Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Home Blog Page 659

No AIR station being closed anywhere in any state, clarifies Prasar Bharti

Prasar Bharti

New Delhi (NVI): Prasar Bharati today clarified that no All India Radio (AIR) station is being closed anywhere in any state.

Taking a serious note of the false reporting and fake news claiming closure of AIR stations by various media outlets across India, Prasar Bharati has made it clear that these reports are baseless and factually incorrect, according to a statement released by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

Furthermore, Prasar Bharti has stated that no AIR station is being downgraded or converted anywhere in any state or union territory, the statement added.

Also all AIR stations will continue to originate local programming in line with linguistic, socio-cultural and demographic diversity furthering the mission of AIR to nurture local talent.

In addition to this, the agency has announced that it is moving ahead with its plans to strengthen the Akashvani, All India Radio, AIR Network with several key projects ready for implementation during 2021-2022, expanding its network with more than hundred new FM radio transmitters across India.

Notably, the AIR Network comprising of few hundreds of stations and several hundreds of radio transmitters is one of the world’s largest public service broadcasting networks that operates in multiple modes.

With 48 Satellite Radio channels available on DD FreeDish DTH Service, local and regional voices on radio stations from across India now have a nation-wide platform to make themselves heard.

Prasar Bharati is also moving ahead with its plans to introduce Digital Terrestrial Radio in India. Select AIR channels are already available through Digital DRM technology to the listeners in many cities/regions on an experimental basis.

Listeners in these cities/regions can experience the power of Digital Radio through a choice of multiple radio channels available on a single radio frequency in digital mode.

Prasar Bharati is also in advanced stage of testing Digital Technology options for FM Radio and a standard for the same will be finalised soon to herald the rollout of Digital FM Radio in India.

-CHK

Delhi schools to reopen for classes 10 & 12 from Jan 18

COVID-19
Representational/ file photo

New Delhi (NVI): Delhi government today announced that schools will reopen for class 10 and 12 in the national capital from January 18, after nearly ten months of closure.

The government said that the schools will reopen for classes 10 and 12 in order to conduct activities pertaining to pre-board preparation and practical work.

In a circular issued, the Directorate of Education (DoE) said, “In order to conduct the activities pertaining to pre-board preparations and practical work, the head of government, aided and unaided recognized schools may call the students of classes 10 and 12 only to school with effect from January 18, 2021.”

It added that, only schools outside containment zones will be allowed to reopen and students, teachers, and staff living in these zones will not be allowed to attend.

The government also said that while the records of children coming to school be maintained, the same should not be used for attendance purpose as sending the child to school is completely optional for parents.

DoE further asked the schools to maintain social distancing of six feet, have a staggered timings and maintain hygiene, among other COVID-19 guidelines already issued by the government.

This will be the first time that the government of Delhi allowed the opening of schools since March last year, when educational institutions closed ahead of the lockdown due to coronavirus outbreak.

-RJV

Panic at Srinagar airport as engine of Indigo plane carrying 233 passengers hits snow

Srinagar airport

Neyaz Elahi

Srinagar (NVI): Over 200 passengers on board an Indigo flight had a close shave after the plane’s engine hit accumulated snow at Srinagar International Airport today. The incident occurred at 12:30 PM.

Sources said that a Delhi-bound Indigo flight (6E-2559) got stuck after the right engine of the plane hit snow accumulated at the airport.

They said that the plane was carrying 233 passengers when the incident occurred.

All the passengers were evacuated from the plane and there was a delay in the take-off due to the incident, they said.

“It could have turned into a major tragedy. Thank God, we are alright,” said a passenger.

Despite repeated attempts, Airport Director didn’t respond to phone calls. However, an official said that the engine of the plane hit accumulated snow at the bay during ‘Taxi Out’ position for embarkation.

Pertinently, air service was in operation for a couple of days after the Valley received heavy snowfall last week. The run-way was cleared of snow after two days. Chunks of snow can still be seen at the airport.

-ARK

Kerala 8th state to complete ease of doing business reforms

Revenue deficit
File photo

New Delhi (NVI): Kerala has become the 8th state to successfully complete the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ reform stipulated by the Ministry of Finance.

With this, the state has become eligible to get additional financial assistance worth Rs 2,373 crore through open market borrowings.

“Kerala has now joined the other seven states namely Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, who have also completed this reform,” the Ministry of Finance said in a statement.

On completion of reforms facilitating ease of doing business, these eight states have been granted additional borrowing permission of total Rs 23,149 crore, it added.

Notably, the ease of doing business is an important indicator of the investment friendly business climate in the country and improvements in the ease of doing business will enable faster future growth of the state economy, the ministry said

Therefore, the government in May last year decided to link grant of additional borrowing permissions to states who undertake the reforms to facilitate ease of doing business.

The reforms stipulated by the Department of Expenditure under in this category includes completion of first assessment of ‘District Level Business Reform Action Plan’ and removal of the need to renew or approve registration certificates or licences obtained by businesses under various Acts

Also, implementation of computerised ‘central random inspection system’ under the Acts wherein allocation of inspectors is done centrally.

Earlier on May 17, 2020, in view of the resource requirement to meet the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centre enhanced the borrowing limit of the states by 2 percent of their GSDP.

“Half of this special dispensation was linked to undertaking citizen centric reforms by the states,” the statement said.

These four citizen-centric areas for reforms are implementation of one nation one ration card system, ease of doing business reform, and urban local body or utility and power sector reforms.

So far, 10 States have implemented the One Nation One Ration Card System, 8 States have done ease of doing business reforms, and 4 States have done local body reforms.

“Total additional borrowing permission issued so far to the states who have done the reform stands at Rs 56,526 crore,” the ministry added.

-RJV

 

Fasal Bima Yojana completes 5 years, PM congratulates beneficiaries

Fasal Bima Yojana
Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi (NVI): As Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) completed five years of operation today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated all the beneficiaries of the scheme and said it has benefitted crores of farmers.

According to the Union Agriculture Ministry, the claim worth Rs 90,000 crore have been disbursed so far to farmers since the launch of the PMFBY scheme on January 13, 2016.

In a series of tweet, PM Modi said, “An important initiative to secure hardworking farmers from the vagaries of nature, PM Fasal Bima Yojana completes 5 years today. The Yojana has increased coverage, mitigated risk & benefitted crores of farmers. I congratulate all beneficiaries of the scheme.”

The Prime Minister also asked people to get information on how the ‘PM Fasal Bima Yojana’ has helped farmers from his NaMo app

“How has PM Fasal Bima Yojana ensured greater benefit to farmers? How has transparency been furthered in settlement of claims? These, and other aspects relating to PM-FBY have been answered through innovative content on NaMo App’s Your Voice Section,” he said in another tweet.

As per the Agriculture Ministry data, more than 5.5 crores farmers’ applications are enrolled under PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) each year.

The government launched this scheme in 2016 from Kharif season. It is a comprehensive coverage, protecting farmers from sowing to post-harvest by combining extensive uses of technology to assess crop losses.

Under this scheme, in addition to the share of the farmer, the premium coast is paid equally by the states and the central government in the form of assistance. However, the Centre’s share is 90 per cent of the premium subsidy for northeastern states to promote the uptake in the region.

The scheme also benefitted nearly 70 lakh farmers and claims worth Rs 8,741.30 crore were transferred to the beneficiaries, during the COVID-19 lockdown period, the ministry has said.

-RJV

After Covishield, 1st batch of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin arrives in Delhi

Air India flight

New Delhi (NVI): The first consignment of ‘Covaxin’, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech has reached the national capital on an Air India flight this morning.

The flight AI 559 transported the first batch from Hyderabad airport which landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport at around 6:40 am.

According to the reports, the flight carrying three boxes of Covaxin weighing 80.5 kg, were then taken from Delhi to Haryana’s Kurukshetra, ahead of the January 16 nationwide vaccination drive launch.

This is the second day of vaccine transportation, after Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) shipped the first consignment of their COVID-19 vaccine ‘Covishield’ to 14 different locations across India.

The national capital also received a batch of vaccines from SII the same day, flown in the first flight of SpiceJet.

Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin will be sold at Rs 295 per dose in India. The company had arrived at a price agreement with the Indian government recently, the reports said.

The Center has also asked the Hyderabad-based company to supply around 55 lakh doses of its vaccine to 12 centres before January 14.

Earlier, to fight against the deadly contagion, the government of India granted emergency use to two vaccines — Covishield by Serum Institute of India and Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech across the country.

-RJV

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

COVID-19
File photo

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in India have crossed the 10.49 million-mark and currently stands at 10,495,147 after 15,968 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

The country’s death toll stands at 1,51,529 after 202 new fatalities were reported during the same period.

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (19,74,488), Karnataka (9,28,806), Andhra Pradesh (8,85,234), Tamil Nadu (8,27,614), Kerala (8,19,765).

Total positive cases in States/UTs:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 4,966

Andhra Pradesh- 8,85,234

Arunachal Pradesh- 16,782

Assam- 2,16,690

Bihar- 2,56,309

Chandigarh- 20,378

Chhattisgarh- 2,90,813

Dadra and Nagar Haveli– 3,382

Delhi- 6,30,892

Gujarat- 2,53,161

Goa- 51,983

Haryana– 2,65,391

Himachal Pradesh- 56,596

Jammu and Kashmir- 1,22,764

Jharkhand- 1,17,088

Karnataka- 9,28,806

Kerala- 8,19,765

Ladakh- 9,634

Madhya Pradesh- 2,49,553

Maharashtra- 19,74,488

Manipur- 28,725

Meghalaya- 13,651

Mizoram- 4,303

Nagaland- 11,997

Odisha- 3,32,331

Puducherry- 38,495

Punjab- 1,69,479

Rajasthan- 3,13,718

Sikkim- 5,996

Tamil Nadu- 8,27,614

Telangana- 2,90,640

Tripura- 33,315

Uttarakhand- 93,961

Uttar Pradesh- 5,94,175

West Bengal – 5,62,072

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 62

Andhra Pradesh- 7,133

Arunachal Pradesh- 56

Assam- 1,064

Bihar- 1,443

Chandigarh- 328

Chhattisgarh- 3,517

Dadra and Nagar Haveli- 2

Delhi- 10,707

Goa- 749

Gujarat- 4,350

Haryana- 2,964

Himachal Pradesh- 961

Jammu and Kashmir- 1,912

Jharkhand- 1,048

Karnataka- 12,149

Kerala- 3,347

Ladakh- 128

Madhya Pradesh- 3,726

Maharashtra- 50,151

Manipur- 365

Meghalaya- 143

Mizoram- 9

Nagaland- 84

Odisha- 1,894

Puducherry- 639

Punjab- 5,456

Rajasthan- 2,739

Sikkim- 129

Tamil Nadu- 12,236

Telangana- 1,571

Tripura- 389

Uttar Pradesh- 8,514

Uttarakhand- 1,589

West Bengal- 9,975

However, a total of 10,129,111 people have been cured and discharged, while the total active cases stands at 2,14,507 in the country.

-CHK

US CDC expands COVID-19 test requirement to all passengers

UNWTO
Representative image

New Delhi (NVI): US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has expanded coronavirus testing requirements for nearly all international air travelers, not just from Britain.

The new rules are to take effect from January 26.

The new restrictions require air passengers to get a COVID-19 test within three days of their flight to the US, and to provide written proof of the test result to the airline. Travelers can also provide documentation that they had the infection in the past and recovered.

“Air passengers are required to get a viral test (a test for current infection) within the 3 days before their flight to the U.S. departs, and provide written documentation of their laboratory test result (paper or electronic copy) to the airline or provide documentation of having recovered from COVID-19,” CDC said in a statement.

“Airlines must confirm the negative test result for all passengers or documentation of recovery before they board. If a passenger does not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger,” it added.

“Testing does not eliminate all risk,” says CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, MD, “but when combined with a period of staying at home and everyday precautions like wearing masks and social distancing, it can make travel safer, healthier, and more responsible by reducing spread on planes, in airports, and at destinations.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requirement expands on a similar one announced late last month for passengers coming from the United Kingdom.

The new measures are designed to try to prevent travelers from bringing in newer forms of the virus that scientists say can spread more easily.

Furthermore, the CDC order applies to US citizens as well as foreign travelers. The agency said it delayed the effective date until January 26 to give airlines and travelers time to comply.

In the US, more than 22 million cases have been reported to date, including more than 3,75,000 deaths.

-CHK

India records 15,968 new Covid cases, tally nears 10.5 mn

Covid variant
File photo

New Delhi (NVI): India registered 15,968 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 10,495,147, according to Union Health Ministry data.

The country’s death toll has gone up to 1,51,529 with 202 fatalities registered during this period.

Meanwhile, more than 10.1 million people have recovered from the virus and the total recoveries currently stands at 10,129,111 while active Covid-19 cases have dropped further to 2.1 lakh mark and stands at 2,14,507.

The country continues to be second-most-affected globally, and ranks 13th among worst-wit nations by active cases.

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (19,74,488), Karnataka (9,28,806), Andhra Pradesh (8,85,234), Tamil Nadu (8,27,614), Kerala (8,19,765).

Notably, a mega immunisation drive against Covid-19 has kicked off with nine flights transporting over 5.6 million doses of the vaccine to 13 cities across the country on Tuesday.

Kerala will get the first consignment of over 400,000 coronavirus vaccines today.

-CHK

Coronavirus cases surge past 91.5 million worldwide

Coronav

New Delhi (NVI): More than 91.5 million people around the world have been confirmed to have the coronavirus, while the death toll has crossed 19,61,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally. Over 50.5 million patients have recovered from the deadly disease globally.

The number of coronavirus infections in the US have surpassed 22.8 million, while the number of fatalities caused due to the deadly contagion have exceeded 3,80,000 in the country.

Brazil’s coronavirus cases have crossed the 8.1 million-mark and stands at 8,195,612 while the number of deaths have surged past 2,04,000.

Meanwhile, China has recorded the biggest daily jump in Covid cases in more than five months, despite three cities in lockdown. The National Health Commission said in a statement that a total of 115 new confirmed cases were reported in the mainland compared with 55 a day earlier. This was the highest daily increase since July 30.

France reported 19,753 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours on Tuesday, while the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care units continued to rise.

In addition to this, the Netherlands is extending coronavirus restrictions until 9 February as infections are still high and the government is “very concerned” about the UK variant of the disease, prime minister Mark Rutte said.

The World Health Organization’s investigative mission will fly directly to Wuhan, China’s foreign ministry has confirmed.

-CHK

1...658659660...1,490Page 659 of 1,490

MUST READ