Food Bill is a 'big message', says Sonia; seeks support of all

August 26, 2013

New Delhi, Aug 26: Declaring Congress' goal to "wipe out hunger and malnutrition", Sonia Gandhi today asked all political parties to set aside differences and support the Food Security Bill so that a "big message" could be sent out about India's capabilities.

Opening the Congress innings on the debate in Lok Sabha on Food Bill, she rejected questions over whether the country had resources to implement the landmark measure.SONIA_GANDHI

"It is time to send out a big message that India can take responsibility of ensuring food security for all Indians...our goal is to wipe out hunger and malnutrition all over the country," Gandhi said about her pet agenda.

Making a strong pitch for smooth passage of the landmark legislation, the UPA Chairperson said the measure is a historic opportunity to provide food security to tens of millions of people in the country which will end the problem of hunger once for all.

She sought to dismiss questions over whether the ambitious scheme could be implemented. "The question is not whether we have enough resources or not and whether it would benefit the farmers or not. We have to arrange resources for it. We have to do it," she said in the House where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was present.

Gandhi said farmers and agriculture have always remained priority of the UPA.

Agreeing that reforming public distribution system (PDS) was a must for the food law, Gandhi noted that there was basic need to remove the leakages to ensure that benefits of the food bill reached the intended beneficiary.

Gandhi said the Congress had made a commitment to the nation in the 2009 election manifesto to bring forward such a legislation. It is one in a series of various rights promised and provided by UPA like Right to Information, Right to Education, Right to Work and Right to Forest Produce.

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Agencies
July 20,2020

Kolkata, Jul 20: As many as 13 migrant workers who came to their native village in West Bengal's Bankura district were denied entry at the quarantine centre by the locals.

As a result, the workers had to set up a tent accommodation at a nearby Beraban forest area and lived together in a single tent there, without adequate food, drinking water and basic facilities.

The migrant labourers came from Rajasthan after four months of COVID-19 lockdown which was imposed nationwide on March 25 to contain the spread of coronavirus.

When they arrived at Jagadalla village in the Bankura district and tried to put up at a village school building for two weeks self-quarantine, angry villagers vehemently protested against their entry fearing Covid infections in their village.

Sources said that local police and panchayat members also failed to make the villagers understand the fact that if the labourers strictly stayed in self-quarantine there would be no chance of any further infection.

"The school is located quite within our neighbourhood. If they stay there and tested positive, they might spread Covid infections in the village. We cannot allow them to stay in the school building," said Aniket Goswami, a villager.

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Agencies
March 6,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 6: A 12-member team from Telangana on Friday visited Kerala to study how the state contained the spread of novel coronavirus.

Interacting with the team, Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja said, "The team will be given a presentation at National Health Mission and they will visit Alappuzha district to know how the health facilities are set up by Kerala Health Department on the grassroots level."

"The team comprising doctors and senior health officials will visit the control room set up by the Health Department and also will attend daily review meetings. They will also visit an isolation ward in the hospital and interact with doctors and nurses, " the minister said.

She added, "Kerala model is being followed by other states too. All states are working together and the country as a whole is fighting the coronavirus. They are sharing our experience. All of India is standing together. Contact tracing and isolation is the most important part."

Dr Mahaboob Khan, part of the Telangana team told media persons, that the discussion with the health minister was fruitful.

"Kerala was the first state in India where a positive coronavirus case was reported. All three positive cases reported have been discharged after testing negative. So we wanted to study how Kerala was able to contain it and the health system in place here, " he said.

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News Network
May 13,2020

New Delhi, May 13: With an increase of 3,525 COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's tally of positive coronavirus cases rises to 74,281 cases, as of Wednesday, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The tally is inclusive of 47,480 patients who are active coronavirus cases and 24,385 patients who have been cured/discharged and one patient migrated.

With an increase of 122 deaths due to COVID-19 reported in the last 24 hours, the number of deaths in the country now stands at 2,415.

According to the ministry, Maharashtra has the most number of positive COVID-19 cases with 24,427 positive cases that include 5,125 patients recovered and 921 fatalities.

Gujarat has reported 8,903 COVID-19 cases inclusive of 3,246 recovered patients and 537 deaths due to the coronavirus.

Tamil Nadu reported 8,718 positive coronavirus cases with 2,134 patients recovering from the disease and 61 succumbing to the infection.

Delhi's tally of COVID-19 cases stands at 7,639 cases with 2,512 patients recovering and 86 patients died due to coronavirus.

Meanwhile Arunachal Pradesh (one case reported--now recovered), Goa (seven cases reported--all seven recovered), Manipur (two cases reported--both recovered) and Mizoram (one case reported--now recovered) have reported no new cases of COVID-19.

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