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Ready to tackle dual challenges of Covid and Chinese aggression at LAC: Navy chief 

Ready to tackle dual challenges of Covid and Chinese aggression at LAC: Navy chief 

New Delhi (NVI): Indian Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh today said that the Navy is fully prepared to tackle any challenge from China, besides the Covid-19 pandemic, while adding that a steady procurement of jets and naval utility helicopters is underway in the wake of current security situation.

The Navy chief was addressing a press conference here on the eve of Navy Day.

With regard to the prevailing security situation along Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, the Navy chief said that a P-81 aircraft and Heron drones have been deployed in the region.

The Navy Chief assured that a Standard Operating Procedure is there, in case of any infringement from the Chinese side in the Indian Ocean. Pertinent to mention here, that despite several rounds of military and diplomatic level talks between India and China, both sides have yet not arrived any concrete decision.

Admiral Singh further added that the Navy is operating in close coordination with the Army and the Air Force. On the proposed maritime theatre command, the Navy chief said that work is in progress.

Apart from that, Admiral Singh said that the induction of a third aircraft in the Navy will take place soon.

It is already eight months since mobilisation of troops began in the Eastern Ladakh sector, with China launching military aggression and prompting India to make the mirror deployment of forces to prevent any unilateral change in the LAC.

According to estimates, there are around 50,000 troops deployed on both sides of the LAC, along with assets like fighter planes and artillery guns.

There have been eight rounds of talks between India and China at the level of military commanders, besides meetings and discussions at the levels of Defence Minister, External Affairs Minister and National Security Adviser, to resolve the matter but it has not yielded any results so far.

-ARK

CISCE writes to all CMs to reopen schools partially from Jan

Maharashtra
(Representational/file photo)

New Delhi (NVI): The Council for Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE), which conducts ICSE and ISC board exams, today wrote to Chief Ministers of all States to allow schools affiliated to the board to reopen partially in January.

The council has requested state governments to consider reopening of schools for Class 10 and 12 students from January 4, so that they can attend practical classes and get their doubts cleared by teachers, according to the report.

“With the students physically attending school, this time will be utilised for Practical Work, Project Work, SUPW Work, and for ‘Doubt Clearing’ lessons. This will be extremely beneficial to the students who will now get the time to interact directly with their teachers,” CISCE said in a statement.

It added that if schools are allowed to reopen from the said date, they will follow all COVID-related protocol prescribed by the government.

The board, which usually conducts examinations in February, stated that it has not yet decided dates for class 10 and 12 board examinations which are to be conducted next year.

Furthermore, the council also wrote to the Election Commission of India, enquiring about dates for elections in the states that will go to polls between April and May 2021.

This will enable CISCE to finalize schedules for ICSE Class-10, ISC Class-12 year 2021 examinations and to ensure that there are no clash of dates.

Notably, all boards affiliated schools across India have been shut since March due of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but few states have resumed schools partially but have encouraged online mode of learning.

-RJV

Centre increases cap on domestic flights to 80% of pre-COVID levels

Philippines
Representative image

New Delhi (NVI): The cap on the number of domestic flights that Indian airlines are permitted to operate has been increased from 70 per cent to 80 per cent of their pre-Covid levels, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said today.

The minister had said on November 11 that the Indian airlines can operate up to 70 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic passenger flights due to the prevailing demand amid the coronavirus situation.

Puri tweeted, “”Domestic operations recommenced with 30K passengers on 25 May & have now touched a high of 2.52 lakhs on 30 Nov 2020.”

“Ministry of Civil Aviation is now allowing domestic carriers to increase their operations from existing 70% to 80% of pre-Covid approved capacity,” he further stated.

Furthermore, domestic operations recommenced with 30,000 passengers on May 25 and have now touched a high of 2.52 lakhs on 30 Nov 2020.

The ministry had resumed scheduled domestic passenger services from May 25, after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus lockdown.

However, the airlines were allowed to operate not more than 33 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights.

On June 26, this was increased to 45 per cent and on September 2, it was further increased to 60 per cent. On November 11, it was increased to 70 per cent.

-CHK

Earthquake of magnitude 3.5 hits Ladakh

New Delhi (NVI): An earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale occurred near Kargil in Ladakh this afternoon, according to National Centre for Seismology (NCS).

The earthquake hit Ladakh at around 1.40 pm and struck at a depth of 10 km from the surface.

“Earthquake of Magnitude:3.5, Occurred on 03-12-2020, 13:40:06 IST, Lat: 34.49 & Long: 75.95, Depth: 10 Km ,Location: Ladakh,” NCS tweeted.

However, no casualties have been reported so far.

-CHK

PM calls for ensuring opportunity, improving accessibility for disabled persons

PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File photo)

New Delhi(NVI): On the occasion of World Disability Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for ensuring opportunity and improving accessibility for disabled persons, while sharing a message that the “resilience and fortitude of persons with disabilities inspire us.”

“The resilience and fortitude of persons with disabilities inspires us. Under the Accessible India initiative, numerous measures have been taken that ensure there is a positive change in the lives of our Divyang sisters and brothers,” PM Modi tweeted on World Disability Day.

“In line with the year’s @UN theme of “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 World”, let us collectively keep working towards ensuring opportunity and improving accessibility for our Divyang sisters and brothers,” PM Modi said.

International Day of Disabled Persons is observed every year on December 3, under the leadership of the United Nations (UN), to spread awareness about the issues of disabilities and how people are affected by it worldwide.

The day is also focused to promote the well-being and rights of people dealing with disabilities in every sphere of society and development.

-ARK

India, US sign MoU on intellectual property cooperation

India, US sign MoU on intellectual property cooperation
Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): India and United States entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to increase intellectual property cooperation between the two countries, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said.

“Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) signed a MoU, on December 2, in the field of Intellectual Property Cooperation with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Department of Commerce of the United States of America,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

The MoU was signed by Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary, DPIIT and Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property & Director, USPTO in the virtual signing ceremony, it added.

Earlier in February, the Union Cabinet in its meeting gave the approval for signing the MoU with United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in the field of IP Cooperation.

This MoU aims at increasing IP co-operation between the two countries by way of facilitating exchange and dissemination of best practices, experiences and knowledge on IP among the public, and between and among the industry, universities, research and development (R & D) and small and medium-sized enterprises.

It will also help in collaborating in training programs, exchange of experts, technical exchanges and outreach activities.

Also, the exchange of information and best practices on processes for registration and examination of applications for patents, trademarks, geographical indications, and industrial designs, including protection, enforcement and use of IP rights, the statement noted.

The MoU will also ensure cooperation between the two countries to understand the various issues related to traditional knowledge that include the databases and raise awareness on the usage of existing IP systems in order to protect the same traditional knowledge.

With these benefits, among others more activities on the countries cooperation will be mutually decided by the participants.

Furthermore, the ministry said, both the countries will draw up Biennial Work Plan to implement the MoU which will include the detailed planning for carrying out of the co-operation activities including the scope of action, the ministry further said.

The MoU will go a long way in fostering the cooperation between India and US, and provide opportunities to both countries to learn from the experience of each other, especially in terms of best practices followed in the other country.

“It will be a landmark step forward in India’s journey towards becoming a major player in global innovation and will further the objectives of National IPR Policy, 2016,” the statement added.

-RJV

GST revenue shortfall: All states, except Jharkhand, choose Option-1

pension
(Representational/file image)

New Delhi (NVI): The Ministry of Finance informed that all States except Jharkhand and 3 Union Territories (UTs), have communicated their acceptance of Option-1 to meet the revenue shortfall arising out of GST implementation.

“Chhattisgarh at latest communicated its acceptance of Option-1 to meet the revenue shortfall arising out of goods and services tax (GST) implementation,” the Ministry of Finance said in a statement.

It added that the states and union territories who choose Option-1 are getting the amount of shortfall arising out of GST implementation through a special borrowing window put in place by the government.

Since October 23, the special window has been operationalised and the government has already borrowed an amount of Rs 30,000 crore on behalf of the States in five instalments and passed it on to the States and Union Territories.

The funds borrowed through the special window were released to the States and UTs on October 23, November 2, November 9, November, 23 and December 1, 2020.

“Now the state of Chhattisgarh will also receive funds raised through this window starting from the next round of borrowing,” the ministry noted.

Under the terms of Option-1, besides getting the facility of a special window for borrowings of Rs 1.1 lakh crore to meet the shortfall, the States are also entitled to get unconditional permission to borrow the final instalment of 0.50 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) out of the 2 per cent additional borrowings permitted by the government, under AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan.

The government has further granted additional borrowing permission of Rs.1,792 crore to the state government of Chhattisgarh, on receipt of the choice of Option-1, (0.50 per cent of Chhattisgarh’s GSDP).

So far, the amount of additional borrowing permission granted to 27 states and the amount of funds raised through special window, and released to the States and Union Territories is annexed.

Apart from this, the Option 2 has also offered the States to borrow the entire compensation shortfall of Rs 2.35 lakh crore, including the COVID-impact portion through the issue of market debt.

-RJV

Centre announces India’s top 10 best-performing police stations for 2020

New Delhi (NVI): The Centre today announced India’s top 10 best-performing police stations from across the country for the year 2020.

The police station that topped the list is Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district of Manipur.

The Government of India selects the best-performing police stations across the country every year, to incentivise more effective functioning and bring healthy competition.

The selection is done in accordance with the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the directions of the Directors General of Police during the 2015 Conference in Kutch, Gujarat. The Prime Minister had directed that parameters should be laid down for grading police stations and assessing their performance based on feedback.

However, this year’s survey for the best police station was done by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) under challenging circumstances due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Here are India’s top 10 police stations for the year 2020:

1. Nongpok Sekmai (Thoubal, Manipur)

2. AWPS-Suramangalam (Salem, Tamil Nadu)

3. Kharsang (Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh)

4. Jhilmili (Surajpur, Chhattisgarh)

5. Sanguem (South Goa, Goa)

6. Kalighat (North and Middle Andaman, Andaman and Nicobar Islands)

7. Pakyong (East district, Sikkim)

8. Kanth (Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh)

9. Khanvel (Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Dadra and Nagar Haveli)

10. Jammikunta Town (Karimnagar, Telangana)

Home Minister Amit Shah said a vast majority of police stations short-listed from the thousands of police stations in the country are police stations located in small towns and rural areas.

The top 10 police stations were selected from a total of 16,671 police stations on certain parameters. From these, 75 police stations were selected for the next stage, out of which 10 were selected as the country’s best police stations.

A total of 4,065 respondents participated in the survey, the government said, while also acknowledging that all states and Union territories co-operated with it even during the pandemic period.

-CHK

Tamil Nadu, Kerala on high alert as Cyclone Burevi nears: IMD

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): Southern Tamil Nadu and southern Kerala have been put on high alert as Burevi inches closer to the southern shores.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin this morning, Burevi is very likely to move west-northwestwards and emerge into Gulf of Mannar near Mannar coast during the next three hours.

It is likely to cross south Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban and Kanyakumari in the night and early Friday morning.

Burevi is likely to weaken into into a deep depression on entering Kerala, the weather office said.

Apart from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki, and Ernakulam will likely be in Cyclone Burevi’s line of fire, the Met department said, as it issued a red alert for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha.

Southern Tamil Nadu is also likely to receive heavy rainfall. Pamban, Kanyakumari and state capital Chennai also received rain this morning.

The storm has crossed Sri Lanka’s Trincomalee in its northern coast, bringing with it heavy rains and strong winds.

In total, 26 relief teams have been deployed in Tamil Nadu and Kerala and one team is in reserve in Puducherry, the NDRF said.

Around 360 people have been evacuated from the Pamban area in Tamil Nadu already, with relief camps set up in the Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari districts and 18 NDRF teams deployed in the southern parts of the state. A team is on standby in Puducherry as well.

Cyclone Burevi, named by the Maldives, will not be as strong as Cyclone Nivar which lashed the northern coast of Tamil Nadu last week, said weather department officials. They said the storm is expected to have a speed of 80-90 km/hour unlike Nivar which had a speed of 110-130 km/hour.

Meanwhile, two Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) ships have been deployed off Tamil Nadu, besides four Navy aircraft on the west coast to warn fishermen at sea as Cyclone Burevi crosses Rameshwaram coast today. Diving and disaster relief teams standby for rendering necessary support to state administration, the Indian Navy said in a statement.


-CHK/ARK

Rich tributes paid to Rajendra Prasad

Rich tributes paid to Rajendra Prasad
Rajendra Prasad

New Delhi (NVI): The nation paid tributes to India’s first President Rajendra Prasad on his 136th birth anniversary today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu were among the political leaders who remembered Dr Prasad.

Taking to Twitter, the PM Modi wrote in Hindi, “My sincere tribute to former President Bharat Ratna Dr. Rajendra Prasad on his birth anniversary. He played an incomparable role in the freedom struggle and constitution making. His life, based on the principle of simple living and high thinking, will always inspire the countrymen.”

Venkaiah Naidu paying his humble tributes said, Dr Prasad was a selfless leader who played a key role in shaping the polity of the country.

“My humble tributes to former president of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad on his birth anniversary today. He was a selfless & visionary leader who played a significant role in shaping the polity of India. He will always be remembered for his simplicity and compassion for others,” the Vice President Secretariat tweeted quoting Naidu.

Prasad was born on December 3, 1884, in an obscure village in the Saran district of North Bihar. He was a a brilliant scholar, great teacher, lawyer, freedom fighter. Prasad was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and became the first President of India after its Independence.

He also headed the constituent assembly. Prasad is the only person to have held office for two terms as the President of India, from 1950 to 1962. Prasad was awarded the ‘Bharat Ratna’ before he demitted office in 1962.

-RJV

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