DVS may lose railways, BJP firm on Suresh Prabhu

November 8, 2014

Gowda loseNew Delhi, Nov 8: With a day to go for the first recast of the NDA government, there were indications that railway minister Sadananda Gowda may be given a different assignment as part of the government's new thrust to catalyze the infrastructure sector.

Sources in BJP indicated that the change of leadership of the critical infrastructure ministry was under consideration in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's anxiety to tone up functioning of the government's largest enterprise.

The plan to induct former Union minister Suresh Prabhu even as his party Shiv Sena plays hardball is part of the objective to boost the core sectors of the economy. Though Prabhu has already been tasked with responsibilities like being a 'sherpa' for G20 talks and also emerged as the top contender to head the new incarnation of the Planning Commission, he is, on paper, a paid-up member of Sena.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who was approached on Thursday to suggest two candidates for inclusion in the Modi ministry, has not got back yet. While the delay is being seen as his ploy to get BJP to give in to the demand for increasing Sena's representation in the Devendra Fadnavis government in Maharashtra, BJP sources hinted that the leadership may press ahead with its plan to bring in Prabhu regardless of what Thackeray might decide.

The concern over infrastructure also appears to have led the government to conclude that the telecommunications ministry, too, needs the attention of a full-scale minister. The portfolio is with Ravishankar Prasad who also looks after law and justice. It is not clear whether the concern will lead to Prasad being relieved of the telecom and IT ministry or, alternatively, give up law.

Pointers that rural development ministry, which is being looked after by transport minister Nitin Gadkari since Gopinath Munde's death, may also have a full-fledged minister ties in with the larger thrust to drive infrastructure.

Railways occupies a key place in the PM's plans. Both during and after the poll campaign, Modi has delineated his priorities for the public transporter by pushing for introduction of high-speed 'bullet trains', modernization of infrastructure and upgrade of facilities, in addition to putting trains at the centre of an ambitious plan to boost tourism, including religious tourism, and foraying into unchartered terrain in the Himalayas.

With Goa CM Manohar Parrikar, who announced on Friday that he would become a member of the Rajya Sabha from UP, set to join the Centre, the BJP leadership is having to deal with claims of CM aspirants in the state.

Goa Speaker Rajendra Arlekar remains the frontrunner. The BJP parliamentary board will meet here on Saturday to decide Parrikar's successor.

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News Network
March 26,2020

New Delhi, Mar 26: The total number of people who have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 in India has risen to 649 in India, including 593 active cases and 42 people who have been cured or discharged from hospitals, according to the recent update by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Thursday morning.
The death toll due to the novel coronavirus in the country has reached 13, the official data reported. There have been 3 more deaths due to COVID-19 reported in the country since last evening.
An 85-year-old woman in Gujarat died yesterday while with the passing away of a 65-year-old woman, Madhya Pradesh reported its first COVID-19 death. Tamil Nadu also reported its first death in the state yesterday due to the deadly infection.
According to report from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) India had tested 24,254 people as of 8 p.m. on March 25.
The country is now in its second day of a 21-day lockdown that was announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly.
The central government had on Wednesday announced that it will provide 7 kg ration to 80 crore people in India. The Centre also said that it has earmarked Rs 1.80 lakh crores for providing wheat at Rs 2 per kg and rice at Rs 3 per kg
"Union Cabinet has decided to provide wheat at Rs 2 per kg which is worth Rs 27 per kg and rice at Rs 3 per kg which is worth Rs 37 per kg. A total amount of Rs 1 lakh 80 thousand crores is being spent for the cause. The amount will be given in advance to the states for the coming 3 months," Union Minister Sadananda Gowda said yesterday.
Those shops which are catering to essential services will continue doing so during the 21-day nationwide lockdown.

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News Network
May 12,2020

New Delhi, May 12: With 3,604 more COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's tally of coronavirus cases reached 70,756, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday. 87 deaths were reported during the period.

As per the tally, 46,008 patients are active coronavirus cases while 22,454 patients have been cured/discharged and one patient has migrated.

With 87 deaths due to COVID-19 reported in the last 24 hours, the number of deaths has risen to 2,293.

As per the ministry, Maharashtra has the most number of coronavirus cases with 23,401 cases with 4,786 patients being cured/discharged while 868 deaths have been reported in the state.

Gujarat is second on the list with 8,541 cases that include 2,780 patients recovering from the disease and 513 fatalities.

Tamil Nadu's tally reached 8,002 cases, including 2,051 recoveries and 53 deaths.

While Delhi's tally stands at 7,233 cases with 2,129 patients recovered and 73 deaths.

Meanwhile; Mizoram (one case reported--now recovered), Goa (seven cases reported and all seven recovered), Manipur (Two cases reported and both patients recovered) and Arunachal Pradesh (one case reported--now recovered) have reported no new cases in the last 24 hours.

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March 28,2020

Amaravati, Mar 28: The state governments of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka carried out a joint quarantine operation to help over a thousand migrant labourers from various districts of Andhra Pradesh.
The Andhra Pradesh administration received the information that 1,334 migrant labourers were trying to return to the state after obtaining passes from the Deputy Director of Fisheries in Mangalore, Karnataka.
The labourers, according to a press release by the Andhra Pradesh government, were headed towards the Nangili Toll Plaza in Kolar district, from where they would enter the state to return to their native places.
"The Chittoor Collector, Superintendent of Police and Sub-Collector rushed to the spot to coordinate with their counterparts from Kolar, Karnataka. The migrant workers were not permitted to enter AP due to the lockdown and the guidelines of the Union as well as state government," according to the release.
Instead, both the governments decided to initiate a joint quarantine operation in Kolar while taking precautionary measures to ensure that none of the labourers are carriers of the COVID-19 infection.
The Andhra government also reassured the Kolar administration that it will provide doctors, healthcare and all other facilities. It has also issued directions for logistical support, food, water, transport to take the labourers to quarantine facility, and medical team, consisting of 12 doctors, 22 supervisors and other staff, to be provided.
While the Prime Minister had imposed a nationwide lockdown, including the suspension of inter-state travel to prevent the spread of coronavirus, migrant workers and labourers around the country have started returning back to their native places fearing joblessness and cash crunch.
Andhra Pradesh as of Saturday 9:30 am, had 14 confirmed cases of coronavirus while Karnataka's count stood at 55, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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