Other states

New Delhi: Amid a spike in coronavirus infections in five states, the Delhi government is likely to make it mandatory for travellers coming from high-risk states, including Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab, to show negative Covid-19 test report on arrival in the national capital. Sources said that the Delhi government is likely to issue an order in this regard amid a surge in the cases of coronavirus disease in some areas. Travellers from Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab are among the five high-risk states who will be required to show a negative COVID-19 test report before entering the national capital. They said an official order will be issued later in the day and it will be effective till March 15. People travelling in flights, trains and buses from these states will have to produce negative test report before entering Delhi, they said. The requirement of the negative COVID-19 test report is likely to be implemented from Friday night, officials said. The issue had ... » Learn More about Negative COVID-19 test report to be mandatory for those coming from five high-risk states to Delhi

Ludhiana: Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state, the Punjab government has decided to put a cap on indoor gatherings to 100 and outdoor to 200 from March 1. A tweet from Punjab Chief Minister's Office said, "Amid growing concern over rising #COVID trend, CM @capt_amarinder Singh ordered restriction on indoor gathering to 100 & outdoor to 200 from March 1, along with strict enforcement of mask, social distancing etc, with testing to be ramped to 30000 a day.'' Amid growing concern over rising #COVID trend, CM @capt_amarinder Singh ordered restriction on indoor gathering to 100 & outdoor to 200 from March 1, along with strict enforcement of mask, social distancing etc, with testing to be ramped to 30000 a day. https://t.co/03N9zss1CY — CMO Punjab (@CMOPb) February 23, 2021 The Chief Minister said a decision on reducing occupancy in cinema halls will be taken after March 1. Private offices and restaurants shall be encouraged to display the ... » Learn More about Amid spike in COVID-19 cases, this state to restrict indoor gatherings to 100, outdoor to 200 from March 1

COVID-19 vaccination for those above 60 years of age and those above 45 years of age with co-morbidities is likely to be delayed in the State as Kerala has to complete the mammoth task of vaccinating 3.30 lakh poll officials who will be manning the poll process, which is in all likelihood less than two months away. On Wednesday, the Union Health Ministry had announced that COVID-19 vaccination for those above 60 years and those above 45 years with co-morbidities can be started on March 1 and that apart from 10,000 government vaccination sites, 20,000 vaccination sites would be readied in the private health sector. “We heard the Centre’s directive but are yet to take any decisions on how the vaccination process can be scheduled in the State. We have just initiated the task of vaccinating 3.3 lakh poll officials, all of whom have to be given two vaccine shots at 28 days interval and this process has to be completed 14 days before the election day so that the vaccine-derived immunity ... » Learn More about Vaccination drive for those above 60 likely to be delayed in State

New Delhi: 7th Pay Commission latest update -- Bringing respite to contract workers working under the Samagra Shiksha - an overarching programme for the school education and members of the Welfare Society the Jharkhand state government has created a welfare fund for them. The fund will be useful for paying insurance benefits to teachers, KGV, BRP-CRP personnel of Rs 5 lakh. Employees will be covered for group insurance accidental insurance scheme. There will be an annual premium amount of up to Rs 80,000 per person. Employee will get death benefits for sum assured of Rs 5 lakh. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren said that arrangements have been made to provide loan assistance to the members of the welfare fund for amount ranging between Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh for the marriage of the daughter of the members. Members can also avail loan for higher education of their children. The state government has created fund pool of Rs 10 crore, while the loan will be given from the interest ... » Learn More about 7th Pay Commission latest update: Insurance of Rs 5 lakh, illness loan of upto Rs 1 lakh for This state employees

█ RISING FUEL PRICES During interaction with students at IIMA, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Centre and states should talk on reducing the taxes on petrol and diesel to ease the burden on consumers With the fuel prices increasing, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the Centre and the States need to talk about reducing the taxes on petrol and diesel to ease the burden on consumers. She was in Ahmedabad on Thursday to deliver the IIM-Ahmedabad & JSW School of Public Policy lecture on ‘The Economic Rebound and the Indian Economy in 2021 and beyond’. Sitharaman later interacted with the students. Asked if the Centre is mulling to reduce cess or other taxes on fuel to give some respite to consumers, she said the question has put her in “dharam-sankat” (dilemma). For that, both the Centre and states should talk with each other (for reducing central as well as state taxes on fuel),” she said during an interaction with ... » Learn More about Centre, states should talk: Fin Min

Imposing more and more tax in the form of cess as oil price eased, Centre gradually began earning more fuel revenue than all states put together. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/ Rediff.com Consumers are paying an exorbitant 180 per cent tax on petrol, and 140 per cent on diesel in Delhi and in most other towns in India. Little wonder then that the central government expects a staggering Rs 3.46 trillion by levying excise duties on retail sale of the two fuels this year, and Rs 3.2 trillion the next. States would generally have had reason to cheer, as they command a 41 per cent share in Centre’s tax revenues. But as the Centre has raised excise duties in the form of “cess,” the revenue proceeds are by nature not shareable with states. Rather, the Centre has been raising cess, and cutting basic excise duties on petrol and diesel for a long time now. For most of 2016-17, some 56 per cent of excise duty on petrol was levied as cess, revenue from which the Centre kept for ... » Learn More about High fuel prices: Is Modi govt actually ‘cheating’ the states?

Washington: Recognising that peaceful protests are a hallmark of a thriving democracy, the United States on Wednesday said it welcomes steps that would improve the efficiency of India's markets and attract greater private sector investment. "In general, the United States welcomes steps that would improve the efficiency of India's markets and attract greater private sector investment," a State Department spokesperson said, indicating that the new Biden Administration is supportive of the Indian government's move to reform the agricultural sector that attracts private investment and greater market access to farmers. Responding to a question on ongoing farmers' protests in India, the State Department said the US encourages that any differences between the parties be resolved through dialogue. "We recognise that peaceful protests are a hallmark of any thriving democracy and note that the Indian Supreme Court has stated the same," the State Department spokesperson said. ... » Learn More about ‘Peaceful protests hallmark of democracy’: US on farmers’ agitation

President Joe Biden has revoked a policy issued by his predecessor during the pandemic that blocked many Green Card applicants from entering the US, a move that will benefit many Indians working in America on the H-1B visa. A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card , is a document issued to immigrants to the US as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently. Indian IT professionals, most of whom are highly skilled and come to the US mainly on the H-1B work visas, are the worst sufferers of the current immigration system which imposes a seven per cent per country quota on allotment of the coveted Green Card or permanent legal residency. Reopening the country to people seeking green cards, or legal permanent residence, Biden in his proclamation on Wednesday said that the policy of former President Donald Trump does not advance the interests of the United States . "To the contrary, it harms the United ... » Learn More about Biden revokes Trump-era ban on Green Card

Zydus Cadila on Thursday said it has received final approval from the US health regulator to market antidepressant Nortriptyline Hydrochloride capsules . Zydus Cadila has received final approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to market Nortriptyline Hydrochloride capsules USP, in strengths of 10 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg and 75 mg, Cadila Healthcare said in a regulatory filing. Zydus Cadila is part of Cadila Healthcare group. Nortriptyline Hydrochloride capsules are used to treat mental/mood problems such as depression. It may help improve mood and feelings of well-being, relieve anxiety and tension, and increase one's energy level. The newly approved medication will be manufactured at the group's formulation manufacturing facility at SEZ, Ahmedabad. The group now has 313 approvals and has filed over 400 abbreviated new drug applications since the commencement of the filing process in 2003-04. Shares of Cadila Healthcare were trading 1.76 per ... » Learn More about Zydus Cadila gets USFDA nod for antidepressant drug

Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) Janak Kumar Garg and his team from Railway Safety Commission have concluded a 3-day inspection of new upgrades at various metro rail stations across three corridors in the city recently. CMRS inspected the effectiveness of the new upgrades to signalling and train control system across three metro rail corridors (Corridor-I: Miyapur to LB Nagar; Corridor-II: JBS to MGBS; Corridor-III: Nagole to Raidurg). This integrated system will add operational efficiency to the entire metro corridor network leading to seamless operation of metro services, according to LTMRHL. The inspection also included various civil works at the entry and exits and newly commissioned elevators and escalators at a few metro stations. CMRS has expressed satisfaction with the overall performance of the systems and related works and sanctioned his approval with a certificate of compliance, the company said. KVB Reddy, MD & CEO, LTMRHL, said, “We are thankful to ... » Learn More about Hyderabad Metro Rail: Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety approves tech upgrades to signaling and train control system