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New Parliament will be a testament to Atmanirbhar Bharat: PM

New Parliament will be a testament to Atmanirbhar Bharat: PM

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that the old Parliament House represents post-independence India, while the new building would be a witness to the creation of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India).

The PM, while speaking after laying the foundation stone of the new Parliament building here, said that in the old Parliament, which was constructed 100 years ago, work was done to fulfil the needs of the country, while in the new building, the aspirations of 21st century India will be fulfilled.

“We, the people of India, will together build this new building of Parliament. This new Parliament building will be a charm and inspiration when India will celebrate 75th years of its independence,” he said.

During his speech, the PM said that this day is like a milestone in the history of India’s democratic history. “The people of the country will build the new parliament together. New Parliament building will exemplify the coexistence of the new and the old,” he said.

He further said the new building will be fitted with advanced technology. “Even common people, who want to share their grievances with their representatives, face trouble in the existing building due to paucity of space. The new building will have space for every MP to meet and address the issues of their constituents visiting them. The new building will fulfill the desire and aspirations of 21st century India,” he added.

He said that policies may vary, differences may occur, but the government is there for the service of the public. “There should be no differences in this ultimate goal,” he said.

“I can never forget the moment in my life when I had the opportunity to come to Parliament House for the first time in 2014 as an MP. Then before stepping into this temple of democracy, I had bowed my head and saluted this temple of democracy,” PM Modi said in his address.

The new Parliament building which would be built in an area of 64,500 square metres at an estimated cost of Rs 971 crore.

-ARK

Western disturbances to bring heavy rain, snowfall over north India: IMD

IMD
(Representational/file photo)

New Delhi (NVI): The movement of western disturbances into northwest India is likely to cause heavy rain and snowfall in the parts of north India and adjoining plains, on Friday and Saturday, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The Met department took to Twitter and said “The Western Disturbance as a trough in mid-tropospheric westerlies runs roughly along Long. 60°E to the north of Lat. 25°E.”

Under its influence, fairly widespread to widespread rain and snowfall have been predicted over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad and Himachal Pradesh, along with isolated heavy rain/snowfall over Uttarakhand, on December 11-12.

The Met department also forecast, isolated to scattered rainfall very likely over Haryana and Chandigarh and Punjab during this period. Due to high moisture feeding from Arabian Sea to northwest India at lower and mid tropospheric levels.

On the other hand, the likes of Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad on December 11- 12 will witness isolated heavy rain and snow.

Meanwhile, thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and hail at isolated places over Jammu Division, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on 11 and 12 December. Delhi region will also experience light rain and thundershowers at isolated places during December 11th and the forenoon of 12th, IMD further said.

In view of all the above predictions, the Met department on Tuesday issued a yellow watch over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi on Friday and Saturday, and over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh on Saturday.

 

-RJV

Militant sympathiser held from south Kashmir, arms and ammunition recovered

Neyaz Elahi

Srinagar (NVI): A militant sympathiser of Jaish-e-Mohammed was arrested from South Kashmir’s Awantipora area of Pulwama district today, police said.

The arrested militant associate has been identified as Irshad Ahmad Reshi, a resident of Tral.

A police spokesperson said that Reshi was involved in providing shelter, logistics and other support to the JeM militants as well as in transporting of arms and ammunition and explosive material in Tral and Awantipora areas.

“Incriminating material of proscribed outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed and contraband substance cannibis powder has been recovered from him,” police claimed.

He said that besides 5kg cannabis powder, 10 detonators, a wireless set without battery, two wireless antennas and an IED remote was also recovered from him.

A case under relevant sections has been registered against the militant associate at police station Tral.

-CHK

PM Modi lays foundation stone of new Parliament building

PM Modi lays foundation stone of new Parliament building

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today laid the foundation stone of new Parliament building which would be built in an area of 64,500 square metres at an estimated cost of Rs 971 crore.

PM Modi also performed ‘Bhumi Pujan’ or the groundbreaking ceremony on the occasion.

The Lok Sabha chamber in the new building will have 888 seats while Rajya Sabha chamber will have 384 seats. The current strength of Lok Sabha is 543 and that of Rajya Sabha is 245. Moreover, the new Lok Sabha chamber will be able to accommodate 1224 members during a joint session. However, the new building will not have a Central Hall.

The construction of the building will begin in December and is likely to be completed by October 2022. The new Parliament building will have a built-up area of approximately 60,000-metre square.

It is set to come up on plot number 118 of the Parliament House Estate, which currently houses a reception, boundary walls and other temporary structures.

However, various pleas against the project are pending before the Supreme Court, so no construction can begin immediately.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri delivered the welcome remarks on the occasion followed by a speech by Lok Sabha Speaker Om birla. Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, will deliver the vote of thanks.

-ARK

India’s COVID-19 testing cross 15 crore mark

Covid cases
File photo

New Delhi (NVI): India has crossed the 15 crore mark of cumulative COVID-19 testing across the country today after 9,22,959 samples were tested yesterday, the Union Ministry of Health said.

In a official statement, the Ministry of Health said, “As many as 9,22,959 samples were tested in the last 24 hours which has increased India’s total cumulative tests to 15,07,59,726.”

“The past one crore tests were added in just 10 days. Comprehensive and widespread testing on a sustained basis has resulted in bringing down the positivity rate,” it added.

The ministry said, the country has reported less than 40,000 new daily cases for eleven continuous days. In the last 24 hours, only 31,521 persons were found to be COVID positive in the country.

India also registered 37,725 new recoveries in the same duration, which has led to a further contraction of the active caseload. The country’s present active caseload of 3,72,293 consists of just 3.81 per cent of India’s total positive cases.

Meanwhile, the total recovered cases have surpassed 92.5 lakh (92,53,306) today, pushing the recovery rate to 94.74 per cent, the ministry said. “The gap between recovered cases and active cases is steadily increasing and presently stands at 8,881,013,” it added.

Notably, a total of 77.30 per cent of the new recovered cases is contributed by ten States and Union Territories.

Maharashtra saw 5,051 persons recovering from COVID-19, while Kerala and Delhi reported 4,647 and 4,177 new recoveries, respectively. Besides, ten States and UTs have contributed 74.65 per cent of the new cases, the ministry said.

Maharashtra also reported 4,981 new cases in the last 24 hours, followed by Kerala which recorded 4,875 cases and West Bengal with 2,956 daily cases.

Furthermore, the ministry informed, 77.67 per cent of the 412 case fatalities that have been reported in the last 24 hours are from ten States and UTs and the daily new deaths have been less than 500 from the past five days.

Out of these, 18.20 per cent of new fatalities reported are from Maharashtra which reported 75 deaths. Delhi also saw a figure fatality count of 50 contributing another 12.13 per cent of the fatalities, the statement added.

-RJV

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

COVID-19

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in India crossed 97 lakh-mark and currently stands at 97,67,372 after 31,522 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

The country’s death toll stands at 1,41,772 after 412 new fatalities were reported during the same period.

In worst-hit Maharashtra, the COVID-19 cases increased to 18,64,348 followed by Karnataka with 8,96,563 cases, and Andhra Pradesh with 8,73,457 cases.

Total positive cases in States/UTs:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 4,783

Andhra Pradesh- 8,73,457

Arunachal Pradesh- 16,461

Assam- 2,14,165

Bihar- 2,39,955

Chandigarh- 18,322

Chhattisgarh- 2,51,120

Dadra and Nagar Haveli– 3,354

Delhi- 5,99,575

Gujarat- 2,22,811

Goa- 49,063

Haryana– 2,48,079

Himachal Pradesh- 46,930

Jammu and Kashmir- 1,14,407

Jharkhand- 1,10,830

Karnataka- 8,96,563

Kerala- 6,49,571

Ladakh- 9,045

Madhya Pradesh- 2,18,574

Maharashtra- 18,64,348

Manipur- 26,534

Meghalaya- 12,511

Mizoram- 3,994

Nagaland- 11,508

Odisha- 3,22,299

Puducherry- 37,339

Punjab- 1,57,928

Rajasthan- 2,85,627

Sikkim- 5,239

Tamil Nadu- 7,94,020

Telangana- 2,75,904

Tripura- 32,976

Uttarakhand- 79,656

Uttar Pradesh- 5,59,499

West Bengal – 5,10,951

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 61

Andhra Pradesh- 7,045

Arunachal Pradesh- 55

Assam- 998

Bihar- 1,303

Chandigarh- 297

Chhattisgarh- 3,038

Dadra and Nagar Haveli- 2

Delhi- 9,813

Goa- 703

Gujarat- 4,123

Haryana- 2,650

Himachal Pradesh- 765

Jammu and Kashmir- 1,767

Jharkhand- 991

Karnataka- 11,900

Kerala- 2,507

Ladakh- 122

Madhya Pradesh- 3,366

Maharashtra- 47,902

Manipur- 318

Meghalaya- 122

Mizoram- 6

Nagaland- 67

Odisha- 1,789

Puducherry- 615

Punjab- 4,980

Rajasthan- 2,485

Sikkim- 117

Tamil Nadu- 11,836

Telangana- 1,482

Tripura- 373

Uttar Pradesh- 7,987

Uttarakhand- 1,320

West Bengal- 8,867

However, a total of 92,53,306 people have been cured and discharged. The total active cases stands at 3,72,293 in the country.

-CHK

Canada becomes latest country to approve Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine

vaccine
Representational/file image

New Delhi (NVI): Canada has approved its first COVID-19 vaccine, clearing the way for doses of the Pfizer Inc shots to be delivered and administered across the country as soon as next week.

With this, Canada became the third country after United Kingdom and Bahrain to give the green light to vaccine made by US drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech.

“The approval of the vaccine is supported by evidence that it is safe, effective and of good quality,” regulator Health Canada said in a statement.

It has initially been authorized for use in people 16 years of age or older.

The vaccine was approved under an interim, accelerated drug review system very similar to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration`s emergency use authorizations, and comes a day before a panel of advisers to the FDA is set to review and recommend whether the U.S. agency should authorize the use of the Pfizer vaccine.

On Tuesday, a British citizen became the first in the world to get the shots outside of clinical trials following last week`s UK approval.

In a large, late-stage trial, the vaccine was shown to be 95% effective at preventing illness, far better than originally anticipated.

Canada will receive an early shipment of up to 249,000 doses of Pfizer`s vaccine by the end of the month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

Canada released a detailed plan for its vaccination rollout, saying in a written statement that the nation is now “well-positioned to immunize 100% of the population in 2021.”

-CHK

2 Pak soldiers killed as Indian Army retaliates to CFV in J&K’s Poonch

Representational Image

Neyaz Elahi

Srinagar (NVI): Two Pakistani soldiers were killed in cross border firing in Mankote Sector of Poonch district of Jammu region on late Wednesday evening.

Officials said that the Pakistani rangers resorted to heavy shelling in Mankote Sector prompting India to respond effectively. In the exchange of fire and shelling, two Pakistani soldiers were killed.

Spokesperson, Pakistan Armed Forces, Major General Babar Iftikhar confirmed the killing of two soldiers. He identified the slain soldiers as Lance Naik Tariq and Sepoy Zaroof.

DG ISPR of Pakistan took to Twitter and said, “Indian troops initiated CFVs in Khuiratta Sector along LOC. Pakistan army troops responded befittingly. Reports of heavy losses 2 Indian troops in men & material. During exchange of fire, while fighting valiantly, 2 soldiers, Lance Naik Tariq & Sepoy Zaroof embraced shahadat.”

DG ISPR also released the photographs of these two slain soldiers.

-RJV

Human Rights Day 2020: Significance, theme and history

Human Rights Day 2020: Significance, theme and history
(Source: @UN)

New Delhi (NVI): Human Rights Day is observed every year on December 10 around the world, to create awareness about the social, cultural and physical rights and to ensure the welfare of society.

Every year, a new theme is set to celebrate the day and make people aware of their fundamental human rights as well as their responsibilities as a part of society.

This year, the United Nations has set the theme for Human Rights Day 2020 as ‘Recover Better —Stand Up For Human Rights’. It is related to the COVID-19 pandemic which focuses on the need to build back better by ensuring human rights are central to recovery efforts.

According to the UN, human rights must be at the centre of the post-COVID world as the pandemic crisis has been fuelled by deepening poverty, rising inequalities, discrimination, and other gaps in human rights protection.

It is only possible to close these gaps and advance human rights can ensure we fully recover and build back a world that is better, more resilient, just, and sustainable, UN said in a statement.

Human Rights Day was adopted by the UN General Assembly, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. The UDHR is a milestone document which outlines the fundamental rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status must be protected universally.

The day reaffirms the significance of human rights in re-building the world everyone want for global solidarity as well as for interconnectedness and shared humanity.

-RJV

Coronavirus cases surge past 68.8 million worldwide

New Delhi (NVI): More than 68.8 million people around the world have been confirmed to have the coronavirus, while the death toll has crossed 15,68,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally. Over 44.3 million patients have recovered from the deadly disease globally.

The number of coronavirus infections in the US have surpassed 15.3 million while the number of fatalities due to the deadly contagion have crossed 2,89,000.

Brazil’s coronavirus cases have crossed the 67 lakh-mark and stands at 6,728,452 while the number of deaths have surged past 1,78,000 in the country.

Meanwhile, South Africa, the African country most affected by coronavirus, has entered a second wave of the pandemic, the health minister declared Wednesday.

The country now counts 828,598 infections after 6,709 new cases were detected between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Spain’s rate of confirmed coronavirus cases fell to 193 cases per 100,000 people on Wednesday to reach the lowest level recorded since August, health ministry data showed.

The ministry reported 9,773 infections since Monday, bringing the total up to just over 1.7 million, while the number of deaths increased by 373 to 47,019 in Spain.

Slovakia ordered schools and most shops closed for at least three weeks from 21st December. The central European country also ordered outside seating at restaurants to end from Dec. 11, only allowing take-away as the number of COVID-19 cases continued to rise.

Canada on Wednesday approved its first Covid-19 vaccine, clearing the way for doses of the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE shots to be delivered and administered across the country.

Canada is the third country after the United Kingdom and Bahrain to give the green light to the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

-CHK

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