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PM FME scheme launched

Harsimrat Kaur Badal

New Delhi (NVI): In line with the Centre’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ initiative, the Ministry for Food Processing has launched the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM FME) scheme today which would generate an investment of Rs 35,000 crore and 9 lakh employment opportunities.

Minister for Food Processing Industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, while launching the scheme said that, “The Ministry will adopt the ‘One District One Product (ODOP)’ approach and focus on scaling up existing clusters. States will be given complete flexibility in deciding what product needs to be promoted and from which districts.”

These could be perishable or cereal based products such as mango, potato, litchi, tomato, poultry or millet-based products.

The scheme will assist nearly 2 lakh micro-food processing enterprises with credit-linked subsidy and special focus will be on supporting farmer producers organisations, self-help groups and cottage industries in rural and tribal regions, over the next five years.

The expenditure under the scheme would to be shared in 60:40 ratio between Central and State Governments, in 90:10 ratio with North Eastern and Himalayan States, 60:40 ratio with UTs with legislature and 100% by Centre for other UTs.

Union FPI Minister said, “The unorganized food processing sector comprising nearly 25 lakh units contribute to 74% of employment in food processing sector. Nearly 66% of these units are located in rural areas and about 80% of them are family-based enterprises supporting livelihood rural household and minimizing their migration to urban areas.”

Support would be provided through credit linked grant of 35% for development of common infrastructure including common processing facility, lab, warehouse, cold storage, packaging and incubation center through FPOs/SHGs/cooperatives or state owned agencies or private enterprise to use by micro units in the cluster.

-CHK

India allows export of 50 lakh PPE coveralls per month

File photo

New Delhi (NVI): Partially relaxing export norms, the Central government today allowed the export of personal protective equipment (PPE) coveralls and set the limit for export as 50 lakh units per month, after a ban since the coronavirus disease outbreak.

The product was banned for export earlier, but it has now been moved to the restricted category.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DFGT) in its order stated that, “A monthly quota of 50 lakh PPE medical coverall for COVID-19 units has been fixed for issuance of export licence to the eligible applicants to export PPE medical coveralls for COVID-19 as per the criteria to be separately issued in a trade notice”.

There would be a quantitative ban on the export of the PPE items to ensure that the country doesn’t suffer from any shortage of it.

However, all other items like masks, medical goggles, nitrile rubber or NBR, gloves and face shields remain prohibited for export in accordance with the DGFT order issued on June 22.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted in this regard, “Boosting Make in India exports, PPE medical coveralls for COVID-19 have been allowed with a monthly export quota of 50 lakh.”

India was producing one crore PPE units per month as per the Central government’s specifications to fight the viral outbreak.

-CHK

Meet the ‘lake man’ of Karnataka who has dug 16 ponds in 42 years!

PM Modi said that the ponds dug by the farmer may be small but his “efforts are huge". (Twitter)

New Delhi (NVI): 84-year-old Kame Gowda, a shepherd from a remote village in Karnataka’s Mandya district, has spent almost half of his life digging ponds to overcome water scarcity as well as quench the thirst of animals and birds in the area.

The octogenarian has dug 16 ponds in his village in the last 42 years, which has immensely benefitted the ecosystem in the area. Also known as ‘pond man’ or ‘lake man’ at his native place, Kame Gowda has spent almost all of his life’s savings on his passion.

40 years back, a younger Gowda realised that the Kundinibetta hill next to his village in Malavalli Taluk, Mandya, had sparse shrubs with almost no greenery. While taking his cattle for grazing at Dasandoddi village, he saw that animals and birds had a tough time in the area due to lack of watering holes or water bodies, especially during hot summer days.

It was then, that he started digging ponds in the area, without giving a second thought and nothing has stopped him since then. Even at this age, he wakes up early in the morning and explores the slightest possibility of digging a new pond. In all these years, Gowda has grazed his sheep during the daytime, while making sure he wakes up early the next morning to restart again.

The shepherd’s passion to make life easy for animals and birds in the area is evident from the fact that he spent the reward money from the prestigious Kannada Rajyotsava award and Basavashri Award he received.

The ordinary man with extraordinary passion has become the talk of the town since his remarkable story was narrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio address. In the 66th edition of his radio address yesterday, the Prime Minister praised Gowda for his selfless passion that became a “personal feat” for him.

Gowda has never expected any award or reward for a work that he is enjoying for the past four decades. “He has achieved a personal feat that will leave anyone awestruck! Kamegowdaji, aged 80-85 takes out his animals for grazing but at the same time he has taken it upon himself to build new ponds in his area,” the PM said in his radio address.

The PM said that the ponds dug by the farmer may be small but his “efforts are huge”.

Kame Gowda is an unsung hero and a living example of the undying human spirit. By 2018, he had constructed 14 ponds. The hill on which the ponds have been created is not barren anymore! The shepherd has literally turned no stone unturned in turning a barren hill into a lush and green area with all the ponds linked by a waterway that ensures when the upper ponds on the hill are filled, the surplus water flows into the ponds below.

He started all by himself, with a shovel, spade, pickaxe, and other tools to dig a pond, that he bought after he sold his sheep.

Gowda also had an interaction with Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat recently, during which he requested the minister to fund and facilitate the interlinking of his lakes. The minister has assured full support to the farmer while asking Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa for all possible assistance in this regard.

-ARK

Odisha: 2 nurses found Covid positive at Govt Cancer hospital in Cuttack

Acharya Harihar Postgraduate Institute of Cancer in Cuttack

Subrat Kumar Sarangi

Bhubaneswar (NVI): Two nurses of Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre at Cuttack tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday, the only government-run cancer hospital in the state.

Both the nurses had come in contact with a cancer patient from Ganjam district of Odisha (the only district with the highest number of positive cases in Odisha). Following the detection of the case, the ward has been sealed and sanitized, officials said.

The doctors and nurses who had come in contact with them have been sent to home quarantine. Swab samples of 52 persons were collected and sent for tests out of which one male and one female nurse was found coronavirus positive and sent to a private hospital in the city for admission, Director of the Centre, Lalatendu Sarangi said.

The number of positive cases is increasing day by day in Odisha. The total number of positive cases has touched 6,859 as of now out of which 2,086 are active case and the death toll has reached 23.

-RJV/ARK

Delhi to get India’s first plasma bank to help COVID-19 patients: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi (NVI): A plasma bank will be set up in Delhi to help COVID-19 patients in the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said adding that, “this will probably be the first plasma bank of the country.”

While addressing a virtual press briefing, Arvind Kejriwal said, “The plasma bank will start operation in the next 2-3 days. I appeal to Covid-19 recovered patients to donate their plasma.”

Delhi CM urged the people who have recovered from the infection to donate plasma to help other patients. He also assured that the state government will arrange conveyance to the plasma bank for those willing to donate.

Use of plasma therapy involves injecting blood-component plasma extracted from a cured coronavirus patient into a positive case. The plasma of a cured patient is considered to carry virus-fighting antibodies which boost the immune system’s response to the disease.

The plasma bank, which will be at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, will serve the purpose of coordination between plasma donors and recipients, Arvind Kejriwal said.

He also said that a helpline will be set up by the government for queries related to donation of plasma.

So far, a total of 83,077 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in Delhi while the death toll has reached 2,623, according to Health Ministry data.

-CHK

NRI businessman charged with sedition for his FB post on domicile law in J&K

(Facebook)

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir police today booked NRI businessman and former president of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Mubeen Shah for his “seditious post” on J&K domicile law.

“Yes, we have lodged a case against him (Shah). Law will take its own course,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar Dr Haseeb Muhgal. A case of sedition against Shah has been lodged at police station Ram Munshibagh, Srinagar.

Shah, a prominent businessman was booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) after August 5 last year and released in December. He is currently based in Malaysia where he runs his Kashmiri handicraft business.

The Facebook post that invited trouble for him read: “All village/mohalla/town committees of Kashmir should come together and make sure that not a single non-local lives in their areas. They should ask all non-Kashmiris to vacate and leave Kashmir. Each and every local committee must do its part.” It further read that, all of these committees should give clear instructions to people that anyone who tries to give space to non-locals will be socially boycotted and anyone who tries to sell land to any non-Kashmiri will be socially boycotted as well as evicted from the area.

“These committees should also make it clear that any tehsildar or any administrator who’s found to have given domicile to any non-Kashmiri will also be socially boycotted. The social boycott against these people should be very strict. They shouldn’t be allowed to enter into the village/mohalla/town and no one should speak to them or their families or do any kind of work with them. We should think of other efficient measures as well to stop India from changing the demographics of Kashmir. It’s most important for all Kashmiris to come together at this very important stage and collectively fight against settler-colonialism. It’s now or never. It’s do or die. All of us have to join hands and fight now!”

The industrialist also wrote on his Facebook that he knows he has been booked. “I know they have booked me and registered an FIR against me. My lawyers will look into it but I will not desist from writing what I feel is the truth and resist as I understand with conviction that the resistance is beautiful. I request all Kashmiris to resist in whatever way you can and stop this settler program,” he wrote.

-ARK

Odisha Health Min’s daughter booked for violating Covid-19 rules

Deepali Das, daughter of Odisha Health Minister Naba Das

Subrat Kumar Sarangi

Bhubaneswar (NVI): An FIR has been registered against the daughter of Odisha Health Minister Naba Das for allegedly violating COVID-19 guidelines during an event.

As per reports, Deepali Das, daughter of the Odisha Minister violated the health guidelines issued by the state government during a felicitation ceremony of COVID-19 warriors at District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) office, Jharsuguda, on June 22.

Based on the complaints of Jharsuguda Municipality officials and town police, a case was registered against her, that on June 22nd a function was organised in DRDA conference hall attended by members of various voluntary organisations without maintaining social distancing. During the event, most of the participants did not even wear face masks.

Acting on the orders of Collector Saroj Kumar Samal, an FIR was filed by Magistrate Ram Chandra Pradhan with Jharsuguda police against Deepali Das.

-RJV/ARK

All 4 gunmen who stormed Pakistan stock exchange killed: Police

New Delhi (NVI): Four heavily-armed gunmen today stormed highly-secured Pakistan Stock Exchange compound in Karachi, leading to a gunfight that left dead six people and all the attackers, according to local media reports.

Four security guards, a police sub-inspector and a civilian were among those killed in the attack, apart from the four gunmen, according to The Dawn.

The gunmen lobbed a grenade at the main gate before storming the building and firing indiscriminately, Geo News reported.

Seven persons have been injured in the attack and shifted to hospital for treatment, a senior police officer told the new channel.

The PSX building, which also houses the head offices of many private banks, is a high-security zone. It is located on Karachi’s I.I. Chundrigar Road, also known as Pakistan’s Wall Street.

The attackers came at around 10 am in a car and started lobbing grenades at the main gate, according to reports. People inside the PSX building were evacuated from the back door.

According to an amateur video captured by an eyewitness, the gunmen were carrying automatic weapons. The equipment, arms and ammunition recovered from them indicated that they had come prepared for a long siege, reported Geo News.

-ARK

Syed Ali Shah Geelani quits Hurriyat Conference

Syed Ali Shah Geelani (File Pic)

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Kashmiri separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani has resigned from the Hurriyat Conference, citing present circumstances as the reason. Geelani leader had founded the forum and was its chairman.

In an audio message, circulated across Kashmir, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Geelani said, “Keeping in view the present situation in Hurriyat Conference, I announce to part ways from the Hurriyat forum. The decision has been conveyed to all the constituents of Hurriyat through official letters.”

It may be recalled that the majority of Hurriyat leaders were arrested in early 2017 in a terror funding case including Altaf Fantosh, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah and Mehrajudin Kalwal. They and are currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar jail.

Geelani (90) has many underlying medical conditions including neck disk, chest issues, and weakness due to age and has been under continuous house arrest since 2008 at his Hydeprora, Srinagar residence.

In 1993, a joint Hurriyat Conference was formed of which Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and incarcerated JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik was part of. In October 2004, after parting ways from the then joint Hurriyat Conference, Geelani had floated his own faction of Hurriyat under the title of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat.

The other faction of Hurriyat is led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and is familiar as Hurriyat (M).

-CHK/ARK

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

New Delhi (NVI): India saw the highest ever single-day rise in coronavirus cases after 19,459 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases to 5,48,318, according to Health Ministry data.

Meanwhile, the total number of fatalities due to the deadly contagion rose to 16,475 in the country after 380 new fatalities were reported during this period.

In Maharashtra, the COVID-19 cases increased to 1,64,626, followed by Delhi with 83,077 cases, and Tamil Nadu with 82,275 cases.

Maharashtra has also reported the highest number of fatalities at 7,429, followed by 1,808 in Gujarat and 1,079 in Tamil Nadu.

Total positive cases in States/UTs:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 7

Andhra Pradesh- 13,241

Arunachal Pradesh- 182

Assam- 7,206

Bihar- 9,212

Chandigarh- 429

Chhattisgarh- 2,662

Dadar Nagar Haveli- 26

Delhi- 83,077

Gujarat- 31,320

Goa- 1,198

Haryana– 13,829

Himachal Pradesh- 916

Jammu and Kashmir- 7,093

Jharkhand- 2,364

Karnataka- 13,190

Kerala- 4,189

Ladakh- 963

Madhya Pradesh- 13,186

Maharashtra- 1,64,626

Manipur- 1,185

Meghalaya- 47

Mizoram- 148

Nagaland- 415

Odisha- 6,614

Puducherry- 619

Punjab- 5,216

Rajasthan- 17,271

Sikkim- 88

Tamil Nadu- 82,275

Telangana- 14,419

Tripura- 1,346

Uttarakhand- 2,823

Uttar Pradesh- 22,147

West Bengal – 17,283

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andhra Pradesh- 169

Arunachal Pradesh- 1

Assam- 10

Bihar- 60

Chandigarh- 6

Chhattisgarh- 13

Delhi- 2,623

Goa- 3

Gujarat- 1,808

Haryana- 223

Himachal Pradesh- 9

Jammu and Kashmir- 94

Jharkhand- 12

Karnataka- 207

Kerala- 22

Ladakh- 1

Madhya Pradesh- 557

Maharashtra- 7,429

Meghalaya- 1

Odisha- 21

Puducherry- 10

Punjab- 133

Rajasthan- 399

Tamil Nadu- 1,079

Telangana- 247

Tripura- 1

Uttar Pradesh- 660

Uttarakhand- 38

West Bengal- 639

A total of 3,21,723 people have been cured or discharged from hospitals in India. There are around 2,10,120 active cases currently, according to the Health Ministry.

-CHK

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