News Analysis India

Tag: Coronavirus

  • US Has 1M New Coronavirus Cases This Month

    The US has surpassed 1 million new confirmed coronavirus cases since the start of November.

    The tally of cases in just 10 days shows the reach of the virus amid a strong fall surge.

    Several states posted new highs Tuesday, including 12,000 new cases in Illinois and more than 7,000 in Wisconsin, where the governor planned to take the unusual step of delivering a live address to the state urging unity and cooperation to fight the virus.

    The death toll is also soaring and hospitals in several states are at the breaking point. Indiana reported 63 new deaths Tuesday. 

  • 19 infections in 24 hrs, India’s COVID-19 tally reaches 86,36,012

    With 44,281 new COVID-19 infections reported in the last 24 hours, India’s total coronavirus cases surged to 86,36,012, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said on Wednesday.

    With 512 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the toll mounted to 1,27,571.

    The total number of active COVID-19 cases are 4,94,657 after a decrease of 6,557 in the last 24 hours. Total cured cases are 80,13,784 with 50,326 new discharges in the last 24 hours

    Maharashtra has reported 93,400 active cases, 15,88,091 recoveries and 45,435 deaths due to the disease so far while Karnataka recorded 31,082 active cases, 8,08,700 recoveries and 11,430 deaths so far.

    The national capital reported 41,385 active cases and 7,143 deaths while 4,02,854 people recovered from the infection till now.

    Kerala reported 78,812 active cases, 4,15,158 recoveries and the death toll stands at 1,742 according to the Health Ministry. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a total of 12,07,69,151 samples have been tested for coronavirus till November 10, of these, 11,53,294 samples were tested yesterday.

    Meanwhile, MoHFW has said that “India has scaled an unprecedented peak as the active COVID-19 cases have dropped below the 5-lakh mark for the first time after 106 days”

  • Aarogya Setu App: Denial Of Information Not Acceptable, Says CIC 

    Amid the row with the Central Information Committee (CIC) for not furnishing information about the developer of the contact tracing app, Aarogya Setu, the government on Wednesday clarified that the application was developed in the most transparent manner with public-private collaboration in record time to fight the coronavirus.

    This comes after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology earlier denied having knowledge about who created the App in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query.

    The development comes in response to a complaint filed by activist Saurav Das, who said that the government authorities had failed to provide information about the process of creation of Aarogya Setu App and other information related to it. He submitted that RTI was filed with the NIC, which stated that it ‘does not hold the information’ relating to the App’s creation.

  • PM Modi lays down India’s energy map, lists seven key drivers of change

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that India’s energy future is bright and secure and energy security is one of the prime focus of the government.
    Speaking virtually at the India Energy Forum, the Prime Minister laid down India’s energy map comprising seven key drivers. He said: “Like the seven horses driving the Sun god’s chariot, India’s energy map will also hav

    The key drivers for change as listed by PM Modi are as follows:
    * Accelerating efforts to move towards a gas-based economy;

    PM Modi said the coronavirus pandemic had resulted in global energy demand falling by one-third, investment decisions being impacted and predictions of a contraction in demand over the next few years.
    However, he believed that India will drive the global energy demand. “We are driving strategic comprehensive energy engagements with key global energy players.”
    While the focus is to make India a gas-based economy, the nation would also be raising oil refining capacity from 250 million tonnes per annum currently to 450 million tonnes by 2025 to keep self-reliance in sync with demand, he added.

  • PM Modi to virtually distribute loans to 300,000 street vendors under PM SVANidhi Scheme today

    PM SVANidhi Scheme was launched on June 1, 2020 for poor people selling goods on roads and tracks, who were affected due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    “Will interact with my brothers and sisters from Uttar Pradesh who sell goods on roads. It will be an opportunity to know how Pradhan Mantri Swanidhi Yojana gave new strength to them,” PM Modi tweeted on Monday.

    Under PM SVANidhi Scheme, street vendors can get working capital of up to Rs10,000 at subsidised rates. According to news agency ANI, over 24 lakh applications have been received under this scheme so far, with 557,000 applications from vendors in Uttar Pradesh, the highest across the country.

    As many as 3.27 lakh applications from UP have been approved and loan of 1.87 lakh has been disbursed, ANI said quoting the website narendramodi.in. Out of the total applications, 12 lakh have been approved and loans worth about 5.35 lakh have been disbursed, it added.

  • PM Modi, Trump Get “Along So Well”, Says Ex-US Envoy

    US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi get “along so well” and the two countries are partnering in defence, trade and other sectors, said Nikki Haley, American former envoy to United Nations, on Saturday.

    Speaking during an event, Ms Haley, Indian-American Republican politician, said in the aftermath of the coronavirus, there is more of a coalition that the United States is bringing in India along with Australia and Japan.

    “…The relationship with India has never been stronger ever. India is the largest democracy that shares our values. And President Trump and Prime Minister Modi get along so well. But now we are actually partnering with them on defense and trade and other areas,” she said at a fireside chat event organised by the Indian Voices for Trump in the battleground state of Philadelphia.

    “And with COVID-19 coming from China. There’s more of a coalition that the United States is bringing in India, along with Australia and Japan. And so, really, the foreign policy of President Trump has been gangbusters over any other president that we have had in decades, and that affects every one of us from national security,” she added.

    Ms Haley, the two-term governor of South Carolina, was the first Cabinet-ranking Indian-American in any presidential administration. She is now campaigning for Trump ahead of the US election.

  • Ravi Shankar Prasad says ‘historical step’ and ‘completely legal’

    The promise of free COVID-19 vaccine for all Bihar residents, after it gets the required approval, by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its manifesto is completely legal, said Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday.

    Terming it a ‘historical step’ Union Law and Justice Minister said that no Opposition party should have any issues if the BJP is thinking progressively and giving priority to healthcare in its manifesto for the state. It is shocking that some are terming it a political ploy. Should promises made for improving health care, caring for people’s health not be made? This declaration is completely legal, it only is problematic for people who make tall claims before elections but do not implement it on the ground,” Prasad said at a press conference.

    “The promise of free vaccine for Bihar residents shows our party’s commitment to people’s health. In the coronavirus phase, healthcare should be a priority that is why I thank Bihar BJP, and manifesto committee. This is a revolutionary step and its purpose is clear,” he added.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had attacked BJP over the inclusion of COVID-19 vaccine in the manifesto, stating the party had announced its COVID “access strategy” and that people in every state should refer to their election schedule to know when they will get the vaccine.

  • Shiv Sena takes potshots at PM Narendra Modi’s address to nation, calls it ‘best in last 7-8 months’

    A sarcastic editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation on Tuesday was the best in the last seven-eight months. It said that the prime minister spoke like a “concerned guardian” and the address was on a “spiritual level”. It further added that Modi had a “radiant glow” on his face which would take away all the nation’s problems. The seven-eight minutes that he spoke about corona was the best address in the last seven-eight months…Modi’s speech was that of a concerned guardian… He came, he spoke. White beard, radiant face. This radiance will remove the darkness of challenges we are facing,” the editorial published on Thursday said. The editorial added that Prime Minister Modi did not speak on unemployment, when everybody expected him to. “Prime Minister said that financial turnover is increasing. But he did not speak on how he would control the demon of unemployment that has gripped the nation after coronavirus outbreak. It was expected that the PM would make a statement on that, but Modi escaped it,” editorial said.

  • Modi’s bland TV address leaves Twitter heaving a sigh of relief

    When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Twitter just past 1 pm that he would conduct a televised address to the nation at 6 pm, he set off a now-familiar series of wisecracks on social media.

    Ever since he made a sudden appearance on television on November 8, 2016, to declare that 86% of India’s currency notes would become invalid overnight, Modi’s speeches have been viewed with anxiety. On March 24, Modi made a televised speech, again at 8 pm, to announce that a three-week nationwide lockdown would go into effect from midnight in an attempt to control the spread of the coronavirus. That sent people across India scurrying into markets to buy essential items before the restrictions kicked in.

    As it turns out, Modi’s speech on Tuesday did not contain any surprises. Unlike some of his previous, lengthy addresses, this one lasted only 12 minutes. The prime minister urged Indians to continue to be cautious about the virus during the festive season, quoting Kabir and the Ramcharitmanas to drive home his message.

    He noted that India was doing better than many other countries but noted that even slight carelessness can sabotage India’s progress. “Going through a difficult time, we are moving forward, a little carelessness can stop our movement and spoil our happiness,” he says. “Taking care of responsibilities and vigilance will go hand in hand, only then will happiness remain in life.”

    The absence of anything significant in Modi’s address was, of course, grist for meme makers.

  • JP Nadda To BJP Workers At Organisational Meet In Bengal ‘: Expose All Corruption In TMC

    BJP national president JP Nadda on Monday directed the party workers to expose all the corruption in the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal. In an emergency organizational meeting held with BJP workers in Siliguri, Nadda directed them to inform people about the tyranny of the ruling party and the culture of cut-money in the state.

    After the meeting, West Bengal BJP General Secretary Sayantan Basu told reporters that detailed discussion was held on the preparations for each Assembly constituency in light of the upcoming elections. Nadda laid emphasized on enhancing the performance and efficiency of the party at the booth level.

    Basu said the BJP national President expressed dissatisfaction with the TMC’s terror in the state. BJP workers in Bengal are facing fierce struggle every day and he also expressed concern over the killing of more than a hundred party workers. Besides, the State Government’s negligence in dealing with Coronavirus pandemic was also discussed in the meeting, he added. 

    During his day-long visit to North Bengal, JP Nadda paid tributes to Tagore Panchanan Burman at a ceremony at Nauka Ghat and later visited the Anandamoyi Kalibari Temple.