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The death toll in the Punjab spurious liquor tragedy rose to 86 on Saturday even as Chief Minister Amarinder Singh suspended seven excise officials and six policemen, PTI report stated quoting officials.

The government also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for each of the families of the deceased, the officials said.

Tarn Taran alone accounted for 63 deaths, followed by 12 in Amritsar and 11 in Gurdaspur's Batala. Till Friday night, the state had reported 39 deaths in the tragedy unfolding since Wednesday night.

According to an official statement, the CM ordered the suspension of seven excise officials, along with six policemen.

Among the suspended officials are two deputy superintendents of police and four station house officers.

Strict action will be taken against any public servant or others found complicit in the case, said the chief minister, describing the police and excise department failure to check the manufacturing and sale of spurious liquor as shameful.

Nobody will be allowed to get away with feeding poison to our people, he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)

The death toll in the Punjab spurious liquor tragedy rose to 86 on Saturday even as Chief Minister Amarinder Singh suspended seven excise officials and six policemen, PTI report stated quoting officials.

The death toll in the Punjab spurious liquor tragedy rose to 86 on Saturday even as Chief Minister Amarinder Singh suspended seven excise officials and six policemen, PTI report stated quoting officials. The government also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for each of the families of the deceased, the officials said. Tarn Taran alone accounted for 63 deaths, followed by 12 in Amritsar and 11 in Gurdaspur's Batala. Till Friday night, the state had reported 39 deaths in the tragedy unfolding since Wednesday night. According to an official statement, the CM ordered the suspension of seven excise officials, along with six policemen. Among the suspended officials are two deputy superintendents of police and four station house officers. Strict action will be taken against any public servant or others found complicit in the case, said the chief minister, describing the police and excise department failure to check the manufacturing and sale of spurious liquor as shameful. Nobody will be allowed to get away with feeding poison to our people, he added. (With inputs from PTI)

Death toll in Punjab hooch tragedy rises to 86;  6 cops suspended

Shanmuga Subramanian, a Chennai-based techie and space enthusiast who was credited by NASA, late last year for spotting the debris of India's Chandrayaan 2 moon probe, Vikram lander, which crash landed near the south pole of the moon, has come up with his latest find.

This time he claims to have possibly spotted the skeleton of the Vikram lander and also the pragyaan rover that might have rolled out onto the lunar surface. The claim is based on a similar method he had employed for the earlier find, by studying and comparing open source moon images shared by NASA. After having written to both ISRO and NASA, he is enthusiastically hoping for the best.&nbsp;

Shanmuga Subramanian told WION that his earlier find was of the debris (perhaps a part of the payload that the vikram lander was carrying on-board) from the crash landing, as also acknowledged by NASA.

But this time around, he's likely to have located the outer shell of the Vikram lander and also the pragyan rover which has rolled out onto the lunar surface. He has also tweeted out images of his possible find and mailed them to ISRO and NASA, who would be the best authorities to judge and confirm the possible find. &nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Chandrayaan2's Pragyan "ROVER" intact on Moon's surface &amp; has rolled out few metres from the skeleton Vikram lander whose payloads got disintegrated due to rough landing | More details in below tweets <a href="https://twitter.com/isro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chandrayaan2?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chandrayaan2</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VikramLander?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VikramLander</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PragyanRover?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PragyanRover</a> (1/4) <a href="https://t.co/iKSHntsK1f">pic.twitter.com/iKSHntsK1f</a>
— Shan (Shanmuga Subramanian) (@Ramanean) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ramanean/status/1289405848821800965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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When asked about what led him to embark on this tedious search again, he says he was spending the recent weeks trying to locate other debris on the moon such as the first-ever probe sent by the erstwhile Soviet union.&nbsp;

"Using an open-source NASA software I've been looking at various regions in-depth. The area was around where the earlier debris was spotted was also of particular interest" he told WION.&nbsp;

He says that the most interesting aspect was a few images clicked by NASA in January, that were made publicly available in May.&nbsp;

"This image was more illuminated due to the then prevailing lighting conditions in that region and enabled me to spot much more. Generally that region is poorly lit. My latest find ( possibly vikram lander and pragyan rover) is around 500-700 meters towards the right of &nbsp;the debris that I located last year" he says.&nbsp;

The image he has tweeted out has markings that point to the objects that are suspected to be the vikram lander, the pragyan rover and also the possible tracks of the rover.&nbsp;

Leaving it upto ISRO to confirm, Subramanian suspects that the wheeled rover might have eventually rolled out from the lander after the crash landing.

"May be it was pre-programmed to roll out or maybe the lander received ISRO's command to roll our the rover. The lander and rover may have been communicating &nbsp;back and forth. But, perhaps this could have been a case of one-way communication. While the lander and rover could communicate, &nbsp;it was perhaps not able to relay the signals back to Earth after the harsh landing" he says.&nbsp;

WION also got the receipt of Subramanian's e-mail confirmed from ISRO chairman Dr.K.Sivan. "He has sent us the image and we have shared it with our experts for analysis" Dr. Sivan told WION.&nbsp;

India's second moon-probe Chandrayaan 2 was launched on July 22nd last year and had attempted a moon-landing on September 7th. However, the much anticipated landing happened to end-up in a crash landing, after ISRO lost contact with the vikram lander, barely at an altitude of 2.1km from the lunar surface.

India is also working on chandrayaan 3, the country's thrid moon probe, and it is expected to be launched sometime in 2021.&nbsp;

Shanmuga Subramanian, a Chennai-based techie and space enthusiast who was credited by NASA, late last year for spotting the debris of India's Chandrayaan 2 moon probe, Vikram lander, which crash landed near the south pole of the moon, has come up with his latest find.

Shanmuga Subramanian, a Chennai-based techie and space enthusiast who was credited by NASA, late last year for spotting the debris of India's Chandrayaan 2 moon probe, Vikram lander, which crash landed near the south pole of the moon, has come up with his latest find. This time he claims to have possibly spotted the skeleton of the Vikram lander and also the pragyaan rover that might have rolled out onto the lunar surface. The claim is based on a similar method he had employed for the earlier find, by studying and comparing open source moon images shared by NASA. After having written to both ISRO and NASA, he is enthusiastically hoping for the best. Shanmuga Subramanian told WION that his earlier find was of the debris (perhaps a part of the payload that the vikram lander was carrying on-board) from the crash landing, as also acknowledged by NASA. But this time around, he's likely to have located the outer shell of the Vikram lander and also the pragyan rover which has rolled out onto the lunar surface. He has also tweeted out images of his possible find and mailed them to ISRO and NASA, who would be the best authorities to judge and confirm the possible find. Chandrayaan2's Pragyan "ROVER" intact on Moon's surface & has rolled out few metres from the skeleton Vikram lander whose payloads got disintegrated due to rough landing | More details in below tweets @isro #Chandrayaan2 #VikramLander #PragyanRover (1/4) pic.twitter.com/iKSHntsK1f — Shan (Shanmuga Subramanian) (@Ramanean) August 1, 2020 × When asked about what led him to embark on this tedious search again, he says he was spending the recent weeks trying to locate other debris on the moon such as the first-ever probe sent by the erstwhile Soviet union. "Using an open-source NASA software I've been looking at various regions in-depth. The area was around where the earlier debris was spotted was also of particular interest" he told WION. He says that the most interesting aspect was a few images clicked by NASA in January, that were made publicly available in May. "This image was more illuminated due to the then prevailing lighting conditions in that region and enabled me to spot much more. Generally that region is poorly lit. My latest find ( possibly vikram lander and pragyan rover) is around 500-700 meters towards the right of the debris that I located last year" he says. The image he has tweeted out has markings that point to the objects that are suspected to be the vikram lander, the pragyan rover and also the possible tracks of the rover. Leaving it upto ISRO to confirm, Subramanian suspects that the wheeled rover might have eventually rolled out from the lander after the crash landing. "May be it was pre-programmed to roll out or maybe the lander received ISRO's command to roll our the rover. The lander and rover may have been communicating back and forth. But, perhaps this could have been a case of one-way communication. While the lander and rover could communicate, it was perhaps not able to relay the signals back to Earth after the harsh landing" he says. WION also got the receipt of Subramanian's e-mail confirmed from ISRO chairman Dr.K.Sivan. "He has sent us the image and we have shared it with our experts for analysis" Dr. Sivan told WION. India's second moon-probe Chandrayaan 2 was launched on July 22nd last year and had attempted a moon-landing on September 7th. However, the much anticipated landing happened to end-up in a crash landing, after ISRO lost contact with the vikram lander, barely at an altitude of 2.1km from the lunar surface. India is also working on chandrayaan 3, the country's thrid moon probe, and it is expected to be launched sometime in 2021.

Vikram lander and Pragyan rover spotted? Techie awaits ISRO, NASA nod

An Indian serial killer, who admitted his involvement in the murder of more than 50 taxi drivers, has been caught by police after he fled to another state while out of prison on parole.

The bodies of the victims were dumped in a crocodile-infested canal, the killer admitted.

Between 2002 to 2004, Devender Sharma was convicted of murdering up to seven taxi drivers and sentenced to life in prison in Jaipur.

After spending 16 years in jail, the 62-year-old was given a short parole in January. But when his 20 days on the outside were up, Sharma didn't return to prison.

He was arrested in New Delhi after six months.

When questioned, Sharma confessed that he had broken his parole conditions and didn't plan to return to jail.

Sharma graduated with a degree in traditional Indian medicine, and ran a clinic at a hospital in Rajasthan for 11 years, starting in 1984.

He later got involved in a scheme selling fake gas canisters, and another involving illegal kidney transplants. He was arrested in 2004 over the case.

Sharma told police that he and others worked on another scheme in Uttar Pradesh. They hired taxis and then killed the drivers at secluded places, before dumping the bodies in a canal home to crocodiles.

He then sold the taxis and made around $270 for each car.

Sharma eventually confessed to being the mastermind behind the murder of more than 50 taxi drivers.

An Indian serial killer, who admitted his involvement in the murder of more than 50 taxi drivers, has been caught by police after he fled to another state while out of prison on parole.

An Indian serial killer, who admitted his involvement in the murder of more than 50 taxi drivers, has been caught by police after he fled to another state while out of prison on parole. The bodies of the victims were dumped in a crocodile-infested canal, the killer admitted. Between 2002 to 2004, Devender Sharma was convicted of murdering up to seven taxi drivers and sentenced to life in prison in Jaipur. After spending 16 years in jail, the 62-year-old was given a short parole in January. But when his 20 days on the outside were up, Sharma didn't return to prison. He was arrested in New Delhi after six months. When questioned, Sharma confessed that he had broken his parole conditions and didn't plan to return to jail. Sharma graduated with a degree in traditional Indian medicine, and ran a clinic at a hospital in Rajasthan for 11 years, starting in 1984. He later got involved in a scheme selling fake gas canisters, and another involving illegal kidney transplants. He was arrested in 2004 over the case. Sharma told police that he and others worked on another scheme in Uttar Pradesh. They hired taxis and then killed the drivers at secluded places, before dumping the bodies in a canal home to crocodiles. He then sold the taxis and made around $270 for each car. Sharma eventually confessed to being the mastermind behind the murder of more than 50 taxi drivers.

Indian serial killer confesses involvement in more than 50 murders

China knows how to control the narrative both at home and abroad. The Dragon has now attempted to control the minds of Indian newspaper readers.

The method Beijing uses is very simple - make one of its officials write an op-ed for a newspaper. An opinion piece in leading Indian dailies that carry them without understanding the hidden motives...

In February 2020, the coronavirus was slowly spreading and nobody knew about the danger it posed to global economies including India, however, China knew about it.&nbsp;

On February 29, the Chinese ambassador to India Sun Weidong published an opinion piece in one of India's leading newspaper - Economic Times. The title of the op-ed piece was "China's economy: the open road to development" - a one-sided narrative on how the world and especially India will need China's help for what was coming.

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The opinion piece said: "At present, the Chinese government and people are making all-out efforts to combat the novel coronavirus, China's efforts are not only protecting the health of its own people, but also that of the people of the world, including India."

The opinion piece was China's attempt at telling Indians how generous it is, but Indians know everything on how the Chinese military provoked India, grabbed Indian land and killed Indian soldiers.

Another on March 13 was penned by the Chinese ambassador to India. It was carried by The Hindu one of the oldest newspapers in India. It is published in 21 locations and 11 states and many Indians read it. The Hindu carried an op-ed titled: "Fighting COVID-19 together for a shared future". An exhaustive piece of Chinese propaganda. It talked about how the Chinese government had mobilised its efforts to contain the virus and how it was helping countries with medical equipment and research including how it had effectively maintained social stability.

Almost every leading Indian news daily is guilty of providing a platform to Chinese views and propaganda. &nbsp;On April 2, The Times of India carried this op-ed again by the Chinese ambassador titled: "A seven decades journey: Charting a new course for the Dragon-Elephant tango" with an attached photo of a dragon and elephant shaking hands.

On April 6, the Free Press Journal carried the op-ed: "India and China can show the way in fighting the virus" which was co-authored by China's consular general in Mumbai Mr Tang Guocai&nbsp;and Sudheendra Kulkarni - a member of the Bhartiya Janata Party.

On May 1, the Chinese ambassador wrote an opinion piece for the Hindustan Times titled: "Viruses don't respect border!&nbsp;

It&nbsp;triggered a wave of Indian media houses doing China's bidding.&nbsp;These are just some examples but all of us know how most Indian media groups work as both print and TV maintained absolute silence for months on China's culpability in spreading the Wuhan virus to the world. It took a border provocation by China to burst their bubble while WION reported each and every fact about China's growing aggression from the word go!

The opinion pieces with a pro-China spin to every event and crisis was&nbsp;designed to look like personal views but a look at the people behind these personal views shows that they are mostly Chinese officials posted in India.

China knows how to control the narrative both at home and abroad. The Dragon has now attempted to control the minds of Indian newspaper readers. The method Beijing uses is very simple - make one of its officials write an op-ed for a newspaper.

China knows how to control the narrative both at home and abroad. The Dragon has now attempted to control the minds of Indian newspaper readers. The method Beijing uses is very simple - make one of its officials write an op-ed for a newspaper. An opinion piece in leading Indian dailies that carry them without understanding the hidden motives... In February 2020, the coronavirus was slowly spreading and nobody knew about the danger it posed to global economies including India, however, China knew about it. On February 29, the Chinese ambassador to India Sun Weidong published an opinion piece in one of India's leading newspaper - Economic Times. The title of the op-ed piece was "China's economy: the open road to development" - a one-sided narrative on how the world and especially India will need China's help for what was coming. × The opinion piece said: "At present, the Chinese government and people are making all-out efforts to combat the novel coronavirus, China's efforts are not only protecting the health of its own people, but also that of the people of the world, including India." The opinion piece was China's attempt at telling Indians how generous it is, but Indians know everything on how the Chinese military provoked India, grabbed Indian land and killed Indian soldiers. Another on March 13 was penned by the Chinese ambassador to India. It was carried by The Hindu one of the oldest newspapers in India. It is published in 21 locations and 11 states and many Indians read it. The Hindu carried an op-ed titled: "Fighting COVID-19 together for a shared future". An exhaustive piece of Chinese propaganda. It talked about how the Chinese government had mobilised its efforts to contain the virus and how it was helping countries with medical equipment and research including how it had effectively maintained social stability. Almost every leading Indian news daily is guilty of providing a platform to Chinese views and propaganda. On April 2, The Times of India carried this op-ed again by the Chinese ambassador titled: "A seven decades journey: Charting a new course for the Dragon-Elephant tango" with an attached photo of a dragon and elephant shaking hands. On April 6, the Free Press Journal carried the op-ed: "India and China can show the way in fighting the virus" which was co-authored by China's consular general in Mumbai Mr Tang Guocai and Sudheendra Kulkarni - a member of the Bhartiya Janata Party. On May 1, the Chinese ambassador wrote an opinion piece for the Hindustan Times titled: "Viruses don't respect border! It triggered a wave of Indian media houses doing China's bidding. These are just some examples but all of us know how most Indian media groups work as both print and TV maintained absolute silence for months on China's culpability in spreading the Wuhan virus to the world. It took a border provocation by China to burst their bubble while WION reported each and every fact about China's growing aggression from the word go! The opinion pieces with a pro-China spin to every event and crisis was designed to look like personal views but a look at the people behind these personal views shows that they are mostly Chinese officials posted in India.

How China managed to manipulate opinion pieces in India on coronavirus

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India’s National Education Policy was about the spirit which reflects that the country was shifting from the burden of the school bag, which does not last beyond school, to the boon of learning which helps for life, from simply memorising to critical thinking.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India’s National Education Policy was about the spirit which reflects that the country was shifting from the burden of the school bag, which does not last beyond school, to the boon of learning which helps for life, from simply memorising to critical thinking. Modi was addressing students participating in the Smart India Hackathon 2020. National Education Policy 2020 announced recently has been framed keeping in mind the aspirations of the youth of 21st century of our country, he said. New Education Policy was launched on Wednesday, July 29. PM said that languages of India will progress and develop further due to the changes brought in the education policy. ''This will not only increase India's knowledge but will also increase its unity,'' he added. 21st century is the era of knowledge, Modi said. ''This is the time for increased focus on learning, research, innovation. This is exactly what India’s National Education Policy, 2020 does,'' he added. The PM further said that his government was focussing on the quality of education in India. ''We have attempted to make our education system the most advance and modern for students of our country,'' he said.

We are shifting from burden of school bag to boon of learning: PM Modi

Former Samajwadi Party leader and Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh passed away in a hospital in Singapore on Saturday. He was 64. Singh had gone to Singapore in March for surgery in a kidney-related illness.

Former Samajwadi Party leader and Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh passed away in a hospital in Singapore on Saturday. He was 64. Singh had gone to Singapore in March for surgery in a kidney-related illness. Singh, 64, had undergone kidney transplant in 2011 and was not keeping well for a long time. "Saddened to know about the death of senior leader and parliamentarian Amar Singh," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted. Earlier in the day, the former Samajwadi leader had posted messages on Twitter, paying tributes to Bal Gangadhar Tilak on his 100th death anniversary and also wishing people on Eid. Singh, a former general secretary of the Samajwadi Party (SP), was once very close to party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. However, in 2010 there was a fallout and Singh resigned from all party posts and was soon expelled.

Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh passes away in Singapore

At least 11 people lost their lives at the Hindustan Shipyard Limited premises in Visakhapatnam on Saturday when a huge rail-mounted crane collapsed during a trial run, reports said quoting a top district official.

Four of the victims were employees of HSL while the rest belonged to a contracting agency, District Collector Vinay Chand told reporters.

It is said it is the first such mishap at Hindustan Shipyard.

The mishap occurred when the victims were engaged in erecting the crane, Police Commissioner RK Meena told.

Three of the bodies were recovered and identified, police said. The rescue operations were on. TV visuals showed the giant 75-tonne crane falling on the ground with a loud thud.

Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has directed Visakhapatnam District Collector and City Police Commissioner to take immediate action in the incident.

At least 11 people lost their lives at the Hindustan Shipyard Limited premises in Visakhapatnam on Saturday when a huge rail-mounted crane collapsed during a trial run, reports said quoting a top district official.

At least 11 people lost their lives at the Hindustan Shipyard Limited premises in Visakhapatnam on Saturday when a huge rail-mounted crane collapsed during a trial run, reports said quoting a top district official. Four of the victims were employees of HSL while the rest belonged to a contracting agency, District Collector Vinay Chand told reporters. It is said it is the first such mishap at Hindustan Shipyard. The mishap occurred when the victims were engaged in erecting the crane, Police Commissioner RK Meena told. Three of the bodies were recovered and identified, police said. The rescue operations were on. TV visuals showed the giant 75-tonne crane falling on the ground with a loud thud. Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has directed Visakhapatnam District Collector and City Police Commissioner to take immediate action in the incident.

Crane collapse at Hindustan Shipyard in Andhra Pradesh leaves 11 dead

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday said that the recovery rate in India stood at 64.53% amongst COVID-19 patients with the total number of recovered cases nearing 11 lakh.

''The total number of recovered cases is nearly 11 lakh. With 36,569 patients discharged in the last 24 hours, the total recoveries have jumped to 10,94,374,'' the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

The recovery rate stands at 64.53% amongst COVID-19 patients, it added.&nbsp;

The COVID-19 fatality rate stands at 2.15%, and it is the lowest since the first lockdown announced on March 24, the ministry said.&nbsp;

The fatality rate has been continuously reducing from around 3.33% in mid-June, the health ministry added.&nbsp;

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday said that the recovery rate in India stood at 64.53% amongst COVID-19 patients with the total number of recovered cases nearing 11 lakh.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday said that the recovery rate in India stood at 64.53% amongst COVID-19 patients with the total number of recovered cases nearing 11 lakh. ''The total number of recovered cases is nearly 11 lakh. With 36,569 patients discharged in the last 24 hours, the total recoveries have jumped to 10,94,374,'' the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. The recovery rate stands at 64.53% amongst COVID-19 patients, it added. The COVID-19 fatality rate stands at 2.15%, and it is the lowest since the first lockdown announced on March 24, the ministry said. The fatality rate has been continuously reducing from around 3.33% in mid-June, the health ministry added.

Recovery rate in India stands at 64.53% amongst COVID-19 patients: Health ministry

Minister for Communications, Electronics and&nbsp;Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said "Modi government sincerely want India to be global hub of Electronic manufacturing, India would like to welcome entire eco manufacturing system to India".

Speaking to media, Ministry came out with the Production-Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) for several Outsourcing and domestic mobile manufacturing companies expressing the government of India's vision on how become global hub of Electronic manufacturing,

Prasad further said "Under the Production-Linked Incentive Scheme, around 22 companies have applied. These companies will produce mobile phone &amp; components in India worth Rs 11.5 lakh crores in the coming 5 yrs out of which products worth Rs 7 lakh crores will be exported.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/how-china-managed-to-manipulate-opinion-pieces-in-india-on-coronavirus-317346" hreflang="en">How China managed to manipulate opinion pieces in India on coronavirus</a>

"These companies will create 3 lakh direct while close to 9 lakh indirect jobs. The benchmark for international companies was to manufacture mobile phones of worth Rs 15,000 or more Prasad said.

He expressed confidence that PLI scheme and other initiatives to promote electronics manufacturing will help in making India a competitive destination for electronics manufacturing and give boost to AtmaNirbhar Bharat.

iPhone maker Apple's contract manufacturers, as well as firms like Samsung, Lava and Dixon have already proposed to produce mobile devices and components of over Rs 11 trillion in the next five years under the government's new scheme to boost electronics manufacturing

Talking about the mobile and Internet users China holds the top rank whereas India holds 5th position.&nbsp;

There has been a lot of debate also circulating in the country about the India's potential to lead the IT manufacturing in the world as well as fullfill the domestic demand at the same time.

Since the India-China conflict has took&nbsp;place, boycott China sentiment has also arisen simultaneously. The Indian government has already banned 58 Chinese App including most famous TikTok citing national security concern.

When the IT minister was questioned if the scheme is against any particular country? Prasad said "This scheme is not against any country, it is only India positive. I do not wish to take the name of any country. We have got proper rules &amp; regulations with regard to our security, bordering countries, all those compliances are important"

India is seeking to woo global companies looking to diversify their manufacturing beyond China since a trade war and pandemic has brought attention on the risks of supply chain.

Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said "Modi government sincerely want India to be global hub of Electronic manufacturing, India would like to welcome entire eco manufacturing system to India".

Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said "Modi government sincerely want India to be global hub of Electronic manufacturing, India would like to welcome entire eco manufacturing system to India". Speaking to media, Ministry came out with the Production-Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) for several Outsourcing and domestic mobile manufacturing companies expressing the government of India's vision on how become global hub of Electronic manufacturing, Prasad further said "Under the Production-Linked Incentive Scheme, around 22 companies have applied. These companies will produce mobile phone & components in India worth Rs 11.5 lakh crores in the coming 5 yrs out of which products worth Rs 7 lakh crores will be exported. Also read: How China managed to manipulate opinion pieces in India on coronavirus "These companies will create 3 lakh direct while close to 9 lakh indirect jobs. The benchmark for international companies was to manufacture mobile phones of worth Rs 15,000 or more Prasad said. He expressed confidence that PLI scheme and other initiatives to promote electronics manufacturing will help in making India a competitive destination for electronics manufacturing and give boost to AtmaNirbhar Bharat. iPhone maker Apple's contract manufacturers, as well as firms like Samsung, Lava and Dixon have already proposed to produce mobile devices and components of over Rs 11 trillion in the next five years under the government's new scheme to boost electronics manufacturing Talking about the mobile and Internet users China holds the top rank whereas India holds 5th position. There has been a lot of debate also circulating in the country about the India's potential to lead the IT manufacturing in the world as well as fullfill the domestic demand at the same time. Since the India-China conflict has took place, boycott China sentiment has also arisen simultaneously. The Indian government has already banned 58 Chinese App including most famous TikTok citing national security concern. When the IT minister was questioned if the scheme is against any particular country? Prasad said "This scheme is not against any country, it is only India positive. I do not wish to take the name of any country. We have got proper rules & regulations with regard to our security, bordering countries, all those compliances are important" India is seeking to woo global companies looking to diversify their manufacturing beyond China since a trade war and pandemic has brought attention on the risks of supply chain.

Modi government wants India to be global hub of Electronic manufacturing: Ravi Shankar Prasad

An Indian soldier was killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan troops on the line of control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Saturday.

Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Devender Anand said that Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in the Rajouri Sector.

In the incident, Sepoy Robin Kumar was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries, he added.

He belonged to Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh.

There have been more than 2,700 ceasefire violations so far this year by Pakistan, in which 21 civilians have been killed and 94 others injured.

An Indian soldier was killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan troops on the line of control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Saturday. Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Devender Anand said that Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in the Rajouri Sector.

An Indian soldier was killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan troops on the line of control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Saturday. Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Devender Anand said that Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in the Rajouri Sector. In the incident, Sepoy Robin Kumar was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries, he added. He belonged to Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh. There have been more than 2,700 ceasefire violations so far this year by Pakistan, in which 21 civilians have been killed and 94 others injured.

Indian soldier killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan

Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said that the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya was not a political issue, but a matter of pride and faith for lakhs of devotees.

Shinde, who is scheduled to visit Gadchiroli district, of which he is the guardian minister, was talking to reporters at the Nagpur airport.

When asked about a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) functionary's recent statement that those opposing the Ram temple and subjects linked to it were doing so to achieve their political goals, Shinde said, "Ram temple is not a political issue. It is a matter of pride and faith for lakhs ofdevotees of Lord Ram."

"Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray went to Ayodhya when he was not a chief minister and later when became the CM. It is a matter of faith, devotion and pride," he added.

Replying to a query over MNS chief Raj Thackeray's statement that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will not survive for a long time, Shinde said, "In a democracy, everybody has the right to speak and express themselves."

"But the MVA government is doing a good work under the leadership of CM Uddhav Thackeray. It has been working hard to tackle the COVID-19 situation in the state," the minister said.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had on Friday said that the three MVA allies- Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress- were not a family, but were in a live-in relationship and the government will collapse on its own.

When asked about it, Shinde said, "This is not a time to play politics. We need to work together to tackle the COVID-19 challenge."&nbsp;

Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said that the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya was not a political issue, but a matter of pride and faith for lakhs of devotees.

Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said that the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya was not a political issue, but a matter of pride and faith for lakhs of devotees. Shinde, who is scheduled to visit Gadchiroli district, of which he is the guardian minister, was talking to reporters at the Nagpur airport. When asked about a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) functionary's recent statement that those opposing the Ram temple and subjects linked to it were doing so to achieve their political goals, Shinde said, "Ram temple is not a political issue. It is a matter of pride and faith for lakhs ofdevotees of Lord Ram." "Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray went to Ayodhya when he was not a chief minister and later when became the CM. It is a matter of faith, devotion and pride," he added. Replying to a query over MNS chief Raj Thackeray's statement that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will not survive for a long time, Shinde said, "In a democracy, everybody has the right to speak and express themselves." "But the MVA government is doing a good work under the leadership of CM Uddhav Thackeray. It has been working hard to tackle the COVID-19 situation in the state," the minister said. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had on Friday said that the three MVA allies- Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress- were not a family, but were in a live-in relationship and the government will collapse on its own. When asked about it, Shinde said, "This is not a time to play politics. We need to work together to tackle the COVID-19 challenge."

Ram temple not political issue, but matter of pride: Minister

Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell has hit back at Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong for objecting to his comments about China’s destabilising&nbsp;manoeuvres in the South China Sea. He also asserted that Beijing should refrain from actions that could unilaterally alter the status quo in the region.

O’Farrell on Friday said Australia remains deeply concerned by Chinese actions in the South China Sea that are “destabilising and could provoke escalation”. The resource-rich South China Sea is also an important shipping route.

China claims sovereignty over all of South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. However, several countries in the region including Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan and Brunei have competing claims.

Sun, in a tweet, took objection to the Australian diplomat’s remarks and said they were made through “disregarding facts”.

To this end, O’Farrell reminded the Chinese envoy about the verdict by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016 rejecting China’s claim of sovereignty over the South China Sea region.

“Thank you @China_Amb_India. I would hope then you follow the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award which is final and binding under international law, and also generally refrain from actions that unilaterally alter the status quo,” the Australian High Commissioner tweeted.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/China_Amb_India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@China_Amb_India</a>. I would hope then you follow the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award which is final and binding under international law, and also generally refrain from actions that unilaterally alter the status quo. <a href="https://t.co/1w2nrcrxhr">https://t.co/1w2nrcrxhr</a>
— Barry O’Farrell AO (@AusHCIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/AusHCIndia/status/1289125049153142784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
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So-called arbitral tribunal of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthChinaSea?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SouthChinaSea</a> violated principle of state consent. The award is illegal,null&amp;void&amp;has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it. We hope those non-claimant countries could contribute to regional peace&amp;stability rather than contrary.
— Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) <a href="https://twitter.com/China_Amb_India/status/1289240149751029766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
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In its verdict, the international tribunal, constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) said that China had violated the sovereign rights of the Philippines by carrying out certain activities in the South China Sea.

The Philippines had approached the tribunal arguing that China’s territorial claims in the region were&nbsp;unlawful.

O’Farrell issued a statement on Thursday criticising China over its border row with India in eastern Ladakh and its actions in South China Sea.&nbsp;

In the last few weeks, China has increased its military assertiveness in South China Sea when the entire world is battling the coronavirus pandemic.

In response, the US had sent military ships near the disputed islands and called Beijing’s claim over the region illegal.

<h3>TROUBLED WATERS</h3>

China illustrates its claims with a vague, U-shaped “nine-dash line” that includes swathes of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, as well as the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands. It also overlaps the EEZs of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

A tribunal at The Hague, based on a suit brought by the Philippines, ruled in 2016 that China has no “historic title” over the waters, and that its line was superseded by the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Chinese state media had then called the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague a “puppet” of external forces after it ruled that China had breached the Philippines’ sovereign rights by endangering its ships and fishing and oil projects.

(with inputs from agencies)

Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell has hit back at Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong for objecting to his comments about China’s destabilising manoeuvres in the South China Sea.

Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell has hit back at Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong for objecting to his comments about China’s destabilising manoeuvres in the South China Sea. He also asserted that Beijing should refrain from actions that could unilaterally alter the status quo in the region. O’Farrell on Friday said Australia remains deeply concerned by Chinese actions in the South China Sea that are “destabilising and could provoke escalation”. The resource-rich South China Sea is also an important shipping route. China claims sovereignty over all of South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. However, several countries in the region including Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan and Brunei have competing claims. Sun, in a tweet, took objection to the Australian diplomat’s remarks and said they were made through “disregarding facts”. To this end, O’Farrell reminded the Chinese envoy about the verdict by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016 rejecting China’s claim of sovereignty over the South China Sea region. “Thank you @China_Amb_India. I would hope then you follow the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award which is final and binding under international law, and also generally refrain from actions that unilaterally alter the status quo,” the Australian High Commissioner tweeted. Thank you @China_Amb_India. I would hope then you follow the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award which is final and binding under international law, and also generally refrain from actions that unilaterally alter the status quo. https://t.co/1w2nrcrxhr — Barry O’Farrell AO (@AusHCIndia) July 31, 2020 × So-called arbitral tribunal of #SouthChinaSea violated principle of state consent. The award is illegal,null&void&has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it. We hope those non-claimant countries could contribute to regional peace&stability rather than contrary. — Sun Weidong (@China_Amb_India) July 31, 2020 × In its verdict, the international tribunal, constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) said that China had violated the sovereign rights of the Philippines by carrying out certain activities in the South China Sea. The Philippines had approached the tribunal arguing that China’s territorial claims in the region were unlawful. O’Farrell issued a statement on Thursday criticising China over its border row with India in eastern Ladakh and its actions in South China Sea. In the last few weeks, China has increased its military assertiveness in South China Sea when the entire world is battling the coronavirus pandemic. In response, the US had sent military ships near the disputed islands and called Beijing’s claim over the region illegal. TROUBLED WATERS China illustrates its claims with a vague, U-shaped “nine-dash line” that includes swathes of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, as well as the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands. It also overlaps the EEZs of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. A tribunal at The Hague, based on a suit brought by the Philippines, ruled in 2016 that China has no “historic title” over the waters, and that its line was superseded by the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. Chinese state media had then called the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague a “puppet” of external forces after it ruled that China had breached the Philippines’ sovereign rights by endangering its ships and fishing and oil projects. (with inputs from agencies)

Australian envoy criticises Chinese Ambassador to India for objecting to comments on South China Sea

The West Bengal government on Thursday said the lockdown in containment zones in the state will be extended till August 31.

Earlier, the state had said the shutdown in containment zones will be in force till July 31.

There will be a complete lockdown across the state on August 5, August 8, August 16-17, August 23-24 and August 31, as announced earlier, a notification issued by Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said.

Educational centres, coaching institutes, cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums and assembly halls will remain closed till August 31, it said.

During the complete lockdown days in August, all government and private offices, commercial establishments, public and private transport, including flight services, will be cease to operate, the notification said.

Essential services including healthcare, agriculture operations and home delivery of food, have been exempted on such days.

However, gyms and yoga institutes outside containment zones will be allowed to function from August 5, barring the total lockdown days, the notification added.

The West Bengal government on Thursday said the lockdown in containment zones in the state will be extended till August 31. Earlier, the state had said the shutdown in containment zones will be in force till July 31.

The West Bengal government on Thursday said the lockdown in containment zones in the state will be extended till August 31. Earlier, the state had said the shutdown in containment zones will be in force till July 31. There will be a complete lockdown across the state on August 5, August 8, August 16-17, August 23-24 and August 31, as announced earlier, a notification issued by Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said. Educational centres, coaching institutes, cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums and assembly halls will remain closed till August 31, it said. During the complete lockdown days in August, all government and private offices, commercial establishments, public and private transport, including flight services, will be cease to operate, the notification said. Essential services including healthcare, agriculture operations and home delivery of food, have been exempted on such days. However, gyms and yoga institutes outside containment zones will be allowed to function from August 5, barring the total lockdown days, the notification added.

COVID-19: West Bengal extends lockdown in containment zones till August 31

BJP MP Shiv Pratap Shukla has been appointed as chairman of the Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha. The Secretary-General of Rajya Sabha Desh Deepak Verma informed about the move in a parliamentary bulletin issued on Thursday.

Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu recently appointed three other members of parliament (MPs) in the Ethics Committee apart from Shukla. They include Tiruchi Siva of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Dr K Keshava Rao of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), and national general secretary of YRS Congress V Vijayasai Reddy.

Shukla has been appointed as chairman of this committee. The total strength of the Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha is 11 members including the chairman. Apart from the four newly appointed members, MP Anand Sharma of Congress, MP Ram Gopal Yadav of Samajwadi Pary, MP A Navneet Krishnan of AIADMK, MP Derek O'Brien of All India Trinamool Congress, MP Ram Chandra of Janta Dal (United), and MP Prasanna Acharya of Biju Janta Dal are also part of the committee in the upper house

The Ethics Committee is in charge of reviewing complaints against the behaviour and activities of MPs. BJP had appointed Shukla as the chief whip of the party in Rajya Sabha on July 21.

BJP MP Shiv Pratap Shukla has been appointed as chairman of the Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha. The Secretary-General of Rajya Sabha Desh Deepak Verma informed about the move in a parliamentary bulletin issued on Thursday.

BJP MP Shiv Pratap Shukla has been appointed as chairman of the Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha. The Secretary-General of Rajya Sabha Desh Deepak Verma informed about the move in a parliamentary bulletin issued on Thursday. Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu recently appointed three other members of parliament (MPs) in the Ethics Committee apart from Shukla. They include Tiruchi Siva of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Dr K Keshava Rao of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), and national general secretary of YRS Congress V Vijayasai Reddy. Shukla has been appointed as chairman of this committee. The total strength of the Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha is 11 members including the chairman. Apart from the four newly appointed members, MP Anand Sharma of Congress, MP Ram Gopal Yadav of Samajwadi Pary, MP A Navneet Krishnan of AIADMK, MP Derek O'Brien of All India Trinamool Congress, MP Ram Chandra of Janta Dal (United), and MP Prasanna Acharya of Biju Janta Dal are also part of the committee in the upper house The Ethics Committee is in charge of reviewing complaints against the behaviour and activities of MPs. BJP had appointed Shukla as the chief whip of the party in Rajya Sabha on July 21.

BJP MP Shiv Pratap Shukla named Rajya Sabha ethics committee chairman

Maharashtra reported 10,320 new cases on Friday, taking the COVID-19 tally to 4,22,118, while 265 fresh deaths - 53 of them in Mumbai - raised the toll to 14,994, the state Health department said.

A statement from the Health department said 7,543 patients were also discharged from hospitals after they recovered from the viral infection.

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As many as 2,56,158 COVID-19 patients have been discharged so far in the state, it said.

The recovery rate in the state is now 60.68 per cent, while the case fatality rate is 3.55 per cent, the statement said.

There are 1,50,966 active cases in the state, where the number of people tested so far stood at 21,30,098, it added.

Out of the 10,320 cases, Mumbai recorded 1,085 cases and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) accounted for 3,361 cases. 
 
Out of the 265 deaths, 128 were in the MMR, including 53 in Mumbai.

There are 1,14,284 positive cases in Mumbai and 6353 deaths.

While in the MMR, the total cases stood at 2,39,783 and deaths at 9,638.

In Pune city, 1,635 cases were reported, while in Pimpri-Chinchwad the new infection count was 919.

Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Municipal Corporation limits saw 180 new cases, Nagpur city 129, Solapur city 95, Nashik city 313 and Ahmednagar city 159.

Maharashtra COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases, 4,22,118, new cases 10,320, deaths 14,994, discharged 2,56,158, active 1,50,966, people tested so far 21,30,098.

Maharashtra reported 10,320 new cases on Friday, taking the COVID-19 tally to 4,22,118, while 265 fresh deaths - 53 of them in Mumbai - raised the toll to 14,994, the state Health department said.

Maharashtra reported 10,320 new cases on Friday, taking the COVID-19 tally to 4,22,118, while 265 fresh deaths - 53 of them in Mumbai - raised the toll to 14,994, the state Health department said. A statement from the Health department said 7,543 patients were also discharged from hospitals after they recovered from the viral infection. Also read | Unlock 3.0: Punjab government allows gyms, yoga centres to reopen; night curfew to continue As many as 2,56,158 COVID-19 patients have been discharged so far in the state, it said. The recovery rate in the state is now 60.68 per cent, while the case fatality rate is 3.55 per cent, the statement said. There are 1,50,966 active cases in the state, where the number of people tested so far stood at 21,30,098, it added. Out of the 10,320 cases, Mumbai recorded 1,085 cases and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) accounted for 3,361 cases. Out of the 265 deaths, 128 were in the MMR, including 53 in Mumbai. There are 1,14,284 positive cases in Mumbai and 6353 deaths. While in the MMR, the total cases stood at 2,39,783 and deaths at 9,638. In Pune city, 1,635 cases were reported, while in Pimpri-Chinchwad the new infection count was 919. Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Municipal Corporation limits saw 180 new cases, Nagpur city 129, Solapur city 95, Nashik city 313 and Ahmednagar city 159. Maharashtra COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases, 4,22,118, new cases 10,320, deaths 14,994, discharged 2,56,158, active 1,50,966, people tested so far 21,30,098.

Maharashtra records more than 10,000 coronavirus cases; total infections over 420,000

Flood situation remained grim in Bihar where swollen rivers originating in Nepal and flowing through the states northern districts have affected more than 45 lakh people so far, the disaster management department said on Friday.

No loss of life was reported on account of floods in the last 24 hours, causing the death toll to remain stable at 11, though the number of people troubled by the calamity grew by more than half a million during the period, according to the bulletin issued by the department.

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The number of distressed people, across 1012 panchayats of 14 districts, has reached 45.39 lakh, compared with the previous days figure of 39.63 lakh, said the department.

The state's response to floods has triggered wordy duel between rival parties, keeping in view the approaching assembly election.

Leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who toured flood-hit parts of East Champaran, expressed bewilderment over "only 19 relief camps" having been set up by the Nitish Kumar government so far.

"The states water resources minister is busy gathering resources for the ruling JD(U) ahead of assembly polls. Nobody has seen the states minister for disaster management in the past four months when the state has been hit by crisis after crisis.

"And the Chief Minister has not stepped out of his residence for 135 days. The people are left to despair", Yadav tweeted.

He was lambasted by the ruling JD(U)-BJP combine which charged the RJD leader with trying to gain publicity by his tours instead of extending cooperation to the state government in its flood control measures.

According to the disaster management department, 3.76 lakh people have so far been evacuated from flood-ravaged localities out of whom 26,732 have taken shelter at the relief camps.

Besides, 1193 community kitchens are catering to 7.71 lakh people in the inundated areas.

Relief and rescue operations were being carried out by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

"Our 21 teams are deployed across 12 of the flood- affected districts. Our personnel have so far rescued more than 8600 people", said Vijay Sinha, commandant of 9th battalion of NDRF, stationed at Bihta in Patna district.

"Saving lives and beyond is our motto and we pay special attention to vulnerable populace like children, the elderly and pregnant women," he added.

Sinha highlighted the case of a young woman from Darbhanga, who went into labour late Thursday night and could get timely medical care because of timely response to her familys distress call.

Our men picked her up from her marooned village and carried her to the nearest primary health centre, which was 10 kms away, the NDRF commandant said.

The districts hit by the floods are West Champaran, East Champaran, Saran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Khagaria, Samastipur, Kishanganj, Supaul and Sheohar.

Only West Champaran (four) and Darbhanga (seven) have reported flood-related deaths.

East Central Railway zone Chief Public Relation Officer, Rajesh Kumar, said that with flood waters flowing above danger level near three Railway bridges in the Samastipur-Darbhanga section, routes of some special trains have been diverted, while services of some others stopped for the time being.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Flood situation remained grim in Bihar where swollen rivers originating in Nepal and flowing through the states northern districts have affected more than 45 lakh people so far, the disaster management department said on Friday.

Flood situation remained grim in Bihar where swollen rivers originating in Nepal and flowing through the states northern districts have affected more than 45 lakh people so far, the disaster management department said on Friday. No loss of life was reported on account of floods in the last 24 hours, causing the death toll to remain stable at 11, though the number of people troubled by the calamity grew by more than half a million during the period, according to the bulletin issued by the department. Also read | Kohli, Rahul and others auction prized possession to raise funds for Bihar, Assam flood victims The number of distressed people, across 1012 panchayats of 14 districts, has reached 45.39 lakh, compared with the previous days figure of 39.63 lakh, said the department. The state's response to floods has triggered wordy duel between rival parties, keeping in view the approaching assembly election. Leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who toured flood-hit parts of East Champaran, expressed bewilderment over "only 19 relief camps" having been set up by the Nitish Kumar government so far. "The states water resources minister is busy gathering resources for the ruling JD(U) ahead of assembly polls. Nobody has seen the states minister for disaster management in the past four months when the state has been hit by crisis after crisis. "And the Chief Minister has not stepped out of his residence for 135 days. The people are left to despair", Yadav tweeted. He was lambasted by the ruling JD(U)-BJP combine which charged the RJD leader with trying to gain publicity by his tours instead of extending cooperation to the state government in its flood control measures. According to the disaster management department, 3.76 lakh people have so far been evacuated from flood-ravaged localities out of whom 26,732 have taken shelter at the relief camps. Besides, 1193 community kitchens are catering to 7.71 lakh people in the inundated areas. Relief and rescue operations were being carried out by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). "Our 21 teams are deployed across 12 of the flood- affected districts. Our personnel have so far rescued more than 8600 people", said Vijay Sinha, commandant of 9th battalion of NDRF, stationed at Bihta in Patna district. "Saving lives and beyond is our motto and we pay special attention to vulnerable populace like children, the elderly and pregnant women," he added. Sinha highlighted the case of a young woman from Darbhanga, who went into labour late Thursday night and could get timely medical care because of timely response to her familys distress call. Our men picked her up from her marooned village and carried her to the nearest primary health centre, which was 10 kms away, the NDRF commandant said. The districts hit by the floods are West Champaran, East Champaran, Saran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Khagaria, Samastipur, Kishanganj, Supaul and Sheohar. Only West Champaran (four) and Darbhanga (seven) have reported flood-related deaths. East Central Railway zone Chief Public Relation Officer, Rajesh Kumar, said that with flood waters flowing above danger level near three Railway bridges in the Samastipur-Darbhanga section, routes of some special trains have been diverted, while services of some others stopped for the time being.

Bihar floods: Situation remains grim, more than 4.5 million affected

Underlining that air pollution does not respect borders be it cities, states or countries, experts from various South Asian countries have called for regional cooperation with the data creating models to improve the air qualities.&nbsp;

A webinar 'Air Qualities in South Asia: Opportunities and Challenge'&nbsp;took place on Thursday during which top experts from the US, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan talked about air quality in South Asia and discussed a roadmap towards cleaner air in South Asia.

Speaking during the webinar, Michael Greenstone, Director of Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) said that air pollution causes people to lead shorter and sicker lives, adding that average Indian would live 5.2 years longer if air qualities are brought with compliance to the standard set by World Health Organisation.&nbsp;

Calling particulate air pollution as the single greatest threat, Greenstone said: "Air pollution causes people to lead shorter and sicker lives. 5.5 billion People currently live in areas that exceed the WHO safe guidelines for small-particulate pollution. Across the entire planet, an average person loses 1.9 years of life expectancy to particulate air pollution that is more than what people lose from smoking."

Greenstone said: "In India which is the second most polluted country in the world, an average person would live 5.2 years longer if air qualities are brought with the WHO standard" Similarly, average life expectancy in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal could go up by 6 years, 2.8 years and 4.6 years respectively if the WHO guidelines were met, he said. Making the opening remarks during the webinar, Minister Counsellor for Public Affairs, US Embassy, David Kennedy, said that improving air qualities requires cooperation from within the countries and across regions "Air pollution does not respect borders be it cities, states or countries. Improving air qualities requires collaboration from within the countries and across regions. It requires consistent long term focus, actions and attention by all section of societies--policymakers, health professionals, frontline activists’ media students and every member of the public," he said. Kennedy said that the US government has partnered with India on strengthening health systems.&nbsp;

"The United States and India have a very close relationship, anchored at the mutual trust, shared interests, goodwill and robust engagement in our citizens. The engagement between India and the US focuses on better monitoring of data on air pollution," he said.&nbsp;

Other speakers who spoke during the webinar are Ranil Dhammapala, Air Quality Fellow, U.S. Embassy, Colombo, Sri Lanka; Christopher Commins, Economic Officer, Economic, Environment, science &amp; technology section, U.S. Embassy, New Delhi; Abid Omar, Founder, Pakistan Air Quality Initiative, Karachi. The webinar was organised by Lung Care Foundation.Dhammapala said that there is a strong indication that Artificial Intelligence is going to revolutionise air quality monitoring."Strong indication of data generated using AI is going to revolutionise air quality monitoring and help people make an informed decision," said Ranil Dhammapala. Meanwhile, Commins said that effects of lockdown due to COVID19 pandemic have given "us hope that change can occur and has reinforced technology as a means for it to happen".

Abid Omar stressed that there is a need for regional collaborations with the data creating models and have directly comparable transboundary data.

"We need regional collaborations with the data creating models and have directly comparable transboundary data. We can then go forward towards making richer model about the flow of particulate matter pollution," Omar said.

Underlining that air pollution does not respect borders be it cities, states or countries, experts from various South Asian countries have called for regional cooperation with the data creating models to improve the air qualities.

Underlining that air pollution does not respect borders be it cities, states or countries, experts from various South Asian countries have called for regional cooperation with the data creating models to improve the air qualities. A webinar 'Air Qualities in South Asia: Opportunities and Challenge' took place on Thursday during which top experts from the US, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan talked about air quality in South Asia and discussed a roadmap towards cleaner air in South Asia. Speaking during the webinar, Michael Greenstone, Director of Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) said that air pollution causes people to lead shorter and sicker lives, adding that average Indian would live 5.2 years longer if air qualities are brought with compliance to the standard set by World Health Organisation. Calling particulate air pollution as the single greatest threat, Greenstone said: "Air pollution causes people to lead shorter and sicker lives. 5.5 billion People currently live in areas that exceed the WHO safe guidelines for small-particulate pollution. Across the entire planet, an average person loses 1.9 years of life expectancy to particulate air pollution that is more than what people lose from smoking." Greenstone said: "In India which is the second most polluted country in the world, an average person would live 5.2 years longer if air qualities are brought with the WHO standard" Similarly, average life expectancy in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal could go up by 6 years, 2.8 years and 4.6 years respectively if the WHO guidelines were met, he said. Making the opening remarks during the webinar, Minister Counsellor for Public Affairs, US Embassy, David Kennedy, said that improving air qualities requires cooperation from within the countries and across regions "Air pollution does not respect borders be it cities, states or countries. Improving air qualities requires collaboration from within the countries and across regions. It requires consistent long term focus, actions and attention by all section of societies--policymakers, health professionals, frontline activists’ media students and every member of the public," he said. Kennedy said that the US government has partnered with India on strengthening health systems. "The United States and India have a very close relationship, anchored at the mutual trust, shared interests, goodwill and robust engagement in our citizens. The engagement between India and the US focuses on better monitoring of data on air pollution," he said. Other speakers who spoke during the webinar are Ranil Dhammapala, Air Quality Fellow, U.S. Embassy, Colombo, Sri Lanka; Christopher Commins, Economic Officer, Economic, Environment, science & technology section, U.S. Embassy, New Delhi; Abid Omar, Founder, Pakistan Air Quality Initiative, Karachi. The webinar was organised by Lung Care Foundation.Dhammapala said that there is a strong indication that Artificial Intelligence is going to revolutionise air quality monitoring."Strong indication of data generated using AI is going to revolutionise air quality monitoring and help people make an informed decision," said Ranil Dhammapala. Meanwhile, Commins said that effects of lockdown due to COVID19 pandemic have given "us hope that change can occur and has reinforced technology as a means for it to happen". Abid Omar stressed that there is a need for regional collaborations with the data creating models and have directly comparable transboundary data. "We need regional collaborations with the data creating models and have directly comparable transboundary data. We can then go forward towards making richer model about the flow of particulate matter pollution," Omar said.

Air pollution does not respect borders, regional cooperation required: Experts

Infiltrating terrorists were intercepted by the Indian Army after a suspicious movement of unidentified persons was detected on the Indian side of Line of Control (LoC) at Machhal sector in Kupwara on Friday.

"Early morning today, suspicious movement of unidentified persons was detected on the Indian side of LoC at Machhal sector in Kupwara. Infiltrating terrorists were intercepted; firefight ensued. Operation in progress," said Chinar Corps, Indian Army.

According to the Army, 3 AK rifles, a sniper rifle, 8 grenades and other warlike stores were recovered. Search in the area is underway.

Infiltrating terrorists were intercepted by the Indian Army after a suspicious movement of unidentified persons was detected on the Indian side of Line of Control (LoC) at Machhal sector in Kupwara on Friday.

Infiltrating terrorists were intercepted by the Indian Army after a suspicious movement of unidentified persons was detected on the Indian side of Line of Control (LoC) at Machhal sector in Kupwara on Friday. "Early morning today, suspicious movement of unidentified persons was detected on the Indian side of LoC at Machhal sector in Kupwara. Infiltrating terrorists were intercepted; firefight ensued. Operation in progress," said Chinar Corps, Indian Army. According to the Army, 3 AK rifles, a sniper rifle, 8 grenades and other warlike stores were recovered. Search in the area is underway.

Terrorists intercepted in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara; rifles, grenades recovered

The first batch of five Rafale jets landed at the Ambala air base amid much pomp and show on July 29. The jets are touted to be India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in over two decades, and are expected to significantly boost the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities.

What makes them even more special is the fact that they are more capable than Pakistan’s F-16 or China’s J-20 -- an aircraft that is yet to see combat.

India's former air chief marshal BS Dhanoa has said that the Rafale "is a game changer, and the Chinese J-20 does not even come close."

Chinese experts, however, beg to differ. They have claimed that Rafale is only a third-plus generation fighter jet, and does not stand much of a chance against "a stealth, fourth generation one like the J-20."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-indias-rafale-fighter-jets-are-superior-to-pakistans-f-16-chinas-j-20-316821">Also read |&nbsp;Why India's Rafale fighter jets are superior to Pakistan’s F-16, China's J-20</a>

A report published in their national daily Global Times, also a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, quotes Zhang Xuefeng, a military expert as saying: "In some combat performance areas, the Rafale is superior to the Su-30 MKI fighter jets, which are in service in the Indian air force in large batches, but it is only about one-fourth of a generation more advanced and does not yield a significant qualitative change."

"The Rafale is comparable to other third-plus generation fighter jets used by other countries, but it will find it very difficult to confront a stealth-capable fourth generation fighter jet," he further said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafale-jets-land-in-india-will-join-iafs-golden-arrows-squadron-316692">Also read |&nbsp;Rafale jets land in India, will join IAF's 'Golden Arrows' squadron</a>

Truth be told, after the bloody clash in Ladakh, China’s claims cannot be taken at face value. Indian officials are yet to confirm if the disengagement at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is complete. Until then India is matching Chinese aggression -- at the border and off it.

Talking of its features, Rafale is the first operational European combat aircraft to use an electronic scanning radar.

The jets can attain a maximum speed of 1400 kmph or 704 knots. Its approach speed is less than 224 kmph.

The Rafale’s stores management system is Mil-Std-1760 compliant, which provides for easy integration of customer-selected weapons.

<a href="https://www.dassault-aviation.com/en/defense/rafale/a-full-range-of-advanced-weapons/">Rafale is capable of performing several actions at the same time, such as firing air-to-air missiles during a very low altitude penetration phase: a clear demonstration of the true “OMNIROLE” capability.</a>

The first batch of five Rafale jets landed at the Ambala air base amid much pomp and show on July 29. The jets are touted to be India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in over two decades, and are expected to significantly boost the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities.

The first batch of five Rafale jets landed at the Ambala air base amid much pomp and show on July 29. The jets are touted to be India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in over two decades, and are expected to significantly boost the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities. What makes them even more special is the fact that they are more capable than Pakistan’s F-16 or China’s J-20 -- an aircraft that is yet to see combat. India's former air chief marshal BS Dhanoa has said that the Rafale "is a game changer, and the Chinese J-20 does not even come close." Chinese experts, however, beg to differ. They have claimed that Rafale is only a third-plus generation fighter jet, and does not stand much of a chance against "a stealth, fourth generation one like the J-20." Also read | Why India's Rafale fighter jets are superior to Pakistan’s F-16, China's J-20 A report published in their national daily Global Times, also a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, quotes Zhang Xuefeng, a military expert as saying: "In some combat performance areas, the Rafale is superior to the Su-30 MKI fighter jets, which are in service in the Indian air force in large batches, but it is only about one-fourth of a generation more advanced and does not yield a significant qualitative change." "The Rafale is comparable to other third-plus generation fighter jets used by other countries, but it will find it very difficult to confront a stealth-capable fourth generation fighter jet," he further said. Also read | Rafale jets land in India, will join IAF's 'Golden Arrows' squadron Truth be told, after the bloody clash in Ladakh, China’s claims cannot be taken at face value. Indian officials are yet to confirm if the disengagement at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is complete. Until then India is matching Chinese aggression -- at the border and off it. Talking of its features, Rafale is the first operational European combat aircraft to use an electronic scanning radar. The jets can attain a maximum speed of 1400 kmph or 704 knots. Its approach speed is less than 224 kmph. The Rafale’s stores management system is Mil-Std-1760 compliant, which provides for easy integration of customer-selected weapons. Rafale is capable of performing several actions at the same time, such as firing air-to-air missiles during a very low altitude penetration phase: a clear demonstration of the true “OMNIROLE” capability.

China's tall claim: India’s Rafale fighter jets stand no chance against its J-20

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, in his greeting to the country on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, urged people to celebrate the festival while following COVID-19 safety protocol, a statement from the Vice-President`s Secretariat informed.

"I extend all my warm greetings and good wishes to the people of our country on the auspicious occasion of Id-ul-Zuha. Id-ul-Zuha is a celebration of unswerving devotion to God and the boundless compassion and loves the Almighty has for His creation.''

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/praying-for-health-muslims-around-the-world-celebrate-eid-al-adha-in-new-normal-way-317260" hreflang="en">Praying for health: Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha in 'new normal' way</a>

The festival inspires us to inculcate empathy, practice sacrifice and promote peace and universal brotherhood. As India and the world continue to fight a relentless battle against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, we have been forced to celebrate almost all of our traditional festivals, which were otherwise celebrated with great splendour, at home in a more subdued manner," the statement quoted the Vice-President.

It further read, "Under these circumstances, we have to be content with a modest celebration and strictly adhere to the safety protocols of wearing masks, practising physical distancing and personal hygiene during all our celebrations. May this Id-ul-Zuha bring peace, harmony and prosperity in our lives, country and the world."

The number of deadly coronavirus infection cases in India has crossed 16 lakh mark with the highest single-day spike of 55,079 positive cases and&nbsp;779 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, in his greeting to the country on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, urged people to celebrate the festival while following COVID-19 safety protocol, a statement from the Vice-President`s Secretariat informed.

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, in his greeting to the country on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, urged people to celebrate the festival while following COVID-19 safety protocol, a statement from the Vice-President`s Secretariat informed. "I extend all my warm greetings and good wishes to the people of our country on the auspicious occasion of Id-ul-Zuha. Id-ul-Zuha is a celebration of unswerving devotion to God and the boundless compassion and loves the Almighty has for His creation.'' Also see: Praying for health: Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha in 'new normal' way The festival inspires us to inculcate empathy, practice sacrifice and promote peace and universal brotherhood. As India and the world continue to fight a relentless battle against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, we have been forced to celebrate almost all of our traditional festivals, which were otherwise celebrated with great splendour, at home in a more subdued manner," the statement quoted the Vice-President. It further read, "Under these circumstances, we have to be content with a modest celebration and strictly adhere to the safety protocols of wearing masks, practising physical distancing and personal hygiene during all our celebrations. May this Id-ul-Zuha bring peace, harmony and prosperity in our lives, country and the world." The number of deadly coronavirus infection cases in India has crossed 16 lakh mark with the highest single-day spike of 55,079 positive cases and 779 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Vice President Naidu urges people to follow COVID-19 guidelines amid Eid celebrations

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday wrote to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Friday sending greeting on the occasion of Eid ul Azha and assuring support for the country's health sector amidst COVID pandemic.

Highlighting that the "festival of Eid ul Azha which is also celebrated in several parts of India" shows "deep historical and cultural links" between both the countries, PM said, "We hope that this festival will further enhance the spirit of peace and tolerance in our respective societies and promote fraternal ties between our two countries."

Lauding the steps taken by Hasina govt to deal with the COVID crisis, PM said he is "confident that Bangladesh will tide over these challenging times."

Adding that India remains "available to support your efforts in any way, including through capacity-building in the health sector."

India in its second tranche of COVID emergency medical supplies to Bangladesh sent 1,00,000 Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) medicine tablets and 50,000 sterile surgical latex gloves. The first tranche consisted of 30,000 surgical masks and 15,000 head-cover.&nbsp;

Both leaders had spoken to each other on 29th April to discussed the regional situation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday wrote to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Friday sending greeting on the occasion of Eid ul Azha and assuring support for the country's health sector amidst COVID pandemic.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday wrote to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Friday sending greeting on the occasion of Eid ul Azha and assuring support for the country's health sector amidst COVID pandemic. Highlighting that the "festival of Eid ul Azha which is also celebrated in several parts of India" shows "deep historical and cultural links" between both the countries, PM said, "We hope that this festival will further enhance the spirit of peace and tolerance in our respective societies and promote fraternal ties between our two countries." Lauding the steps taken by Hasina govt to deal with the COVID crisis, PM said he is "confident that Bangladesh will tide over these challenging times." Adding that India remains "available to support your efforts in any way, including through capacity-building in the health sector." India in its second tranche of COVID emergency medical supplies to Bangladesh sent 1,00,000 Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) medicine tablets and 50,000 sterile surgical latex gloves. The first tranche consisted of 30,000 surgical masks and 15,000 head-cover. Both leaders had spoken to each other on 29th April to discussed the regional situation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PM Modi sends Eid-ul-Azha greetings to Bangladesh PM; assures support on health sector

The number of deadly coronavirus infection cases in India has crossed 16 lakh mark with the highest single-day spike of 55,079 positive cases &amp; 779 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Total cases stand at 16, 38,871 including 5, 45,318 active cases while 10, 57,806 have been cured/discharged. 35,747 people lost their lives to the virus in the country so far, Union Health Ministry said.

The country is gearing for the third phase of Unlock from August 1 as the Centre has allowed a few relaxations to the existing lockdown norms in an effort to boost economic activity.&nbsp;

Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Gujarat have reported the highest number of cases.&nbsp;

However, infections are rising rapidly in states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Yet, India’s recovery rate continues to rise and now stands at 64.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the total number of cases around the world stood at 17,237,642, while the fatalities rose to 671,909, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The World Health Organization (WHO, on Thursday issued a statement warning young people and urging them to stay home and stay safe.

“We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again: young people are not invincible,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing in Geneva.

The fears of possibility of second wave have even forced some countries to reimpose travel bans and prepare for another complete lockdown if need be.

(With inputs from agencies)

The number of deadly coronavirus infection cases in India has crossed 16 lakh mark with the highest single-day spike of 55,079 positive cases & 779 deaths in the last 24 hours.

The number of deadly coronavirus infection cases in India has crossed 16 lakh mark with the highest single-day spike of 55,079 positive cases & 779 deaths in the last 24 hours. Total cases stand at 16, 38,871 including 5, 45,318 active cases while 10, 57,806 have been cured/discharged. 35,747 people lost their lives to the virus in the country so far, Union Health Ministry said. The country is gearing for the third phase of Unlock from August 1 as the Centre has allowed a few relaxations to the existing lockdown norms in an effort to boost economic activity. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Gujarat have reported the highest number of cases. However, infections are rising rapidly in states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Yet, India’s recovery rate continues to rise and now stands at 64.5 percent. Meanwhile, the total number of cases around the world stood at 17,237,642, while the fatalities rose to 671,909, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. The World Health Organization (WHO, on Thursday issued a statement warning young people and urging them to stay home and stay safe. “We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again: young people are not invincible,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing in Geneva. The fears of possibility of second wave have even forced some countries to reimpose travel bans and prepare for another complete lockdown if need be. (With inputs from agencies)

Highest single-day hike takes India's tally past 16 lakh, 5, 45,318 active cases

India coronavirus cases have surpassed 1,6 million with more than 55,000 recorded in the last 24-hours. Watch report.

55,000 positive daily cases for the first time | India | COVID-19 pandemic

Coronavirus. A fast-moving pathogen that has infected millions worldwide and left more than 600,000 dead.

How can the contagion that has brought the world to a standstill, be stopped? How close are we to a vaccine? What is the impact on mental health? Could the crisis be an opportunity for India’s pharmaceutical industry?

The Covid-19 Health Summit will bring the top global experts from the international healthcare fraternity to explore the impact, challenges and solutions to the coronavirus on one platform – WION.

The Summit will air on WION on Friday 31st July from 3:30 pm IST and will be available on its website, social media and YouTube channel as well.

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Coronavirus. A fast-moving pathogen that has infected millions worldwide and left more than 600,000 dead. How can the contagion that has brought the world to a standstill, be stopped?

Coronavirus. A fast-moving pathogen that has infected millions worldwide and left more than 600,000 dead. How can the contagion that has brought the world to a standstill, be stopped? How close are we to a vaccine? What is the impact on mental health? Could the crisis be an opportunity for India’s pharmaceutical industry? The Covid-19 Health Summit will bring the top global experts from the international healthcare fraternity to explore the impact, challenges and solutions to the coronavirus on one platform – WION. The Summit will air on WION on Friday 31st July from 3:30 pm IST and will be available on its website, social media and YouTube channel as well. Watch the Covid-19 Health Summit on WION where top global experts brainstorm solutions to tackle the Wuhan virus. On Friday at 3:30 PM IST. Only on WION. LIVE TV: https://t.co/iSR65rv97J pic.twitter.com/wWVX3GHyKv — WION (@WIONews) July 30, 2020 ×

Watch the COVID19 Health Summit on WION

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday suggested that the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) create an "army of contact tracers" to identify people who have come in contact with COVID-19 patients and contain the viral spread.

In a virtual meeting with senior AMC officials, chief scientist of the WHO Dr Soumya Swaminathan stressed on the need to create a big army of contact tracers consisting of students and graduates, and training them as it had been done in United Kingdom and Germany.

According to a release, the briefing which revolved around showcasing "Ahmedabad model" of fighting coronavirus, was attended by Ahmedabad municipal commissioner Mukesh Kumar and officer on special duty Rajiv Kumar Gupta.

Dr Swaminathan showed interest in the AMC's COVID-19 management model, which comprises screening and testing vans, '104' fever helpline service and PPP model of roping in private hospitals for treating patients.

"These interventions were very useful and encouraging experiences, which could be adopted by other cities," she reportedly said.

The WHO will soon be providing a platform for sharing the Ahmedabad model with other cities in India and across the world as part of its ongoing exercise of sharing and learning from best practices of COVID-19 management, the release said.

Dr Swaminathan also appreciated the AMC's strategy of using Aarogya Setu Data Intelligence for focussed surveillance and testing, it was stated.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday suggested that the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) create an "army of contact tracers" to identify people who have come in contact with COVID-19 patients and contain the viral spread.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday suggested that the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) create an "army of contact tracers" to identify people who have come in contact with COVID-19 patients and contain the viral spread. In a virtual meeting with senior AMC officials, chief scientist of the WHO Dr Soumya Swaminathan stressed on the need to create a big army of contact tracers consisting of students and graduates, and training them as it had been done in United Kingdom and Germany. According to a release, the briefing which revolved around showcasing "Ahmedabad model" of fighting coronavirus, was attended by Ahmedabad municipal commissioner Mukesh Kumar and officer on special duty Rajiv Kumar Gupta. Dr Swaminathan showed interest in the AMC's COVID-19 management model, which comprises screening and testing vans, '104' fever helpline service and PPP model of roping in private hospitals for treating patients. "These interventions were very useful and encouraging experiences, which could be adopted by other cities," she reportedly said. The WHO will soon be providing a platform for sharing the Ahmedabad model with other cities in India and across the world as part of its ongoing exercise of sharing and learning from best practices of COVID-19 management, the release said. Dr Swaminathan also appreciated the AMC's strategy of using Aarogya Setu Data Intelligence for focussed surveillance and testing, it was stated.

Ahmedabad model: WHO suggests creation of an army of contact tracers to combat coronavirus

India's Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan keynote address on India's COVID-19 strategy. He said that India is the biggest manufacturer of vaccines in terms of volume. It is therefore certain that India will be a production hub for COVID-19 vaccines.

WION Health Summit |  Dr. Harsh Vardhan's keynote address on India's COVID-19 strategy

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