Why is BSP supremo Mayawati miffed with Akhilesh Yadav? Know the reason here

New Delhi: For the past few months, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has been highly miffed with the Samajwadi Party and its president Akhilesh Yadav. Mayawati has been continuously attacking Akhilesh and Samajwadi Party on Twitter and at her press conferences.  Mayawati and Akhilesh fought the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together. However, the SP-BSP alliance failed to spell any magic on…

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Nirmala Sitharaman on Economic Package LIVE Updates: FM begins presser to announce third tranche of Rs 20-lakh-crore stimulus; agriculture, allied activities to be in focus

16:14 (IST)

Nirmala Sitharaman on Economic Package Latest Updates:

FM to announce 11 steps to boost agro and agro-allied sectors

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman started off her presser by praising the Indian farmers, who she said have endured all odds but propelled India on the global stage. She said that she will lay out 11 pointers in total, of which eight will be dedicated to strengthening of infrastructure and logistical needs of the sector. The last three points will be about governance reforms. 

16:09 (IST)

Nirmala Sitharaman on Economic Package Latest Updates:

FM's third tranche of Rs 20-lakh-crore stimulus aimed at agriculture, allied activities

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced at the outset that today's focus will be on agriculture and allied sectors. The FM was announcing the third tranche of Rs 20-lakh-crore stimulus package. 

16:05 (IST)

EPFO not charging penalty from cos for delay in payment of provident fund dues

15:56 (IST)

Markets slips ahead of announcement of Sitharaman's third tranche of economic package 

Benchmark indices closed marginally lower after staging a sharp recovery from the intraday losses and the Nifty ended above 9,100-mark. Sensex fell 25.16 points or 0.08 percent to 31,097.73, while Nifty was down 5.90 points or 0.06 percent at 9,136.85 at close amid a volatile session. 

15:52 (IST)

Nirmala Sitharaman on Economic Package Latest Updates:

FM to announce third tranche of Rs 20-lakh-crore economic package shortly

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will announce the third tranche of the mega economic package announced by the prime minister on Tuesday

15:35 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

Govt data says doubling rate, case fatality rate improved since lockdown

A press release on meeting of the Group of Ministers or the central government revealed that doubling rate has improved from 3.4 days in the pre-lockdown week to 12.9 days in the last week. The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) has come down from 3.2 percent in the pre-lockdown period to 2.1 percent during the last week.  

15:33 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

SC declines plea seeking relief for migrants, says 'can’t stop or monitor their movement on roads'

Rejecting the plea seeking direction to the Centre on transportation of migrant workers stuck in various states due to the nationwide lockdown, the Supreme Court observed that it was impossible for courts to track or stop the movement. 

The plea sought a direction to the Centre to ask all District Magistrates to identify stranded migrant walking on the roads and provide shelter and food to them before ensuring their free transportation to native places.

"How can we stop it?", the bench, headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao, said that it is up to states to take action. 

15:20 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Manipur Latest Updates

Quarantine centre in Manipur sealed after patients tests positive 

A community quarantine centre in Manipur's Imphal East district was sealed after a man who was lodged in the facility tested positive for COVID-19, an official said on Friday.

Imphal East Deputy Commissioner Rangitabali Waikhom said the Jamia Galina Aziz Girls School which was a designated quarantine centre was declared a "containment zone" and the building "completely sealed" as per the Manipur Epidemic Diseases COVID-19 Regulations 2020.

15:00 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Karnataka Latest Updates

Dakshina Kannada reports 16 of total 45 new COVID-19 cases in Karnataka alone

Of the 45 new coronavirus cases in Karnataka, 16 were reported in Dakshina Kannada, 13 in Bengaluru Urban, five in Udapi, three each in Bidar and Hassan, two in Chitradurga, and one each in Kolar, Shivamogga and Bagalkote districts.

  Twenty of the new patients have travel history to Dubai, four to Mumbai and three have returned from Chennai. One patient has a history of severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) and another was from containment zone in Bidar.

  14:56 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Karnataka Latest Updates

Karnataka's COVID-19 mortality rate at 3.4%, recovery at 46.12%

With 35 COVID-19 deaths in Karnataka so far, the state has registered a mortality rate of 3.4 percent. On the other hand, as many as 476 patients have been cured of the viral infection, taking the recovery rate to 46.12 percent. 

"Of the total 1,032 confirmed cases, there were 520 active cases in the state," the health department said in its mid-day situation update.

14:36 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Karnataka Latest Updates

Confirmed cases in Karnataka surges 1,000 after 45 more test positive

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka surged past 1,000, with 45 people testing positive, the state health department said on Friday. Total number of positive cases in the state stood at 1,032.

14:25 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Assam Latest Updates

Assam CM urges Centre to extend lockdown in state by two more weeks from 17 May 

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday said the state has written to the Centre urging it to extend the ongoing lockdown by two more weeks from 18 May. The third phase of the coronavirus lockdown is scheduled to end on 17 May.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sonowal said all states were supposed to give their feedback on the extension of the lockdown by Friday, and the Assam government has already conveyed its stand to the Centre.

14:22 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Tamil Nadu Latest Updates

Supreme Court stays Madras HC order asking Tamil Nadu govt to close liquor shops in state

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Madras High Court order which had asked the Tamil Nadu government to close state-run liquor vends. Following the stay on the high court order by the apex court, the state-owned liquor shops may reopen in the state.

A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao, SK Kaul and BR Gavai stayed the 8 May order of the High Court after taking note of the appeal of government firm Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) which sells alcoholic beverages in the state. 

14:11 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Delhi Latest Updates

Suggestions sent to Centre on resumption of public transport in Delhi during lockdown 4: Satyendar Jain 

Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday said that the Delhi government has submitted the proposals to the Centre for the relaxations that people are expecting from the government for the next phase of coronavirus lockdown 4.

The Minister emphasized that people are stressing for the resumption of public transportation in limited manner.

"We have sent proposals to the Centre. Most people have given a proposal to wear mask in public space and maintain social distancing," said Jain while speaking to reporters.

He added: "The people have suggested that movement of buses and metro rails may be started in limited numbers to maintain social distancing."

13:51 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

'There's no plan for this sort of photography': PTI's Atul Yadav on the migrant crisis' most defining image so far

"His name was Rampukar — but he didn't tell me that. I only found out a few days later in a newspaper report. At the time, I couldn't even ask him his name," recalls Press Trust of India's chief photo correspondent Atul Yadav, "He was unable to say very much beyond 'udhar (there)' — which is where he was trying to go."

On Monday, Yadav was driving through Delhi's Nizamuddin area, when he spotted Rampukar Pandit (as identified by Hindi daily Hindustan). "It was at around 5.15 pm when I saw him sitting by the side of the road a little before the Yamuna bridge. I stopped my car and pulled over near him," he tells Firstpost, adding, "I then rolled down my window and photographed the man before getting out to go and check on him."

Read full article here...

Image coutersy: Atul Yadav's photograph of Rampukar Pandit. PTI

13:31 (IST)

Sena Bhavan closed after soldier tests positive

A portion of the Sena Bhavan was sealed off for sanitation today after one soldier tested positive for COVID.Contact tracing of the affected personnel is underway as per protocol, an official release said.

13:21 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates

SP, BSP express concern over plight of migrant labourers returning home

Amid reports of accidents involving migrant labourers on their way back home, the opposition Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party expressed concern over their plight.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav in a tweet said, "The government is giving passes to industrialists to bring workers to work but there is no arrangement for the helpless labourers returning home who are forced to die of hunger and thirst on the road." "By now, all have come to know that this government is with the rich and against the labourers, farmers and poor. The BJP has been exposed."

  BSP supremo Mayawati said in a tweet, "Videos of millions of migrants labourers, their helpless families on the streets returning home, their hunger and deaths on the way shown on TV are heartbreaking and sad. In such a situation, effective arrangements should be immediately made by central, state governments to help them in their life-and-death battles."

13:16 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates

Maharashtra govt forms two coordination panels on COVID-19

The Maharashtra government has  set up two committees at state and district level for better​ coordinationbetween public and private hospitals in tackling the spread of COVID-19. The decision to constitute the coordination panels was taken on Thursday after a meeting between representatives of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Maharashtra Chief secretary Ajoy Mehta, according to the government.

12:59 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Himachal Pradesh Latest Updates

Man tests positive in Himachal Pradesh's Una

A 33-year-old man in Una has tested positive for COVID-19. "The man arrived from Maharashtra and was under institutional quarantine. He is now being sent to Haroli COVID-19 hospital," Dr Raman Kumar, CMO, Una said.

A total of 74 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported from Himachal Pradesh as of Thursday.

12:38 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates

At least 1,061 Maharashtra Police personnel test positive

As many as 1,061 personnel of Maharashtra Police including 112 police officers have tested positive for COVID-19 so far. Of the total infected police personnel, 174 have been cured while nine have lost their lives, said the Maharashtra Police.

12:36 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates

Two infants recover from COVID-19 in Kalyan 

Two infants were among 51 COVID-19 patients who recovered from the viral infection at Kalyan taluka in Maharashtra's Thane district, Madhuri Phopale, public relations officer of Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation told news agency PTI​.

As many as 51 COVID-19 patients, including a one-month-old girl and a two-month-old boy, were discharged from different hospitals, following their recovery, said the official.

12:26 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

GoM meeting over COVID-19 underway at Health Ministry

A Union Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting over COVID-19 is underway at the Health and Family Welfare Ministry. Senior Ministers present in the meeting include Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai.

With an increase of 3,967 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the number of coronavirus cases reached 81,970 cases, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday.

12:13 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

Over 2 lakh migrant labourers ferried in 145 Shramik trains on Thursday: Railways 

The Indian Railways operated 145 'Shramik Special' trains on Thursday and ferried home close to 2.10 lakh migrants stranded in various parts of the country amid the lockdown enforced in view of the novel coronavirus. 

12:05 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Bangladesh Latest Updates

First COVID-19 case detected in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh 

Authorities have reported the first positive coronavirus case in the crowded camps for Rohingya refugees in southern Bangladesh, where more than 1 million refugees are sheltered.

The person from the Rohingya community and a local person who lives in the Cox's Bazar district who also tested positive have been isolated, Mahbub Alam Talukder, said the country's refugee commissioner.

11:54 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates

Yogi Adityanath holds COVID-19 review meeting with senior officials

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath conducted a meeting with 'COVID-19 management Team - 11' and other senior officials to review the situation in the state, ANI reported. 

11:35 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Kerala Latest Updates

Plea filed in Kerala HC seeking COVID-19 testing of all expatriates returning to India

A plea was filed in the Kerala High Court seeking COVID-19 testing of all expatriates and other additional safety protocol for those Indians returning from other countries to India, Bar and Bench reported. 

According to the petitioner, currently only those returning from UAE are subjected to rapid antibody test. 

Plea in Kerala HC urging for COVID-19 testing of all expatriates and other additional safety protocol for those Indians returning from other countries to India amid #COVID19 Petitioner says that at present only those returning from UAE are being subjected to rapid antibody test

— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) May 15, 2020

11:19 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

Narendra Modi discusses COVID-19 situation with Bill Gates

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and philanthropist Bill Gates on Thursday discussed the global response to COVID-19, and the importance of global coordination in scientific innovation and research to combat the pandemic.

During a video conference, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation co-chair Bill Gates and Modi agreed that given India's willingness and capacity to contribute to global efforts, it was important for New Delhi to be included in the global discussions for coordinating responses to the pandemic.

11:03 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

World Bank approves $1 bn for India as social security fund for urban poor, migrants

The World Bank has approved $1 billion for India as social security technology fund for country’s urban poor and migrant workers. The focus will be to enable India to integrate all of its 400-plus social security schemes at a technology level, the bank said.

Hindustan Times quoted Junaid Ahmad, country director, World Bank, as saying, "The project will be crucial to rebalance social security towards urban poor, as much as rural."

10:57 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

FM to announce third tranche of Centre's economic stimulus package

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address a press conference at 4 pm on Friday. The details of the third tranche of the Centre’s economic rescue package of Rs 20 lakh crore will be announced.

The second tranche, announced on Thursday, focussed on migrant workers, street vendors, small traders, the self-employed and small farmers.

10:49 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Odisha Latest Updates

Odisha reports 672 COVID-19 cases

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Odisha climbed to 672 after 48 more individuals tested positive for the viral infection on Friday, said the state health department. 

10:47 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

Nitin Gadkari to hold webinar on impact of higher education amid pandemic

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will address a webinar on 'Impact of Higher Education in the post COVID-19 economy' on Friday from 12.30 pm till 1.30 pm, News18 reported. 

10:34 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

Badrinath temple opens, devotees restricted to enter

The gates of the Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand were opened at 4.30 am on Friday, news agency ANI reported. Officials said only 27 people, including the head priest, will be allowed at the temple.

"Devotees will not be allowed entry into the temple during that time. The decision has been taken in view of the guidelines issued by the centre amid the COVID-19 pandemic," Anil Chanyal, sub-divisional magistrate of Joshimath, said in a statement.

#WATCH Uttarakhand: The portals of Badrinath Temple opened at 4:30 am today. 28 people including the Chief Priest was present at the temple when its portals opened. (Video Source: ITBP) pic.twitter.com/Yr6pamv7Kk

— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2020

10:12 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

India's COVID-19 recovery rate at 34%

The COVID-19 recovery rate in India stood at 34 percent after 27,920 patients were discharged as of Friday, according to the recent data released by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

10:07 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

India's confirmed cases swell to 81,970 after 3,995 more test positive

India registered 81,970 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday after 3,995 more tested positive across the nation in the past 24 hours. The COVID-19 toll stood at 2,649 with 100 more patients succumbing to the infectious disease. 

Of the total 81,970, there are 51,401 active cases, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

09:41 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates

Three migrant workers killed, four injured in road accident in UP's Barabanki

Three migrants were killed, while four injured in a road accident in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh around 2.30 am on Friday. The incident took place when the labourers were coming Surat in Gujarat and were heading towards Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh.

Those injured have been admitted to Trauma Centre in Lucknow. 

09:23 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates

Two migrant workers, including a woman, killed in road accident in UP's Jalaun dist 

At least two migrant workers were killed, 14 seriously injured in a road accident in Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh on Thursday night, according to media reports. The incident took place when a DCM carrying migrant labourers was hit by by a vehicle in Girthan village located in NH-27 of Etah police station area, TV9 reported. 

The report also mentioned, that a woman was among the two killed of the total 46 migrant workers in the DCM vehicle. All the injured have been admitted to the Government Medical College Orai.

09:07 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

INS Jalashwa to sail again from Male to repatriate at least 700 Indians

Indian navy ship INS Jalashwa will sail again from Maldives capital of Male on Friday to repatriate around 700 residents of Kerala and Lakshadweep under the Samudra setu mission. 

The pre-embarkation activities have begun and people are being ferried from different points of Male to the airport where emigration and medical checkup etc. are to be carried out. The ship will depart in the afternoon. 

08:51 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates

Maharashtra set to extend lockdown till end of May, will send report to this effect to Centre today 

The Maharashtra government has called for an extension of lockdown in the State till 31 May, and is likely to send a report to this effect to the Centre by Friday. 

On Thursday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with State Cabinet ministers to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the state and the measures needed to be implemented to contain the fast-spreading virus. 

According to a senior minister, a consensus was reached on that the lockdown has to be extended in certain parts of the State, especially in red zones such as the Mumbai and Pune metropolitan regions, Malegaon and Solapur.

The Hindu quoted the minister as saying, "It was also agreed upon that the lockdown from now on has to be strictly implemented in red zones, especially in containment areas. At the same time, further relaxations could be given in orange and green zones," adding that the recommendation will be sent to the Centre on Friday.

08:36 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Bihar Latest Updates

Bihar registers 999 COVID-19 cases as 46 more test positive

With 46 more people testing positive for the novel coronavirus in Bihar, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state climbed to 999 on Thursday, a senior official said.

08:26 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

Air India to open bookings for select repatriation flights from Delhi 

Air India is taking bookings for about 30 outbound flights — mainly from Delhi — for some destinations in the US, Canada, UK, Paris, Frankfurt, Singapore and Australia. 

These flights will operate from 17-28 May as part of the Vande Bharat Mission-II to fly back Indians stranded abroad.

08:05 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates

In Photos: Delhi migrant workers walk home to different parts in UP 

Delhi: Migrant workers reach Delhi-Ghazipur border to return to their homes in different parts of Uttar Pradesh. One of them,Rita,says "My home is in Hardoi. My landlord has kicked me out as I couldn't pay rent. My children are young but there's no other option but to walk home." pic.twitter.com/2dPw1Gh5ZJ

— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2020

08:02 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

Flight attendants to wear face shield, gown and mask when airlines resume ops

Cabin crew members of Indian airlines will have personal protective equipment (PPE) like face shields, gowns and masks as part of their attire on commercial passenger flights when they resume operations, industry sources said.

Airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, Vistara and AirAsia India have decided to go with the new attire in order to ensure safety of cabin crew members as they are in close proximity to passengers during flights, the sources said.

"While AirAsia India will have face shields, masks, gowns, aprons and gloves as a part of their PPE attire for cabin crew members, Vistara would have a lap gown, face mask and face shield as the new dress code," a source said.

07:44 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates

25 new COVID-19 deaths in Mumbai 

Of the 44 deaths recorded in Maharashtra, 25 COVID-19 patients succumbed to the infection in financial capital Mumbai, 10 in Navi Mumbai, five in Pune, two in Aurangabad and one person each died in Panvel and Kalyan.

07:36 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates

Maharashtra registers highest single-day jump with 1,602 new COVID-19 cases

Maharashtra on Thursday reported 1,602 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike so far, taking the state’s overall count to 27,524, according to state health department data.

With 44 deaths registered today, the death toll in Maharashtra due to the contagious coronavirus disease has now breached the 1000-mark and stands at 1019.

07:32 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

India reports second-highest spike in COVID-19 cases with total inching towards 80,000

In the biggest surge in COVID-19 infections in Delhi, 472 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Thursday, as India's total neared 80,000 with 3,995 fresh cases reported, the second-highest rise in a day.

While this was the fifth consecutive day of over 3,500 cases being added to the country's overall count, the growth rate of the infection has gradually decreased during this period. 

07:23 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates 

Centre to provide free food grain to migrants, concessional credit to farmers 

The government on Thursday announced a Rs 3.16 lakh crore package of free foodgrains for migrant workers, concessional credit to farmers and working capital loan for street vendors as part of the second tranche of fiscal stimulus to heal an economy hit hard by coronavirus lockdown.

At a news conference, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said 8 crore migrant workers will get 5 kgs of grains and 1 kg of pulses free for two months, while 50 lakh street vendors rendered jobless by the lockdown would be given a working capital loan of Rs 10,000 each.

Nirmala Sitharaman on Economic Package Latest Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will announce the third tranche of the mega economic package announced by the prime minister on Tuesday

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka surged past 1,000, with 45 people testing positive, the state health department said on Friday. Total number of positive cases in the state stood at 1,032.

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Madras High Court order which had asked the Tamil Nadu government to close state-run liquor vends. Following the stay on the high court order by the apex court, the state-owned liquor shops may reopen in the state.

A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao, SK Kaul and BR Gavai stayed the 8 May order of the High Court after taking note of the appeal of government firm Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) which sells alcoholic beverages in the state

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday said the state has written to the Centre urging it to extend the ongoing lockdown by two more weeks from 18 May. The third phase of the coronavirus lockdown is scheduled to end on 17 May.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sonowal said all states were supposed to give their feedback on the extension of the lockdown by Friday, and the Assam government has already conveyed its stand to the Centre.

As many as 1,061 personnel of Maharashtra Police including 112 police officers have tested positive for COVID-19 so far. Of the total infected police personnel, 174 have been cured while nine have lost their lives, said the Maharashtra Police.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address a press conference at 4 pm on Friday. The details of the third tranche of the Centre’s economic rescue package of Rs 20 lakh crore will be announced.

The second tranche, announced on Thursday, focussed on migrant workers, street vendors, small traders, the self-employed and small farmers.

The World Bank has approved $1 billion for India as social security technology fund for country’s urban poor and migrant workers. The focus will be to enable India to integrate all of its 400-plus social security schemes at a technology level, the bank said.

Hindustan Times quoted Junaid Ahmad, country director, World Bank, as saying, "The project will be crucial to rebalance social security towards urban poor, as much as rural."

India registered 81,970 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday after 3,995 more tested positive across the nation in the past 24 hours. The COVID-19 toll stood at 2,649 with 100 more patients succumbing to the infectious disease.

Of the total 81,970, there are 51,401 active cases, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Indian navy ship INS Jalashwa will sail again from Maldives capital of Male on Friday to repatriate around 700 residents of Kerala and Lakshadweep under the Samudra setu mission.

The pre-embarkation activities have begun and people are being ferried from different points of Male to the airport where emigration and medical checkup etc. are to be carried out. The ship will depart in the afternoon.

At least two migrant workers were killed, 14 seriously injured in a road accident in Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh on Thursday night, according to media reports. The incident took place when a DCM carrying migrant labourers was hit by a vehicle in Girthan village located in NH-27 of Etah police station area, TV9 reported.

The report also mentioned, that a woman was among the two killed of the total 46 migrant workers in the DCM vehicle. All the injured have been admitted to the Government Medical College Orai.

The Maharashtra government has called for an extension of lockdown in the State till 31 May, and is likely to send a report to this effect to the Centre by Friday.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with State Cabinet ministers to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the state and the measures needed to be implemented to contain the fast-spreading virus.

According to a senior minister, a consensus was reached on that the lockdown has to be extended in certain parts of the State, especially in red zones such as the Mumbai and Pune metropolitan regions, Malegaon and Solapur.

The Hindu quoted the minister as saying, "It was also agreed upon that the lockdown from now on has to be strictly implemented in red zones, especially in containment areas. At the same time, further relaxations could be given in orange and green zones," adding that the recommendation will be sent to the Centre on Friday.

Maharashtra on Thursday reported 1,602 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike so far, taking the state’s overall count to 27,524, according to state health department data.

With 44 deaths registered today, the death toll in Maharashtra due to the contagious coronavirus disease has now breached the 1000-mark and stands at 1019.

The number of deaths from COVID-19 disease rose to 2,549 and the number of cases climbed to 78,003 on Thursday, registering an increase of 134 fatalities and 3,722 infections in the last 24 hours since Wednesday 8 am, according to the Union Health Ministry.

The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 49,219 while 26,234 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, it said.

Meanwhile, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the media for the second day in a row, and spelt out more details of the Centre's Rs 20-lakh-crore special economic package. She said the second tranche of economic stimulus package will be for the benefit of migrant workers, street vendors and small farmers.

FM announces concessional credit for farmers, free food grains for migrants

Sitharaman on Thursday announced a Rs 3.16 lakh crore package comprising free food grains for migrant workers, Rs 2 lakh crore concessional credit to small farmers and working capital loan for street vendors in a bid to help those hit hard by the nationwide lockdown.

Together with the Wednesday's Rs 5.94 lakh crore package that mostly comprised off-budget credit line and support to small businesses, shadow banks and electricity distribution companies, the government has unveiled over Rs 9 lakh crore plans out of the Rs 20 lakh crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to heal Asia's third-largest economy that was seen hurtling towards its first full-year contraction in four decades.

Sitharaman said each of the eight crore migrant workers, who had to leave their workplaces after imposition of the lockdown on 25 March, will get 5 kg grains and 1 kg pulses free for two months.

Also, 50 lakh street vendors who were rendered jobless as the government ordered stay-at-home would be given a working capital loan of Rs 10,000 each to restart their businesses.

For farmers, the finance minister announced a Rs 2 lakh crore concessional credit through Kisan Credits Cards, benefiting as many as 2.5 crore farmers.

However, the Congress criticised the economic package as a "jumla" saying it has so far been way short of what Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised and the entire press conference of the finance minister was classic display of "arrogance, ignorance and insensitivity".

Senior spokesperson of the party Anand Sharma said the country believed that Modi was serious when he made the "dramatic" announcement of giving 10 percent of the GDP as a package to revive the economy and support workers and migrant labourers and that expectations had soared.

"The finance minister's announcement dashed all hopes," he said.

State-wise deaths and cases

India has reported a total 134 deaths deaths since Wednesday morning, of which 54 were in Maharashtra, 29 in Gujarat, 20 in Delhi, 9 in West Bengal, seven in Madhya Pradesh, four in Rajasthan, three in Tamil Nadu, two each in Telangana and Karnataka and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh.

Of the 2,549 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 975 fatalities, Gujarat comes second with 566 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 232, West Bengal at 207, Rajasthan at 121, Delhi at 106, Uttar Pradesh at 83, Tamil Nadu at 64 and Andhra Pradesh at 47.

The toll reached 34 in Telangana, 33 in Karnataka and 32 in Punjab on Thursday. Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir have reported 11 fatalities each due to the respiratory disease while Bihar has registered seven and Kerala has reported four deaths.

Jharkhand, Chandigarh and Odisha have recorded three COVID-19 fatalities each while Himachal Pradesh and Assam have reported two deaths each. Meghalaya, Uttarakhand and Puducherry have reported one fatality each, according to the ministry data.

According to the ministry's website, more than 70 percent of the deaths are due to comorbidities.

According to the health ministry data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country is from Maharashtra at 25,922, followed by Gujarat at 9,267, Tamil Nadu at 9,227, Delhi at 7,998, Rajasthan at 4,328, Madhya Pradesh at 4,173 and Uttar Pradesh at 3,729.

The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 2,290 in West Bengal, 2,137 in Andhra Pradesh and 1,924 in Punjab. It has risen to 1,367 in Telangana, 971 in Jammu and Kashmir, 959 in Karnataka, 940 in Bihar and 793 in Haryana.

Kerala has reported 534 coronavirus cases so far, while Odisha has 538 cases. A total of 187 people have been infected with the virus in Chandigarh and 173 in Jharkhand.

Tripura has reported 155 cases, Assam has 80 cases, Uttarakhand has 72, Himachal Pradesh has 66 cases, Chhattisgarh has 59 and Ladakh has registered 43 cases so far.

Thirty-three COVID-19 cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Meghalaya and Puducherry have registered 13 cases each while Goa has seven COVID-19 cases.

Manipur has two cases. Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli have reported a case each till now.

Doubling time has slowed to 13.9 days, says health minister

The doubling time of novel coronavirus cases has slowed to 13.9 days in the last three days and India now has a capacity of 1,00,000 COVID-19 tests per day with nearly 20 lakh carried out till now, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said.

Vardhan, who visited the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi and dedicated a COBAS 6800 testing machine to the nation, said 14 states and Union territories have not reported any case of the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours.

These states and UTs are Gujarat, Telangana, Jharkhand, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Puducherry.

Also, Daman and Diu, Sikkim, Nagaland and Lakshadweep have not reported any cases so far.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to use one time RT-PCR based pooled sampling for COVID-19 screening of migrant workers and returnees from abroad kept in quarantine facilities.

The same testing technique would also be used for monitoring in green zone districts which have reported no cases till now or in the last 21 days, the health ministry said while issuing "Guidelines for RT-PCR based pooled sampling for migrants/returnees from abroad/green zones".

806 shramik special trains brought into operation till now, says Railways

The Railways has operated 806 shramik special trains since 1 May, ferrying home 10 lakh migrant workers who were stranded in various parts of the country due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, officials said on Thursday. Of these, Uttar Pradesh received the maximum number of trains followed by Bihar, they said.

"As on 14 May, 2020, a total of 806 'shramik special' trains have been operationalised from various states across the country. More than 10 lakh passengers have reached their home state.

"Trains are being run by the Railways only after concurrence is given both by the state which is sending the passengers and the state which is receiving them," the railways said.

Out of the 806 trains which have been operated so far, 166 are in transit while 640 have terminated at various stations. Sixty-three more are in the pipeline, an official said.

These 806 trains were terminated in various states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

With inputs from PTI

via Blogger https://ift.tt/362c3V1

[bigyack-com]

UP to set up 218 fast-track courts for rape cases - lucknow

The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Monday approved a proposal to set up 218 fast track courts (FTCs) for speedy disposal of rape and child sexual abuse cases.The cabinet move comes in the backdrop of the nation-wide outrage over the alleged rape and gruesome murder of an Unnao woman.Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, state law minister Brijesh Pathak said 25,749 rape cases and 42,389 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases were pending in the courts.“Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed concern over the spurt in crime against women. He has ordered implementation of law strictly and quick disposal of crime cases against women and children pending in the courts,” Pathak said.Of the 218 fast track courts, 144 courts will hear rape cases and 74 will hear cases of crime against children, Pathak said.The minister said the state cabinet also cleared the proposal to create 218 posts of additional session judges and staff of the courts. The state government will spend Rs 75 lakh on the operation of each fast track court. Additionally, Rs 63 lakh will be spent per annum on the salary of the staff, he said.The FTCs will become functional in the current financial year. “If the courts do not have buildings or construction of the new buildings will take time, court hearings can held in rented premises. The state government has allocated fund for payment of rent for FTCs,” Pathak said.Both the state and central governments will bear the cost incurred in the running of FTCs. While the central government share will be 60%, the state government will spend 40%, he said.Also addressing the press briefing, Cabinet minister and state government spokesperson Siddharth Nath Singh said union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had announced that 1,023 fast track courts will be set up across the country for speedy trial of the cases related to crime against women. “Uttar Pradesh has taken the lead over other states in establishing fast track courts,” he said.Opposition leaders, including Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party had condemned the state government over the increase in crime against women and failure of the state machinery in controlling criminals or providing protection to women.AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had attacked the state government on Saturday after the death of Unnao rape victim. “The incident shows the deterioration of law and order in the state. Atrocities on women were rampant in Uttar Pradesh,” she had said.Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav sat on ‘dharna’ outside the state assembly on Saturday in protest against crime against women in the state. He demanded resignation of the chief minister over the death of the Unnao rape victim.Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati had handed over a memorandum to governor Anandiben Patel, urging her to intervene in the matter and draw the attention of the state government on the increase in crime against women. Source link Read the full article

[currenttrending1]

'As Gujarat CM, Modi got his caste in backward list for poll gain': Mayawati

‘As Gujarat CM, Modi got his caste in backward list for poll gain’: Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi included his caste in the backward category during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister to derive electoral profit.

Addressing a press conference, Mayawati said, “Like Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, Narendra Modi was not born in a backward caste. When he was Gujarat chief minister, he got his upper caste included in…

[myeditorialsarchive]

Live | General elections 2019: Modi slams Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav for 'fake OBC' jibe The wife of late actor and four-time MP from Gurdaspur Vinod Khanna, held a press conference in New Delhi to state that she has been made to feel “absolutely insignificant”. Read More : Live | General elections 2019: Modi slams Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav for 'fake OBC' jibe Courtesy : The Hindu - National

[cityspidey-blog]

Keeping the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in mind, over 85 parents association of Ghaziabad has decided to put their weight behind a political party only if they promise to meet their demands. Or else the members have pledged to boycott voting in polls next month.

In a press conference held on March 23, the associates of All Schools Parents Association (ASPA), the umbrella body of over 85 school association in Ghaziabad, said that a demand letter has been issued to the four major political parties of the area and they are waiting for the responses.

“The decision is taken after consulting with over 85 big and small parents association of Ghaziabad,” said Shivani jain, president of ASPA.

The demands have been sent to a)      Amit Shah, national president of Bhartiya Janta Party b)      Rahul Gandhi, MP and national president of Indian National Congress c)       Akhilesh Yadav, former CM of UP and national president of Samajwadi Party d)      Mayawati, former CM of UP and national president of Bahujan Samajwadi party

“Education has always been in the bottom or many a times do not exist in the political discourse in one of the youngest countries in the world which has over 65% population in their youth. We demand safety, security, justified fees and abolishment of dictatorship of private schools, Jain added.

In a letter issued, ASPA has demanded implementation of Supreme Court’s 2009 order regarding construction of school buildings, implementation of transport guidelines put out by SC and UP government, to implement government’s order on private schools to receive NOC from the state for their recognition, to implement CBSE directions on the school books and Strict implementation of UP Self Financed Independent School (Fixation of Fees) ordinance, 2018.

“Even after 10 years of passing the SC guidelines 98% of schools do not adhere to it any of the guidelines. Four months have passed and not a single committee has been formed yet for the implementation of transportation guideline. Prior to receive affiliation from the CBSE or ICSE, schools have to get NOC from the state of UP.  Still, it’s not written anywhere that who is the nodal officer to implement this on ground. Is it even happening?,”asked Jain.

“The board clearly identified in detail the books to be used by each class. Yet, ignoring the direction, schools have resorted to sell their own books which is again, a commercial activity and again, goes against Right To Education Act, 2009,” Jain said, adding,” We are only asking for our rights. We want proper implementation of educational norms and policies of the state. Is it too much to ask from our lawmakers.”

Jain claimed that their support or boycott would certainly make a huge mark in the government making. “Currently, over 10 lakhs students are enrolled in schools, which amounts to roughly 20 lakh voters in Ghaziabad  constituency,” the statement by ASPA read.

Meanwhile, president of Indirapuram Parents Association, Priyanka Rana, has also refuted the claim that ASPA has the support of all the parents association of Ghaziabad. “We have no idea as we were not asked or even consulted before making this move. I’m sure there would be many like us.”

She also blamed ASPA for politicizing the issue. “It will be of no use. Any party can commit these demands and forget once it comes in power. What they should ave done instead is chart out a plan for the proper implementation of the educational policies.

When City Spidey tried to reach out to Dolly Mishra, Lok Sabha candidate from Congress, she said she completely empathises with the situation. "Being a parent of 5-year-old child, I understand the pain of parents and I assure them that their all demands would be met if Congress comes in power," she told us.  

Other candidates, who are contesting election, refused to comment on the issue and didn’t even answer the call.

[tumbledsom]

Fasten Your Seat Belts: Modi, Mayawati and Rahul Have Officially Started 2019 Poll Race Today Political analysts opine that the timing of Mayawati and Akhilesh’s joint press conference, closely coinciding with Modi’s speech is also an indication of how the two parties are trying to eclipse each other’s electoral prowess. via Top Politics News- News18.com

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/politics/bsp-sp-alliance-announced-mayawati-calls-it-a-new-political/

BSP-SP alliance announced, Mayawati calls it `a new political

Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls together, BSP supremo Mayawati announced on Saturday, calling their alliance ‘ a new political revolution’.

“We (BSP-SP) have decided to contest upcoming Lok Sabha elections together, this will lead to a new political revolution in the country. The alliance has been made keeping public interest in mind,” she said while addressing a joint press conference with SP president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The foe-turned-friends have decided on a seat-sharing formula for the general elections which are expected to be announced soon. BSP and SP will contest on 38 seats each, while two Lok Sabha seats have been left for other parties.

The sole objective of the alliance, Mayawati said, would be to defeat the BJP rule. But she added that the BSP and the SP would not ally with the Congress party in the upcoming elections.

“Whether the mandate goes to the Congress or BJP, it is one and the same thing. Congress ruled the country for many years. At this time, the public was unhappy with their rule. The Congress lost out on power due to the Bofors scam, and now, the BJP will lose due to Rafale. Congress imposed declared emergency, today there is undeclared emergency. SP and BSP have both had separate experiences with the Congress from past alliances. Both BSP and SP have experienced in the past that Congress’s vote is not transferrable, based on which we have decided that we will not ally with the Congress,” Mayawati explained.

The SP-BSP alliance, however, has decided not to field their candidates in Congress party’s bastion Amethi and Rae Bareli – which are the parliamentary constituencies of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi, respectively.

“We have left Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seats for Congress without an alliance with them so that the BJP does not succeed,” she said.

On the eve of the announcement, Akhilesh had said that the BJP, which the alliance intends to take on, has been using poll alliances for gains.

“Whatever arithmetic we learnt from the BJP, we will implement it,” he said at an event here on Friday.

SP and BSP have been in talks for weeks to forge an alliance. A recent meeting between Yadav and Mayawati had triggered a lot of speculation about seat-sharing being firmed up.

There was, however, ambiguity over whether the Congress would be a part of the alliance, amid indications that the SP and BSP were not inclined to include the party. 

[u4u-voice]

‘Very dangerous mistake to ignore us’: Congress on proposed Akhilesh-Mayawati alliance

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati will announce today their alliance for the Lok Sabha polls, appearing set to keep the Congress out of the pact in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress described this likelihood as a "very dangerous mistake" and said it was ready to fight the parliamentary polls alone in the state. SP national secretary Rajendra Chaudhary and Bahujan Samaj Party national general secretary SC Misra on Friday sent out the invitation for a joint press conference at a hotel in Lucknow. Akhilesh Yadav confirmed in a television interview that the press conference is on the alliance in Uttar Pradesh, while parrying questions on seat-sharing with the Congress. At a meeting in Kannauj, he also said, "Our coming together has not only created fear in the BJP but also in the Congress." Smaller parties like the RLD and the Nishad Party are also likely to be part of the alliance, but were not mentioned in the announcement on the press conference. RLD's state unit president Masood Ahmed said that the party national vice president Jayant Chaudhary will be in the state capital Saturday and, if invited, could be a part of the joint press conference. His party chief Ajit Singh evaded questions from the media on the two seats expected to be set aside for the RLD, saying the discussions were in an early stage. In Delhi, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the objective of all opposition parties should be to defeat the ruling BJP and eliminate "autocracy, misgovernance" at the Centre. "We may have fallen on difficult times. But I think to ignore us can prove to be a very dangerous mistake," he said to the reporters when asked about the possible SP-BSP alliance. "Since everybody realises that, I think we will have a happy and harmonious solution sometime in the near future," he added. Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Rajiv Bakshi said the party was ready to fight the coming elections alone in the state. "We alone have 45 seats in the Lok Sabha and it is any day many more than the regional players," he said. "A ‘mahagathbandhan' in the Lok Sabha elections needs to be built around the party having a national face," Bakshi said. The top leadership of the SP and the BSP recently met in Delhi to discuss the broad parameters of an alliance to take on the BJP in the parliamentary elections just months away. After the meeting, the SP said Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati had given their "in-principal approval". Sources said the SP and the BSP are planning to contest on 37 seats each out of the 80 on offer in Uttar Pradesh and plan to leave just two, Rae Bareli and Amethi, the bastions of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, for the Congress. Congress leaders like PL Punia, who delivered Chhattisgarh to the Congress as its state in-charge, and UPCC chief Raj Babbar are reportedly of the view that the party should seek its pound of flesh in any alliance. They cite the example of 2009 when the Congress romped home with 22 Lok Sabha seats in UP, surprising many. They also say that with party chief Rahul Gandhi getting more "combative" against the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress now stands a better chance than before. At a party convention in Delhi on Friday, BJP president Amit Shah mocked the "bua-bhatija" alliance of the parties led by Yadav and Mayawati. He said they could not stand each other but have now joined hands due to the fear of the BJP, echoing remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a recent rally in Agra. Shah claimed that the BJP is on its way to win more than 50 per cent votes in Uttar Pradesh, asserting the saffron alliance's tally will improve from the 73 Lok Sabha seats it won in 2014 out of the state's 80. Last year, Yadav and Mayawati decided to bury their differences to contest three bypolls. The joint opposition victories in the bypolls in Gorakhpur, Phulpur and Kairana was seen as a consolidation of Other Backward Classes, Dalits and Muslim votes, and raised expectations of a similar math working in the 2019 elections. In recent days, Yadav and Mayawati have put out press statements that mention a "gathbandhan". Mayawati's press statement was in solidarity with Yadav amid reports that the CBI might question him in connection with a mining scam that allegedly took place when he was chief minister. "Don't be shaken," she advised him. Yadav returned the favour when he put out a statement to condemn Modi's remarks in Agra on Mayawati "forgetting" an attack on her by SP workers in 1995. "The PM is scared of the alliance," Yadav said. Read the full article

[consumerinfoline]

Mayawati-Akhilesh to hold joint press conference on Saturday Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav will hold a joint press conference here on Saturday, an official said on Friday.

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Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati to hold joint presser Saturday

Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati to hold joint presser Saturday

Lucknow, Jan 11 Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati will address a joint press meet here Saturday, in the midst of discusses seat sharing for Lok Sabha polls from which the Congress is by all accounts practically out.

The joint press conference at a posh hotel here was declared Friday by SP national secretary Rajendra Chaudhary and Bahujan Samaj Party national general…

[brajeshupadhyay]

16:14 (IST) Nirmala Sitharaman on Economic Package Latest Updates: FM to announce 11 steps to boost agro and agro-allied sectors Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman started off her presser by praising the Indian farmers, who she said have endured all odds but propelled India on the global stage. She said that she will lay out 11 pointers in total, of which eight will be dedicated to strengthening of infrastructure and logistical needs of the sector. The last three points will be about governance reforms.  16:09 (IST) Nirmala Sitharaman on Economic Package Latest Updates: FM's third tranche of Rs 20-lakh-crore stimulus aimed at agriculture, allied activities Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced at the outset that today's focus will be on agriculture and allied sectors. The FM was announcing the third tranche of Rs 20-lakh-crore stimulus package.  16:05 (IST) EPFO not charging penalty from cos for delay in payment of provident fund dues 15:56 (IST) Markets slips ahead of announcement of Sitharaman's third tranche of economic package  Benchmark indices closed marginally lower after staging a sharp recovery from the intraday losses and the Nifty ended above 9,100-mark. Sensex fell 25.16 points or 0.08 percent to 31,097.73, while Nifty was down 5.90 points or 0.06 percent at 9,136.85 at close amid a volatile session.  15:52 (IST) Nirmala Sitharaman on Economic Package Latest Updates: FM to announce third tranche of Rs 20-lakh-crore economic package shortly Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will announce the third tranche of the mega economic package announced by the prime minister on Tuesday 15:35 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates Govt data says doubling rate, case fatality rate improved since lockdown A press release on meeting of the Group of Ministers or the central government revealed that doubling rate has improved from 3.4 days in the pre-lockdown week to 12.9 days in the last week. The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) has come down from 3.2 percent in the pre-lockdown period to 2.1 percent during the last week.   15:33 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates SC declines plea seeking relief for migrants, says 'can’t stop or monitor their movement on roads' Rejecting the plea seeking direction to the Centre on transportation of migrant workers stuck in various states due to the nationwide lockdown, the Supreme Court observed that it was impossible for courts to track or stop the movement.  The plea sought a direction to the Centre to ask all District Magistrates to identify stranded migrant walking on the roads and provide shelter and food to them before ensuring their free transportation to native places. "How can we stop it?", the bench, headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao, said that it is up to states to take action.  15:20 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Manipur Latest Updates Quarantine centre in Manipur sealed after patients tests positive  A community quarantine centre in Manipur's Imphal East district was sealed after a man who was lodged in the facility tested positive for COVID-19, an official said on Friday. Imphal East Deputy Commissioner Rangitabali Waikhom said the Jamia Galina Aziz Girls School which was a designated quarantine centre was declared a "containment zone" and the building "completely sealed" as per the Manipur Epidemic Diseases COVID-19 Regulations 2020. 15:00 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Karnataka Latest Updates Dakshina Kannada reports 16 of total 45 new COVID-19 cases in Karnataka alone Of the 45 new coronavirus cases in Karnataka, 16 were reported in Dakshina Kannada, 13 in Bengaluru Urban, five in Udapi, three each in Bidar and Hassan, two in Chitradurga, and one each in Kolar, Shivamogga and Bagalkote districts.   Twenty of the new patients have travel history to Dubai, four to Mumbai and three have returned from Chennai. One patient has a history of severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) and another was from containment zone in Bidar.   14:56 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Karnataka Latest Updates Karnataka's COVID-19 mortality rate at 3.4%, recovery at 46.12% With 35 COVID-19 deaths in Karnataka so far, the state has registered a mortality rate of 3.4 percent. On the other hand, as many as 476 patients have been cured of the viral infection, taking the recovery rate to 46.12 percent.  "Of the total 1,032 confirmed cases, there were 520 active cases in the state," the health department said in its mid-day situation update. 14:36 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Karnataka Latest Updates Confirmed cases in Karnataka surges 1,000 after 45 more test positive The total number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka surged past 1,000, with 45 people testing positive, the state health department said on Friday. Total number of positive cases in the state stood at 1,032. 14:25 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Assam Latest Updates Assam CM urges Centre to extend lockdown in state by two more weeks from 17 May  Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday said the state has written to the Centre urging it to extend the ongoing lockdown by two more weeks from 18 May. The third phase of the coronavirus lockdown is scheduled to end on 17 May. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sonowal said all states were supposed to give their feedback on the extension of the lockdown by Friday, and the Assam government has already conveyed its stand to the Centre. 14:22 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Tamil Nadu Latest Updates Supreme Court stays Madras HC order asking Tamil Nadu govt to close liquor shops in state The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Madras High Court order which had asked the Tamil Nadu government to close state-run liquor vends. Following the stay on the high court order by the apex court, the state-owned liquor shops may reopen in the state. A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao, SK Kaul and BR Gavai stayed the 8 May order of the High Court after taking note of the appeal of government firm Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) which sells alcoholic beverages in the state.  14:11 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Delhi Latest Updates Suggestions sent to Centre on resumption of public transport in Delhi during lockdown 4: Satyendar Jain  Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday said that the Delhi government has submitted the proposals to the Centre for the relaxations that people are expecting from the government for the next phase of coronavirus lockdown 4. The Minister emphasized that people are stressing for the resumption of public transportation in limited manner. "We have sent proposals to the Centre. Most people have given a proposal to wear mask in public space and maintain social distancing," said Jain while speaking to reporters. He added: "The people have suggested that movement of buses and metro rails may be started in limited numbers to maintain social distancing." 13:51 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates 'There's no plan for this sort of photography': PTI's Atul Yadav on the migrant crisis' most defining image so far "His name was Rampukar — but he didn't tell me that. I only found out a few days later in a newspaper report. At the time, I couldn't even ask him his name," recalls Press Trust of India's chief photo correspondent Atul Yadav, "He was unable to say very much beyond 'udhar (there)' — which is where he was trying to go." On Monday, Yadav was driving through Delhi's Nizamuddin area, when he spotted Rampukar Pandit (as identified by Hindi daily Hindustan). "It was at around 5.15 pm when I saw him sitting by the side of the road a little before the Yamuna bridge. I stopped my car and pulled over near him," he tells Firstpost, adding, "I then rolled down my window and photographed the man before getting out to go and check on him." Read full article here... Image coutersy: Atul Yadav's photograph of Rampukar Pandit. PTI 13:31 (IST) Sena Bhavan closed after soldier tests positive A portion of the Sena Bhavan was sealed off for sanitation today after one soldier tested positive for COVID.Contact tracing of the affected personnel is underway as per protocol, an official release said. 13:21 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates SP, BSP express concern over plight of migrant labourers returning home Amid reports of accidents involving migrant labourers on their way back home, the opposition Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party expressed concern over their plight. SP president Akhilesh Yadav in a tweet said, "The government is giving passes to industrialists to bring workers to work but there is no arrangement for the helpless labourers returning home who are forced to die of hunger and thirst on the road." "By now, all have come to know that this government is with the rich and against the labourers, farmers and poor. The BJP has been exposed."   BSP supremo Mayawati said in a tweet, "Videos of millions of migrants labourers, their helpless families on the streets returning home, their hunger and deaths on the way shown on TV are heartbreaking and sad. In such a situation, effective arrangements should be immediately made by central, state governments to help them in their life-and-death battles." 13:16 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates Maharashtra govt forms two coordination panels on COVID-19 The Maharashtra government has  set up two committees at state and district level for better​ coordinationbetween public and private hospitals in tackling the spread of COVID-19. The decision to constitute the coordination panels was taken on Thursday after a meeting between representatives of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Maharashtra Chief secretary Ajoy Mehta, according to the government. 12:59 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Himachal Pradesh Latest Updates Man tests positive in Himachal Pradesh's Una A 33-year-old man in Una has tested positive for COVID-19. "The man arrived from Maharashtra and was under institutional quarantine. He is now being sent to Haroli COVID-19 hospital," Dr Raman Kumar, CMO, Una said. A total of 74 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported from Himachal Pradesh as of Thursday. 12:38 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates At least 1,061 Maharashtra Police personnel test positive As many as 1,061 personnel of Maharashtra Police including 112 police officers have tested positive for COVID-19 so far. Of the total infected police personnel, 174 have been cured while nine have lost their lives, said the Maharashtra Police. 12:36 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates Two infants recover from COVID-19 in Kalyan  Two infants were among 51 COVID-19 patients who recovered from the viral infection at Kalyan taluka in Maharashtra's Thane district, Madhuri Phopale, public relations officer of Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation told news agency PTI​. As many as 51 COVID-19 patients, including a one-month-old girl and a two-month-old boy, were discharged from different hospitals, following their recovery, said the official. 12:26 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates GoM meeting over COVID-19 underway at Health Ministry A Union Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting over COVID-19 is underway at the Health and Family Welfare Ministry. Senior Ministers present in the meeting include Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai. With an increase of 3,967 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the number of coronavirus cases reached 81,970 cases, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday. 12:13 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates Over 2 lakh migrant labourers ferried in 145 Shramik trains on Thursday: Railways  The Indian Railways operated 145 'Shramik Special' trains on Thursday and ferried home close to 2.10 lakh migrants stranded in various parts of the country amid the lockdown enforced in view of the novel coronavirus.  12:05 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Bangladesh Latest Updates First COVID-19 case detected in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh  Authorities have reported the first positive coronavirus case in the crowded camps for Rohingya refugees in southern Bangladesh, where more than 1 million refugees are sheltered. The person from the Rohingya community and a local person who lives in the Cox's Bazar district who also tested positive have been isolated, Mahbub Alam Talukder, said the country's refugee commissioner. 11:54 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates Yogi Adityanath holds COVID-19 review meeting with senior officials Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath conducted a meeting with 'COVID-19 management Team - 11' and other senior officials to review the situation in the state, ANI reported.  11:35 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Kerala Latest Updates Plea filed in Kerala HC seeking COVID-19 testing of all expatriates returning to India A plea was filed in the Kerala High Court seeking COVID-19 testing of all expatriates and other additional safety protocol for those Indians returning from other countries to India, Bar and Bench reported.  According to the petitioner, currently only those returning from UAE are subjected to rapid antibody test.  Plea in Kerala HC urging for COVID-19 testing of all expatriates and other additional safety protocol for those Indians returning from other countries to India amid #COVID19 Petitioner says that at present only those returning from UAE are being subjected to rapid antibody test — Bar & Bench (@barandbench) May 15, 2020 11:19 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates Narendra Modi discusses COVID-19 situation with Bill Gates Prime Minister Narendra Modi and philanthropist Bill Gates on Thursday discussed the global response to COVID-19, and the importance of global coordination in scientific innovation and research to combat the pandemic. During a video conference, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation co-chair Bill Gates and Modi agreed that given India's willingness and capacity to contribute to global efforts, it was important for New Delhi to be included in the global discussions for coordinating responses to the pandemic. 11:03 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates World Bank approves $1 bn for India as social security fund for urban poor, migrants The World Bank has approved $1 billion for India as social security technology fund for country’s urban poor and migrant workers. The focus will be to enable India to integrate all of its 400-plus social security schemes at a technology level, the bank said. Hindustan Times quoted Junaid Ahmad, country director, World Bank, as saying, "The project will be crucial to rebalance social security towards urban poor, as much as rural." 10:57 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates FM to announce third tranche of Centre's economic stimulus package Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address a press conference at 4 pm on Friday. The details of the third tranche of the Centre’s economic rescue package of Rs 20 lakh crore will be announced. The second tranche, announced on Thursday, focussed on migrant workers, street vendors, small traders, the self-employed and small farmers. 10:49 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Odisha Latest Updates Odisha reports 672 COVID-19 cases The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Odisha climbed to 672 after 48 more individuals tested positive for the viral infection on Friday, said the state health department.  10:47 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates Nitin Gadkari to hold webinar on impact of higher education amid pandemic Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will address a webinar on 'Impact of Higher Education in the post COVID-19 economy' on Friday from 12.30 pm till 1.30 pm, News18 reported.  10:34 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates Badrinath temple opens, devotees restricted to enter The gates of the Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand were opened at 4.30 am on Friday, news agency ANI reported. Officials said only 27 people, including the head priest, will be allowed at the temple. "Devotees will not be allowed entry into the temple during that time. The decision has been taken in view of the guidelines issued by the centre amid the COVID-19 pandemic," Anil Chanyal, sub-divisional magistrate of Joshimath, said in a statement. #WATCH Uttarakhand: The portals of Badrinath Temple opened at 4:30 am today. 28 people including the Chief Priest was present at the temple when its portals opened. (Video Source: ITBP) pic.twitter.com/Yr6pamv7Kk — ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2020 10:12 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates India's COVID-19 recovery rate at 34% The COVID-19 recovery rate in India stood at 34 percent after 27,920 patients were discharged as of Friday, according to the recent data released by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.  10:07 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates India's confirmed cases swell to 81,970 after 3,995 more test positive India registered 81,970 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday after 3,995 more tested positive across the nation in the past 24 hours. The COVID-19 toll stood at 2,649 with 100 more patients succumbing to the infectious disease.  Of the total 81,970, there are 51,401 active cases, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.  09:41 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates Three migrant workers killed, four injured in road accident in UP's Barabanki Three migrants were killed, while four injured in a road accident in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh around 2.30 am on Friday. The incident took place when the labourers were coming Surat in Gujarat and were heading towards Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh. Those injured have been admitted to Trauma Centre in Lucknow.  09:23 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates Two migrant workers, including a woman, killed in road accident in UP's Jalaun dist  At least two migrant workers were killed, 14 seriously injured in a road accident in Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh on Thursday night, according to media reports. The incident took place when a DCM carrying migrant labourers was hit by by a vehicle in Girthan village located in NH-27 of Etah police station area, TV9 reported.  The report also mentioned, that a woman was among the two killed of the total 46 migrant workers in the DCM vehicle. All the injured have been admitted to the Government Medical College Orai. 09:07 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates INS Jalashwa to sail again from Male to repatriate at least 700 Indians Indian navy ship INS Jalashwa will sail again from Maldives capital of Male on Friday to repatriate around 700 residents of Kerala and Lakshadweep under the Samudra setu mission.  The pre-embarkation activities have begun and people are being ferried from different points of Male to the airport where emigration and medical checkup etc. are to be carried out. The ship will depart in the afternoon.  08:51 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates Maharashtra set to extend lockdown till end of May, will send report to this effect to Centre today  The Maharashtra government has called for an extension of lockdown in the State till 31 May, and is likely to send a report to this effect to the Centre by Friday.  On Thursday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with State Cabinet ministers to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the state and the measures needed to be implemented to contain the fast-spreading virus.  According to a senior minister, a consensus was reached on that the lockdown has to be extended in certain parts of the State, especially in red zones such as the Mumbai and Pune metropolitan regions, Malegaon and Solapur. The Hindu quoted the minister as saying, "It was also agreed upon that the lockdown from now on has to be strictly implemented in red zones, especially in containment areas. At the same time, further relaxations could be given in orange and green zones," adding that the recommendation will be sent to the Centre on Friday. 08:36 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Bihar Latest Updates Bihar registers 999 COVID-19 cases as 46 more test positive With 46 more people testing positive for the novel coronavirus in Bihar, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state climbed to 999 on Thursday, a senior official said. 08:26 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates Air India to open bookings for select repatriation flights from Delhi  Air India is taking bookings for about 30 outbound flights — mainly from Delhi — for some destinations in the US, Canada, UK, Paris, Frankfurt, Singapore and Australia.  These flights will operate from 17-28 May as part of the Vande Bharat Mission-II to fly back Indians stranded abroad. 08:05 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates In Photos: Delhi migrant workers walk home to different parts in UP  Delhi: Migrant workers reach Delhi-Ghazipur border to return to their homes in different parts of Uttar Pradesh. One of them,Rita,says "My home is in Hardoi. My landlord has kicked me out as I couldn't pay rent. My children are young but there's no other option but to walk home." pic.twitter.com/2dPw1Gh5ZJ — ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2020 08:02 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates Flight attendants to wear face shield, gown and mask when airlines resume ops Cabin crew members of Indian airlines will have personal protective equipment (PPE) like face shields, gowns and masks as part of their attire on commercial passenger flights when they resume operations, industry sources said. Airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, Vistara and AirAsia India have decided to go with the new attire in order to ensure safety of cabin crew members as they are in close proximity to passengers during flights, the sources said. "While AirAsia India will have face shields, masks, gowns, aprons and gloves as a part of their PPE attire for cabin crew members, Vistara would have a lap gown, face mask and face shield as the new dress code," a source said. 07:44 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates 25 new COVID-19 deaths in Mumbai  Of the 44 deaths recorded in Maharashtra, 25 COVID-19 patients succumbed to the infection in financial capital Mumbai, 10 in Navi Mumbai, five in Pune, two in Aurangabad and one person each died in Panvel and Kalyan. 07:36 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates Maharashtra registers highest single-day jump with 1,602 new COVID-19 cases Maharashtra on Thursday reported 1,602 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike so far, taking the state’s overall count to 27,524, according to state health department data. With 44 deaths registered today, the death toll in Maharashtra due to the contagious coronavirus disease has now breached the 1000-mark and stands at 1019. 07:32 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates India reports second-highest spike in COVID-19 cases with total inching towards 80,000 In the biggest surge in COVID-19 infections in Delhi, 472 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Thursday, as India's total neared 80,000 with 3,995 fresh cases reported, the second-highest rise in a day. While this was the fifth consecutive day of over 3,500 cases being added to the country's overall count, the growth rate of the infection has gradually decreased during this period.  07:23 (IST) Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates  Centre to provide free food grain to migrants, concessional credit to farmers  The government on Thursday announced a Rs 3.16 lakh crore package of free foodgrains for migrant workers, concessional credit to farmers and working capital loan for street vendors as part of the second tranche of fiscal stimulus to heal an economy hit hard by coronavirus lockdown. At a news conference, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said 8 crore migrant workers will get 5 kgs of grains and 1 kg of pulses free for two months, while 50 lakh street vendors rendered jobless by the lockdown would be given a working capital loan of Rs 10,000 each. Nirmala Sitharaman on Economic Package Latest Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will announce the third tranche of the mega economic package announced by the prime minister on Tuesday The total number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka surged past 1,000, with 45 people testing positive, the state health department said on Friday. Total number of positive cases in the state stood at 1,032. The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Madras High Court order which had asked the Tamil Nadu government to close state-run liquor vends. Following the stay on the high court order by the apex court, the state-owned liquor shops may reopen in the state. A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao, SK Kaul and BR Gavai stayed the 8 May order of the High Court after taking note of the appeal of government firm Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) which sells alcoholic beverages in the state Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday said the state has written to the Centre urging it to extend the ongoing lockdown by two more weeks from 18 May. The third phase of the coronavirus lockdown is scheduled to end on 17 May. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sonowal said all states were supposed to give their feedback on the extension of the lockdown by Friday, and the Assam government has already conveyed its stand to the Centre. As many as 1,061 personnel of Maharashtra Police including 112 police officers have tested positive for COVID-19 so far. Of the total infected police personnel, 174 have been cured while nine have lost their lives, said the Maharashtra Police. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address a press conference at 4 pm on Friday. The details of the third tranche of the Centre’s economic rescue package of Rs 20 lakh crore will be announced. The second tranche, announced on Thursday, focussed on migrant workers, street vendors, small traders, the self-employed and small farmers. The World Bank has approved $1 billion for India as social security technology fund for country’s urban poor and migrant workers. The focus will be to enable India to integrate all of its 400-plus social security schemes at a technology level, the bank said. Hindustan Times quoted Junaid Ahmad, country director, World Bank, as saying, "The project will be crucial to rebalance social security towards urban poor, as much as rural." India registered 81,970 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday after 3,995 more tested positive across the nation in the past 24 hours. The COVID-19 toll stood at 2,649 with 100 more patients succumbing to the infectious disease. Of the total 81,970, there are 51,401 active cases, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Indian navy ship INS Jalashwa will sail again from Maldives capital of Male on Friday to repatriate around 700 residents of Kerala and Lakshadweep under the Samudra setu mission. The pre-embarkation activities have begun and people are being ferried from different points of Male to the airport where emigration and medical checkup etc. are to be carried out. The ship will depart in the afternoon. At least two migrant workers were killed, 14 seriously injured in a road accident in Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh on Thursday night, according to media reports. The incident took place when a DCM carrying migrant labourers was hit by a vehicle in Girthan village located in NH-27 of Etah police station area, TV9 reported. The report also mentioned, that a woman was among the two killed of the total 46 migrant workers in the DCM vehicle. All the injured have been admitted to the Government Medical College Orai. The Maharashtra government has called for an extension of lockdown in the State till 31 May, and is likely to send a report to this effect to the Centre by Friday. On Thursday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with State Cabinet ministers to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the state and the measures needed to be implemented to contain the fast-spreading virus. According to a senior minister, a consensus was reached on that the lockdown has to be extended in certain parts of the State, especially in red zones such as the Mumbai and Pune metropolitan regions, Malegaon and Solapur. The Hindu quoted the minister as saying, "It was also agreed upon that the lockdown from now on has to be strictly implemented in red zones, especially in containment areas. At the same time, further relaxations could be given in orange and green zones," adding that the recommendation will be sent to the Centre on Friday. Maharashtra on Thursday reported 1,602 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike so far, taking the state’s overall count to 27,524, according to state health department data. With 44 deaths registered today, the death toll in Maharashtra due to the contagious coronavirus disease has now breached the 1000-mark and stands at 1019. The number of deaths from COVID-19 disease rose to 2,549 and the number of cases climbed to 78,003 on Thursday, registering an increase of 134 fatalities and 3,722 infections in the last 24 hours since Wednesday 8 am, according to the Union Health Ministry. The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 49,219 while 26,234 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, it said. Meanwhile, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the media for the second day in a row, and spelt out more details of the Centre's Rs 20-lakh-crore special economic package. She said the second tranche of economic stimulus package will be for the benefit of migrant workers, street vendors and small farmers. FM announces concessional credit for farmers, free food grains for migrants Sitharaman on Thursday announced a Rs 3.16 lakh crore package comprising free food grains for migrant workers, Rs 2 lakh crore concessional credit to small farmers and working capital loan for street vendors in a bid to help those hit hard by the nationwide lockdown. Together with the Wednesday's Rs 5.94 lakh crore package that mostly comprised off-budget credit line and support to small businesses, shadow banks and electricity distribution companies, the government has unveiled over Rs 9 lakh crore plans out of the Rs 20 lakh crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to heal Asia's third-largest economy that was seen hurtling towards its first full-year contraction in four decades. Sitharaman said each of the eight crore migrant workers, who had to leave their workplaces after imposition of the lockdown on 25 March, will get 5 kg grains and 1 kg pulses free for two months. Also, 50 lakh street vendors who were rendered jobless as the government ordered stay-at-home would be given a working capital loan of Rs 10,000 each to restart their businesses. For farmers, the finance minister announced a Rs 2 lakh crore concessional credit through Kisan Credits Cards, benefiting as many as 2.5 crore farmers. However, the Congress criticised the economic package as a "jumla" saying it has so far been way short of what Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised and the entire press conference of the finance minister was classic display of "arrogance, ignorance and insensitivity". Senior spokesperson of the party Anand Sharma said the country believed that Modi was serious when he made the "dramatic" announcement of giving 10 percent of the GDP as a package to revive the economy and support workers and migrant labourers and that expectations had soared. "The finance minister's announcement dashed all hopes," he said. State-wise deaths and cases India has reported a total 134 deaths deaths since Wednesday morning, of which 54 were in Maharashtra, 29 in Gujarat, 20 in Delhi, 9 in West Bengal, seven in Madhya Pradesh, four in Rajasthan, three in Tamil Nadu, two each in Telangana and Karnataka and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh. Of the 2,549 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 975 fatalities, Gujarat comes second with 566 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 232, West Bengal at 207, Rajasthan at 121, Delhi at 106, Uttar Pradesh at 83, Tamil Nadu at 64 and Andhra Pradesh at 47. The toll reached 34 in Telangana, 33 in Karnataka and 32 in Punjab on Thursday. Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir have reported 11 fatalities each due to the respiratory disease while Bihar has registered seven and Kerala has reported four deaths. Jharkhand, Chandigarh and Odisha have recorded three COVID-19 fatalities each while Himachal Pradesh and Assam have reported two deaths each. Meghalaya, Uttarakhand and Puducherry have reported one fatality each, according to the ministry data. According to the ministry's website, more than 70 percent of the deaths are due to comorbidities. According to the health ministry data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country is from Maharashtra at 25,922, followed by Gujarat at 9,267, Tamil Nadu at 9,227, Delhi at 7,998, Rajasthan at 4,328, Madhya Pradesh at 4,173 and Uttar Pradesh at 3,729. The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 2,290 in West Bengal, 2,137 in Andhra Pradesh and 1,924 in Punjab. It has risen to 1,367 in Telangana, 971 in Jammu and Kashmir, 959 in Karnataka, 940 in Bihar and 793 in Haryana. Kerala has reported 534 coronavirus cases so far, while Odisha has 538 cases. A total of 187 people have been infected with the virus in Chandigarh and 173 in Jharkhand. Tripura has reported 155 cases, Assam has 80 cases, Uttarakhand has 72, Himachal Pradesh has 66 cases, Chhattisgarh has 59 and Ladakh has registered 43 cases so far. Thirty-three COVID-19 cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Meghalaya and Puducherry have registered 13 cases each while Goa has seven COVID-19 cases. Manipur has two cases. Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli have reported a case each till now. Doubling time has slowed to 13.9 days, says health minister The doubling time of novel coronavirus cases has slowed to 13.9 days in the last three days and India now has a capacity of 1,00,000 COVID-19 tests per day with nearly 20 lakh carried out till now, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said. Vardhan, who visited the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi and dedicated a COBAS 6800 testing machine to the nation, said 14 states and Union territories have not reported any case of the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours. These states and UTs are Gujarat, Telangana, Jharkhand, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Puducherry. Also, Daman and Diu, Sikkim, Nagaland and Lakshadweep have not reported any cases so far. Meanwhile, the government has decided to use one time RT-PCR based pooled sampling for COVID-19 screening of migrant workers and returnees from abroad kept in quarantine facilities. The same testing technique would also be used for monitoring in green zone districts which have reported no cases till now or in the last 21 days, the health ministry said while issuing "Guidelines for RT-PCR based pooled sampling for migrants/returnees from abroad/green zones". 806 shramik special trains brought into operation till now, says Railways The Railways has operated 806 shramik special trains since 1 May, ferrying home 10 lakh migrant workers who were stranded in various parts of the country due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, officials said on Thursday. Of these, Uttar Pradesh received the maximum number of trains followed by Bihar, they said. "As on 14 May, 2020, a total of 806 'shramik special' trains have been operationalised from various states across the country. More than 10 lakh passengers have reached their home state. "Trains are being run by the Railways only after concurrence is given both by the state which is sending the passengers and the state which is receiving them," the railways said. Out of the 806 trains which have been operated so far, 166 are in transit while 640 have terminated at various stations. Sixty-three more are in the pipeline, an official said. These 806 trains were terminated in various states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. With inputs from PTI

http://sansaartimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/nirmala-sitharaman-on-economic-package_15.html

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Akhilesh Yadav’s SP to contest 2022 assembly polls alone

Those who first contested elections in alliance with Congress and then BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party), Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav has announced to contest the upcoming by-elections and the 2022 assembly elections alone. Akhilesh Yadav said this in a conversation with the media at the party headquarters on Monday. Answering a question, Akhilesh Yadav said that he has seen the result of alliance with big parties. Now SP 2022 will be contested alone. However, in the by-election, on the conversation with Om Prakash Rajbhar about the alliance, Akhilesh said that talks are going on with smaller parties. Akhilesh refused to say anything in response to a question on Mayawati’s allegations after the alliance broke with the BSP. Please tell that Akhilesh Yadav had aligned with Congress in the 2017 assembly elections. This alliance was said to be with the boys of UP. But despite this, the SP had a tough defeat in the elections. After the election results, the SP broke the alliance with the Congress. Before the Lok Sabha elections, he had joined hands with the BSP, forgetting the decades-old feud. But this time also did not yield the expected results. The party could win only five seats, while three family members also lost. After the cancellation of the Rampur tour, Akhilesh Yadav while addressing the press conference on Monday also targeted the Yogi government of the state. He also took a dig at the ministers’ training at IIMs. Akhilesh said what will the minister learn in IIM. Yogi ji should first explain why he removed ministers. Where should the investment claimers come from? Which bank is supporting the investment? Traders today are saying that a mistake has occurred. The SP’s scheme was discontinued, they are starting again. Today milk is also coming from Gujarat in UP. Read the full article

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Mayawati Jogs Elephantine Memory, Rakes Up June 2, 1995, in Press Conference to Akhilesh’s Embarrassment The incident, one of the ugliest in the political history of Uttar Pradesh, unfolded when Mayawati pulled support from the Mulayam Singh Yadav government, reducing it to a minority. via Top Politics News- News18.com