Month: February 2021

By Priyanka Sharma

The eligible beneficiaries who are entitled to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from March 1, would be able to register themselves on the CO-WIN platform from Monday onwards.

The Central government has created the Co-WIN application dedicated to monitor real time management of COVID-19 vaccination across the country.

India is going start its third phase of COVID-19 vaccination drive to inoculate people above 60 years and those over 45 with comorbidities against the coronavirus from March 1, the Central government has announced on Thursday.

“There are several procedures wherein beneficiaries can get registered themselves for vaccine. The beneficiary would be able to register themselves on the CO-WIN platform from Monday itself,” Chairman of Empowered Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Administration R S Sharma told ANI.

“First, there will be a walk-in provision for the entitled beneficiary to get themselves register at the vaccination site for the vaccine. At the session site, volunteers would help beneficiaries who would have difficulty in registration,” Sharma said.

“Secondly, the newer version of the CO-WIN platform has been enhanced with GPS facility. The beneficiaries can select the option to suitable vaccination session site (both at government and private hospital,” said Sharma adding that the beneficiary will have to use their mobile number for registration.

“During registration, the beneficiary will receive OTP on their mobile number that will help in creating the account on CO-WIN. Beneficiaries will have to present all the necessary documents while registration. One can even get their family members also registered on the account,” Sharma said.

“Third, the beneficiaries can also make registration on CO-WIN application through government’s Arogya Setu Application,” he said.

India is going start its second phase of COVID-19 vaccination drive to inoculate people above 60 years and those over 45 with comorbidities against the coronavirus from March 1, the Central government has announced on Thursday.

“From March 1, people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities will be vaccinated at 10,000 governmnet and over 20,000 private vaccination centres. The vaccine will be given free of cost at government centres,” the Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said.

“Those who want to get vaccinated from private hospitals will have to pay. The amount they would need to pay will be decided by the health ministry within 3-4 days as they are in discussion with manufacturers and hospitals,” stated the minister.

India has two COVID-19 vaccine candidates– Covishield and COVAXIN which has received emergency use authorisation from the national drugs regulator.

The Central government launched the biggest vaccination drive on 16 January by first inoculating healthcare workers in the first phase and frontline line workers in the ongoing second phase respectively.

“More than 1.30 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses administered so far. No case of serious/severe AEFI/Death is attributable to vaccination till date,” as per the union health ministry. (ANI)

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leaders Yudhvir Singh and Rakesh Tikait will participate in the farmers’ protest rally in Shivamogga city on March 20, the convener of south Indian states farmer’s movement KT Gangadhar said on Thursday.

BKU general secretary Yudhvir Singh and BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait will address the protesting farmers in the southern state and they will also hold Kisan Mahapanchayat in the state.

“The central government passed the farm bills through an ordinance, which is undemocratic. We decided to boycott the laws including the Karnataka state land reforms amendment act. We decided to unit all organizations including pro-Kannada groups, Dalit organizations, we will meet at Shivamogga to show the strength of farmers,” Gangadhar told ANI.

“Farmer leaders including Yudhvir Singh and Rakesh Tikait will participate in the rally. Shivamogga has a history of socialist and farmers movements. Great leaders like Kagodu Thimmappa is with us. This will be a mega movement and we will give a new message to the government, it will gradually expand to southern states,” he added.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has reiterated that the central government is ready to talk to protesting farmers at any time.

This comes as farmer leader Rakesh Tikait had on Tuesday announced plans for marching to the Parliament with 40 lakh tractors in order to intensify pressure on the central government to withdraw the three farm laws.

Since November 26 last year, farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital, against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (ANI)

Global terror financing watchdog, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Thursday retained Pakistan on its “grey list” till June after concluding that Islamabad failed to address its strategically important deficiencies, to fully implement the 27 point action plan that the watchdog had drawn up for Pakistan.

The global watchdog had in October last year asked Pakistan, which has been on the FATF grey list over issues related to terror financing, to deliver on all 27 points by this February.
“To date, Pakistan has made progress across all action plan items and has now largely addressed 24 of the 27 action items. As all action plan deadlines have expired, the FATF strongly urges Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan before June 2021,” FATF said in a statement at the outcome of a plenary that began on Monday.

FATF said Pakistan should continue to work on implementing the three remaining items in its action plan to address its strategically important deficiencies, including “demonstrating effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions against all 1267 and 1373 designated terrorists, specifically those acting for or on their behalf.”

The decision came on the final day of the FATF plenary, where governments around the world and partner organisations, including the UN, IMF and World Bank, discussed key money laundering and terrorist financing issues.

Pakistan’s continuation on the “grey” list means that it will not get any respite in trying to access finances in the form of investments and aid from various international bodies including International Monetary Fund (IMF). The latest decision will now further exacerbate its problems given its perilous financial situation.

Earlier, Dawn had reported that some European countries, especially the host France, had recommended to FATF to continue to keep Pakistan on the “grey list” and had taken the position that not all points had been fully implemented by Islamabad.

Pakistan has been on the FATF’s grey list since June 2018 and the government was given a final warning in February 2020 to complete the 27 action points by June in the same year.

Pakistan is facing the difficult task of clearing its name from the FATF grey list. As things stand, Islamabad is finding it difficult to shield terror perpetrators and implement the FATF action plan at the same time.

A research paper by an Islamabad-based think tank recently revealed that Pakistan sustained a total of USD 38 billion in economic losses due to FATF’ decision to thrice place the country on its grey list since 2008.

The research paper titled “Bearing the cost of global politics — the impact of FATF grey-listing on Pakistan’s economy” states that that grey-listing events spanning from 2008 to 2019, may have resulted in total GDP losses worth USD 38 billion, The Express Tribune reported.

The report published by Tabadlab said the losses are worked out on the basis of a decrease in consumption expenditures, foreign direct investment and exports. (ANI)

A UK court on Thursday ordered fugitive diamond dealer Nirav Modi to be extradited to India to stand trial after dismissing arguments of his “mental health concerns,” saying they are not unusual in a man in his circumstances.

A District Judge at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court, delivered the judgment and said that the fugitive diamantaire has a case to answer for in India.
The UK extradition judge will send an order to extradite Nirav Modi to UK Home Secretary who will now decide the billionaire’s fate. Modi is expected to appeal the decision in the High Court.

This ruling comes after a nearly two-year-long legal battle of Nirav Modi’s extradition, who is wanted for money laundering in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam.

The judge further ruled that Nirav Modi will not be denied justice if he is extradited to India, adding that the diamond dealer conspired to destroy evidence and intimidate witnesses.

Furthermore, the UK judge also dismissed Modi’s defence claims that the justice Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad tried to influence the case against the billionaire.

The UK judge also ruled that Barrack 12 at Arthur Road jail is fit for Nirav Modi.

Apart from charges relating to defrauding PNB through the use of fraudulent loan agreements to the tune of USD 2 billion, Modi also faces charges of money laundering, destruction of evidence and witness intimidation. (ANI)

After discussions between the Director Generals of Military Operations of India and Pakistan, the two sides have to cease firing along the Line of Control and all other sectors with effect from midnight of February 24 to 25.

The discussion between the two armies took place at a time when a large number of ceasefire violations were taking place along the LoC and violence levels were going up especially for the villagers living along the LoC on both sides.
“Both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the Line of Control and all other sectors with effect from midnight of February 24 to 25,” a joint statement issued by the Defence Ministry said.

In the talks, the two armies reviewed the situation along the Line of Control and all other sectors “in a free, frank and cordial atmosphere”.

Both sides held discussions over the established mechanism of hotline contact.

According to the statement, the two DGsMO agreed to address each other’s core issues and concerns which have the propensity to disturb the peace and lead to violence in the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace along the borders.

During the discussions, both sides reiterated that existing mechanisms of hotline contact and border flag meetings will be utilised to resolve any unforeseen situation or misunderstanding.

The Indian Army has also made it clear that there will be no let-up in its counter-terrorist or counter-infiltration operations against terrorists backed by the Pakistan Army along the LoC and the hinterland in Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)

The new guidelines issued by the government of India on Thursday mandated a grievance redressal system for over the top (OTT) and digital portals in the country.

Briefing the media about the development, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that though the government welcomes criticism and the right to dissent, “but it is very important for the users of social media to have a forum to raise their grievance against the misuse of social media.”

He said that concerns have been raised over the years about rampant abuse of social media, and the Ministry has held widespread consultations and prepared a draft in December 2018.

“There’ll be two categories, intermediary which can be social media intermediary and significant social media intermediary. They will have to have a grievance redressal mechanism, you will also have to name a grievance officer who shall register the grievance within 24 hours and disposal in 15 days,” he said.

“If there are complaints against the dignity of users, particularly women – about exposed private parts of individuals or nudity or sexual act or impersonation etc – they will be required to remove that within 24 hrs after a complaint is made. This is designed to respect the dignity of women,” he added.

Prasad said that significant social media has to do three things, “First, they will have to have a chief compliance officer residing in India responsible for ensuring compliance of the act and the rules. Second is a nodal contact person who should reside in India for 24X7 coordination with law enforcement agencies. Also, they have to appoint a resident grievance officer who shall perform the grievance redressal mechanism as indicated. They also will have to publish a monthly report about the number of complaints received and the status of redressal,” he stated.

Talking about OTT platforms, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the government has decided to have a three-stair mechanism for OTT platforms.

“OTT and digital news media will have to disclose their details. We are not mandating registration, we are seeking information. There should be a grievance redressal system in OTT platforms and digital portals. OTT platforms will have to have a self-regulating body, headed by retired Supreme Court or High Court judge or very eminent person in this category,” he said.

Content on OTT platforms has recently fuelled controversy, leading to public outcry and the booking of makers of some programmes.

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar on January 31 announced that the Ministry will soon release guidelines on OTT platforms as it had been receiving a lot of complaints against some serials available here. (ANI)