Month: July 2022

India recorded 20,408 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Saturday.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country now stands at 4,40,00,138 including 1,43,384 active cases. Active cases account for 0.33 per cent of the total cases.

The government data informed that 44 fresh fatalities from Coronavirus pushed India’s COVID-19 death toll to 5,26,312.

The recovery rate currently is at 98.48 per cent with 20,958 fresh recoveries being recorded in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 4,33,30,442.

Of the 4,04,399 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, a daily positivity rate of 5.05 per cent was observed and the weekly rate is at 4.92 per cent.

On the COVID-19 vaccination front, more than 203.94 crores of COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. Here, as many as 33,87,173 doses have been administered in the last 24 hours.

In June this year, the Union Health Ministry advocated for increased vaccination coverage for children and the elderly population, following a rise in cases from several parts of the country.

States were directed to accelerate vaccination coverage, especially of the 60-plus years elderly population, and that of the second dose in the 12-17 years population groups.

“States are to also ensure that vaccines that expire first are administered first, preventing any wastage of resources,” the Ministry said.

In addition, the Ministry had also advised States to follow the ‘Operational Guidelines for Revised Surveillance Strategy in context of COVID-19’ issued by the Centre on June 9. The revised surveillance guidelines call for sewage and wastewater surveillance, which may provide early warnings on a potential local surge of COVID-19, the Ministry said in its communication to the States. (ANI)

Delhi Police have denied permission to the Popular Front of India (PFI) to hold a rally which was scheduled to be held on Saturday in the national capital.

Notably, the PFI was scheduled to hold a rally– “Save the Republic” at Ambedkar Bhawan in the Jhandewalan area of New Delhi.

This comes following the letter written by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) to the Delhi Police requesting them to stop the rally organized by PFI in the national capital.

In the letter which was written to the Delhi Police on July 29, VHP leader Surendra Kumar Gupta claimed that the PFI has been running suspicious activities across the country and they should not be allowed to hold any rally in Delhi.

In his letter to the Delhi police, Surendra Gupta said in Hindi, “On July 30, 2022, at around 2:30 PM, PFI is organising a programme at Ambedkar Bhavan. This organization is running suspicious activities across the whole country. The investigation of its involvement behind many violent incidents in the country is going on in many states. On the occasion of Independence Day, such activities can spoil the atmosphere in the capital”

Another VHP leader Vinod Bansal retweeted the letter on his Twitter handle and wrote, “VHP will never allow the anti-national activities of #PFI. We have sent letter to @DelhiPolice @CPDelhi to stop it immediately.”

Earlier on July 7, the BJP’s Telangana unit called for the ban of the Popular Front of India following the arrest of four of its leaders in Nizamabad and urged the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to ban the “radical organization”, citing recent arrests and subsequent confessions by the suspects, that PFI has been actively radicalizing Muslim youth for years.

“The PFI agenda confessed by the arrested suspects to the police is extremely unsettling and dangerous to the religious harmony and social integrity of this nation. These radicals admitting that they have been training hundreds of youth against Hindu community, is a serious plot to destabilise the society,” BJP’s chief spokesperson K Krishnasagar Rao has said. (ANI)

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is been rated to have a 90 per cent shot over former chancellor Rishi Sunak to succeed Boris Johnson in the race for becoming the next Prime Minister, according to the latest estimate by betting exchange firm Smarkets.

According to the Smarkets, Sunak’s chance of becoming the next PM has shrunk to 10 per cent and Truss rated 89.29 per cent, while other candidates even don’t have a 1 per cent chance.

The final two candidates, fighting for the UK Prime Minister post, have gone head-to-head in a debate in their first official grilling in the presence of conservative party members in Leeds on Thursday.

Truss in her last debate said that she would prefer not to impose further windfall taxes on oil and gas companies, which turned out to be the reason that her percentage of chances has turned out like this.

Both contenders have to undergo bouts of 12 nationwide events as the first bout took place in Leeds, Northern England as the members elect a new leader. The result will be announced on Sept 5.

Former Chancellor Sunak faced a tough evening during the hustings for his lifestyle and dishonesty towards PM Boris Johnson whereas Truss had a fairly good time as she was backed by maximum support for the Prime Ministerial candidature.

Truss is leading in surveys of Tory members after vowing immediate tax cuts as Britain confronts a slump in living standards.

Speaking to party members, she also pledged to get the Northern Powerhouse rail built, saying Leeds is the “largest city in Europe without its own metro system”.

On the other hand, Rishi Sunak, when asked about tax hikes and Truss leading the race after she announced immediate tax cuts, he said, “In the face of challenges, understand to get a grip of inflation and borrowing first,” adding that the government has already tried having low corporation tax to get businesses to invest and it hasn’t worked.

Earlier, the YouGov survey also revealed that Truss extends its lead over Rishi Sunak as she gained 24-points.

Now, the two had finally announced and their summer campaign began, a new YouGov poll of Tory members suggests that Truss retains her strong advantage.

According to the survey, 31 per cent of the members intends to vote for Rishi Sunak, while 49 per cent intend to vote for Liz Truss. A further 15 per cent currently don’t know how they will vote, and 6 per cent currently tell us they will abstain.

This puts the headline voting intention at 62 per cent for Truss and 38 per cent for Sunak (i.e. after people who are currently unsure or won’t vote are excluded) – a 24-point lead for the foreign secretary.

The Tory leadership race was triggered after Johnson was forced to step down on July 7 amid an avalanche of resignations of government officials, who protested against his scandal-plagued leadership. Johnson will continue to serve as caretaker prime minister until a new Tory leader succeeds him. (ANI)

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday tendered an apology to President Droupadi Murmu over his controversial “Rashtrapatni” remark.

This came a day after he said that ‘there is no question of apologising as he had mistakenly referred to President Droupadi Murmu as Rashtrapatni”.

“I am writing to express my regret for having mistakenly used an incorrect word to describe the position you hold. I assure you that it was a slip of tongue. I apologise and request you to accept the same,” reads a letter written by Chowdhury.

Speaking to ANI on Friday, Chowdhury said, ” I am waiting for BJP to term me terrorist and arrest me under UAPA. They want to become champions of tribals but hide how murders are happening. Laws brought under Sonia Gandhi are being changed. They are working against tribals.”

“I can’t even think of insulting the President. It was just a mistake. If the President felt bad, I will personally meet her and apologise. They can hang me if they want. I am ready to get punished but why is she (Sonia Gandhi) being dragged in this?” Chowdhury told ANI on Thursday questioning why the Congress Interim President is being dragged into the controversy.

“India’s President, whoever it is, a Brahmin or tribal a Rashtrapati is a Rashtrapati. It is a post of great honour and prestige. Yesterday, when reporters asked me during a protest at Vijay Chock where we are headed, I said – We are going to the Rashtrapati’s house, to meet with the Rashtrapati. Suddenly, once, Rashtrapatni slipped out of my mouth. That is because in the past few days, there has been so much discussion over Rashtrapati and Rashtrapatni. Suddenly, just one time, only once, it came out by default,” he had said in a video in his defence on Twitter and accusing the BJP of making too much out of a slip.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary said that he had used the term “Rashtrapatni” for President Murmu by mistake and that the ruling party was deliberately trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.

BJP MPs demanded an apology from Congress on Lok Sabha MP Adhir Chowdhury’s ‘Rashtrapatni’ remark against President Droupadi Murmu.

In Lok Sabha, Union Minister Smriti Irani said the Congress should apologise in Parliament, and on the streets of India, to every citizen of India.

“Sonia Gandhi, you sanctioned the humiliation of Droupadi Murmu. Sonia ji sanctioned the humiliation of a woman in the highest constitutional post. Sonia ji sanctioned the humiliation of a poor woman who ascends to the highest Office in this country. You sanctioned the insult of every Indian citizen. You through your male Congress workers and leaders continue to demean the Office of the President of India. Apologies to the nation. Sonia Gandhi apologies to the tribal, poor and woman of the country,” said Union Minister Smriti Irani in Lok Sabha.

BJP women MPs on Thursday filed a complaint with the Lok Sabha Speaker against Sonia Gandhi who allegedly shouted at Smrti Irani after the Union minister reportedly intervened as the Congress interim president was speaking to BJP MP Rama Devi.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman told ANI, “Some of our Lok Sabha MPs felt threatened when Sonia Gandhi came up to our senior leader Rama Devi to find out what was happening during which, one of our members approached there and she (Sonia Gandhi) said you don’t talk to me, putting the member down in the House”.

“So instead of remorse, from the highest leader of the Congress party, we find greater and greater aggression,” Sitharaman said.

The union minister said that “In every way, Congress party has been attempting to undermine a tribal. self-made, successful leader. We, from the BJP demand, the Congress party apologise to the nation”.

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi said that the Behrampore MP had already apologised.

To this Sitharaman said: “She is misleading the country. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has been claiming that there is no need to apologise.”

Following the whole controversy, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said that Sonia Gandhi was subjected to “shameful behaviour” by the BJP MPs.

Commenting on the row over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s “Rahtrapatni” remark, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said the act was not a slip of tongue. “It was not a slip of tongue. If you watch the clip, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury clearly (referred to President Murmu as) ‘Rashtrapati’ twice, then he called her ‘Rashtrapatni,” said Rijiju while speaking to ANI.

National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma on Thursday called the ‘rashtrapatni’ remark by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on President Droupadi Murmu “sexist” and stated that it shows his “mindset towards women”.

Sharma said that the Congress leader “must apologise in writing” and asked the party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi to take action against him.

“He must apologize, in writing. His party president should take action against him. We have also written to Sonia Gandhi Ji regarding the same. NCW has summoned AR Chowdhury; he must come and apologize,” Sharma said.

Observing that the remarks made are extremely derogatory, sexist and condemnable, the Commission has taken cognizance of the matter, the press note from NCW stated.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha MPs of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) met in Parliament House today. (ANI)

Assam police on Friday said that Al-Qaeda is trying to establish its footprints, base in Assam and formed several modules in the state.

The Assam police have recently busted two modules of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) in Morigaon and Barpeta districts and arrested 11 persons including one who was running a Madrasa.

Hiren Nath, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) (Special Branch) of Assam police on Friday said, “Al-Qaeda has tried to establish their footprint and base in Assam, but we got the inputs and busted it. We tracked all the modules. They have some nefarious designs and are doing their activities very secretly and taking different names. They are doing a lot of indoctrination and influencing the people.”

“We have found that Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) have translated some Jihadi literature, some issues in Bengali and Assamese language which are not related to Assam and distributed these. We have also found some information regarding some attempts to establish their footprints, especially in the bordering areas of Assam-Arunachal Pradesh. We are examining all the points,” Hiren Nath said.

He also said during the last three days, Assam Police have busted two modules that had connections with Jihadi elements and ABT.

“One module we have found in Morigaon district and one Mustafa alias Mufti who was running a Madrasa was arrested last night. We picked up another person identified as Afsaruddin Bhuyan who is also very closely connected with Mustafa and he was running a computer shop. The information against them is that they had collected enough funds in frequent intervals from 2020 onwards from a couple of persons – one of them is Amiruddin Ansari alias Hujur who was arrested by another investigating agency from Howrah, West Bengal and another person Mamunul Rashid who was arrested by Barpeta police couple of months before,” stated the ADGP.

“We have received information that a couple of people stayed with Mustafa and at least two of them are Bangladeshi nationals and maybe they are absconding who are wanted by investigating agencies,” Hiren Nath said.

The top Assam cop further said that – “The Barpeta module, specially we called it Jania module because all arrested persons from Jania area in Barpeta district. 11 persons were picked up and they were thoroughly interrogated and after interrogation we have arrested eight persons. We have also found lots of connection with the Jihadi elements, Jihadi literature have been recovered from them and their social media platforms are full of Jihadi links and materials. We are investigating thoroughly.”

Hiren Nath also said that, Mustafa Mufti had gone to Kolkata for couple of times and met Amiruddin Ansari alias Hujur and was stayed at his house in Howrah area and he received money from Amiruddin of small installments like as Rs 49,000, Rs 47,000.

“We are finding all this things of modus operandi. Bank transactions were happened. We will interrogate Amiruddin also to find out that from where the money was coming,” Hiran Nath said.

Talking about Akhtar Hussain Lashkar who was arrested by the Central Crime Branch of Bengaluru recently, the ADGP (Special Branch) said that, as of now no connection has been established between the 11 arrested persons by the Assam Police and Akhtar Hussain Lashkar hailing from Katigorah in Assam’s Cachar district, who was arrested by the Central Crime Branch of Bengaluru recently.

“We have connected with Bengaluru police and received information that, Akhtar Hussain Lashkar was involved with other module, not in Barpeta and Morigaon module,” added the official. (ANI)

Congress MP and senior leader Digvijaya Singh entered into a scuffle with police personnel and held one of them by their collar in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh earlier on Friday.

Condemning the former chief minister’s action, MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that such behaviour does not suit a former CM of the state.

“Such indecent behaviour doesn’t suit an ex-CM. He holds a policeman by his collar, shouts and attempts to breach the Collectorate Gate. It is disrespectful,” CM Chouhan said adding that wins and losses happen in democracy.

“Wins and losses continue in a democracy. But who gave the right to hold a cop by his collar? I condemn this,” he said.

According to CM Chouhan, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 20,613 Gram Panchayats, unopposed in 614 of these in MP local body polls.

“BJP has never achieved such a great victory, the party lives in every home now. Of 22,924 total gram panchayats, 20,613 were won by BJP -unopposed on 614. Congress is backed to a corner,” MP CM said after the results of the local body polls.

Earlier in the day, a scuffle broke out between Digvijaya Singh and BJP MLA Vishvas Sarang outside the District Panchayat office in Bhopal after the Congress alleged that “nine votes were cast with fake medical certificates”.

Congress further added that police and administration were working under the pressure of government during the local body polls.

Workers of BJP and Congress created a ruckus by gathering outside the Zilla Panchayat office in Bhopal on a large scale.

Digvijaya Singh had alleged that BJP was bringing government cars full of people to cast votes.

“Anyone who is uneducated or not fit to cast their vote can get another family member to do it. But here nine votes were cast with fake medical certificates. They are bringing government cars full of people who cast votes. It’s a violation of election rules,” Digvijaya Singh said.

BJP Minister Bhupendra Singh also reached the District Panchayat office in the day, where Congressmen protested fiercely and did not let his vehicle enter the premises of the panchayat building.

Former CM Digvijay Singh and MLA Kari Masood did not allow Bhupendra Singh’s car to go inside the panchayat building. Former CM and MLA Masood stood in front of the car.

“This is my personal car. I am a minister and have the security that is given to a minister,” Bhupendra Singh had said. (ANI)

Pakistan is already staring down an economic nightmare and amid this more troubling news keeps coming as IGI Securities Ltd, one of the leading securities firms in Pakistan, said that the Pakistani rupee may slump further to 275 per dollar, media reports said.

The rupee was trading at Rs 238 against the US dollar in the interbank market during the intraday trade.

The Pakistani Rupee is down 23 per cent this year. The extra yield investors demand to hold Pakistan’s sovereign debt over US Treasuries exceeded 1,700 basis points, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co data, an American multinational investment bank.

The current account deficit (CAD) swelled to USD 17.4 billion in FY22.

Moreover, Pakistan’s two leading car assemblers, Toyota and Suzuki, plan partial plant shutdowns next month due to the unavailability of raw materials amid import restrictions and exchange rate volatility, officials at both companies said.

Pakistan rupee depreciated at a record low against the US dollar on Thursday as it dropped to PKR 240.5 against the dollar in the interbank market.

The Pakistani currency lost 4.48, or 1.89 per cent, compared to yesterday’s close of 236.02 by 12:03 pm, the Dawn newspaper reported quoting the Forex Association of Pakistan (FAP).

Zafar Paracha, the General Secretary of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan, blamed the political situation and the government’s lack of action for the continuous rupee depreciation.

“The country’s political situation is bad but the government and political parties appear to be unconcerned. They are only concerned with saving their government,” Paracha said.

The financial markets remained jittery amid an ongoing political crisis.

Since the start of 2022, the rupee has lost over 30 per cent of its value, according to the Foreign Exchange Association of Pakistan.

On Wednesday, Pakistan Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail expressed hope that the pressure on the rupee would ease in a couple of weeks.

“From the next month onwards, incoming dollars in Pakistan by way of exports and remittance will be more than the outgoing dollars by the way of imports and debt servicing. Therefore, pressure on the rupee would subside and the currency would appreciate,” said Ismail.

He said that multiple factors including the US dollar reaching historic highs internationally, interest rate hikes, worldwide inflation and supply chain disruption have led to the rupee’s depreciation.

Earlier this month, the IMF reached a staff-level agreement with Pakistan authorities for the conclusion of the combined seventh and eighth reviews of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

Despite the agreement, the ongoing political and economic turmoil in the country has raised concerns among investors, Pakistan’s Business Recorder reported.

This downfall of Pakistani rupees comes as Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings said they expect Pakistan to secure the USD 1.2 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Once the deal amount will be secured, it is expected that pressure on the country’s currency and forex reserves will ease.

“We assume IMF board approval of Pakistan’s new staff-level agreement with the lender,” Krisjanis Krustins, a Hong Kong-based director at Fitch, was quoted as saying by Bloomberg on Wednesday. “This will unlock significant additional financing from the IMF and other multilateral and bilateral sources and may well provide a significant confidence boost to the markets.” (ANI)

The Delhi High Court on Friday while setting aside an order of the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) granted permission to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for the transplantation of over 600 trees for the construction of stormwater drain at Dwarka’s sector-8 to cater to water discharge from the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

DCF had put in abeyance the permission granted earlier.

Justice Najmi Waziri allowed the plea moved by DDA seeking permission for transplantation of 637 trees and felling of 56 others. The High Court asked the DCF to supervise the felling or transplantation of trees by DDA for its project.

DDA had challenged the June 29 letter of DCF whereby the permission for felling/ transplantation of trees had been kept in abeyance. The agency had sought direction to DCF to withdraw the letter or set aside it.

It had sought to direct the DCF to issue formal final permission for the transplantation of 693 trees for the project of Construction of a Storm Water Drain at Sector -8 Dwarka to cater to water discharge from the IGI Airport, within one week, in view of the ongoing monsoons.

Sanding counsel Prabhsahay Kaur for DDA said that it is a public project and it required permission from the Deputy Conservator of Forests (West Forest Division) of the Delhi government.

It was submitted by Standing counsel that earlier the permission was granted but it has now been arbitrarily put in abeyance through a June 29 letter of DCF. It has stalled the progress of the project indefinitely.

As per the correspondence, the permission will only be granted after further orders of the high court in a contempt case in which permission for felling of trees has been restricted on April 28, DDA said. A crucial and significant public project has been arbitrarily stalled.

It was submitted in the petition that an application was made to the DCF on November 2, 2020, seeking permission for the felling of trees/ translocation. The permission was granted on May 17, 2022, for transplanting 637 trees and felling 56 trees. Compensatory plantation of 6,930 trees was ordered to be carried out by DDA.

Petitioner made all arrangements for the transplantation and arranged for 6,930 saplings of the specific varieties of trees and also deposited Rs 3.95 crore, as directed by the DCF, the Petitioner stated.

Justice Waziri On April 28 passed an order saying, “it would be appropriate that the tree officer(s) give due consideration to transplantation of each tree which is sought to be cut, before granting any further permission for cutting of trees. This would entail inspection of the trees which are sought. The reason for grant or denial of permission would have to be spelt out in the order of the tree officer along with photographs of each tree.”

The High Court on May 19 had stayed any further felling of trees in Delhi.

It was argued by DDA that the high court’s April 28 has been misinterpreted by the DCF and the court has not directed a blanket ban on transplantation or felling, particularly not for public projects.

The High Court had made a reference to indiscriminate and arbitrary exercise of power by the respondent in granting permission without inspections or application of mind, the plea said. (ANI)

Pakistan’s army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has sought help from the US to secure an early loan dispersal from the International Monetary Fund at a time when the country is battling with dwindling foreign reserves, media reports said.

Nikkei Asia while quoting sources, who requested anonymity, said that Pakistan’s most powerful man Bajwa made an appeal for the White House and Treasury Department to push the IMF to immediately supply nearly USD 1.2 billion that Pakistan is due to receive under a resumed loan program.

Furthermore, sources from US and Pakistan confirmed the media portal that Bajwa held a telephonic conversation with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in a highly unusual move earlier this week.

Bajwa’s appeal to the US comes as he is putting out efforts to pull out Pakistan out of its economic mess. As dwindling foreign reserves spark a scramble in Islamabad Bajwa is reaching out to US to avoid a default.

In an ideal situation the appeals should have come from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif but here the case in point was different. Shehbaz Sharif does not have much credibility or political capital beyond Islamabad.

PM Shehbaz also faces persistent pressure from former Prime Minister and arch rival Imran Khan. As per Pakistani observers power lies with Bajwa, 61, an infantry officer who was supposed to retire three years ago but who managed to stay on through years of backroom politicking.

On Thursday, S&P Global downgraded Pakistan’s outlook to negative from stable. The U.S. is the largest shareholder in the IMF, founded in 1945. While Washington has voted for funding Pakistan in the past, the Trump administration openly expressed its reservations about the country using IMF loans to pay back China, as per the media portal.

General Bajwa’s appeal comes in the wake of separate meetings between senior civilian Pakistani and American officials in July, none of which managed to negotiate an early disbursement of funds.

“Several senior Pakistani officials have met with U.S. and other key stakeholder nations in the IMF and World Bank in the past week to register concerns about the timing of IMF Executive Board decisions, pressing to expedite review of Pakistan’s progress on prior actions,” said an official familiar with the proceedings.

According to sources, the lack of progress in those meetings spurred Gen. Bajwa, commander of the 650,000-strong military, to get Washington’s attention when other emissaries could not deliver.

“This reflects the Pakistan army’s concerns about the state of the economy,” said Hussain Haqqani, Pakistan’s former ambassador to Washington and currently the director for South and Central Asia at the Hudson Institute in Washington. “It also reflects that the Pakistan army chief is the authority with whom the global players feel the final word rests.” (ANI)

The Japanese government came forward to help Sri Lanka and handed over the first consignment of a total donation of USD 1.5 million of essential medicines through UNICEF to meet the urgent needs of the population.

The vital assistance will be used to provide much-needed healthcare for children, pregnant mothers, and their families, especially in some of the most vulnerable regions, Daily Mirror reported.

The Japanese Ambassador Mizukoshi Hideaki along with the UNICEF Sri Lanka Representative Emma Brigham handed over the medical supplies to Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella.

Hideaki said, “It is our great honour that the Government of Japan has provided the first batch of essential medicines in a timely manner at this critical moment through the support of UNICEF to meet the urgent requirement for life-saving medicines in Sri Lanka. We hope that this assistance will reach millions of vulnerable individuals to help overcome the challenges faced at this economic crisis.”

The medicines will be distributed by the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) of the Ministry of Health and the most vulnerable and high-risk areas will be targeted on the basis of the depleting stocks of medicines in each district, local media reported.

UNICEF Sri Lanka Representative Emma Brigham said, “We thank the Government and the people of Japan for responding to UNICEF’s appeal for Sri Lanka by providing crucial life-saving support for children and families during this very challenging time in the country.”

“The current crisis is stretching vital social services including health care to its limits and assistance such as this, can help bring some relief,” she added.

Over 5.7 people including 2.3 million children are being impacted by the combined burden of poverty, the pandemic, and the economic crisis, local media reported.

The economic crisis in Sri Lanka has affected largely on the essential services, especially the health sector. The Ministry of Health has identified a list of essential drugs that will be out of stock in the next two months, including for children and pregnant women, according to Colombo Page.

“It’s a race against time given the acute need for these life-saving medicines by the most vulnerable, especially children and pregnant women. The swift contribution by the Government of Japan is commendable. UNICEF will use its vast expertise to rapidly procure and deliver the medicines to where they are needed most,” Christian Skoog, Representative of UNICEF Sri Lanka said.

Contributions from the Government of Japan are crucial to meet the growing needs of children, including in nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), education, and protection services, not only in the immediate but also in the long term, as reported by Colombo Page.

Presently, Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices, and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens. (ANI)