Month: June 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that Indian industries should take advantage of the trust developed towards India as the world is looking for a trusted and reliable partner.

Addressing the 125th Annual Session of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Prime Minister said: “World is looking for a trusted, reliable partner. India has potential, strength and ability. Today, Indian industries should take advantage of the trust developed in the world towards India… Getting growth back is not that difficult. The biggest thing is that Indian industries have a clear path of self-reliance.”

“Intent, Inclusion, Investment, Infrastructure and Innovation– these five things are important to speed up India’s development and make it ‘atmanirbhar’. You will get a glimpse of these in the bold decisions recently taken by us,” he said.

“Pledge to make the country self-reliant. Put your full strength to fulfill this resolution. Government is standing with you, you stand with the goals of the country,” he added.

Prime Minister Modi said that re-strengthening economy against coronavirus is one of the government’s highest priorities.

“The direction, in which the government is moving today, be it our mining sector, energy sector or research and technology, in every field there will be many new opportunities for the youth of the country,” he said.

“Re-strengthening economy against corona is one of our highest priorities. For this, the government has taken immediate decisions. We have also taken decisions which will help the country in the long run,” the Prime Minister said.

He said that the country now needs to manufacture products which are ‘Made in India’ but are ‘Made for the World’.

The Prime Minister said that ration has been provided to 74 crore beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana while adding that ration is also being provided to migrant labourers for free. (ANI)

India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said that cyclone Nisarga is likely to make landfall near Alibaug on Wednesday with the wind speed expected to be around 100Kmph.

“Cyclone Nisarga is likely to make landfall near Alibaug tomorrow. At the time of landfall, wind speed is expected to be 100Kmph. Palghar, Pune, Thane, Mumbai, Raigad, Dhule, Nandurbar, and Nashik are expected to receive heavy rainfall tomorrow,” said Dr Anupam Kashyapi, head of the weather and air pollution monitoring unit, IMD, Pune.

IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the southeast Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area and along and off Kerala coast during next 48 hours. (ANI)

The Union Cabinet on Monday approved the modalities for implementing Rs 50,000 crore equity infusion to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which was announced last month as part of AtmaNirbhar Bharat Package last month to help the sector cope up with the situation created by COVID-19.

It also approved Rs 20,000 crore subordinate debt for stressed MSMEs and a new definition for MSME under which enterprises with investments up to Rs 20 crore and a turnover of less than Rs 250 crore will now be defined as ‘medium’ units.

Briefing the media about the decisions, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said that provisions have been made for equity infusion of Rs 50,000 crore to support MSMEs for the first time. It will be done through a Fund of Funds.

“This will help set-up a roadmap for MSMEs in debt-equity ratio management and capacity building,” he said.

The minister said that MSMEs have also been given the opportunity to be enrolled in the stock exchange.

“Various key steps have been taken by the government to boost MSMEs, attract investment, and create jobs in the country. The cabinet has approved a provision to provide Rs 20,000 crore in subordinate debts to help distressed MSMEs,” Javadekar said.

Subordinate debt is a debt owed to an unsecured creditor that in the event of liquidation can only be paid after the claims of secured creditors have been met. Javadekar said that this will help over two lakh stressed MSMEs across the country.

“Today was the first cabinet meeting of the second year of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government. Historic decisions, which will have positive impacts on the lives of farmers, MSMEs, street vendors were taken in the meeting,” he said.

Javadekar said that the Central government has recognized the importance of MSMEs and the sector has been made an important part of the announcements made under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

He said that the government has further revised the definition of MSMEs, under which businesses that have investments up to Rs 1 crore and turnover of less than Rs 5 crore will be classified as ‘micro’ units.

Businesses will be defined as a ‘small’ unit if the investment is Rs 10 crore with a turnover of less than Rs 50 crore whereas enterprises with investments up to Rs 20 crore and a turnover of less than Rs 250 crore will now be defined as ‘medium’ units.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had last month given details about the package for MSMEs after Rs 20 lakh comprehensive package was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)

The Union Cabinet on Monday approved an increase in minimum support price (MSP) for the Kharif crops.

Briefing the media here on the Cabinet decisions, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the MSP has been increased for all mandated Kharif crops for marketing season 2020-21.

The Cabinet also approved the extension of repayment date for short term loans for agriculture and allied activities by banks which have become due or shall become due between March 1, 2020, and August 31, 2020.

The decision has been taken in view of the situation created by COVID-19. (ANI)

India has witnessed the highest-ever spike of 8,392 corona cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country’s COVID-19 count to 1,90,535, as per the details shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Monday.

The country reported 230 more deaths caused by the infection in the last 24 hours. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 1,90,535 including 93,322 active cases, 91,819 cured or discharged/migrated, and 5,394 deaths.

During the last 24 hours, 4,835 COVID-19 patients have been cured. Thus, so far, a total of 91,818 patients have been cured of COVID-19. The recovery rate in the country is progressively increasing and has reached 48.19 per cent among COVID-19 patients, which was 38.29 per cent on May 18, 26.59 per cent on May 3, and 11.42 per cent on April 15, said an official statement.

In Maharashtra, the total confirmed cases reached 67,655 on Monday while there are 36,040 active cases in the State. 29,329 people have been cured or discharged while 2,286 patients have died in the State so far.

Tamil Nadu reported 1,162 new cases of COVID-19 today, taking the total number of positive cases in the State to 23,495. 11 people died today, taking the number of deaths in the State due to infection to 184, according to Tamil Nadu’s Health Department.

According to MoHFW, in Delhi, the total number of COVID-19 cases reached 19,844 today. There are 10,893 active cases in the national capital. 8,478 people have been cured or discharged while 473 people have died in the country’s capital.

Gujarat has so far reported 16,779 cases of coronavirus, while there are 5,822 active cases in the State. 9,919 people have been cured or discharged while 1,038 people have died in the state.

Karnataka has reported 187 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases in the State to 3,408 including 2,026 active cases. The toll stands at 52, as per the state’s Health Department.

Rajasthan reported 149 new cases of COVID-19 today, taking the total number of cases to 8,980. The toll stands at 198 after four deaths were reported today, said the state’s Health Department.

Madhya Pradesh has so far reported 8,089 cases of COVID-19, while there are 2,897 active cases in the State. 4,842 people have been cured or discharged, while 350 people died in the State.

Uttar Pradesh, in the last 24 hours, reported 373 new cases of COVID-19. There are 3,083 active cases in the State and 4,891 people have been cured or discharged. The toll stands at 217, said Amit Mohan Prasad, Principal Secretary, Health.

Uttarakhand reported 23 new cases of COVID-19 today, taking the State’s total to 929. Six people have died of the virus in the State so far.

Jharkhand reported 25 more cases of COVID-19 today, taking the total number of cases in the State to 635, said Health Secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni.

The total number of COVID19 cases in Himachal Pradesh now stands at 338 including 213 active cases, 116 recovered and five deaths, according to Himachal Pradesh Health Department.

Kerala reported one death and 57 cases of COVID-19 today. There are 708 active cases in the State.

Andhra Pradesh has reported 76 new cases of COVID-19 and two deaths in the last 24 hours. The total number of positive cases stands at 3118 and the toll is at 64, according to the State’s COVID-19 Nodal Officer.

Odisha has reported 156 new COVID-19 positive cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 2,104, said the State Health Department.

Assam has reported 23 new cases of COVID-19; taking the total number of cases to 1384. The number of active cases stands at 1192 said, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Manipur has reported seven new cases of COVID-19, taking the total number of cases to 78 including 67 active cases, according to the State government.

The testing capacity in the country has increased through 472 government and 204 private laboratories. Cumulatively, 38,37,207 samples have been tested so far for COVID-19, whereas 1,00,180 samples were tested on Sunday.

(ANI)

The elections to fill the pending 18 Rajya Sabha seats from seven states will be held on June 19, the Election Commission (EC) said on Monday.

Earlier, the elections were scheduled to be held on March 26. But, they were deferred in view of the COVID-19 crisis.

“The Commission has decided that the date of poll and counting of votes in respect of the biennial elections for 18 seats from the states of Andhra Pradesh (four seats), Gujarat (four seats), Jharkhand (two seats), Madhya Pradesh (three seats), Manipur (one seat), Meghalaya (one seat) and Rajasthan (three seats) shall be June 19,” the EC said in a press note.

The counting of votes shall take place at 5 pm on the day of the election. (ANI)

An over 200-year-old historic St John’s church near White House has been vandalised and set on fire as protests over the death of George Floyd escalated into rioting and multiple fires seen in Washington and other US cities.

“This church has been standing in our city since the early 1800s. Please avoid the area,” the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) of the District of Columbia said on Twitter.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the basement fire, which police said was intentionally set. The MPD said it is currently responding to multiple fires intentionally set in Washington D.C and its suburban neighbourhoods.

Protestors were also seen pulling down a flag from the landmark that opened in the year 1816 and popularly nicknamed the “Church of the Presidents” as beginning with James Madison, every president has been an occasional attendee of services.

In Washington, Fox News cameras were rolling as flames erupted in the newly renovated basement of the St. John’s Church parish house; it was unclear exactly how the fire started or how much damage had been done to the church.

A senior official said more than 50 Secret Service officers have been injured so far Sunday night, with the numbers expected to worsen, as rioters hurled bottles and Molotov cocktails.

There were protests in the area all day, and protesters set several fires on Sunday evening.

According to the Washington Post, in Georgetown and elsewhere in America’s capital city, people spent the afternoon hammering plywood boards outside retail shops and restaurants in the hopes their businesses would escape the attacks that others a day earlier did not. American flags and parked cars and buildings were lit ablaze.

The city is now under curfew, which went into effect at 11 p.m. (local time) and will be active until 6 a.m. on Monday.

The scale of the protests spanned from San Francisco to Boston and unfolding on a single night.

More than two dozen mayors and governors have imposed curfews, a level not seen the unrest following the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The New York Times reported.

In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence, adding to deaths reported in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days.

Earlier Sunday, people robbed stores in broad daylight in Philadelphia and Santa Monica, California, and a driver sped a semitrailer toward a massive crowd of people assembled on a highway in Minneapolis — but remarkably, there were no initial reports of anyone hurt aside from that driver.

In neighbouring St. Paul, thousands gathered peacefully in front of the state Capitol, pledging to keep up the protests.

The National Guard’s top general on Sunday said Guard units in nearly half of US states have been mobilized to help major cities deal with the riots. Gen. Joseph Lengyel said some 16,000 additional Guard troops have been deployed to 24 states and the District of Columbia in response to civil disturbances.

Floyd died Monday after a Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck. The officer has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter; he and three other officers were fired from the force after a video of Floyd’s death emerged.

Riots erupted from demonstrations in cities from San Francisco to Boston protesting the death of Floyd.

The latest deployment brought the total number of deployed National Guard members to about 62,000 across the country. Other Guard members already had been deployed to assist with their governments’ COVID-19 relief efforts.(ANI)