If UP is defecation-free in 10 years, I will accept Sai Baba is alive: Ramesh

September 18, 2012

ramesh

New Delhi, September 18: “If Uttar Pradesh becomes open defecation-free in 10 years, I can accept that Sai Baba is alive,” Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday said expressing doubts about the state achieving the complete Nirmal status in next 10 years.

Mr. Ramesh, who is also the Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, also said the issue of sanitation should become a “political agenda” in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to execute the Government’s declared policy that India will be made open defecation free by 2022.

“In Haryana, out of 6,700 Gram Panchayats, 1,700 have become Nirmal Gram Panchayat. The way the programme is being run in Haryana is encouraging. The Chief Minister has assured me that by 2014, all the Gram Panchayats will be Nirmal Gram Panchayat. In Himachal Pradesh, I expect that by March 2013, all the Gram Panchayats will be Nirmal Gram Panchayat.

Vigorously pushing the agenda of sanitation, he said “an army of volunteers” comprising the three crore members of women self-help groups, over 8 lakh ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) volunteers and 13 lakh anganwadi workers to spread the awareness of hygene through the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan campaign in rural areas of the country.

The Minister said he was trying to “de-bureaucratise” the sanitation movement and make it a national movement.

“There is too much bureaucratic movement right now. How to make it a people’s movement? How to make it a national obsession? That is what my concern is,” Mr. Ramesh said.

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News Network
June 4,2020

New Delhi, Jun 4: India on Thursday witnessed a record single-day spike of 9,304 coronavirus cases taking the country's tally to 2,16,919, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The ministry informed that 260 more deaths due to coronavirus were reported in the last 24 hours.

The total number of cases in the country now stands at 2,16,919 including 1,06,737 active cases, 1,04,107 cured/discharged/migrated and 6,075 deaths.

Maharashtra has so far reported 74,860 cases, more than any other state in the country.

In Tamil Nadu, 25,872 cases have been detected so far while Delhi has reported 23,645 coronavirus cases.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 1,39,485 samples were tested in the last 24 hours whereas 42,42,718 samples have been tested till date.

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News Network
June 10,2020

New Delhi, Jun 10: India on Wednesday reported a spike of 9,985 more COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country's COVID-19 count to 2,76,583, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

279 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours taking the total death toll to 7,745.

The total number of active cases has reached 1,33,632 while 1,35,205 patients have recovered. While one person has migrated.

With 90,787 cases, Maharashtra reported the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country followed by Tamil Nadu with 34,914 cases.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 1,45,216 samples were tested in the last 24 hours while overall 50,61,332 samples have been tested so far.

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Agencies
June 15,2020

Nuapada, Jun 15: In a shocking incident, a 70-year-old elderly woman had to drag her 100-year-old bedridden mother on a cot to the nearby bank to withdraw pension money of Rs 1,500.

The incident came to light after a video of the woman dragging her bedridden mother on a cot to a bank in Odisha's Nuapada district went viral on social media.

The woman from Bargaon village dragged her mother on the cot after the bank official allegedly asked for physical verification. The incident took place on June 9.

"I went to the bank several times in last three months and requested the bank official to release the pension amount. However, the official informed that they would release the pension if I bring my mother to the branch," said Punjimati Dei.

Bank manager Ajit Pradhan allegedly asked Dei to bring her bedridden mother Labhe Baghel to the bank.

Her mother is an account holder under Jan Dhan Yojana of the Central government.

The Centre had announced Rs 500 monthly assistance for women Jan Dhan bank account holders from April to June in view of the COVID-19 situation.

A district administration official informed that the woman reached the bank with her mother before the manager could visit her home for the verification.

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