News Analysis India

Tag: Rajasthan Government

  • WHO donates 100 oxygen concentrators to Rajasthan government

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: The Jaipur unit of the World Health Organisation (WHO) donated 100 oxygen concentrators to the Rajasthan government here on Monday. The concentrators were handed over to state Health Minister Raghu Sharma who thanked the WHO for its cooperation in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Sharma said that every possible effort is being made by the state government to overcome the lack of oxygen in the state. The oxygen concentrators being provided through corporate social responsibility (CSR) are supporting the government’s efforts to tackle the pandemic, he added.

    WHO representative Rakesh Srivastava said these contractors, worth about Rs 15 crore, were manufactured in Germany. He said that the concentrators have the capacity to produce 8 litres of oxygen per minute which can be increased to 10 litres per minute as per the requirement.

  • SC asks 36,000 private schools of Rajasthan to charge 15 per cent less fees from students

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Monday directed 36,000 private unaided schools of Rajasthan to charge 15 per cent less annual fees from students in academic session 2020-21 and made clear that no students be barred from attending virtual or physical classes and their results be not held up due to non-payment of fees.

    The top court upheld the Rajasthan High Court’s judgment in rejecting the challenge to the validity of the Rajasthan Schools (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2016 and the Rules framed under the law governing fixation of school fees by the government-mandated procedures.

    A bench comprising justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari, in its 128-page judgement, made clear that the truncated fees for academic year 2020-21 would be payable in six equal installments by students or guardians.

    “Undeniably, an unprecedented situation has had evolved on account of complete lockdown due to pandemic. It had serious effect on the individuals, entrepreneurs, industries and the nation as a whole including in the matter of economy and purchasing capacity of one and all.”

    “A large number of people have lost their jobs and livelihood as aftermath of such economic upheaval. The parents who were under severe stress and even unable to manage their day­ to­ day affairs and the basic need of their family made fervent representation to the school Management(s) across the State,” Justice Khanwilkar noted in the verdict. 

    “The appellants (schools) shall collect annual school fees from their students as fixed under the Act of 2016 for the academic year 2019-­20, but by providing deduction of 15 per cent on that amount in ieu of unutilised facilities by the students during the relevant period of academic year 2020­-21,” the verdict said.

    “The amount so payable by the concerned students be paid in six equal monthly instalments before August 05, 2021, it said, adding “it will be open to the schools to give further concession to their students.”

    “The school Management shall not debar any student from attending either online classes or physical classes on account of non-­payment of fees, arrears/outstanding fees including the installments, referred to above, and shall not withhold the results of the examinations of any student on that account,” it said.

    “The top court also said if any individual request is made for waiver of fees, then the school management should consider such a representation on “case­ to­ case basis sympathetically”.

    The bench said its judgement, however, will not affect collection of fees for academic year 2021-­22 by schools.

    “The school Management shall not withhold the name of any student/candidate for the ensuing Board examinations for Classes X and XII on the ground of non­payment of fee/arrears for the academic year 2020-­21, if any, on obtaining undertaking of the concerned parents or students,” it said.

    The judgement came in two sets of appeal.

    One set of pleas was directed against the validity of the state law and the rules on grounds including that they abridged fundamental right to practice profession and business guaranteed under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution as they entered into domain of the private schools by providing for the norms on determination of school fees.

    The second set of appeals challenged the orders passed by state authorities ordering deferment of collection of school fees including reduction of fees limited to 70 per cent of tuition fees by schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education and 60 per cent from the schools affiliated with Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education, in view of reduction of syllabus by the respective boards due to aftermath of pandemic and lockdown from March 2020.

    The Director, Secondary Education, on April 09, 2020 directed private schools to defer collection of school fees for a period of three months.

    The relief was extended to the students by subsequent order by the government official.

  • COVID-19 lockdown extended in Rajasthan till May 17

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government on Friday extended the lockdown till May 17 due to the soaring coronavirus infections. Principal Secretary (Home) Abhay Kumar issued the order, calling it ‘Pandemic Red Alert- Public Discipline Fortnight’.

    The restrictions, which were imposed from April 19 to to May 3, were extended for 15 days. All workplaces, except a few government offices engaged in COVID management, and markets would remain closed, according to the guidelines.

    Retail and wholesale shops of grocery, flour mills, cattle feed will continue to open for five hours from 6 am to 11 am from Monday to Friday, while dairy shops would operate daily from 6 am to 11 am and from 5 pm to 7 pm.

    Wholesale markets, vegetable and fruit shops, garland vendors will continue to open daily from 6 am to 11 am. Vendors who sell fruits and vegetables on pull carts, e-rickshaws and others would also be allowed from 6  am to 11 am daily.

    Optical shops will also be allowed to open on Tuesday and Friday from 6 am to 11 am. Only 31 people will be allowed in marriage ceremonies and the wedding functions will be allowed for only three hours. If anyone who is not under exempted category is found roaming, that person will be shifted to institutional quarantine facility till the RT-PCR report is negative.

  • Rajasthan CM announces free jabs for all above 18; health minister says Centre ‘hijacking’ vaccine stocks

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government will provide free Covid-19 vaccine to all those above 18 years of age in the state. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the move on Sunday which will cost Rs 3,000 crore to the state exchequer.

    “It would have been better that according to the demand of the State Governments, for the Government of India to have afforded the cost of vaccination of the youth from the age of 18 to 45 years. If the Centre had given free vaccines as it did for all those above the age of 45 years, the budget of the states would not have been disturbed,” Gehlot tweeted in Hindi. 

    While CM Gehlot’s decision is most welcome for the 18-45 age group which was waiting to get free inoculation, there is still considerable confusion on whether vaccines will be immediately available in Rajasthan in large scale.

    Earlier in the day, Health Minister Raghu Sharma had joined the health ministers of three other Congress ruled states to ask how they will vaccinate all adults when the Centre has already “taken away the stocks” and shots are not available to them. 

    Addressing a virtual joint press conference, the health ministers of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jharkhand (ruled by Congress-JMM alliance) accused the Centre of “hijacking” vaccine stocks from manufacturers, and expressed doubts if it would be possible to launch the inoculation drive to cover those between 18-45 years of age from May 1. 

    Raghu Sharma said that when the state government reached out to the Serum Institute of India (SII) it was told that no vaccines were available till May 15, though the central government had announced opening of vaccines for all above the age of 18 from May 1.

    “When we reached out to the Serum Institute, to procure additional stock of vaccines for the drive to vaccinate all above 18 years of age from May 1, we were told that the Institute will not be able to give any doses till May 15. They said that they are booked till then delivering orders to the Centre,” Sharma said.

    “We have the capacity, but not the vaccine,” Sharma said. “States should get the supplies. The Government of India should provide vaccines as per their requirements,” Sharma added.

    The success of the drive depends on availability of shots, the Rajasthan Health Minister said.

  • Received 28,350 Remdesivir injections from makers against 1.75 lakh ordered: Rajasthan govt

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government on Sunday said the state had placed an order for purchase of 1.75 lakh Remdesivir injections from various drug manufacturers in April, but it has so far received only 28,350 of them.

    For the period from April 21 to April 30, a total of 26,500 Remdesivir injections have been allocated to Rajasthan by the Centre, Health Minister Raghu Sharma said in a statement.

    He said after efforts of the Rajasthan government, the Centre allocated another 67,000 injections to the state.

    The Health Minister said 250 metric tonne (MT) of oxygen is required in the state in view of the ongoing coronavirus situation.

    The Centre has allocated 140 MT oxygen to the state.

    Currently, 23 tankers each having a filling capacity of 4 to 6 MT are available for liquid oxygen transport in the state, the Rajasthan Health minister said.

    An additional requirement of six tankers, each with a capacity of 30 MT oxygen, has been made, Sharma said.

    He said a continuous rise in screening facilities for the prevention and treatment of the coronavirus infection in the state is being made and the number of oxygen beds is also being increased continuously according to the requirement.

    “Rajasthan is among the leading states of the country (in terms of vaccinating people).

    Every effort is also being made to supply oxygen and other drugs, including Remdisvir, to the needy” he added.

    So far, 4.95 lakh people have been found infected with the coronavirus in Rajasthan and 3.67 lakh of them have recovered from the infection, while the state has an active case count of 1.27 lakh.

  • COVID-19: Rajasthan announces 15-day lockdown with exemptions

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: In view of the growing coronavirus cases, a lockdown has been imposed in Rajasthan from April 19 to May 3rd with some exemptions. However, the Ashok Gehlot government has named it ‘jan anushasan  pakhwada’ (Public Discipline Fortnight). During this time, all government offices except the essential services will be closed. Markets, workplaces and cinemas will also remain shut. The construction sector is allowed to carry on in order to stop the migration of labourers.

    During a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday evening, the Ministers suggested imposing a lockdown in Rajasthan. After this, the final decision was left to CM Ashok Gehlot.

    The Chief Minister soon carried out an open review and decided to put a lockdown late in the night. “The government will take strict steps to curb the Corona surge in the state. The way the infections are rising along with the death rate is alarming. People need to follow the guidelines of the government and the instructions of the medical professionals strongly”, said Gehlot in a press release.

    In smaller cities where the infection is less, the weekend curfew can be reduced to two to three days.

    The pandemic situation in the state of Rajasthan is turning grim. As the number of cases continue to surge, the state recorded 10,514  new positive cases on Sunday including 42 deaths. Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Kota have emerged as the major hotspots of Corona infection. The total number of Corona deaths in the state has now risen to 3151 while the number of active cases has gone beyond 67000. 

  • COVID-19 cases spike in Rajasthan but vaccine doses shrink

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: As the number of coronavirus cases continues to surge, Rajasthan recorded a new daily high of 4,401 cases and 18 deaths on Saturday. The capital city is the worst hit and saw 767 new cases on Friday, the highest number of coronavirus cases that Jaipur has ever seen in a day since the start of the pandemic last year.

    Amid the sharply rising cases of COVID-19 in the state, the Rajasthan government has imposed night curfew from Saturday till April 30 in 10 cities – Ajmer, Alwar, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur and Abu Road. The night curfew in Ajmer, Alwar, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota and Abu Road will stay from 8 pm to 6 am but in Udaipur, the curfew will start from 6 pm and last till 6 am.

    Earlier, night curfew was imposed between 10 pm and 6 am till 19 April. The decision to increase the span of curfew and extend the period till April 30 was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to review the Covid-19 situation in the state. CM Gehlot has also directed officials to create ‘micro-containment zones’ in affected cities and ensure “zero-mobility” in those zones to prevent the rapid spread of coronavirus.

    With 18 deaths reported on Saturday, the total number of pandemic deaths in the state has now risen to 2,916. As a result, the recovery rate has fallen from 96.35% on March 31 to 92.38%.

    While the number of active cases has gone beyond 27,000, Rajasthan government has also  flagged vaccine shortage in the state and asked for an ‘immediate’ supply of doses. Stating that the vaccines will run out of stock in the state in two days, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday requesting for 30 lakh doses.

    Vaccine centres in several districts have been forced to close down. The situation in Jaipur was confirmed by CMHO Narottam Sharma who said, “ we have a severe shortage of doses. As a result, 262 of 380 centres in Jaipur have now been closed down. We only have 10,000 doses left though we need about 60,000 doses per day.” 

    Talking to TNIE, Raghuraj Singh, the Project Director for Immunisation in the State Health Department, remarked, “we are just left with 5 lakh vaccine doses now and the Centre has told us to send only around 4 lakh vaccine doses by evening on Sunday. It is very difficult to cope up since the daily vaccination has gone up to around 6 lakhs a day. Ideally, we should have a buffer for seven days and we don’t know when we will get the next supply”

    Besides vaccine shortage, demand for Remdesivir that is used to treat Covid patients has shot up. Though the state had given 10,000 Remdesivir injections to Punjab three weeks ago, now the Health Department is left with only 20,000 doses and has sent special requests to medical suppliers to provide Remdesivir doses on priority.

    In addition, CM Gehlot countered the Centre’s claim of no shortage of Covid-19 vaccine in the country and even issued a statement to demand that the Centre should clarify the status of vaccine doses in public. “No politics is being done in the work of vaccination but it is clear from the facts that there is a shortage of vaccines in many states. The central government should clarify the status of vaccine doses in public,” Gehlot stated.

    CM Gehlot further stated that PM Modi has called for celebrating ‘Teeka Utsav’ from Jyotiba Phule Jayanti on April 11 to Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14 but the vaccine is not available in many states. Gehlot said that Union ministers Amit Shah and Ravi Shankar Prasad have made factually false claims by saying there is no shortage of vaccines.

     

  • Rajasthan government approves age relaxation for EWS category candidates in state services

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government on Wednesday approved a proposal to give relaxation in the maximum age limit to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) similar to other reserved classes for appointment to state services.

    Several other important decisions were taken in the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, including amendment in various service rules and approval of the proposal to allot land to NTPC for setting up a solar power plant, an official statement said.

    The cabinet has approved the proposal to give relaxation in the maximum age limit to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) like other reserved categories.

    Candidates of this category who have crossed the age limit prescribed in the service rules for appointment in state services will also get the benefit of age relaxation like the candidates of other reserved classes.

    According to the statement, with this decision, the male candidates of EWS category will be given five years relaxation in the maximum age limit and 10 years for women candidates like other reserved classes.

    It is to be noted that CM Gehlot had made the announcement in the state budget 2021-22 with a view to give relief to the candidates of EWS category.

    Similarly, the cabinet gave approval to regular appointment for dependents of three persons, who died during the Gurjar agitation, according to their educational qualification in the city council of Dausa.

    The cabinet has amended the Rajasthan Horticulture Subordinate Services Rules, 1965 for the purpose of recruitment for the post of Inspector, Horticulture and Assistant Inspector, Horticulture in the Public Works Department through written examination in place of interview and get recruitment done to the posts through Rajasthan Staff Selection Board.

    The cabinet also approved allotment of 93.48 hectares of land to NTPC Limited for the establishment of a 150 MW solar photovoltaic power plant at Devikot village in Jaisalmer district.

    This will increase the production of renewable energy in the state.

    At the same time, employment opportunities will also be created at the local level and the revenue for the state will be increased, the statement said.

  • Rajasthan to roll out health insurance coverage scheme on May 1, registration starts from April 1

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan will roll out its ambitious universal health insurance coverage scheme on May 1, the registration process for which will start from April 1, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Saturday.

    Under the scheme, announced in the state budget for 2021-22 by Gehlot, every family will get an insurance cover of Rs five lakh by paying Rs 850 annually.

    “We are going to implement the universal health coverage scheme from May 1 and registration will start from April 1,” the chief minister said at a virtual programme of the medical education department.

    He said the medical and health sector is the topmost priority for his government.

    “Development works, water, electricity, education, irrigation, social welfare and other sectors are also on the government’s priority list, but health is the topmost priority area for us,” Gehlot said.

    He said the state government had launched the “Nirogi Rajasthan” campaign and the preparations for it, which started in December 2019, proved to be crucial in March 2020 at the time of the coronavirus outbreak.

    “The corona management of the government was excellent, due to which the recovery rate was the highest and the mortality rate was the lowest in the state. We have strengthened our medical infrastructure and the per-day corona testing capacity is 70,000 now,” the chief minister said.

    He said Rajasthan’s “Bhilwara model” was praised worldwide and the “No Mask, No Entry” slogan was followed in the UK also.

    Highlighting the medical facilities in the state, Gehlot said his government is exploring the possibility of tie-ups with foreign universities for nursing-training courses.

    He said the numbers of medical colleges, seats in the MBBS and MD courses have increased in the state and the government is developing model community health centres (CHCs).

    Expressing concern on the second wave of coronavirus cases, Gehlot said the state government has imposed certain restrictions, which would be made stricter if the situation worsens.

    However, he ruled out the possibility of clamping a lockdown, saying it causes losses and is not a solution.

    The chief minister said if required, the state government would impose stricter restrictions without clamping a lockdown.

    Health Minister Raghu Sharma, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal, Transport Minister Pratap Singh and senior officials attended the programme during which the foundations of various projects were laid and a few other projects were inaugurated.

  • Rajasthan imposes night curfew in 8 cities from Monday; visitors told to carry COVID negative report

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, the Rajasthan government has decided to impose night curfew in eight cities from 11 pm to 5 am and ordered closure of markets by 10 pm from Monday.

    The government has also made it mandatory for people coming to Rajasthan from other states to carry a COVID-19 negative test report along with them from March 25.

    If passengers do not have the negative test report, they will have to stay in quarantine for 15 days, according to an official statement.

    Passengers will also be examined at airports, bus stands and railway stations.

    The decisions were taken in a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

    The night curfew will be imposed in Ajmer, Bhilwara, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur, Sagwada (Dungarpur) and Kushalgarh (Banswara) from 11 pm to 5 am.

    The night curfew will not be applicable to those factories which have continuous production and have a system of night shifts.

    Also IT companies, restaurants, medical shops, offices-related to essential and emergency services, wedding ceremonies, medical institutes, bus stands, railway stations and airports will be exempted from the night curfew.

    A total of 476 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in Rajasthan on Sunday, while two more people succumbed to the disease.

    Of the new cases, a maximum of 86 cases were reported from Jaipur, among others.

    At present, there are 3,585 active cases in the state.

    The chief minister directed officials for strict implementation of coronavirus-related protocols and to allow a limited number of people in ceremonies and programmes.

    In the review meeting, the chief minister said COVID-19 cases are increasing rapidly in many countries of the world as well as in many states of India.

    In Rajasthan also, the daily count has suddenly increased in the last few days.

    In such a situation, it is necessary to take some steps to save the lives of people from the second wave of COVID-19, the statement quoting Gehlot said.

    The government has made RT-PCR negative report (not older than 72 hours) mandatory for all passengers coming to Rajasthan from March 25.

    All district collectors have also been asked to restart the institutional quarantine facilities in their districts.

    The system of mini-containment zones will be implemented again, according to the statement.

    “Wherever there are more than five positive cases, that cluster or apartment will be declared as a contention zone,” it said.

    Primary schools will remain closed till further orders.

    In the classes above primary and in colleges, educational activities will be conducted with the COVID-19 protocol.

    Only with the written consent of parents, children will be able to come to educational institutions.

    Not more than 50 per cent of the students will be present in the class at a time.

    In cities with more than one lakh population, a maximum of 200 people will be allowed in public events at open spaces, according to the statement.

    The chief minister appealed to the people to avoid going to crowded places during festivals.