News Analysis India

Tag: Centre

  • AirPods need cleaning? Here’s a tiny washing machine

    If you’re one of those who don’t like cleaning or struggle to clean their AirPods, there’s a solution – a washing machine dedicated to dirty AirPods! Yes, something like this actually exists and it has already crowdfunded $51,114 on The Cardlax EarBuds Washer is a tiny washing machine that can clean your AirPods and other wireless earbuds as well. The company says it’s compatible with 99% of the earbuds available in the market. On the outside it may look like an AirPods case, well a slightly larger one. Once opened, you see it’s designed to look like a top-load washing machine. There’s a brush on the left side and a spray on the right with the spinner which is a sponge at the centre..

    With the tailored high-quality, soft brush and built-in sponge that is soaked with an anti-bacterial cleaning solution, you can easily clean every corner of your wireless earphones in just 2 minutes,” the product’s description on Kickstarter says.

    The first step is to use the brush to clean the AirPods, and then you apply the spray on them. After that you place both the AirPods inside the sponge, and press the button outside to start cleaning it. Cardlax says that you can use 70% alcohol as the cleaner.

    The Cardlax EarBuds Washer is currently up on Kickstarter, and it has so far received 1,210 backers. It will be available for 56 more days on the crowdfunding site. There are only 890 units up for grabs, and it can be shipped anywhere in the world.

  • NCP slams Centre for adopting ‘lackadaisical attitude’ towards Maharashtra despite ‘vaccine shortage’

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The NCP on Thursday accused the Centre of adopting a lackadaisical attitude towards Maharashtra amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as the BJP could not form a government in the state.

    The allegation of the NCP, one of the constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, comes in the wake of the state’s claims that it was facing a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine doses.

    Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday refuted the state government’s claims, terming them as “utterly baseless” and blamed the latter for its failure to contain the pandemic.

    The state NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase on Thursday said, “Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan needs to be reminded that Maharashtra tops the chart in the country as far as the vaccination drive is concerned and this is purely due to the efforts taken by Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope and his team.”

    ALSO READ | Maharashtra COVID-19 crisis: State faces ventilator shortage; vaccination drive halted at Panvel, Pune

    The state is proactive on testing, tracing, isolating and vaccinating, he said in a statement.

    It was expected that Harsh Vardhan would respond positively to the call given by Tope, he said.

    “It is the BJP’s policy to use cheap media tricks to divert attention from core issues. It is the Modi government, which has a lackadaisical approach towards Maharashtra only because the BJP could not form a government here,” he alleged.

    The data on the number of vaccine doses received and administered is available if the Union health minister wishes to see, Tapase said.

    The party spokesperson further said some state BJP leaders who have been opposing Maharashtra government’s “break the chain” directive need to be reminded that the Gujarat High Court had to tell the Gujarat government to implement a lockdown, as it was unable to check the viral spread.

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  • Centre withheld ‘rightful dues’ meant for Maharashtra out of bias, alleges Congress

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Congress in Maharashtra on Saturday accused the Centre of short-changing the Maharashtra government by withholding its “rightful dues” to tide over the COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters like cyclones and heavy rains that had hit the state last year.

    State Congress president Nana Patole also accused the BJP of acting irresponsibly amidst the pandemic, a day after Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said that Maharashtra was the only state in the country that didn’t provide any assistance to the people during the crisis.

    In his Facebook address on Friday night, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had referred to the stringent measures adopted by various countries to check the spread of coronavirus.

    He had also hinted that a lockdown was inevitable if new cases continue to go up.

    “….This is irresponsible behaviour. Fadnavis should have given information on the aid provided by the Central government to Maharashtra. For the last year, the state has been battling pandemic and natural disasters like cyclones, floods and heavy rains on its own. The MVA government is working hard to mitigate the hardships of the people.”

    “However, the Centre had acted out of bias against the state by not parting the rightful share of funds to the state. Instead of contributing to the Chief Minister’s relief fund, BJP leaders had donated to the PM Cares Fund for COVID 19. What has the state got from the Rs 20 lakh crore (‘aatmanirbhar’) package,” Patole asked.

    He alleged the Centre used federal investigating agencies to malign the image of Maharashtra.

    “The unplanned lockdown last year had pushed the country on the brink of the economic crisis,” the Congress leader said.

  • Centre bats for long-term green clearance to projects

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Citing delay in green clearances, the Centre has proposed that the permit be made valid till exhaustion of reserves rather than continuing with the practice of seeking approval for new mining leases within two years of transfer or termination of rights. 

    According to the Ministry of Mines, an amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 is being proposed after consultations with the central ministries, states and general public. Incidentally, the Act was amended in 2020 under which a new lessee is required to apply for and obtain fresh clearances within two years. 

    “It is noted that the new lessees are facing difficulties in obtaining fresh clearances within two-year period as they have to undergo the lengthy process of obtaining clearances afresh, which is time consuming although all the steps have already been compiled with by the previous lessee while obtaining clearances initially,” said a draft proposal by the ministry. 

    The proposal comes even as the Environment ministry has claimed to have streamlined the green clearance process to cut down the time for according approvals to projects in various sectors. The Mines ministry has proposed to amend Section 8B of the Act.

    “This provides for all the valid rights, approvals, clearances, licenses and the like granted to a lessee in respect of a mine shall continue to be valid till exhaustion of minable reserves in the mine and on expiry or termination of lease, such clearances shall be transferred and vested to the successful bidder of the mining lease… This provision will be applicable for all minerals,” said the draft. 

  • Covid-19: Centre changes decision, gives civil service aspirants extra attempt

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Taking a U-turn, the Centre on Friday agreed to provide an extra attempt to the UPSC civil services examination candidates who had failed to appear in the October exams due to the Covid pandemic. 

    A bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar had taken note of the submissions of Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing on behalf of the DoPT.

    The court will hear the matter in details on Monday. It was hearing a plea by candidates who had appeared for their last attempt in the civil services (preliminary) examination, 2020 held on October 4.

    The Centre has clarified that relaxation, only to the extent of providing one extra attempt for Civil Service Examination (CSE), specifically limited to CSE 2021, may be granted to only those candidates who appeared for CSE-2020 as their last permissible attempt and are otherwise not age-barred from appearing in CSE 2021.

    Further, no relaxation shall be granted for CSE 2021 to those candidates who have not exhausted their permissible number of attempts or to those candidates who are otherwise age-barred from appearing in CSE 2021 as per the prescribed age limits of different categories, or to any other candidate for other reason whatsoever.

    “This relaxation for the candidates and to the extent as prescribed above, shall be a one-time relaxation only and shall apply only for appearing in CSE 2021 and shall not be treated as a precedent,” the Centre told the bench.

    The top court on September 30 last year had refused to postpone the UPSC civil services preliminary exam because of the pandemic and floods in several parts of the country.

    However, it had directed the government and the UPSC to consider granting an extra chance to candidates who had their last attempt in 2020, with corresponding extension of the upper age-limit.

  • Centre may agree to opposition demand for separate discussion on agriculture laws

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha witnessed logjam even on Friday with the Opposition parties persisting with their demand of repealing the farm laws, leading to repeated adjournments. 

    Faced with the prospect of being unable to fulfil the convention of holding discussion on the President’s address to the joint sitting of the two Houses of the Parliament, the government is likely to buy peace and agree to a separate discussion on the farmers’ protests with the Opposition.

    With only five days left for the conclusion of the first half of Budget session, during which it is a matter of prestige for the government to complete the discussion and pass the motion of thanks to the President’s address, the government has little choice.

    ALSO READ | LS adjourned till February 8 as opposition members continue with protest over farm laws

    Sources indicated that one day next week will be marked for a separate discussion on farm laws.

    The government has been insisting that the Opposition speak on the protests in the motion of thanks. The Opposition has been unyielding on their demand for a separate discussion on the subject. Rajya Sabha, on the other hand, has completed the discussion on the motion of thanks.

    On Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Arjun Meghwal read out the agenda for the business of the House for the next week, which included motion of thanks, Budget discussion, and a number of legislative proposals, including the Delhi Special Laws (Amendment) Bill.

    ​ALSO READ | Global personalities reiterate their support to farmers despite Centre censure

    Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is learnt to have continued to speak to the floor leaders of the political parties to find a breakthrough. He will be meeting the leaders of the parties again on Monday before the House convenes for the day.

    UN rights body calls for max restraint

    The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday called on both the Indian government and the demonstrators to exercise maximum restraint.

    “We call on the authorities and protesters to exercise maximum restraint in ongoing #FarmersProtests. The rights to peaceful assembly & expression should be protected both offline & online,” it tweeted. “It’s crucial to find equitable solutions with due respect to #HumanRights for all.” 

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