Tuesday, September 8, 2026
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Unlock 4.0: Metro services to resume from Sept 7; schools, colleges to remain closed

New Delhi (NVI): Metro services, suspended since March 22 in wake of the coronavirus outbreak, will be allowed to operate from September 7, according to the ‘Unlock 4’ guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today.

The guidelines issued by MHA will come into effect from September 1 and will be in place till September 30. Furthermore, lockdown shall continue to be implemented strictly in the containment zones till September 30.

Metro services will be operated in a graded manner, in accordance with Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) to be issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA).

Schools and colleges will remain closed till September 30, according to the guidelines. However, states and union territories may permit upto 50 per cent of teaching and non teaching staff to be called to school for online teaching related work. This will only be allowed for areas outside the containment zones with effect from September 21.

Apart from the resumption of Metro services, public gatherings including social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural and religious will be permitted from September 21 with a ceiling of 100 persons.

Mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitisers will be required to hold such gatherings.

Besides, open air theatres will also be permitted to open from September 21.

There shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements, the MHA statement added.

With India reporting 76,472 cases in the last 24 hours, the total number of coronavirus infections in the country crossed the 34 lakh mark to reach 34,63,973 cases on Saturday.

This is the third consecutive day when over 70,000 cases have been recorded in the country. With as many as 1,021 deaths in the same period, the country’s toll has reached 62,500.

-CHK

COVID-19: 88 travelers among 546 fresh cases in J&K, tally 36,377

Over 3,200 cops COVID positive in J&K and 15 succumbed to virus
File photo

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today recorded 546 fresh cases of coronavirus including 88 travelers, taking the total number of positive cases to 36,377 in the Union Territory.

Of the total 36,377 cases, 28,195 are from Kashmir and 8,182 are from Jammu division.

Officials said that among the 546 new cases, 332 belong to Kashmir division while 214 are from Jammu division, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir division have reached to 28,195 including 21,715 recoveries while positive cases in Jammu division have reached 8,182 including 6,305  recoveries and 60 deaths.

Officials said that the total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir stand at 7,672 including 5,855 from Kashmir division and 1,817 from Jammu division.

With 648 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 28,020 which is 77.02 per cent of the total cases.

Pertinently, Srinagar district alone has 9,025 positive cases which is more than the total number of positive cases in Jammu division where total cases are 8,182

“Cases tested positive in J&K include 102 from Srinagar, 18 from Baramulla, 22 from Pulwama, 36 from Budgam, 22 from Anantnag, 49 from Bandipora, 31 from Kupwara, 12 from Kulgam, 12 from Shopian and 28 from Ganderbal in Kashmir division while as 214 from Jammu division include 134 from Jammu, 09 from Rajouri, 19 from Kuthua, 18 from Udhampur, 08 from Samba, 01 from Ramban, 10 from Doda, 11 from Poonch and 04 from Reasi,” officials disclosed.

As per the officials figures, in Kashmir division, 9,025 positive cases including 217 deaths and 7,211 recoveries are from Srinagar, 2,784 including 99 deaths and 2,169 recoveries are from Baramulla, 2,565 including 2,061 recoveries and 48 deaths are from Pulwama, 2,427  including 1,708 recoveries and 58 deaths are from Budgam, 2,276 including 49 deaths and 1,727 recoveries are from Anantnag, 2,105 including 1,362 recoveries and 25 deaths are from Bandipora, 2,045 cases including 1,377 and 46 deaths are from Kupwara, 1,907 including 1,670 recoveries and 35 deaths are from Kulgam, 1,690 including 1,545 recoveries and 28 deaths are from Bandipora and 1,371 including 855 recoveries and 20 deaths are from Ganderbal.

In Jammu division, 2,903 including 1,928 recoveries and 39 deaths are from Jammu district, 889 including 763 recoveries and 05 deaths are from Rajouri, 841 including 658 recoveries and 03 deaths are from Kuthua, 796 including 643 recoveries and 02 deaths are from Udhampur, 714 including 524 recoveries and 02 deaths are from Samba, 636 including 633 recoveries and 01 death are from Ramban, 410 including 334 recoveries and 03 deaths are from Doda, 409  including 318 recoveries and 04 deaths are from Poonch, 368 including 319 recoveries are from Reasi and 216 including 185 recoveries and 01 death are from Kishtwar.

As per the daily information bulletin, 4,57,336 people in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 44,917 people have been kept under home quarantine besides that 7,672 people are in isolation.

According to the bulletin, 3,58,355 people have completed surveillance period and 45,707 people are under home surveillance. So far, results of 9,43,981 samples have been made available.

-CHK

Devotees can now get Vaishno Devi prasad via speed post

Vaishno Devi

New Delhi (NVI): Devotees across the country will now be able to get ‘prashad’ from the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine through speed post. The Board today entered into an agreement with the Department of Posts at the Spiritual Growth Centre in Katra.

Ramesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board and Gaurav Srivastava, Director (Headquarters), Postal Service, J&K, signed the agreement.

(Image credits: @PIBSrinagar)

“To facilitate devotees, especially during the pandemic, the board has introduced the facility of delivering prashad,” the official spokesperson of the shrine board said.

Three-categories of prashad have been launched, on a no profit no loss basis. A delivery can be booked either through the official website of the shrine board www.maavaishnodevi.org or by calling 99060-19475.

In the wake of the pandemic, the board has already offered the facility of allowing devotees to perform prayer rituals in absentia at the Bhawan’s Yagya Shala.

The yatra that resumed on August 16 is picking up momentum with each passing day.

Furthermore, the supplementary facilities such as helicopters, battery-operated vehicles and passenger ropeways between the Bhawan and Bhairon Ghati have been pressed into service.

-CHK

President Kovind confers National Sports and Adventure Awards virtually

President Ram Nath Kovind

New Delhi (NVI): In a first ever virtual presentation of awards, President Ram Nath Kovind gave away the National Sports and Adventure Awards, 2020, from Rashtrapati Bhavan today and said that the achievements of these award winners were reminder of India’s immense potential in the sports.

Setting the bar high, the President said that India would eventually emerge as a great power in the sports and aspire to find a place in top ten countries for winning the medals in 2028 Olympics.

“I am sure we will achieve this target” he said while addressing a gathering of officials, sports-persons and trainers spread over 11 different centres across the country including, Bengaluru, Pune, Sonepat, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, Hyderabad and Itanagar.

The Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju also attended the ceremony and delivered the welcome address from New Delhi.

The President said, “COVID-19 has adversely affected the sports world too. Olympic Games have been postponed. Sports activities in our country have also been affected. Players and coaches might be feeling less motivated due to lack of practice and competitions which poses a huge challenge for their mental and physical preparation.”

He was happy to note that players and coaches have been connected through online coaching and webinars to overcome this challenge. He said that today’s event was an attempt to continue sports related activities despite the global pandemic.

“Today’s award winners represent more than 20 sports. The growing popularity of traditional games like Kabaddi, Kho-Kho and Mallakhamb will help in connecting the common people with sports. Today, apart from Cricket and Football, league tournaments of sports like Volleyball and Kabaddi are gaining popularity which is a pleasant change,” he added.

The Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four years; Arjuna Award is given for consistent outstanding performance for four years.

In addition to this, Dronacharya Award goes to the coaches for producing medal winners at prestigious international sports events; Dhyan Chand Award is for life time contribution to sports development and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar is given to the corporate entities (both in private and public sector) and individuals who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development.

-CHK

Shah recovers, to be discharged soon

Amit Shah meets farmer leaders
File Photo: Union Home Minister Amit Shah

New Delhi (NVI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was admitted to Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) last week for post-COVID care, has recovered and is likely to be discharged soon, the hospital said today.

“Amit Shah, Union Home Minister, is admitted at AIIMS, New Delhi for post-COVID care. He has recovered and is likely to be discharged in a short time,” the hospital said in a statement.

On August 2, Shah had tested positive for COVID-19 and later tested negative for the disease on August 14. However, he was admitted to AIIMS on August 18 again for medical care after recovering from the infection.

“Shah was admitted to AIIMS on August 18 as he complained of fatigue and body aches after he returned a negative result to COVID-19 testing,” the hospital earlier said.

The Home Minister was earlier admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram after testing positive for COVID-19. He was the first member of the Union Cabinet to test positive for the infection.

-RJV

BSF detects 25ft deep tunnel near International Border in J&K’s Samba

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Border Security Force (BSF) personnel today detected a 25-feet deep tunnel near International Border (IB) in Jammu’s Samba district and recovered Pakistan made sandbags at the opening of the tunnel.

A statement issued by the BSF read that it has been receiving various inputs about a tunnel in the border area of Samba district. “In view of prevailing security scenario, BSF Jammu started a special anti-tunneling drive all along the International Border of Jammu region,” it added.

The statement further read that on August 28, a vigilant BSF patrol party during an anti-tunneling drive, while carrying out in-depth scanning of area, suspected a place near International Border in Samba district and detected a tunnel of approximately 25-feet deep and about 4 feet in diameter in Indian territory near border fencing in Galar area of Samba.

“Pakistan made sand bags with marking of Shakargarh/Karachi factories were also found at the mouth of the tunnel to hide it. The place of opening of tunnel is around 170 meters from IB towards Indian side in the field of a local farmer,” the BSF spokesman said.

He said that with this detection, BSF troops foiled the nefarious design of Pakistan that was aimed to push in territory into Indian Territory.

“The tunnel’s origin is in Pakistan territory close to IB. Efforts of alert BSF troops deployed in multi-tiered counter-infiltration grid once again resulted in neutralizing the evil designs of terrorists in deep connivance with Pakistani establishments,” the BSF spokesman said, adding that there have been regular inputs about presence of terrorists in Pakistani border villages desperately looking for infiltration into Indian territory.

-CHK

Severe or fatal COVID-19 very rare among children: Study

New Delhi (NVI): The severe cases of COVID-19 and deaths from the virus are far less and rare in children and young people than adults, according to a new study.

The study conducted on COVID-19 patients admitted to 138 hospitals in Britain shows that less than 1 per cent were children and of those fewer than 1 per cent or 6 in total died – all of whom were already suffering from serious illness or underlying health disorders.

Malcolm Semple, a professor at Britain’s University of Liverpool, who co-led the study said, “We can be quite sure that COVID-19 in itself is not causing harm to children on a significant scale.”

“The highest-level message really has to be that (in children with Covid-19) severe disease is rare, and death is vanishingly rare and that parents should be comforted that their children are not at direct harm by going back into school,” he added.

According to global data on the spread of the coronavirus shows that children and young people make up only 1-2 per cent of cases of COVID-19 worldwide. The vast majority of reported infections in children are mild or asymptomatic, with few recorded deaths.

In the study, published in the BMJ medical journal, a team of researchers looked at data from babies and children under 19 who were hospitalised with COVID-19 between January 17 and July 3.

Furthermore, the six children who died all had profound comorbidity, the researchers said, and this was a strikingly low fatality rate compared with a 27 per cent across all age groups – from 0-106 years – of COVID-19 patients hospitalised in the same period.

The study also found that the overall risk of children getting severe COVID-19 is less, the researchers said adding that, children of Black ethnicity and those with obesity are disproportionately affected, as previous studies in adults have found.

PM Modi inaugurates agriculture university buildings in UP’s Jhansi

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the college and administration buildings of Jhansi-based Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, a prominent institute of the Bundelkhand region, via video conferencing.

PM Modi said the new buildings would improve the education infrastructure, contribute to research in agriculture and help farmers.

Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath were present at the event.

After the inauguration, the Prime Minister interacted with university students and asked about ways to address certain challenges like reducing import of edible oils and increasing food processing, especially in fruits and vegetables.

“Be it drone technology, artificial intelligence technology, modern agricultural equipment, young researchers and scientists like you will have to work continuously to make it more and more useful in the country’s agriculture,” PM Modi said.

He pointed out that there was just one central agricultural university in the country six years ago and now there are three across the country. Apart from this, three more national institutes are being established at Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Integrated Farming at IARI-Jharkhand, IARI-Assam, and Motihari, he added.

The Prime Minister said that it is also necessary to take education related to agriculture and its practical application to schools. Efforts are being made to introduce the subject of agriculture at the middle school level at the village level, he added.

“There will be two benefits from this. One benefit will be that the natural understanding associated with farming in children of the village will be expanded. The second benefit will be that they will be able to give more information to their family about farming and related technology, trade and business,” he said.

The RLB Central Agriculture University, a prominent institute of the Bundelkhand region, started its first academic session in 2014-15. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in agriculture, horticulture and forestry.

It is currently operating from the Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute as the main buildings were getting ready.

-CHK

COVID-19 tests cross 4 crore mark in India

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): India crossed a new peak of conducting more than four crore COVID-19 tests today, Union Health Ministry said.

“With focussed, consistent and coordinated efforts led by the Centre and implemented by the state/ UT governments, India has set a new landmark of testing 4,04,06,609 people,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

The number of single day tests have also seen an upsurge as 9,28,761 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, it added.

However, this has boosted the Tests Per Million (TPM) with a sharp increase to 29,280. As is seen in many states and union territories that have increased the testing, the positivity rate will eventually fall with higher levels of testing, the ministry said.

“The national positivity rate has remained low i.e. 8.57 and is constantly falling,” it added.

Meanwhile, India has come a long way from conducting the first COVID-19 test in January in a laboratory in Pune to crossing the milestone of conducting four crore such tests

The country is fallowing the strategic approach of “TEST, TRACK, TREAT” where testing forms the initial and crucial pillar of COVID response and management.

It is only by aggressive testing that positive cases are identified at an early stage, their close contacts can be promptly tracked and isolated, and timely and effective treatment can be ensured for those in home isolation and the ones hospitalised, the ministry underlined.

The ministry further stated, expanding the network of diagnostic laboratories and facilitation for easy testing across the country through several policy measures have given a substantial boost to this upsurge in national testing rates.

Currently, there are as many as 1,576 labs in the country; 1,002 labs in the government sector and 574 private labs, where COVID-19 tests are to be performed, it added.

-RJV

India must first become resilient for business opportunities in Africa: MEA Secy

Rahul Chhabra, Secretary, Economic Relations, MEA

New Delhi (NVI): India-Africa trade has multiplied and diversified in the last 16 years. While working towards making Africa resilient for Indian businesses, focus must first be put on making India resilient for business opportunities in Africa, Ministry of External Affairs said.

Underscoring India’s commitment towards growth in relations with Africa, Rahul Chhabra, Secretary, Economic Relations, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the country’s businesses could benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Agreement that was gathering pace.

Characterising the proposed pact as a “game changer”, more and more African countries are joining the agreement and a huge opportunity could come in a few months. Till date, 30 of the 54 countries have ratified the agreement, Chhabra said while addressing a FICCI webinar on Making Africa Resilient for Indian Business, attended by members of the Indian and African Diplomatic Corps.

Stating that India is a natural fit to engage in business in a challenging environment and diversity in Africa, Chhabra said 10 guiding principles outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Uganda in 2018 remained a priority.

In the past few years, India’s focus on Africa led to an unprecedented 34 high-level visits, including those by the President, Vice President and the Prime Minister.

The Secretary also said India welcomed all countries in the continent to join the satellite pan-Africa e-VidyaBharti and e-Aarogya projects. For instance, he said, 14,000 students enrolled in educational scheme in Ghana within weeks of  e-VidyaBharti starting.

Chhabra further said India had opened nine of the 18 new missions it planned to have in Africa and suggested to the business community to reach out to the Embassy/High Commission with specific issues.

Rajya Vardhan Kanoria, Past President, FICCI and Chairman & Managing Director, Kanoria Chemicals & Industries Ltd, said, “Over the last 20 years, Africa has grown to be an interesting prospect for emerging market investors. Africa is increasingly being seen as the final frontier.”

He further added that Africa’s innovative and productive potential has already attracted substantial foreign investment in sectors like agriculture, education, infrastructure, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, and specialty chemicals.

The webinar was also attended by Head of Indian Missions, and Head of African Mission and prominent Industry Members.

-CHK

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