RNI NO.

: DELENG/2005/15351
MILLENNIUMPOST.IN REGD. NO.: DL(S)-01/3420/2018-20

PUBLISHED FROM DELHI | KOLKATA VOL.16, ISSUE 130 | Tuesday, 11 May, 2021 | New Delhi | Pages 12 | Rs 3.00
No Half Truths

City: Pg 3 Nation: Pg 6 Film: Pg 11

Ordered 1.34 crore doses but Centre Petrol, diesel prices at record Joss threatened
cleared only 3.5 lakh, says Sisodia highs; Petrol crosses `100-mark my career: Gal

COVID-19 MANAGEMENT CASE ON VACCINE AND HEALTHCARE POLICY 3,754 people die of
SC adjourns hearing to May 13; Centre Corona in 24 hours
says no need for judicial intervention
India records 3,66,161 fresh cases
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: After recording
over four lakh fresh cases for
OUR CORRESPONDENT iae in the matter will get time four consecutive days, India

NEW DELHI: The Supreme

Court Monday said it will hear
on May 13 the suo motu case
on management of COVID-
19 as the virtual proceedings
were encountering technical
glitches and the deferment will
give judges more time to go
through the government affi-
davit which was filed late Sun-
day night.
The top court had asked
the Centre to rethink its vac-
cine and healthcare policy dur-
ing the COVID-19 pandemic.
The top court had also directed
the Centre to formulate within
two weeks a national policy
on admissions to hospitals in
the wake of the second Covid
wave.
In the affidavit, the Cen-
tre has justified the COVID-
19 vaccination policy saying
its response and strategy is
completely driven by expert
A volunteer shows an oxygen concentrator machine at Guru Tegh Bahadur COVID Care Centre at the
Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib as it started operations on Monday, in New Delhi
medical and scientific opin-
ion which leaves little room
for judicial interference and
emphasised that citizens of all
age groups will get free vacci-
nation throughout the country.
In 218-page affidavit filed
late Sunday night, the cen-
tral government has said
that given the limited avail-
ability of vaccines, inoculat-
ing the entire population was
not possible in one go due to
the suddenness of the pan-
Affidavit
»»Hospitals directed no COVID
patient be refused admission for
lack of valid ID
»»Vaccination strategy equitable,
“overzealous” intervention to
have consequences
»»Citizens of all age groups will
get free vaccination throughout
the country
»»States must ensure special teams
to mercilessly clamp down on
PTI black marketing of drugs
demic but it will ensure its and have decided to take up
“equitable distribution” the matter on Thursday.
A bench of Justices D Y Justice Bhat further said
Chandrachud, L N Rao and S that in the meantime judges
Ravindra Bhat said, Our server will go through the Centre’s
is down today. We judges had compliance affidavit filed late
discussion among ourselves last night and even amicus cur-
to go through the response.
Before the technical
glitches stalled the proceed-
ing conducted through video
conferencing, Justice Chandra-
chud referred to a news report
and said that two of the judges
of the bench got the Centre’s
affidavit on Monday morning.
Justice Chandrachud said
Justice Rao had to take the
copy of affidavit from Justice
Bhat in the morning as he had
not received it.
I got the affidavit late in the
night but my brother judges
have got it in the morning. I
have even read affidavit in the
media before I got it, Justice
Chandrachud said.
Solicitor General Tushar
Mehta said that after they filed
the affidavit, they served the
copy to the state and it was very
difficult to know from where
the media got it.
 Continued on P6
witnessed a single-day rise of
3,66,161 COVID-19 cases on
Monday, which pushed its tally
to 2,26,62,575.
The death toll due to
the viral disease climbed to
2,46,116 with 3,754 more peo-
ple succumbing to it.
The number of active cases
of the Coronavirus infec-
tion in the country has gone
up to 37,45,237, accounting
for 16.53 per cent of its total
caseload, while the national
COVID-19 recovery rate was
recorded at 82.39 per cent.
The number of people
who have recuperated from
the disease has climbed to
1,86,71,222, while the case
fatality rate was recorded at
1.09 per cent.
Maharashtra, Karnataka
and Delhi are among 10 states
that account for 73.91 per cent
of the 3,66,161 new COVID-
19 cases registered in a day, the
WHO classifies
Indian Covid
strain as ‘variant
of concern’
UNITED NATIONS: The
B.1.617 variant of the Coro-
navirus, first identified
in India, has been classi-
fied as a variant of concern
at the global level by the
World Health Organisation
(WHO).
Maria Van Kerkhove, the
WHO’s technical lead for
Covid-19, said the agency
will provide more details in
its weekly situation report on
the pandemic Tuesday but
added that the triple-mutant

Cong demands Parl session ‘Prep on for 3rd wave,

Union Health Ministry said on
11 Covid patients die in Monday.
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar
Covid variant, known as
B.1.617, has been found in
preliminary studies to spread

Tirupati hospital due to

to discuss Covid situation vax running out fast’
problem in O2 supply
Defers election of party president
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Leader of Con-
gress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan
Chowdhury has written to Presi-
dent Ram Nath Kovind for conven-
ing an urgent session of Parliament
to discuss the COVID situation in
the country.
In his letter to the president,
NAGPUR: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Chowdhury said it is important
Mohan Bhagwat has tested Coronavirus positive to convene a Parliament session
and has been admitted to a private hospital in in order to find a way to ease the
Nagpur, the RSS said. lives of people suffering from novel
Bhagwat, 70, has been showing common Coronavirus.
symptoms of the infection, the RSS said on He described the pandemic sit-
Saturday. uation in the country as grave and
“He is currently having common symptoms said there is a need to find a national
of COVID-19 and has been admitted to King- solution to handle the issue.
sway Hospital in Nagpur. He is undergoing gen- The decision to convene a spe-
eral check-up and caution,” the RSS tweeted. cial session of Parliament was taken
Bhagwat was admitted to the private hospi- at a meeting of the Congress Par-
tal on Friday, hospital sources said. He is stable liamentary Party consisting of all
and under observation, they added. party MPs on Friday.
“My prayers for the good health and well- Meanwhile, Congress Work-
being of Sarsanghchalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat ing Committee on Monday hit out
ji. I wish him a speedy and complete recov- at Prime Minister Narendra Modi
ery,” Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa over his handling of the Corona-
tweeted.  AGENCIES virus crisis, saying he must “atone
for his mistakes” and serve the peo-
ple instead of carrying on with his
“personal agenda” oblivious to the
sufferings all around. The CWC,
the Congress’ highest decision-
making body, in a resolution also
questioned the government data
on Coronavirus cases and fatali-
ties, and alleged non-reporting of
deaths.
The solution lies in facing chal-
lenge, not in concealing the truth,
it said.
The CWC also expressed deep
concern over the government’s
coronavirus vaccination strategy,
alleging the supply was grossly
insufficient and the pricing policy
opaque and discriminatory.
During the CWC meeting,
Congress deferred the election to
the post of party president till the
COVID-19 situation improves and
decided to set up a group to assess
losses in the recent Assembly polls,
with party chief Sonia Gandhi say-
ing it has to put its house in order by
facing reality and drawing lessons
from the “serious setbacks”.
CM Kejriwal says Centre’s allotment to blame
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Even as Delhi
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
hoped that the current wave of
the pandemic had peaked and
said on Monday that his gov-
ernment is ramping up health
infrastructure to deal with an
even worse wave, the Delhi gov-
ernment publicly announced
that it had days of vaccines left
because the Centre was block-
ing its supply, orders for which
were placed weeks ago.
After visiting a 500-ICU
bedded facility starting at the
Ramlila ground near the GTB
Hospital from today (Monday),
the CM said the city should
definitely be preparing for the
“third wave”. He said that the
current wave had reported up
to 28,000 cases a day, putting
the “entire infrastructure here
under duress”.
“However, the scale at
which we are preparing our
infrastructure, and the scale
Arvind Kejriwal
at which we are executing the
same, even if 30,000 cases are
to come up in the next wave,
we are ready to deal with it,”
he said.
The CM said, “I hope the
peak has passed, I hope the
cases reduce in the coming days
but after being in the Govern-
ment and as the Chief Minister
of Delhi, I would not want to
give any concessions. From my
end, I’d like complete prepara-
tions in place, should the cases
suddenly begin to increase
from tomorrow. Nobody can
predict anything about this. If
the cases begin to increase, we
are prepared and the people
need not be worried.”
 Continued on P6
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh,
West Bengal, Rajasthan and
Haryana are the other states
in the list of 10.
Ten states also account
for 74.38 per cent of the new
recoveries.
“Average daily recovery of
more than 3.28 lakh cases has
been recorded in last 10 days,”
the ministry said.
According to the Indian
Council of Medical Research
(ICMR), 30,37,50,077 samples
have so far been tested for the
viral disease across the coun-
try, including 14,74,606 on
Sunday.
The ministry also said
that 6,738 oxygen concen-
trators, 3,856 oxygen cylin-
ders, 16 oxygen generation
plants, 4,668 ventilators/ Bi
PAP/ C PAP and more than
3L Remdesivir vials received
as part of global aid to India
have been delivered or dis-
patched to states and UTs to
augment and supplement their
infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the cumula-
tive number of COVID-19
vaccine doses administered
in the country has gone past
17.26 crore.
Ministry said 5,18,479
more easily than the original
virus and there is some evi-
dence it may able to evade
vaccines.
She added that even
though there is increased
transmissibility demon-
strated by some prelimi-
nary studies, we need much
more information about this
virus variant in this lineage
so we need more targeted
sequencing to be done, and
to be shared in India and
elsewhere so that we know
how much of this virus is
circulating.
The WHO said last week
it was closely following at
least 10 coronavirus variants
across the world, including
the B.1.617. The variant was
previously labeled a “variant
of interest” as more studies
were needed to completely
understand its significance,
Van Kerkhove said. AGECIES
beneficiaries in the 18-44 age
group received their first doses
on Monday, which took the
cumulatively number for the
category to 25,52,843 across
30 states and Union Territories
since the start of the phase-3 of
the vaccination drive.

43 legislators take oath
as Cabinet ministers
Swearing-in function held during a low-key
ceremony at the Raj Bhavan amid the pandemic
OUR CORRESPONDENT
KOLKATA: The 43 legislators
of Mamata Banerjee’s Cabinet,
who were sworn in at a low-
key ceremony at the Raj Bha-
van on Monday morning, were
allotted respective portfolios
in the third consecutive TMC
government in which the Chief
Minister retained six crucial
departments besides inducting
20 new faces in her team.
“We have inducted 20
new ministers in the Cabinet.
There are nine women minis-
ters (including the Chief Min-
ister), seven ministers are from
the minority community, four
each from SC and ST commu-
nities and other communities
like Rajbangshi and Mahato,”
Banerjee said after holding
the first Cabinet meeting at
Nabanna.
Banerjee, who came to
CM PINARAYI VIJAYAN WRITES TO PM
‘Kerala no longer in position to
provide oxygen to other states’
OUR CORRESPONDENT
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi
Vijayan on Monday wrote a let-
ter to Prime Minister Narendra
Modi telling him that his state
will no longer be able to supply
oxygen to Tamil Nadu and Kar-
nataka as the cases are on the
surge which has resulted in the
huge daily requirement of the
life-saving gas. Vijayan said Ker-
ala produces 219 metric tonnes
of oxygen. In a letter to Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, Vijayan
said in order to manage the crisis,
the state had ensured 450 MT of
buffer stock and had been man-
aging oxygen without putting
pressure on the national grid.
“However, due to the
demands from neighbour-
ing states, the buffer stock was
allowed to be transported and
now the buffer stock is only 86
MT,” he said.
“As per the decisions in the
meeting of the Central Commit-
tee on Oxygen allocation held on
May 6, 2021, the state will allow
40 MT to Tamil Nadu by May
10. However, after this, it will be
practically impossible to allow
oxygen to be taken outside the
state considering the present situ-
ation,” he said.
He said at present, there are
4,02,650 active cases and the
projected number of patients
may rise to around 6,00,000 by
May 15.
Govt rules out possibility of free
grains to migrants this time
MPOST BUREAU
NEW DELHI: The gov-
ernment on Monday ruled
out the possibility of free
foodgrains distribution to
migrants saying there is
no panic situation and no
complete national lock-
down unlike last year.
However, the govern-
ment has started distribut-
ing additional free grains
again under the Pradhan
Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna
Yojana (PMGKAY) for
two months — May and
June — to 80 crore ration
cardholders.
The government said
there is no impact on
prices of foodgrains in the
open market due to free
grains distribution under
PMGKAY.
“Migrant crisis is not as
big as it was last year. ... It
is not a complete national
lockdown. It is a local lock-
down, industry is working.
The complete lockdown is
not there. That panic is
also not there,” Food Sec-
retary Sudhanshu Pan-
dey said in a virtual press
meet. Those migrants, who
have gone back to their vil-
lages, are availing ration
supply either through state
or central ration cards, he
said.
The Secretary was
responding to a query why
the government has not
announced a free grains
scheme for migrants amid
resurgence of the COVID
cases.  Continued on P6

Bihar: Bodies of suspected Covid victims spotted in Ganga

Governor Jagdeep
Dhankhar administered the
oath of office and secrecy at
10.45 am. The Cabinet minis-
ters, Minister of State (MoS)
with Independent charge and
Ministers of States (MoS) took
the oath of office and secrecy
in batches because of the pan-
demic situation and the whole
function took six minutes to
complete. Amit Mitra, Bratya
Basu and Rathin Ghosh were
sworn in virtually.
Chief Secretary Alapan
Bandyopadhyay, Director
General of Police Virendra
and Commissioner of Kolk-
ata Police Soumen Mitra were
present at the oath-taking cer-
emony. After the function
was over, Governor Jagdeep
Dhankhar went to the MLAs
and congratulated them. Later
in the afternoon, the ministers
were given the portfolios by the
Chief Minister.
power for the third consecutive
term with 213 seats, retained
the most important portfo-
lios — Home and Hills Affairs,
Health and Family Welfare,
Land and Land Reforms and
Refugee Relief and Rehabilita-
tion, Information and Cultural
Affairs, Personnel and Admin-
istrative Reforms. She is also
the minister of the North Ben-
gal Development Department
that also has Sabina Yasmin,
the MLA from Malda’s Moth-
abari, as its MoS. Amit Mitra,
who did not contest the elec-
tion this time, has been sworn
in as the state’s Finance Minis-
ter with another senior leader
Partha Chatterjee, who was the
state Education minister in the
previous term, being given the
charge of Industry, Commerce
and Enterprises, Information
Technology and Electron-
ics and Parliamentary Affairs
departments. Continued on P6
Official says there were 40-45 bodies. However, some news channels and locals put the number between 100 & 150
MPOST BUREAU
PATNA: Several bodies,
decomposed, bloated and sus-
pected to be of people who
succumbed to COVID 19,
were on Monday found float-
ing in the river Ganga in Buxar
district of Bihar.
Officials in Chausa block
of Buxar, which borders Uttar
Pradesh, rushed to the spot of
the unseemly sight upon hear-
ing the news.
“We were alerted by the
local chowkidar that many
bodies have been spotted
floating from upstream. Some
40-45 bodies were seen float-
ing,” Chausa BDO Ashok
Kumar told a reporter.
“We have so far recov-
ered 15 of these. None of the
deceased happens to be a resi-
dent of the district,” BDO said.
He said “many Uttar
Pradesh districts are situated
right across the river and the
bodies may have been dumped
in the Ganges for reasons not
known to us. We cannot con-
firm whether the deceased
were indeed COVID 19 posi-
tive. The bodies have started
decomposing. But we are
taking all precautions while
ensuring that these are dis-
posed of in a decent manner”.
Some news channels
claimed the number of bod-
ies to be as high as 100, which
the BDO dismissed as “highly
Dozens of decomposed bodies washed up at the bank of Ganga River,
amid ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, at Chausa in Buxar, on Monday PTI
exaggerated”. Many local resi-
dents, who spoke before cam-
eras with their faces masked,
claimed that the district
administration was “in denial
over many such unfortunate
incidents involving residents of
Buxar”. They alleged that those
manning cremation ghats were
charging a fortune whenever
people reached there with the
body of a near and dear one
Locals claim bodies
were either disposed
of by the victims’
family or by the
government officials
who were in charge
of performing the
last rites
who died of the Coronavirus.
“There is also a shortage
of wood and other material
required for cremation. Avail-
ability of these has taken a hit
because of the lockdown. So
many bereaved family mem-
bers are impelled to immerse
the bodies of their departed
relatives in the river,” one of
the residents said. Often family
members of a COVID victim
are not handed over the body
by the administration which
claims it would perform the
last rites observing the pro-
tocol in place for the deadly
virus, another local stated.
“What indeed happens is
that the officials develop cold
feet later and fearing that
they might catch the infec-
tion themselves, they dump
the bodies in the river and flee.
Little do they realize that they
are also polluting the river,” he
added. WITH AGENCY INPUTS
2 mp
Day after father’s death, activist Natasha
12,651 NEW CASES | 66,234 TESTS CONDUCTED
319 deaths; positivity Narwal gets three-week bail for last rites
rate falls below 20%
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Delhi on Mon-
day reported 319 more COVID-
19 fatalities and 12,651 new
infections, the lowest in four
weeks, with a positivity rate
of 19.10 per cent, the Health
Department said.
The dip in new cases, the
lowest since April 12, can also
be ascribed to a smaller num-
ber of tests (66,234) conducted
on Sunday.
At 19.10 per cent, the posi-
tivity rate is the lowest since
April 16, when it stood at 19.7
percent, according to govern-
ment data.
The positivity rate has
remained above the 20 per cent
mark since April 17.
It was 21.67 per cent on Sun-
day, 23.34 per cent on Saturday,
24.92 per cent on Friday, 24.29
per cent on Thursday, 26.37 per
cent on Wednesday, 26.73 per
cent on Tuesday, 29.56 per cent
on last Monday, 28.33 per cent
on last Sunday and 31.6 per cent
on last Saturday.
On April 22, a positivity rate
of 36.2 per cent, the highest so
far, was recorded.
Delhi had reported 13,336
cases on Sunday, 17,364 on
Saturday, 19,832 on Friday,
19,133 on Thursday, 20,960 on
Wednesday, 19,953 on Tuesday,
18,043 on last Monday, 20,394
cases on last Sunday and 25,219
on last Saturday.
The city had witnessed 273
deaths on Sunday, 332 deaths
on Saturday, 341 on Friday, 335
on Thursday, 311 on Wednes-
day, 338 on Tuesday, 448 on last
Monday, the highest so far, 407
on last Sunday, 412 on last Sat-
urday, and 375 on last Friday.
The national capital con-
ducted 66,234 tests, including
57,265 RTPCR/CBNAAT/True
Nat tests on Sunday.
Over 13,300 people recov-
HC asks Delhi government to look into
pricing of empty, filled oxygen cylinders
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Stating that
every person should be able
to procure oxygen cylinders at
the same price, the Delhi High
Court on Monday asked the
Delhi government to hold a
meeting with all stakeholders
to look into this aspect of pric-
ing of empty and filled cylin-
ders and resolve it at the earliest.
The division bench of Jus-
tices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha
Palli, while asking the Delhi gov-
ernment to file a status report
in this regard by Friday, made
the direction after hearing a
plea that sought the declara-
tion of medicines and medical
devices as an essential commod-
ity under the Essential Com-
modities Act.
Amicus curiae Rajshekhar
Rao told the court that the pric-
ing of cylinders was becoming
a bottleneck and that the Delhi
government had to step in and
find a solution. “There is no
clarity on what is the maximum
price when a cylinder goes out
On Mothers’ Day, family mourned Lookout notice issued Chaotic vaccine drive in Noida
loss of ‘brave’ doc, her unborn child against Sushil Kumar RAHUL SINGH
NEW DELHI: Sunday was
Mother’s Day, and it would have
been a joyous occasion for the
Chawlas had coronavirus not
taken the lives of Dr Dimple
Arora and her unborn child.
Instead the family spent the
day remembering Dr Dimple,
fondly called Dipika by her
friends and family, and Rav-
ish Chawla tweeted a video of
his wife in which she cautioned
people against the virus. While
sharing it, Chawla wished her a
‘Happy Mother’s Day’.
In the video, she says, “Don’t
take corona lightly... Bad symp-
toms... I’m not able to speak.
Please wear a mask when you
interact with people for the
safety of your near and dear
ones. I really pray no one goes
through this. I don’t want any-
body to have these symptoms.
Please don’t be irresponsible
because there are elderly peo-
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New Delhi 110 002. Editor: Durbar Ganguly. Email: durbarganguly@gmail.com, Tel. No. 011-47777500
City
COVID-19
DELHI AVAILABILITY
COUNT
ACTIVE CASES
85,258
DEATH TOLL
19,663
ered from the infection dur-
ing the period, the health
bulletin said. There are 85,258
active cases in the city and
52,451 of them are in home
isolation, it said.
The number of cumulative
cases stands at 13,36,218 and
the death toll at 19,663.
Over 12.31 lakh people
have either recovered, migrated
‘Revise hosp caps if needed’
NEW DELHI: Observing
that the Delhi government
should take a realistic view of
the amount being charged at
its hospitals, the Delhi High
Court on Monday told the state
to look into the issue of over-
charging by such institutions
providing Covid-19 treatment
to patients.
Advocate Abhay Gupta
preferred a petition before a
bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi
and Rekha Palli where he
for retail... empty and filled,” he
submitted.
“If allocation is being made
from Jharkhand and Linde is
saying that we are providing at
doorstep, the price by NPPA
is at door no...you (Delhi gov-
ernment) have to ensure that
NPPA pricing is adhered to...
you have to add transportation,
add some margin (for retailer),”
the court noted.
ple, pregnant women, chil-
dren at your home. I always
want to work. I was so active
but my body is giving up now.”
Arora had contracted the virus
in her seventh month of preg-
nancy and succumbed to it on
April 26, a day after losing her
unborn child. The baby died
in her womb following which
the doctors had to conduct a
surgery. “My three-and-a-half
year old son has gone quiet.
When his mother was hospi-
talised, he would see people
praying to God and would say,
‘God, please cure Mumma’. But
now, whenever her name comes
up, people break down. He has
also stopped asking us when
will she come back. It seems as
if he knows. Sometimes, he still
asks about her but is quiet most
of the times when he sees our
family picture,” Chawla said.
Chawla said his heart breaks
COVID BED
ICU OXYGEN
45 2,328
out or have been discharged,
according to a health bulletin.
Of the 22,667 hospital beds
for coronavirus patients in the
city, 3,229 are vacant, it said.
Meanwhile, in a late night
order, the Delhi government on
Monday added 990 ventilators
across its hospitals in the city to
provide better critical care sup-
port for serious Covid patients.
stated that hospitals have been
asking patients to deposit Rs 2
lakh per day.
On this, senior advo-
cate Rahul Mehra, told the
court that the circular was
issued last year and that the
petitioner should raise the
issue with DDMA for his
grievance.
Following this, the court
added that the government
should take a realistic view
and make changes in the order.
The court also asked the
Delhi government to resolve
the situation without waiting
for the court’s orders.
Advocate Prasanna S, on
behalf of a petitioner, told the
court that pricing for low-
income groups should also be
considered and that even they
should be able to obtain the
facility of such cylinders. “Let
them arrive at the cost first...
every time he hears his son ask
for his mother but he can’t tell
him anything since he is too
young to understand the enor-
mity of the loss. Dimple was an
MDS in Public Health Dentistry
and took all possible precautions
against the virus, Chawla said,
adding that she would wear two
or even three masks and some-
times even the PPE kit when she
stepped out during her preg-
nancy. “She would always say, ‘I
don’t want to contract the virus
during my pregnancy’. We live
in a joint family and one day we
celebrated my cousin’s birthday
on our terrace.
“There she and other women
of my family got infected and
the very next day she and my
son tested positive, while I
tested negative. We immedi-
ately decided to quarantine our-
selves and stay away from my
dad,” Chawla recalled.  PTI
ARNABJIT SUR
NEW DELHI: A day after her
71-year-old father succumbed
to Covid-19-related complica-
tions at a Rohtak hospital, JNU
student and anti-CAA activist
Natasha Narwal was on Monday
granted three weeks’ interim bail
to be present during her father’s
funeral and last rites.
Narwal has been accused by
the Delhi Police for allegedly
“conspiring” to incite the Delhi
riots by purportedly organising
protests against the controver-
sial CAA.
After her lawyers moved an
urgent application before a divi-
sion bench of Justices Siddharth
Mridul and Anup J Bhamb-
hani, arguing that her father is
only survived by her brother
Jails could start decongesting as
soon as this week, say officials
ABHAY SINGH
NEW DELHI: With cases now
rising rapidly inside Delhi’s jails
with no time to be lost, authori-
ties here are planning to release
the first batch of inmates on
emergency parole and interim
bail in light of the current wave
of the pandemic by the end of
this week itself, officials aware
of developments said.
One senior prison official
said that the Supreme Court
order on allowing mass parole of
those who got the same benefit
last year and had surrendered
had made things that much eas-
ier for them this time around.
According to the official, the
order will save a lot of time and
paperwork. “Those who have
surrendered may get relief but
there will be no relief for those
who were absconding,” the offi-
cial added.
price for low-income group is
something that state has to see,”
the bench noted while also not-
ing that there is a dire need to
do something with regard to the
blackmarketing and hoarding
of medical items taking place
in the capital.
While hearing the Covid
matters, the bench also told the
Centre and the Delhi govern-
ment to not wait for its orders
to act against black marketers
and hoarders of medicines and
medical equipment.
The court issued notice to
the Union Health Ministry and
the Delhi government, repre-
sented by additional standing
counsel Anuj Aggarwal, on the
plea which has also sought set-
ting up of fast track courts to
deal exclusively with cases of
black marketing and hoarding
of medicines and equipment.
The petition by Delhi resi-
dent Manisha Chauhan has also
sought appointment of special
public prosecutors for dealing
with such cases before the spe-
cial fast track courts.
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: The Delhi
Police has issued a lookout
notice against two-time Olym-
pic medallist Sushil Kumar in
connection with the Chhatrasal
Stadium brawl that led to the
death of a wrestler here, offi-
cials said on Monday.
A senior police officer said
the notice was issued late Sun-
day evening.
Police have already
recorded the statements of the
victims of the brawl.
The clash took place over
vacating a flat in the Model
Town area, they said.
Kumar, who has been
named in the FIR in this case,
is on the run, and efforts are
on to trace him, a senior offi-
cer had said earlier, adding that
raids were being conducted in
During the hearing, Special Public Prosecutor
Amit Mahajan submitted, ‘Can the court
direct the applicant (Narwal) not to put
out tweets that might bend the trial…’ In
response, Justice Mridul stated, ‘How will she
do it when she is grieving a personal loss?...’
and herself and that his body is
awaiting cremation at the hos-
pital, the high court granted the
relief. Advocate Adit Pujari, on
behalf of Narwal, argued that
her mother passed away 15 years
ago and his brother is down with
Covid and hence she will be the
only one conducting her father’s
cremation.
After the prosecution in the
case did not oppose the applica-
Sandeep Goel, Director
General (Prisons) said that the
process of decongestion is likely
to start within this week itself.
Last year, convicts were given
emergency parole for eight
weeks, and from time to time,
this was increased. Last year,
1,184 were given emergency
parole, of which around 100
failed to surrender. “We can
say that straight away 1,000 will
get emergency parole. We are
just deciding the procedures,”
the official said. If there are any
fresh convicts, the process will
take time but a chunk will be
released, he added.
The statistics shared by the
prison authority revealed that
till May 7, about 535 inmates,
jail officials had tested positive
since March 2021. “359 inmates
were affected by the contagious
disease in which 222 have recov-
ered and six died whereas 176
HC asks govt
if MLA got O2
from refillers
in Delhi
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High
Court Monday asked the Delhi
government whether AAP MLA
Imran Hussain was supplied any
oxygen through refillers in the
national Capital who were given
the gas for individuals in home
care, hospitals and ambulances.
A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi
and Rekha Palli also asked the
MLA to show documents that
he procured the oxygen from
Faridabad, Haryana, as claimed
by him and not from the gas
allocated for Delhi. The direc-
tions came after Hussain, repre-
sented by senior advocate Vikas
Pahwa, told the court that he
procured the gas from outside
Delhi, while the cylinders were
rented from the national capital
and he has the receipts to prove
it. However, as the receipts were
not on record, the court asked
the MLA to show the docu-
ments in support of his claims
and listed the matter for hear-
ing on May 13.  MPOST
the Delhi-NCR and neighbour-
ing states to nab him.
The victims alleged that
Kumar was present at the
spot when the clash took place,
he said.
The wrestler who died was
23-years-old. He and two of his
friends were brutally assaulted
allegedly by other wrestlers
inside the Chhatrasal Stadium
in the northern part of the city
last Tuesday night.
According to the police, the
brawl involved Kumar, Ajay,
Prince Dalal, Sonu, Sagar, Amit
and others.
A case was registered under
sections of the Indian Penal
Code (IPC) and the Arms
Act at the Model Town Police
Station.
Dalal (24), a resident of
Jhajjar in Haryana, has been
apprehended.
tion for interim bail, the bench
noted that “in view of the inter-
est of justice”, it is imperative to
release the applicant (Narwal)
in this “hour of grief and per-
sonal loss” and keeping in mind
the facts and circumstances of
the case. Narwal was given the
relief on the condition of fur-
nishing a personal bond of Rs
50,000 to the satisfaction of the
Jail Superintendent.
prison staff have tested positive
in which 42 have recovered,” the
data showed.
As for undertrials, last year,
the court kept granting interim
bail to those who fall under the
categories set forth by the SC-
appointed High Powered Com-
mittee independently but prison
officials are now in splits as to
whether these inmates will be
released en masse or whether
they will have to apply for
interim bail all over again.
This, of course, does not
apply to those arrested after
October last year, all of whom
will have to file fresh pleas for
interim bail, which will be
examined by courts under the
criteria set by the HPC.
In 2020, around 3,500 were
granted interim bail as per the
categories of the HPC, of which
1,250 returned and over 2,000
did not. Around 150 of these
LAST RITES
A family member conducts last rites before cremation of a person
who died of COVID-19, at Nigambodh Ghat cremation ground as
coronavirus cases surge, on Monday 
NOIDA: The first day of Covid
vaccination for age group
above 18 years started in chaos
with several people who had
come to take their first jab get-
ting turned away from vaccina-
tion centers for not having an
Aadhar card of Uttar Pradesh.
While a prior appointment was
mandatory to be booked before
taking the first jab, walk-ins
were not entertained.
Officials said that there
were instructions to only vac-
cinate those who have docu-
mentation proving address of
residence in Uttar Pradesh.
The situation was different at
private hospitals, which didn’t
turn away people who had
pre-registered appointments
irrespective of their domicile.
A native of Jharkhand state,
residing at a high-rise society
in Noida extension, was turned
away while his elderly father
TUESDAY, 11 MAY, 2021 | NEW DELHI
However, during the hear-
ing, Special Public Prosecutor
Amit Mahajan submitted, “Can
the court direct the applicant
(Narwal) not to put out tweets
that might bend the trial…”
In response, Justice Mridul
stated, “How will she do it when
she is grieving a personal loss?...”
Advocate Pujari responded
that Narwal’s mobile phone has
already been seized by the police
and that the tweets that are put
out are by student organisa-
tion Pinjra Tod over which she
has no control. Thereafter, the
court asked Narwal to main-
tain “radio silence” while she’s
out on interim bail or else the
court might be compelled to
rescind the relief.
Her father, Mahavir Nar-
wal, a retired senior scientist
were arrested for another crime
while out on interim bail and
some 100 others got regular bail
in their cases.
“There is the possibility
that some of them who did not
return might get regular bail but
we are not sure,” the official said.
According to the official, as
per the SC order, 1,250 can get
interim bail straightaway. They
are in the process of deciding
whether individual applications
of these UTPs will be sent to
the courts or as per SC order,
they can directly release all of
them through a single order.
“The process is under consid-
eration but in the future, these
1,250 UTPs will get the relief,”
the official said.
The latest figures as of
May 4 showed that 564 jail
inmates and more than 85 per-
cent of the jail staff have been
vaccinated.
PTI
was harassed by staffers at vac-
cination Center in Bisrakh of
Greater Noida.
With a huge rush of peo-
ple from age group of 18-44
year, those above 45 years had
turned up for their second dose
on Monday at vaccination cen-
ters in Gautam Buddh Nagar
had an harrowing experience.
Even after getting booked a slot
for vaccination and queued up
outside the designated centers
in Noida and Greater Noida,
they were mishandled by vac-
cination Center staff while
police also chased them away
saying that they will have to
millenniumpost
from CCS Haryana Agricul-
tural University in Hisar and a
senior member of Communist
Party of India (Marxist) was
hospitalised on May 3 following
which his oxygen levels dipped
and he was put on a ventilator.
He breathed his last on Sunday
at around 6 pm. Remembered
for being a progressive father
who was proud of her daugh-
ter’s activism, Mahavir’s loss
was condoled by activists and
students alike.
A member of Pinjra Tod
who was closely associated with
Natasha and her family said
the loss is bigger than anyone
can imagine. “He was a vision-
ary and way ahead of his time.
The way he was proud of his
daughter gave each one of us
hope,” she said.
No court
relief for
Kalra; LoC
issued
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: A Delhi Court
Monday refused to grant any
stay on coercive action against
businessman Navneet Kalra in
connection with the seizure of
oxygen concentrators from his
restaurants ‘Khan Chacha’ by
the Delhi Police.
Kalra, against whom the
Delhi Police’s Crime Branch
has launched a manhunt, moved
the Saket Court seeking antici-
patory bail in the case, even as
the Delhi Police got a Lookout
Circular issued against him to
prevent him from leaving the
country. Special Judge Sumit
Dass has directed the Investi-
gating Officer (IO) to file the
reply to Kalra’s application by
today (Tuesday).
During the course of pro-
ceedings, Public Prosecutor Atul
Shrivastva opposed the pre-
arrest bail application.
The Public Prosecutor also
asked the court, It is a case of the
Crime Branch. Is this a suitable
court for it?
The accused’s counsel Advo-
cate Vineet Malhotra told the
court that his client is being
hounded and sought pre-arrest
bail. On Thursday, 419 oxygen
concentrators were recovered
from another restaurant owned
by Kalra and a farmhouse in
south Delhi. Four men were
arrested during the raids. The
oxygen concentrators had been
imported from China by a pri-
vate company.
Kalra has been absconding
since the raids and his mobile
phone has been switched off,
according to police.
An official said they are sus-
pecting that they started hoard-
ing oxygen concentrators in
October last year. These oxygen
concentrators were imported
from countries like China, Hong
Kong. They used to purchase
them at Rs 16,000 per con-
centrator from their contacts
and further sold the life-saving
equipment at their trumped-up
rates. It is suspected that Kalra
has left Delhi along with his
family,sources added.
book another slot. However,
the situation improved later in
the day.
Meanwhile, the state health
department clarified in the eve-
ning after taking cognisance to
the reports of scuffle and chaos
at vaccination Center to only
allow vaccination of benefi-
ciaries with UP Aadhar card.
Senior officials said that those
who do not have Aadhar card
of UP but are resident in any
of the district will also be cov-
ered in the vaccination drive.
People can produce rent agree-
ment, possession of a flat, elec-
tricity bill, bank passbook will
be accepted as address proof to
facilitate inoculation.
A total of 1,026 positive
Covid cases were reported in
Gautam Buddh Nagar district
on Monday taking the total
number of cases to 54,922. 10
more deaths were also reported
due to Covid on Monday tak-
ing the death toll to 327.
millenniumpost
NEW DELHI | TUESDAY, 11 MAY, 2021 City mp 3
‘THEY NEED TO OPEN THEIR EYES’ BJP hits out Centre & Delhi spar
Ordered 1.34 cr doses but Centre at Kejriwal over beds; HC asks,
govt over
cleared only 3.5 lakh, says Sisodia Covid crisis
where are the docs?
OUR CORRESPONDENT
ARNABJIT SUR have only come down instead
of going up”.
OUR CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Mehra further told the court

Delhi will have to stop

NEW DELHI: As the Capi-
tal’s Covid-19 caseload seem-
ingly comes down marginally,
the Delhi government has now
alleged that the Centre has cho-
sen to block orders for vaccine
doses it had placed in advance
at the end of April, with Deputy
Chief Minister Manish Siso-
dia saying that the Centre had
capped Delhi’s doses for May at
3.5 lakh even though the gov-
ernment had ordered 1.34 crore
doses from the manufacturers.
Releasing the letters sent to
the manufacturers by the Delhi
government on April 26 for the
Covishield and Covaxin doses
— 1.34 crore in total for the
month of May, the Deputy CM
said that the Centre was too
busy selling the vaccines out-
side the country before ensur-
ing there was enough for those
at home. The BJP is practising
politics of lies and falsely accus-
ing the Delhi government of
ordering 5.5 lakh vaccine doses
only, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
leader Sisodia said.
The Deputy CM said, “Cen-
tral government is only inter-
ested in exporting vaccine to
foreign nations. It’s time for the
Central government to put an
end to this politics of lies and
deception and understand that
we are in a full-fledged crisis.
They need to open their eyes
to all the suffering and pain
people of this nation are facing
because of this deadly virus.”
He said that after the Centre
decided in April that states can
directly place orders with vac-
cine manufacturers, the Arvind
Kejriwal government ordered
1.34 crore doses for the people
in the 18-44 age group.
“Later, the central govern-
ment in a letter told us that we
can have only around 3.5 lakh
doses in May,” he claimed.
NEW DELHI: The BJP on Court on Monday sought the there have been no beds pro-
Monday slammed Delhi’s Centre’s response on the aspect vided by the centre “despite it
Arvind Kejriwal government of the number of beds available being the worst possible pan-
Covaxin jabs if stocks over the COVID-19 crisis,
claiming the chief minister
has been busy spending crores
for Covid-19 patients in Cen-
tral government facilities after
the Delhi government told the
demic’. “The officer had come
saying that these beds are ded-
icated to Delhi...answer still
are not refilled: Atishi on publicity and “misleading”
people while washing his hands
of responsibility and leaving
court that a sufficient number
of beds aren’t vacant in such
facilities in the capital.
hasn’t come...we still don’t
have beds from Centre…we
can have 4,000 to 7,000 beds...”
everything to the Centre. A division bench of Justices Mehra argued. At this point,
OUR CORRESPONDENT Addressing a virtual press Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli, petitioner Rakesh Malhotra told
conference, BJP spokesperson who have been hearing a batch the court that beds have also
NEW DELHI: AAP leader Sambit Patra cited a RTI reply of petitions pertaining to the been reduced at the Trauma
CLOSER LOOK Atishi Monday said the Delhi
government will have to close
to say that the Kejriwal govern-
ment has spent around Rs 805
Covid-19 situation in the capi-
tal, told the Centre to examine
Centre in AIIMS Jhajjar. “These
are beds and capacity that are
»»Central government is only interested in exporting vaccine vaccination centres where crore on advertisements since this aspect and file a response available...with due respect to
to foreign nations. It’s time for the Central government Covaxin is being adminis- 2015 but not opened a single on the next date of hearing all doctors in central govern-
to put an end to this politics of lies and deception and tered to beneficiaries in the new hospital in the city. after the amicus curiae in the ment hospitals...they should
understand that we are in a full-fledged crisis: Dy CM 18-44 age group after Tues- He has been making daily case, senior advocate Rajshek- also participate...both state and
day evening if its stocks are appearances on the TV, “mis- har Rao, told the court that central government should do a
»»BJP is shamelessly lying to everyone, and we don’t not replenished. leading” people and “lying”, there was a mismatch between similar exercise…we are work-
understand the reason behind such lies because Central Delhi’s Covaxin stock for Patra said, attacking the Aam the data that is available on the ing closely with them, doing
government ultimately decides how many vaccines will be this category would last till Aadmi Party (AAP) leader. number of beds available for whatever we can...” Mehra sub-
distributed to States and then to nations abroad
»»He charged the BJP government with holding the Kumbh
Tuesday evening, she said,
adding Covishield doses for Highlights “You keep advertising,
claiming there will not be
Covid patients on the website
and the actual number of beds
mitted. The counsel also told the
court that out of 592 ICU beds,
this age group can last up to »»‘After Tuesday evening, any lockdown, no shortage of that are available. 591 beds are occupied in Delhi
Mela and conducting Assembly polls amid the second four days. the Delhi government oxygen and that people will Rao told the court, “There government hospitals.
wave of COVID-19 “On Monday morning,
will have to start closing be delivered oxygen at home. is a huge gap on information Thereafter, the court
»»If 6.5 lakh doses had been administered to the people Delhi had 2.74 lakh vac- When you saw that you cannot and the beds available...there recorded Mehra’s submission
cine doses for people in the down the vaccination control the situation, then you was an eye hospital having 50 and directed the Centre to look
of our nation, we would have been able to save lives of 18-plus category,” she said, centres where Covaxin pointed fingers at the Centre beds available on Friday night into the aspect and disclose the
many Indians, says Sisodia releasing the city’s Vaccina- is being administered and washed your hands of your but those were only for those number of beds available in cen-
tion Bulletin’. (to the 18-44 age responsibility,” he said. patients who were recovering... tral government facilities in cat-
Sisodia lashed out at the then to nations abroad. All “After Tuesday evening, group). We will also Patra noted that Kejriwal most of these hospitals...rarely egories. The matter will next be
BJP, saying its government these papers from vaccine com- the Delhi government will have to shut down had claimed on April 26 that do they answer the phone…the taken up on May 13.
was selling vaccines abroad panies and Central government have to start closing down his government will order 1.34 only person who answered the During the hearing, the
when people were dying in the itself are proof that the Central the vaccination centres where Covishield inoculation crore vaccines, which is worth call was at DRDO...” bench also lashed out at the
country. Government has completely Covaxin is being adminis- centres after four days’ nearly Rs 1,400 crore. In response to this, court Delhi government for seem-
He charged the BJP govern- overlooked the crisis at hand, tered (to the 18-44 age »»We hope that the “Today, he’s saying he stated that the number of vacant ingly not putting in the effort to
ment with holding the Kumbh and instead exported vaccines group). We will also have to Central government has nothing. Only 8.93 per beds are not being verified by augment healthcare workers. At
Mela and conducting assem- to other nations. If 6.5 lakh shut down Covishield inocu- cent people over 45 years the hospitals and they are simply one point, the bench said, “This
bly polls amid the second wave doses had been administered lation centres after four days,” make more vaccine have got their second dose being uploaded on the website. is the time when you need more
of COVID-19 and alleged that to the people of our nation, we she said. available soon, says in Delhi. Only 48.03 per cent Rao further told the bench doctors. What is the point of
it was more interested in sell- would have been able to save She said the Delhi gov- AAP leader Atishi people over 60 years have that the Delhi government having more beds if there are
ing vaccines abroad instead lives of many Indians.” ernment has already received their first dose. Only should propose a centralised not sufficient doctors.”
of providing them to state According to a vaccina- placed a purchase order for added. Delhi vaccinated over 17 per cent people over 60 years allocation of beds. In addition, the high court
governments. tion bulletin released by the 1.34 crore vaccine doses with 1.28 lakh people against coro- have received second dose,” Meanwhile, pointing to the directed the hospitals in the city
Sisodia said, “BJP is shame- Delhi government on Monday, both manufacturers — Bharat navirus on Saturday, while he said. dip in the number of beds pro- to update the number of occu-
lessly lying to everyone, and the city had around 2.74 lakh Biotech and Serum Institute around 39 lakh doses have Instead of pushing the vac- vided by the Centre as com- pied and vacant beds every two
we don’t understand the rea- doses of vaccines left for those of India. been administered in the cination programme in time, pared to earlier, senior advocate hours, saying it was not difficult
son behind such lies because between the ages of 18 and 44 “We hope that the Cen- national capital so far, she the Delhi government was busy Rahul Mehra, on behalf of Delhi to do and was needed for gov-
Central government ultimately and a little over 4.6 lakh doses tral government make more said. No vaccination took advertising and is now doing government, submitted: “...as of ernment officials to coordinate
decides how many vaccines will for those above 45, healthcare vaccine available soon,” she place on Sunday. politics over the availability of today, the total number of Covid hospital admissions in time for
be distributed to States and workers, and frontline workers. oxygen, Patra alleged. beds of Centre are 3,861. Beds those waiting in line.

Big Boost: Over 500 O2 beds added

NIKITA JAIN
NEW DELHI: The 400-bed
Covid care centre at Gurud-
wara Rakab Ganj Sahib started
on Monday with the first hour
witnessing more than 10 peo-
ple registering themselves at
the centre.
The centre has two points
before they are admitted inside
the Covid centre which has oxy-
gen beds. Speaking to Millen-
nium Post about the registration
and process Rajinder Singh
Shaam of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara
Management Committee said,
“The patient has to first regis-
ter themselves at the screen-
ing centre where their vitals
are checked. After that they are
taken to the examination cen-
tre where the doctors ask about
their condition, post which they
are admitted.”
The examination centre has
a team of four to five doctors
who ask the patients about their
situation. “We will be examin-
ing the patients mostly, asking
them about their health history.
Also, we won’t be taking any
patient whose oxygen level is
below 85 as that comes under
critical category,” a doctor at
the centre said. Patients under
mild to moderate category are
only being allowed at the facility.
A patient who had been
standing at the facility for the
past one hour said that he was
having difficulty in breathing
and there was chest pain, which
is why he had come here. “I can
walk and have come here by
myself, but I am having a bit of
breathing issues, which is why
I came here,” he said.
The facility is also looked
after by an NGO International
Human Rights Organisation
(IHRO), after Delhi govern-
ment’s order. The chairman of
the organization Nem Singh
Premi said, “We are arrang-
ing medical staff like nurses,
the authorization to which has
been given by the Delhi govern-
ment. At the moment we have
300 beds out of which work
on 100 beds is still under pro-
cess and will finish in two to
three days.” He also added that
a team of more than 40 medi-
cal staff will always be in shift
at the hospital.
Besides that the facility also
has a link up with Lok Nayak Jai
Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hos-
pital, the Covid-19 dedicated
hospital. “Critical patients will
be sent to LNJP directly from
the facility,” Premi added.
Meanwhile, at Dwarka’s
Mount Carmel School, 100 oxy-
gen bed facilities were started
from Monday. The school in
association with various organ-
isations has started the oxygen
bed facility at the school prem-
ises. “We have set up close to
100 beds at the auditorium of
the school, but if more space is
required the classrooms will also
be turned into wards,” Vinod,
a volunteer at the school said.
The school is linked with St.
Stephens Hospital as well. “We
are also in talks with Venkatesh-
war and have Indraprastha diag-
nosis lab in association with us,”
Vinod further said.
In addition to this, the
Delhi government has set up
a 500-bedded ICU facility for
Covid patients on the Ramlila
ground near the GTB hospital -
starting admissions from today
(Tuesday). A similar 500-bed-
ded ICU facility is also being
readied on the field opposite
the LNJP hospital, CM Kejri-
wal said on Monday.
Moreover, South Delhi and
West Delhi MPs Ramesh Bid-
huri and Parvesh Singh Verma
started Covid centres in their
respective constituencies.

FINDING HCWS FOR ADDITIONAL BEDS NEXT CHALLENGE

Beds coming but still out of reach for residents
KRISHANGI SINHA
NEW DELHI: While the Capital seems
to have somewhat overcome the oxygen
crisis, for the time being, its bed crisis is
now starting to overwhelm patients in the
city with government officials scrambling
to find the healthcare workers needed to
man the thousands of critical care beds
being added across Delhi.
The Delhi government is adding ICU
and oxygen beds on a war footing for sure
but the availability of these beds and their
triaging is still missing from the city’s pan-
demic response with the official mobile
application for Covid beds not serving
its purpose.
According to the official dashboard,
there are a total of 22,801 hospital beds
allocated to Covid-19 patients in Delhi, of
which a little over 3,300 ward beds, 2,300
oxygen beds, and 56 ICU beds are vacant
as of Monday night.
But upon checking, Millennium Post
on Monday found that the majority of the
hospitals that showed available beds on the
website either denied the information upon
calling or said that the only way they can
give information is if the patient is brought
to the emergency room.
In addition, a large number of hospitals
did not have functioning phone numbers
listed on the Delhi government’s Covid bed
dashboard. While some of these hospitals
had phone numbers that were not reachable
or were busy for continued periods of time,
many others said the information on the
mobile application was incorrect and that
there were no beds available at the facility,
such as the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital.
Without a central helpline for Covid
patients to call and get in line for hospital
beds, any patient requiring a hospital bed
will need to call the hospitals listed on the
official list one by one before getting a con-
firmation. Moreover, even when hospitals
do answer, most of them refuse to divulge
information on bed availability unless the
patient is brought into the emergency room.
Many hospitals have said they do not want
to risk giving patients hope while knowing
that their bed might get occupied by the
time they are brought there.
As a result, most patients have to take a
gamble looking for hospital beds, step out
— in the hopes that one of the hospitals on
their way will admit them.
In many cases, such as the Sanjay Gandhi
Memorial Hospital, where the dashboard
showed oxygen beds were available, the hos-
pital staff manning the helpline did not have
any information related to the admission
procedure or the bed availability.
On the website there have been many
numbers provided, out of which only a few
numbers are reachable and answered, the
remaining numbers remain unavailable.
“When my grandmother’s condition
deteriorated and the doctor on call advised
us to get her admitted, I didn’t know what to
do... I ended up starting my car and going
around the city looking for an ICU bed,
and by the end of the day, we managed to
get a bed in a hospital in Gurgaon,” said
Diva Sinha.
4 mp
Govt eases procurement rules
for health, pharma, DRDO
Relaxing tendering norms, the Department of Expenditure has
allowed global tenders to be floated for less than Rs 200 crore as well
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: With the world's
worst outbreak of COVID-19
severely straining the health
system in the country, the gov-
ernment has made sweeping
changes in the way depart-
ments procure medical supplies,
including allowing procurement
of the same item at different
rates. Relaxing tendering norms,
the Department of Expenditure
has allowed global tenders to
be floated for less than Rs 200
crore as well.
The Department of Expen-
diture, under the Ministry of
Finance, on April 24 issued
special instructions relating to
relief operations for COVID-
19 pandemic and said that the
prevailing health emergency on
account of the unprecedented
surge in COVID-19 cases across
the country requires immediate
procurement of certain items
in quantities which may not be
available with a single supplier
and/ or within the time frame
in which they are needed.
"The instruction in this
Department's OM (Office
Memorandum)... dated May
15, 2020... specifying that no
Global Tender Enquiries shall
be invited for tenders up to Rs
200 crore shall stand relaxed
Nation
and hence it shall be permis-
sible to invite GTE where nec-
essary," said the instructions,
which have been put up on the
ministry's website on Monday.
As part of its Aatmanirbhar
Bharat package, the govern-
ment in May last year notified
amendments to General Finan-
cial Rules (GFR) to ensure that
goods and services valued less
than Rs 200 crore will be pro-
cured from domestic firms, a
move which was aimed at bene-
fitting small and medium enter-
prises. Rule 149 of GFR provides
that procurement of goods and
services through the Govern-
ment's e-marketplace (GeM)
will be mandatory for items
available on GeM portal.
"In the present situation,
vendors under GeM, even if
orders are placed, may not
always be able to effect deliveries
of supplies on time and desired
locations, due to the rapidly
changing situation on account
of the critical pandemic situ-
ation which requires extreme
flexibility in making available
the critical life saving goods
to the medical care facilities,"
as per the instructions, which
would be in force till May 31.
In view of the urgency
involved, where time is the
essence and delay may result
in loss of life, these instruc-
tions, which are applicable to
the Department of Pharma-
ceuticals, Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare (includ-
ing Department of Health
Research) and Defence Research
and Development Organisation
Highlights
»»Rule 149 of GFR provides
that procurement of
goods and services
through the GeM) will
be mandatory for items
available on GeM portal
»»The relaxed norms
provide that such
procurement can also
be done from more than
one source, if the entire
quantity is not available
or is not immediately
available from one source
(DRDO), have been issued for
any emergent purchases and
transportation of medical and
other essential supplies related
to Covid operations.
As per the instructions,
when these ministries and
departments are undertaking
'single source procurement' of
goods or procuring 'non-con-
sultation services' like air and
other transportation services,
through nomination, then they
would not be required to float
tender on the GeM portal.
The relaxed norms provide
that such procurement can also
be done from more than one
source, if the entire quantity
required is not available or is not
immediately available from one
source. "Such procurement may,
Odisha to float global tender Hry CM inaugurates
to procure Covid vaccines field hospital with
Authorities in Mumbai are seeking to import millions
vaccine doses to help avert a third potential wave
BHUBANESWAR: Facing an
acute shortage of COVID-19
vaccines, the Odisha govern-
ment on Monday decided to
float a global tender for procur-
ing the vaccine to inoculate the
states entire population, Chief
Secretary S C Mohapatra said.
The decision was made at
a Cabinet meeting chaired by
Chief Minister Naveen Pat-
naik.The Cabinet also allowed
the state government to exert
pressure on the Centre for
exemption of taxes like GST on
vaccines, medicines and equip-
ment required for the treatment
of Coronavirus patients.
“It is felt that complete vac-
cination is the best way to pro-
tect precious lives of the people.
Therefore, the Cabinet allowed
if unavoidable, be at different
rates," as per the instructions.
"If the entire quantity
required is not immediately
available from any one method
of procurement, the procure-
ment may also be resorted to
simultaneously by multiple
methods, namely procure-
ment under Rule 166/204, pro-
curement through GeM, and
procurement through other
procurement methods (includ-
ing through Indian Missions)
and such procurement may,
if unavoidable, be at different
rates," it added.
While Rule 166 of General
Financial Rules (GFR) relates
to single-source procurement
of goods, Rule 204 pertains to
procurement of 'non-consulta-
tion services' like air and other
transportation services through
nomination after consultation
with the Financial Advisor of the
specific department or Ministry.
India is facing the world's
worst outbreak of Covid cases
with more than 3 lakh new daily
cases being reported for two
weeks now. More than 2.46 lakh
people in India have died from
the virus infection. Public health
system is buckling under the
weight of surging infections and
deaths with several parts of the
country reporting shortage of
hospital beds, medical oxygen,
medicines and vaccines.
the state government to go for
global tender and get vaccines
at the earliest,” Mohapatra said.
He said that a technical com-
mittee will soon be formed to
suggest the state government on
how to procure the best quality
vaccines being made by leading
manufacturers across the world.
The technical committee will
also suggest the state govern-
ment on measures to be taken
to protect life, livelihood and
return of normalcy, the chief
secretary said. Since the state
government has been spend-
ing crores of rupees from its
own resources for testing, trac-
ing and treating people affected
by COVID-19, the Cabinet felt
that the Centre should share
with it the amount collected as
‘Gave aid for clinical trials
of Covaxin & Covishield’
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: The Centre has
informed the Supreme Court
that no governmental aid, assis-
tance or grant was made either
for research or development of
COVID-19 vaccines - Covaxin
and Covishield - but some finan-
cial assistance was given for con-
ducting clinical trials.
In an affidavit filed in the
apex court on Sunday night, the
Centre has said that Covaxin
has been developed under pub-
lic private partnership between
the Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR) and Bharat
Biotech International Ltd
(BBIL). ICMR has not provided
any funds to BBIL for Covaxin
development.
However, funds have been
spent in various activities under-
taken by ICMR-NIV, Pune for
Covaxin development. Also
phase 3 clinical trials of Covaxin
have been funded by ICMR. The
Army’s Western Command
sets up three Covid hospitals
NEW DELHI: The Indian
Army's Western Command
has set up three hospitals for
COVID-19 patients in Chan-
digarh, Faridabad and Patiala
in collaboration with the local
administration of the respective
states, an official statement said
on Monday.
"The hospitals have the
capacity to accommodate and
treat mild to moderate/symp-
tomatic patients suffering from
COVID-19," the Army state-
cess and surcharge from petrol,
diesel and other items.
“The state’s economy should
support the expenditure being
done on COVID-19 detec-
tion and treatment. Therefore,
exemption of taxes and share in
the cess and surcharges being
collected by the Union Gov-
ernment is most essential,”
Mohapatra said quoting the
Cabinet decision. The Cabinet
also discussed the situation of
Israel where most of its popu-
lation has been vaccinated for
which normalcy has returned
to that country, Mohapatra said.
Meanwhile, authorities in
Mumbai are seeking to import
millions of vaccine doses to help
avert a third potential corona-
virus wave.  MPOST
TUESDAY, 11 MAY, 2021 | NEW DELHI
trials have been conducted at 22
sites in 25,800 participants, the
affidavit said, adding that total
estimated expenditure of ICMR
in this was 35 crore.
It said the bridging studies
of Covishield in 1,600 partici-
pants in India were supported by
ICMR in partnership with the
Serum Institute of India (SII).
No funds were provided
to SII. Funds were transferred
to 14 clinical trial sites, it said,
adding, ICMR also supported
laboratory studies on charac-
terization of immune response
related to Covishield at ICMR-
ment noted. India has been
badly hit by the second wave
of coronavirus infections and
hospitals in several states are
reeling under shortage of vac-
cines, oxygen, drugs and beds.
"The hospitals (in Chandi-
garh, Faridabad, Patiala) have
the capacity to accommo-
date and treat mild to mod-
erate or symptomatic patients
suffering from COVID-19,"
it said. The COVID-19 hospi-
tal at Chandigarh was opened
100 oxygen beds
CHANDIGARH: Haryana
Chief Minister Manohar Lal
Khattar on Monday inaugu-
rated a field hospital having a
facility of 100 oxygen beds in
Karnal.
He also virtually inaugu-
rated 30 oxygen bed facilities in
two hospitals of Assandh, also
in Karnal district.
Education Minister Kanwar
Pal was present on this occasion
and BJP MP from Karnal, San-
jay Bhatia, attended the event
through video conferencing.
The chief minister said the
COVID-19 spread is not con-
fined to urban areas only, it is
also hitting rural areas hard.
For this, everyone should
ensure that necessary arrange-
ments are made on a large scale,
he said per an official statement.
Khattar said Haryana’s oxy-
gen quota fixed by the Centre
millenniumpost
National AIDS Research Insti-
tute (NARI), Pune.
It said that total estimated
expenditure of ICMR on this
was 11 crore. It is submitted
that no governmental aid, assis-
tance or grant is made either
for research or development of
either Covaxin or Covishield.
However, they were given
some financial assistance for
conducting clinical trials, the
affidavit said. A bench headed
by Justice D Y Chandrachud
is hearing a suo motu case for
ensuring distribution of essen-
tial supplies and services dur-
ing the COVID-19 pandemic.
In its affidavit filed in com-
pliance with the April 30 order
passed by the top court, the
Centre has given details of sup-
port to BBIL and SII for the
production of the vaccines in
the form of advance payment
released to them for months of
May, June and July.
on Monday while the hospitals
at Faridabad and Patiala will
open on Tuesday and Wednes-
day, respectively, the statement
noted.
The Army commander
has dedicated these hospi-
tals to the respective states,
saying these hospitals have
been set up on a war footing
in coordination with the civil
administration of respective
states or union territory, the
statement added  MPOST
currently is 282 metric tonnes
daily. A request has been
made to the Centre to fur-
ther increase this quota so as
to ensure that in future, if the
number of patients increases,
an uninterrupted supply of oxy-
gen could be ensured, he said.
Khattar said a portal has
been started to ensure the sup-
ply of oxygen to patients in
home isolation. So far, nearly
1,000 applications have been
received on this portal, the CM
said.
The chief minister said
1,800 vaccination centres have
been set up in the state and so
far 43 lakh vaccine doses have
been administered.
The vaccination drive in the
state is being further intensi-
fied, he said, adding that 3.50
lakh vaccines will be made
available soon.  MPOST
millenniumpost
NEW DELHI | TUESDAY, 11 MAY, 2021 Nation mp 5
Himanta Biswa Sarma sworn-in ‘Need to draw lessons from
serious setbacks in polls’
as 15th Chief Minister of Assam Cong president Sonia Gandhi asks to put house in order

Humbled and truly grateful to Prime Minister for believing in us, says Sarma
OUR CORRESPONDENT
GUWAHATI: BJP leader
Himanta Biswa Sarma, was on
Monday sworn-in as the 15th
Chief Minister of Assam by
Governor Jagadish Mukhi at
the Srimanta Sankardeva Kal-
akshetra, a major cultural insti-
tution, in Guwahati.
He also vowed to take
the state to greater heights of
prosperity.
Along with Sarma who is
the convenor of the North East
Democratic Alliance (NEDA),
the NDA’s version in the region,
13 other newly-elected legisla-
tors of the saffron party and
alliance partners were sworn-
in as ministers amid strict
COVID-19 protocols.
Clad in traditional ‘pat silk’
dhoti and kurta with a muga
‘gamosa’ (traditional towel)
draped around his neck, Sarma
took the oath of office and
secrecy in Assamese.
After taking the oath, he
tweeted, “With blessings and
grace of the people of Assam,
I take over as Chief Minister of
the state today. Taking Assam
to greater heights of prosper-
ulatory post, he said, “Deep-
est gratitude for giving us this
wonderful opportunity to serve
the people of Assam. Your valu-
able insights empower and
encourage us to do our best.
Thank you for being an amaz-
ing leader”.
BJP president J P Nadda,
previous chief minister Sar-
bananda Sonowal, Union
ministers Jitendra Singh and
Ramesh Teli, Nagaland Chief
Minister Neiphu Rio and
Assam Congress chief Ripun
Bora were among those present
at the swearing-in ceremony.
Sarma’s mother Mrin-
alini Devi, wife Riniki Bhuyan
Sarma and two children -
Nandil Biswa Sarma and
Sukanya Sarma - were also
BJP’s Himanta Biswa Sarma takes oath as the new CM of Assam at present on the occasion.
Srimanta Sankaradev Kalakshetra in Guwahati on Monday  PIC/PTI Of the 13 ministers who
took oath, 10 were from the
ity and making it a leading ful to Prime Minister for BJP. They included party pres-
state, pursuing the ideals of the believing in us.........We shall ident Ranjeet Kumar Dass,
Prime Minister.” leave no stone unturned to ministers of the previous gov-
Prime Minister Narendra carry forward your vision of ernment Chandra Mohan
Modi and Union Home Min- taking Assam, and North East Patowary, Parimal Suklabaidya,
ister Amit Shah posted tweets to greater heights. Forever in Jogen Mohan, Sanjay Kishan
to congratulate the 52-year-old gratitude,” Sarma said in reply and Pijush Hazarika.
new chief minister. to Modis message. The new BJP ministers
“Humbled and truly grate- Replying to Shah’s congrat- are Ranoj Pegu, Bimal Borah,
Ashok Singhal and the only
woman in the cabinet, Ajanta
Neog.
She joined the saffron party
from the Congress before the
assembly elections. Four BJP
ministers of the previous gov-
ernment led by Sonowal did
not find a place in Sarma’s min-
istry. They are Siddhartha Bhat-
tacharya, Naba Doley, Ranjit
Dutta and Bhabesh Kalita.
The Asom Gana Parishad’s
Atul Bora and Keshab Mah-
anta, both ministers in the pre-
vious government also took the
oath. Another AGP minister
in the previous government,
Phanibhushan Choudhury,
who was elected to the assem-
bly for a record eighth time,
did not find a place in the new
ministry.
The only United People’s
Party Liberal (UPPL) MLA to
take the oath was former Rajya
Sabha MP U G Brahma.
The previous NDA gov-
ernment had the Bodoland
People’s Front (BPF) as a con-
stituent of the coalition but this
time the BJP severed ties with
it and stitched an alliance with
the UPPL.
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Congress presi-
dent Sonia Gandhi on Monday
said the party has to take note
of its serious setbacks in assem-
bly polls, and face the reality to
draw the right lessons and put
its house in order.
Addressing a crucial meet-
ing of the Congress Working
Committee (CWC), Gandhi
said she intends to set up a small
group to look at every aspect
that caused such reverses and
come back with its findings.
The meeting of the top Con-
gress body has been convened
to deliberate and introspect on
the party's poor performance
in the just-concluded assem-
bly elections.
The Congress fared poorly,
drawing a blank in West Bengal
and failing to win back power in
Kerala and Assam, besides los-
ing Puducherry. The party only
came to power with the help of
its ally DMK in Tamil Nadu.
"We have to take note of our
serious setbacks. To say that we
are deeply disappointed is to
make an understatement. I
intend to set up a small group
to look at every aspect that
caused such reverses and report
back very quickly," she told the
Congress president Sonia Gandhi
meeting in her inaugural
address.
Gandhi said the party
needs to candidly understand
"why in Kerala and Assam we
failed to dislodge the incum-
bent governments, and why in
West Bengal we drew a com-
plete blank". "These will yield
uncomfortable lessons, but if
we do not face up to the reality,
if we do not look the facts in the
face, we will not draw the right
lessons," she noted.
The Congress chief asked
the party general secretaries
and in-charges of states where
it lost to spell out clearly and
frankly the reasons for the par-
ty's defeat. "I expect them to
brief us very frankly on our
performance in their respective
states. We want them to tell us
why we performed well below
expectation. These results tell
us clearly that we need to put
our house in order," she said.
Gandhi also said that the
schedule to elect the new Con-
gress president would also be
discussed at the meeting.
She also hit out at the Modi
government over the handling
of the pandemic situation.
During the meeting, chief
ministers of Congress-ruled
states of Rajasthan, Punjab and
Chhattisgarh gave an account
of the Covid situation in their
states and steps being taken to
contain the virus.
Noting that the COVID-
19 situation has become even
more catastrophic in the past
four weeks, she said, "Gover-
nance failures have become
even more stark. Scientific
advice has been willfully
ignored and the country is pay-
ing a horrendous price for the
Modi government's neglect of
the pandemic, indeed its will-
ful patronage of super-spreader
events that were allowed for
partisan gains."
Gandhi noted that a far
deadlier second wave has now
overwhelmed us and some
scientists have now cautioned
about a third wave overtaking
us soon.

‘Naya Bharat is made TN: Ex-CM set to become LoP, elected NCP calls for ‘one
out of sympathy
AIADMK legislature party leader
earned by failures’ OUR CORRESPONDENT
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Taking a dig
at the government over for-
eign aid in the wake of the
COVID-19 second wave,
senior Congress leader Shashi
Tharoor on Monday said 'Naya
Bharat' is one where a virtue is
made out of the sympathy
earned by failures and "gov-
ernmental apathy that led us to
needing it" is denied or glossed
over.
In his tweet attacking the
Centre, Tharoor tagged Exter-
nal Affairs Minister S Jais-
hankar's tweet on the aid of
oxygen, Remdesivir vials and
other COVID-19-related medi-
cal assistance India is getting
from various countries.
"From US to Singapore,
Germany to Thailand. The
world continues to stand with
India," Jaishankar had tweeted
Sunday.
In a swipe at the govern-
nation, one policy’ to
tackle COVID-19
ment, Tharoor said, "Naya CHENNAI: Top AIADMK
Bharat - Where we make a vir- leader K Palaniswami was on
tue out of the sympathy earned Monday unanimously elected
by our failures and deny or leader of the legislature party
gloss over the governmental after about a three-hour meet
apathy that led to us needing here and he is all set to become
it." He used the hashtag 'Par- the Leader of Opposition in
matmanirbharta', in a dig at the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
the government initiative of The meeting of the newly-
'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. elected MLAs to elect the legis-
As India reels under a lature party leader, the second
calamitous second wave of within three days, reportedly
the coronavirus infection, it saw exchanges on who should
has received large amounts lead the party in the House
of medical supplies from a with one section pitching for
significant number of coun- Palaniswami and the other for
tries, including the US, Rus- coordinator O Panneerselvam.
sia, France, Germany, the Eventually, the party
UK, Ireland, Belgium, Roma- announced in a statement that
nia, Singapore, Sweden Palaniswami was elected leader
and Kuwait. of the legislature party. In a
The Congress had last week joint statement, Palaniswami
also demanded transparency and Panneerselvam said the
and urged Prime Minister Nar- election was unanimous.
endra Modi to make public the Later, party leaders called
details of all the relief material on Tamil Nadu Assem-
received by India from differ- bly Secretary K Srinivasan
ent countries. and handed over a letter on
Former TN CM K Palaniswami
Palaniswami's election.
The MLAs meet on May 7
here ended without deciding
on who should be legislature
party leader as the consen-
sus building exercise did not
apparently succeed.
For a while today, when
the legislators meeting was
in progress at the party head-
quarters, social media was
abuzz claiming that another
leader, former Assembly
Speaker P Dhanapal's name
was being considered to over-
come differences.
In view of the gathering of
MLAs, the AIADMK head-
quarters and the vicinity were
teeming with cadres and there
were some wall posters hail-
ing Panneerselvam and asking
him to 'become' the leader of
opposition.
Supporters of Palaniswami
could seen around confident
of his election by virtue of his
'strong work' for the party.
Interestingly, some wall-
posters close to the party office
praised V K Sasikala as the
'permanent general secretary',
and wanted her to assume the
'top leadership' of the party.
She and her nephew TTV Dhi-
nakaran were removed from
the party in 2017.
The AIADMK won a total
of 66 Assembly segments out
of the total 234, and the out-
come also proved that the
western region, the home turf
of Palaniswami continued to
be a stronghold of the party.
In southern Tamil Nadu,
Theni district being the native
of Panneerselvam, the party
saw its archrival DMK beat-
ing it convincingly. Factors
such as these reportedly stood
Palaniswami in good stead.
Palaniswami was the
chief minister for four years
between 2017 and 2021 while
Panneerselvam assumed office
as deputy chief minister in
2017 after the factions led by
the two leaders merged.
The party event witnessed
deployment of a posse of
policemen in the area and
several police personnel were
seen with protective, riot
shields and helmets.
As party workers swelled
in the neighbourhood, some
personnel with megaphones
reminded people on COVID-
19 guidelines.
In 2006, when DMK cap-
tured power and AIADMK
lost the Assembly polls, Pan-
neerselvam was the leader of
opposition for a very short
time and then, late party
supremo J Jayalalithaa became
the leader of opposition.
OUR CORRESPONDENT
MUMBAI: The ruling NCP
and Congress in Maharash-
tra on Monday hit out at the
Centre over its handling of the
COVID-19 situation in the
country and called for "one
nation, one policy" to fight the
pandemic.
State Minority Affairs Min-
ister and NCP leader Nawab
Malik also demanded that the
Narendra Modi government
convene an all-party meeting
to chalk out the policy.
"The coronavirus cannot
be eradicated only through
advertisements at a time when
there is a need to work out 'one
nation, one policy' considering
the current COVID-19 situ-
ation in the country," a state-
ment said quoting Malik.
He claimed the situation
in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
was such that the last rites of
COVID-19 victims were being
ber National Task Force of
top medical experts by the
Supreme Court to formulate
a methodology for oxygen
allocation to states and Union
Territories and to facilitate a
public health response to the
pandemic.
"The Centre is not carrying
out works which it is supposed
to. So, these are being carried
out by court orders.
This means the (central)
government is falling short of
discharging its duty," the NCP
leader alleged.
Maharashtra Revenue
Minister and senior Congress
leader Balasaheb Thorat tar-
geted the Centre over its vac-
cination programme, saying it
has unfortunately been proved
that the Modi government
"does not have" any proper
policy and planning to inocu-
late people.
"The Centre earlier talked
about successfully tackling the

Had govt done its job, it would PM must atone for his mistakes,
performed in rivers instead of first wave (of COVID-19)...
crematoriums. "The COVID- (but) the way elections were
19 pandemic cannot be tackled held, the way Kumbh Mela was

not have come to this, says Rahul commit to serving people: CWC
NEW DELHI: Hitting out at
the Centre, Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi on Monday said
the government's "repeated
chest-thumping" at receiving
foreign aid to deal with the
"GOI's repeated chest-
thumping at receiving foreign
aid is pathetic. Had GOI done
its job, it wouldn't have come
to this," Gandhi said in a tweet.
As India reels under a
dependent Modi government:
Unfortunately coronavirus is
also affecting those who do not
have internet facility -- that is
more than half of the country's
population!"
NEW DELHI: The Congress
Working Committee on Mon-
day hit out at Prime Minis-
ter Narendra Modi over his
handling of the coronavirus
crisis, saying he must "atone
of deaths.
The solution lies in facing
challenge, not in concealing the
truth, it said.
The CWC also expressed
deep concern over the gov-
and resolve.
"In order that it may become
a reality, the Prime Minister
must atone for his mistakes
and commit to serving the
people instead of carrying
until there is one policy for the
country. The Modi government
should call an all-party meeting
to decide the policy," he said.
There is no doubt in any-
one's mind that "the Centre is
not able to handle the COVID-
19 situation," he claimed.
Malik also referred to the
constitution of a 12-mem-
organised...the entire country
is suffering consequences of
the same," Thorat told report-
ers here.
"The central government,
its leadership, PM Narendra
Modi ji are completely respon-
sible for it, he claimed. The SC
had to intervene and form the
task force,” Thorat noted.

COVID-19 crisis in the coun-
try is pathetic and had it done
its job, it would not have come
to this.
The Congress had last week
demanded transparency and
urged Prime Minister Naren-
dra Modi to make public the
details of all the relief material
received by India from differ-
ent countries.
calamitous second wave of the
coronavirus infection, it has
received large amounts of med-
ical supplies from a significant
number of countries, including
the US, Russia, France, Ger-
many, the UK, Ireland, Bel-
gium, Romania, Singapore,
Sweden and Kuwait.
In a tweet in Hindi, Gan-
dhi said, "A message for App-
Apps like "Ayogya Setu
and NoWin" will not be the
saviours, but jabs of vaccine
needs to be given, the for-
mer Congress chief said in an
apparent reference to the gov-
ernment's Aarogya Setu and
CoWin mobile applications
aimed at helping in combating
COVID-19 and in the vaccina-
tion drive. MPOST
for his mistakes" and serve
the people instead of carrying
on with his "personal agenda"
oblivious to the sufferings all
around.
The CWC, the Congress'
highest decision-making body,
in a resolution also questioned
the government data on coro-
navirus cases and fatalities,
and alleged non-reporting
ernment's coronavirus vac-
cination strategy, alleging
the supply was grossly insuf-
ficient and the pricing policy
opaque and discriminatory.
Congress leaders K C Venu-
gopal and Randeep Surjewala
said the CWC is of the firm
belief that this is a time for
showing an unwavering sense
of national unity, purpose
Nation Briefs
on with personal agenda,
oblivious to the suffering all
around," the CWC resolution
said.
The two leaders said the
CWC noted with concern
that the government data
on Covid-19 deaths is "hor-
NEGATIVE RT-PCR REPORT MUST TO
ribly wrong and afflicted by a ENTER HIGH HIMALAYAN VALLEYS
massive non-reporting of PITHORAGARH (UTTARAKHAND): People going
deaths". AGENCIES to the high Himalayan valleys of Darma, Vyas and

‘O2 transplant recipients vulnerable to COVID-19’

Chaudas in Dharchula sub division will now have to
produce a negative RT-PCR report not older than a
week, officials said on Monday. The administration
has discussed the matter with locals and okayed the

The study discovers that they are weak even after vaccination
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Although two
doses of a COVID-19 vac-
cine confer some protection
for people who have received
solid organ transplants, it's still
not enough to enable them
to dispense with masks,
physical distancing and other
safety measures, according to
a study.
This is a follow-up study
to an earlier one in which the
researchers reported that only
17 per cent of the participating
transplant recipients produced
sufficient antibodies after
just one dose of a two-dose
COVID-19 vaccine regimen.
"While there was an
increase in those with detect-
able antibodies after the second
shot, the number of transplant
recipients in our second study
whose antibody levels reached
high enough levels to ward off
infection was still well below
than in people with healthy
immune systems," said study
lead author Brian Boyarsky
from the Johns Hopkins Uni-
versity School of Medicine in
the US.
"Based on our findings, we
recommend that transplant
recipients and other immu-
nocompromised patients
continue to practice strict
COVID-19 safety precautions,
even after vaccination," Boyar-
sky said.
The researchers noted that
people who receive solid organ
transplants, such as hearts,
lungs and kidneys, often must
take drugs to suppress their
immune systems and prevent
Health workers, wearing PPE kits, attend to COVID-19 patients, at the
newly set up Pandit Rajan Mishra Covid Hospital at Banaras Hindu
University in Varanasi on Monday 
rejection.
Such regimens may inter-
fere with a transplant recipi-
ent's ability to make antibodies
PIC/PTI
to foreign substances, including
the protective ones produced
in response to vaccines, they
said.
The latest study, published
in the Journal of the American
Medical Association (JAMA),
evaluated this immunogenic
response following the second
dose of either of the two mRNA
vaccines -- made by Moderna
and Pfizer-BioNTech -- for 658
transplant recipients, none of
whom had a prior diagnosis of
COVID-19.
The participants com-
pleted their two-dose regimen
between December 16, 2020,
and March 13, 2021.
The researchers found that
only 98 of the 658 study par-
ticipants -- 15 per cent -- had
detectable antibodies to SARS-
CoV-2 at 21 days after the first
vaccine dose.
This was comparable to
the 17 per cent reported in
the March study looking at
immune response after only
one vaccine dose.
At 29 days following the
second dose, the number of
participants with detectable
antibodies rose to 357 out of
658 -- 54 per cent, the research-
ers said.
After both vaccine doses
were administered, 301 out of
658 participants -- 46 per cent
-- had no detectable antibody
at all while 259 -- 39 per cent
-- only produced antibodies
after the second shot, they said.
The researchers also found
that among the participants,
the most likely to develop
an antibody response were
younger, did not take immuno-
suppressive regimens includ-
ing anti-metabolite drugs
and received the Moderna
vaccine.
move, they said. People will be given permission to
proceed to these valleys only after they produce a
negative RT-PCR test report for COVID-19, Dharchula
Sub-Divisional Magistrate A K Shukla said. “We have
taken the step to prevent COVID-19 from spreading
to the high Himalayan valleys,” he added.
MAHARASHTRA: JOBLESS MAN ENDS
LIFE AFTER KILLING WIFE & SON
PUNE: A 38-year-old man, who was unemployed and
facing financial problems, allegedly killed his wife
and toddler son and then committed suicide at their
home here in Maharashtra, police said on Monday.
The incident took place on Sunday in Pune’s Kadam-
wak Vasti area under Lonikand police station limits.
The man, identified as Hanumant Shinde, used to live
with his wife (aged 28), 14-month-old son, father
and brother in their flat. On Sunday, his bedroom was
locked from inside since around 11 am. When Shinde
and his wife did not open the door till evening, his
father called their relatives and alerted the police,
Assistant Commissioner of Police Kalyan Vidhate said.
With the help of police, they broke open the door
and found Shinde hanging from the ceiling, he said.
6 mp Nation millenniumpost
TUESDAY, 11 MAY, 2021 | NEW DELHI

Fuel prices at record highs; ‘Malicious vaccine SMS that

Petrol crosses `100-mark
Fuel sells at Rs 102.42 litre in Rajasthan and at Rs 102.12 in MP
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Petrol and die-
sel prices on Monday hit record
highs across the country after
rates were increased for the
fifth time in a week, following
which Maharashtra joined Raj-
asthan and Madhya Pradesh in
the league of states where petrol
rates breached the Rs 100-a-litre
mark.
Petrol price was hiked by
26 paise a litre and diesel by
33 paise per litre, according to
a price notification by state-
owned fuel retailers. This was
the fifth increase in prices since
May 4, when the state-owned oil
firms ended an 18-hiatus in rate
revision during assembly elec-
tions in states like West Bengal.
The increase took petrol
and diesel prices to their high-
est-ever level. In Delhi, petrol
now comes for Rs 91.53 per
litre and diesel is priced at Rs
dence of local taxes such as
VAT and freight charges. Raj-
asthan levies the highest value-
added tax (VAT) on petrol in the
country, followed by Madhya
Pradesh. In five increases in the
last one week, petrol price has
risen by Rs 1.14 per litre and
diesel by Rs 1.33 - more than
neutralising all of the reduc-
tion that came between March
24 and April 15.
After raising petrol price by
Petrol price was hiked by 26 paise a litre and diesel by 33 paise per a record Rs 21.58 per litre and
litre  PIC/PTI diesel by Rs 19.18 since the gov-
ernment raised excise duty to an
82.06 per litre. a litre in Sri Ganganagar district all-time high in March last year,
While petrol prices had of Rajasthan and at Rs 102.12 in state-owned fuel retailers, IOC,
crossed the Rs 100-mark in Anuppur of Madhya Pradesh. BPCL and HPCL had reduced
some places in Rajasthan and This is the second time this petrol price by 67 paise a litre
Madhya Pradesh a few days year that rates in some parts and diesel by 74 paise per litre
back, Maharashtra's Parbhani have crossed the Rs 100-a litre effected between March 24 and
joined the league on Monday. mark. Rates had breached the April 15.
Petrol in Parbhani was priced at physiological mark for the first Oil companies, who have in
Rs 100.20 a litre, while in Bho- time in mid-February. recent months resorted to unex-
pal it came for Rs 99.55 a litre. Fuel prices differ from state plained freeze in rate revision,
The fuel is sold at Rs 102.42 to state depending on the inci- had hit a pause button after cut-
ting prices marginally on April
15. This coincided with elec-
tioneering hitting peak to elect
new governments in five states
including West Bengal.
No sooner had voting ended,
oil companies indicated an
impending increase in retail
prices in view of firming trends
in international oil markets.
They said prices have been
on a continuous uptrend since
April 27, crude oil price is hov-
ering near USD 70-per-barrel
mark. Central and state taxes
make up for 60 per cent of the
retail selling price of petrol and
over 54 per cent of diesel. The
union government levies Rs
32.90 per litre of excise duty on
petrol and Rs 31.80 on diesel.
In Mumbai, the petrol price
was hiked to Rs 97.86 a litre on
Monday from Rs 97.61, while
diesel rates were increased to Rs
89.17 from Rs 88.82, the price
notification showed.
compromises phones spreading’
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: A fake COVID-
19 vaccine registration SMS
that "maliciously" gains entry
into a users' Android phone
leading to compromise of indi-
vidual contact list is in circula-
tion, the federal cyber security
agency has alerted.
The harmful SMS has
been identified by at least five
variants.
"It has been reported that
a fake SMS message is in cir-
culation that falsely claims to
offer an app to let users reg-
ister for COVID-19 vaccine
in India."
"The SMS carries a link that
installs the malicious app on
Android-based devices, which
essentially spreads itself via
SMS to victims' contacts," the
Indian Computer Emergency
Response Team or CERT-In
said in a public advisory issued
on Saturday.
The agency is the federal
technology arm to combat
cyber attacks and guarding
the Indian cyber space against
phishing and hacking assaults
and similar online attacks.
It added that the "app also
gains unnecessary permissions
that attackers could leverage to
acquire user data such as con-
tact list."
Some of its identified vari-
ants are: Covid19.apk; Vaci__
Regis.apk; MyVaccin_v2.apk;
Cov-Regis.apk and Vccin-
Apply.apk.
The advisory said that the
only "official" online link to
register for coronavirus vac-
cination in the country is the
portal-- http://cowin.gov.in.
It asked users to be alert
against all attempts of phishing
through fake domains, emails
and text messages that prom-
ise registration for a jab against
the pandemic.
The SMS carries
a link that installs
the malicious app
on Android-based
devices, which
essentially spreads
itself via SMS to
victims' contacts
As part of measures to
check such malicious attempts
of data breach, it advised
users to tune their phone set-
ting in a manner that disables
installation of apps through
"untrusted sources" and that
sides should undertake safe
browsing and use trusted
anti-virus and internet fire-
wall tools.
India at present is admin-
istering two COVID-19 vac-
cines -- Covishield and
Covaxin -- to its citizens and
according to official data, the
central government has so far
provided nearly 18 crore vac-
cine doses to states and union
territories.

Virus: Kerala Priyanka slams govt over Central Vista project ‘Regular ivermectin
releases 560 use may cut risk of
Request for early hearing to PIL against
NEW DELHI: Congress leader for the ambitious project under
prisoners on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on the ambit of "essential services"

parole
THIRUVANANTHA-
PURAM: As part of efforts to
decongest jails in view of the
second wave of COVID-19, as
many as 568 prisoners, lodged
in various prisons across the
state, have been released on
parole in Kerala. Besides them,
932 other convicted prisoners
may also be released tempo-
rarily soon while around 350
remand prisoners would be
freed on interim bail, accord-
ing to official sources here.
The decision was taken
based on a recent Supreme
Monday attacked the govern-
ment over the Central Vista
Project and questioned expen-
diture on a new residence for
the prime minister when it
could be utilised for COVID-
19- related medical assistance.
The redevelopment proj-
ect of the Central Vista -- the
power corridor of the coun-
try -- envisages a new trian-
gular Parliament building, a
common Central Secretariat,
the revamping of the three-
km-long Rajpath from the
Rashtrapati Bhavan to India
Gate and new residences for
the prime minister and the vice
president.
The government has
brought the construction work
to ensure smooth movement of
labourers during the ongoing
lockdown in Delhi.
"PM's new residence &
Central vista cost = Rs 20,000
cr = 62 crore vaccine doses = 22
crore Remdesvir vials = 3 crore
10 litre oxygen cylinders = 13
AIIMS with a total of 12,000
beds. WHY?" Priyanka Gandhi
said in a tweet.
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka
Gandhi and several other top
Congress leaders have been
asking the government to
shelve its plans on the Central
Vista project and give priority
to improving medical infra-
structure during the COVID-
19 pandemic to save people's
lives. MPOST
construction; HC says file application
NEW DELHI: A request
was made to the Delhi High
Court on Monday to give an
early hearing to a PIL seek-
ing a stay on the construc-
tion of the Central Vista here
amid the raging COVID pan-
demic. The request was men-
tioned before a bench of Chief
Justice D N Patel and Jus-
tice Jasmeet Singh by senior
advocate Sidharth Luthra,
and the court said an early
hearing application be filed
first.
Luthra told the bench that
he was mentioning the matter
as the Supreme Court on May
7 asked the petitioners to seek
urgent hearing before the high
court on May 10.
Petitioners -- Anya Mal-
hotra, who works as a trans-
lator, and Sohail Hashmi, a
historian and documentary
filmmaker -- had moved the
apex court against the high
court's May 4 order adjourn-
ing their plea to May 17.
The high court had
adjourned the matter saying
it first wants to study the apex
court's January 5 judgement
giving a go ahead to the Cen-
tral Vista project. In the appeal
before the Supreme Court, the
petitioners had contended that
the project was not an essen-
tial activity and therefore, it
can be put on hold for now
during the pandemic. In the
hearing before the apex court,
Luthra had said that the plea
was only opposed to the per-
mission granted for continuing
the construction going on at
Rajpath, Central Vista stretch
and gardens. MPOST
contracting virus’
NEW DELHI: Regular use
of the oral antiparasitic drug
ivermectin may significantly
reduce the risk of contract-
ing COVID-19, according to
a review of available data by
researchers who claim the
medicine can help end the
pandemic.
The research, published
in the May-June issue of the
American Journal of Thera-
peutics, is the most compre-
hensive review of the available
data on ivermectin taken from
clinical, in vitro, animal, and
real-world studies, its authors
infections.
A focus of the study was on
the 27 controlled trials avail-
able in January 2021, 15 of
which were randomised con-
trolled trials (RCT's).
The authors found large,
statistically significant reduc-
tion in mortality, time to
recovery and viral clearance
in COVID-19 patients treated
with ivermectin. To evaluate
the efficacy of ivermectin in
preventing COVID-19, three
RCT's and five observational
controlled trials including
almost 2,500 patients were

PDP leader Naeem Akhtar released from

Court directive ordering the
immediate release of prison-
ers with an aim to avoid over-
crowding in jails in the wake
of the unprecedented spread
of the pandemic.
A bench headed by Chief
Justice N V Ramana, on May
8, said all those who were
allowed to go out on bail in
March last year by the high-
powered committees of
states and Union Territories
(UTs) during the first wave
of COVID-19 be granted the
same relief now also without
any reconsideration to avoid
delay. AGENCIES
preventive detention after five months
SRINAGAR: Three days
ahead of Eid ul Fitr, authori-
ties on Monday released Peo-
ple's Democratic Party leader
Naeem Akhtar from preventive
detention after five months, the
party said. Akhtar was released
on Monday after remaining in
illegal incarceration for five
months, a PDP spokesman said.
While welcoming the release
of the senior party leader, PDP
general secretary Ghulam Nabi
Lone Hanjura demanded the
release of other political pris-
oners as well. "The continued
illegal incarceration of political
leaders despite the raging pan-
demic belittles the claims of res-
toration of democracy in Jammu
and Kashmir trumpeted by the
government," Hanjura said.
He said five months ago
Akhtar and another senior
PDP leader Sartaj Madni
were arbitrarily picked up on
"frivolous grounds" and put
in jail without any rhyme and
reason.
"Despite their old age and
numerous underlying medical
issues they were kept in deten-
tion even during the raging pan-
demic depicting the vindictives
of the administration. Even after
his release from jail, Naeem
Akhtar continues to be under
house arrest," Hanjura said.
Urging authorities to release
Madni, Hanjura said given the
prevailing health scare and lock
downs it makes no sense for the
government to keep him under
detention. AGENCIES
Husband tries
to kill woman
over plaint
THANE: Three members of
a family allegedly tried to kill
their daughter-in-law by slit-
ting her throat after she filed
a police complaint against
them for harassment, an offi-
cial said on Monday. The com-
plaint stated her in-laws had
taunted and assualted her over
her cooking. AGENCIES
said. "We conducted the most
comprehensive review of the
available data on ivermectin,"
said Pierre Kory, president and
chief medical officer of the
Front Line COVID-19 Criti-
cal Care Alliance (FLCCC), a
group of medical and scientific
experts, which led the study.
"We applied the gold
standard to qualify the data
reviewed before concluding
that ivermectin can end this
pandemic," Kory said in a
statement.
Ivermectin is an oral
drug is used as a prescription
medication to treat parasitic
analysed. All studies reported
that ivermectin significantly
reduces the risk of contracting
COVID-19 when used regu-
larly, the authors said.
Many regions around the
world now recognise that
ivermectin is a powerful pro-
phylaxis and treatment for
COVID-19, the researchers
said.
The results as seen in this
latest study demonstrate that
the ivermectin distribution
campaigns repeatedly led
to "rapid population-wide
decreases in morbidity and
mortality," they said. MPOST

From Page 1 son getting the vaccine since all

State Governments have already
declared their policy decision that
marketing of drugs and also to
instruct their enforcement staff to
keep strict vigil and take stringent
Third Wave.” He said, “There is a
paucity of supply. We have placed
orders with the company, but we
rashtra and Jharkhand have lifted
the 15.55 lakh tonne of grains, the
data showed.
able Energy Sources department.
Firhad Hakim, who was the
Urban Development and Munici-
respectively. Sujit Bose will also
continue as MoS (Independent
charge) of the state Fire depart-

SC adjourns...
The Centre said that in view
of the unprecedented and pecu-
liar circumstances under which
vaccination drive is devised as
an executive policy, the wis-
dom of the executive should be
trusted. In a global pandemic,
where the response and strategy
of the nation is completely driven
by expert medical and scientific
opinion, “any overzealous, though
well-meaning judicial interven-
tion, may lead to unforeseen and
unintended consequences”, the
government said. The govern-
ment further said, it is also sub-
mitted that citizens of 18 to 44
years are getting vaccination free
of cost as all the State Govern-
ments have announced free vac-
cination for this population group
of 18-44 years. Thus, all citizens
of all age groups will get free vac-
cination throughout the country.”
States have also been provided the
information of the total number
of doses of both vaccines available
to them and the UTs from Gov-
ernment of India channel for the
identified priority groups (health
care workers, frontline workers
and population above 45 years of
age) free of cost from May 1 to 15
and this data would be released
every fortnight, it said.
It said that due to consul-
tations and persuasion by the
Central Government both the
manufacturers of vaccine —
Bharat Biotech and Serum Insti-
tute of India (SII), have declared
their respective prices which are
uniform for all state governments.
This price factor will not have
any impact on the ultimate ben-
eficiary namely, the eligible per-
each State will be administering
vaccine to its residents, free of
cost, it said. Centre has also ruled
out door-to-door vaccination of
people and said the inoculation
will be done at identified COVID
Vaccination Centres (CVC), both
government and private, regis-
tered on COWIN for “good, ger-
mane and rational reasons”. It
said that four key requirements of
CVC under the COVID-19 vacci-
nation programme are availabil-
ity of adequate space, adequate
cold storage facility, adequate
number of vaccinators and medi-
cal support staff and adequate
arrangements for management of
Adverse Event Following Immu-
nization (AEFI).
The Centre has told the
Supreme Court that all central
and state government hospitals
managing COVID patients have
been directed to ensure that no
patient is refused admission due
to lack of a valid identity card and
a positive test report for corona-
virus. The Centre submitted that
the Ministry of Health and Fam-
ily Welfare has intimated all state
governments regarding the policy
of setting up three-tier Health
infrastructure for appropriate
management of suspect/ con-
firmed COVID-19 cases.
The government has also told
the top court that all states must
ensure special teams at different
levels to mercilessly clamp down
on hoarding and black marketing
of drugs during the COVID-19
pandemic and send a clear mes-
sage that trading in human mis-
eries shall not be tolerated. The
Centre has said the Drugs Con-
troller General of India (DCGI)
had communicated to all state
drugs controllers (SDCs) that
there should be zero tolerance
to any kind of hoarding or black
action.
It said the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare has requested
the state governments to take all
necessary measures to stop black
marketing or hoarding of drugs
under the provisions of the Drugs
and Cosmetics Act, The Essen-
tial Commodities Act and other
applicable rules and regulations.
Prep on for...
Meanwhile, Health Minis-
ter Satyendar Jain, who was on
rounds with the CM to take stock
of bed augmentation on Mon-
day said Delhi had only one day’s
Covaxin stock left and its Cov-
ishield doses would last for just
three to four days. “Covaxin
doses can last up to one day only,
while Covishield doses can last
up to three to four days,” Jain told
reporters after reviewing prepa-
rations at Guru Teg Bahadur
COVID Care Centre at Gurdwara
Rakab Ganj Sahib in central Delhi.
Around 39 lakh doses have been
administered in the national capi-
tal so far.
“The number of cases has
reduced from around 28,000 to
13,000 now. The positivity rate has
come down from a high of 36 per
cent to around 20 per cent,” Jain
said adding that there’s no room
for any leniency and urged every-
one to keep their guard up.
In fact, CM Kejriwal said, “We
can vaccinate the entire Delhi in
the next 3 months. Experts all
around the world believe that
in the UK, the US, where cases
declined, vaccines have played
a major role. If we can vaccinate
our people on a large scale, then
probably we can be saved from the
believe that the Central govern-
ment is responsible for allotment
because we receive letters from the
Central government pertaining
to the allotment. It is my humble
request to the Central government
to give us as many vaccines as pos-
sible. This is not a time for politics,
but to help everyone by working
together.”
Govt rules...
Last year, the government
had distributed 6.40 lakh tonne
of foodgrains for free to migrants
and stranded migrants. Stating
that there is an increase in use of
ration card portability service dur-
ing the pandemic year since April
2020, Pandey said almost 18.3
crore portable transactions have
taken place during the COVID
period, out of the total 26.3 crore
transaction ever since this ser-
vice was launched in August 2019.
“This is a very startling figure,
which shows people have made
use of the portability service quite
extensively,” he added.
The Secretary said, “So far,
states have lifted 40 per cent
of their monthly quota under
PMGKAY. We hope the distribu-
tion for the month of May is as
per the schedule. Under PGM-
KAY, additional 5 kg grains per
beneficiary per month is given
via ration shops. This is over and
above the existing quota given
under the National Food Secu-
rity Act (NFSA). As per the offi-
cial data, a little over 1 lakh tonne
of foodgrains has been distrib-
uted for free so far this month.
Against the monthly allocation of
39.69 lakh tonne under PMGKAY,
already 13 states including Maha-
43 legislators...
It needs mention that Chat-
terjee had the portfolio of the
Industry, Commerce and Enter-
prises in the first term of the Tri-
namool Congress government.
Later, Mitra was given charge of
the department.
Similarly, Bratya Basu – who
had served as the Education min-
ister in the initial three years since
2011 of the Mamata Banerjee’s
government in the first term –
has been given the portfolio of
the School and Higher Education.
Paresh Chandra Adhikary has
been given the portfolio of MoS
School Education department.
Md Ghulam Rabbani has been
made the minister of Minority
Affairs and Madrasah Education
department. Sobhandeb Chatto-
padhyay, who was the state Power
minister in the previous term, will
now hold another crucial portfo-
lio as the state Agriculture minis-
ter with Aroop Biswas getting the
charge of the Power department
that also has Akhruzzaman as its
MoS. Biswas, who was the state
PWD minister in the last term,
will retain the portfolio of the
state Youth Services and Sports
minister. Manoj Tiwari has been
made the MoS of the department.
Biplab Mitra from North Bengal
has been given the charge as the
Agriculture Marketing minister.
Jyotipriya Mallick becomes the
state Forest minister while Rathin
Ghosh, who is MLA from Mal-
lick’s North 24-Parganas district,
has been given the portfolio of the
state Food and Supplies minis-
ter. Mallick will also look after the
Non-Conventional and Renew-
pal Affairs minister in the past
two terms of the TMC govern-
ment, has been given the cru-
cial portfolios of Transport and
Housing. Dilip Mondal is the
MoS of the Transport depart-
ment. Chandrima Bhattacharya
has been made the MoS (Inde-
pendent charge) of the Municipal
Affairs and Urban Development
department. She has retained the
portfolios of being the MoS of the
two crucial departments – Health
and Land – minister of which is
the Chief Minister herself. Pulak
Roy from Howrah will look after
the Public Health Engineering
department. The MLA from Sagar
in South 24-Parganas Bankim
Hazra has been brought in as the
Suderban Affairs minister while
Manas Ranjan Bhunia and Sau-
men Mahapatra have been made
ministers of the Water Resources
Investigation and Development
department and the Irrigation and
Waterways department respec-
tively. Chandranath Sinha, the
only minister from Birbhum, has
been given the portfolio of MSME
and Textiles minister and Swapan
Debnath becomes the minister of
the Animal Resources Develop-
ment department.
The other senior leaders,
including Subrata Mukherjee,
Sadhan Pandey, Moloy Ghatak,
Ujjal Biswas, Arup Roy, Dr Shashi
Panja, Javed Khan and Siddiqul-
lah Chowdhury will continue
with their previous portfolios
as the state Panchayats minis-
ter, Consumer Affairs along with
Self-Help Group and Self Employ-
ment, Law along with Judicial and
Public Works, Correction Admin-
istration, Co-operation, Women
and Child Development and
Social Welfare, Disaster Manage-
ment and Civil Defence and Mass
Education and Library Services
ment. Similarly, Indranil Sen
becomes the MoS (Independent
charge) of the Tourism depart-
ment besides continuing as the
MoS of the Information and Cul-
tural Affairs department.
Becharam Manna, Subrata
Saha and Akhil Giri have been
given very crucial portfolios as
MoS (Independent charge) of the
Labour department, Food Pro-
cessing Industries and Horticul-
ture department and Fisheries
department respectively. Simi-
larly, former IPS officer Huma-
yun Kabir becomes the MoS
(Independent charge) of Techni-
cal Education, Training and Skill
Development. Veteran politi-
cian Ratna De Nag becomes the
MoS (Independent charge) of two
departments – Environment, Sci-
ence and Technology and Bio-
technology. Sandhyarani Tudu
has been made the MoS (Inde-
pendent charge) of Paschiman-
chal Unnayan Affairs department.
She is also the MoS in Parliamen-
tary Affairs department while
Bulu Chik Baraik becomes the
MoS (Independent charge) of
Backward Classes Welfare and
Tribal Development departments.
Seuli Saha, Birbaha Hansda
and Jyotsna Mandi are the MoSs
of Panchayat and Rural Develop-
ment, Forests and Food and Sup-
plies departments respectively.
The Chief Minister also
announced that Nirmal Ghosh
will be appointed as the Chief
Whip of the Trinamool Con-
gress in the Assembly and Tapas
Roy will function as the Dep-
uty Chief Whip. Biman Baner-
jee has already been appointed
Speaker and Asish Banerjee will
be appointed as Deputy Speaker.
Both Tapas Roy and Asish Baner-
jee were dropped from the list of
ministers.
millenniumpost
NEW DELHI | TUESDAY, 11 MAY, 2021
EDITORIAL Relief in distress
Those who fall behind RBI’s measures to augment the dwindling MSME sector could be supplemented
T with loosening of NPA rules and temporary suspension of IBC
here is a sense that this current wave of Covid
engulfing India came ‘all of a sudden’ or ‘out of
nowhere’. For many, the experience was one of
O
whiplash. One moment, people were being told
that India ‘had beaten the curve’, that India had possibly n May 5, 2021,
achieved herd immunity, that they were somehow safe to the Reserve Bank
hold mass festivals and participate in election rallies. They of India (RBI)
were told enough vaccines are in store, medicines ready SATISH SINGH announced a slew
and a system of healthcare prepared by a year of grim les- of measures to help com-
sons. When the dominoes started tumbling and the truth mon men and micro, small,
of India’s vulnerability in the face of a new wave became medium enterprises (MSMEs)
clear, it was as if a parallel reality had shifted in, replacing to recover from the hardships
the old. Where once discussions and debates were domi- inflicted by the pandemic. Of
nated by politics or IPL, only weeks later the many facets of the measures, the announce-
India’s ‘sudden’ Covid horror are all that remain. It should ment of debt restructuring
be obvious that for those who could see, for those who had of loan accounts may greatly
the information, for anyone paying attention, the outcome benefit MSMEs. Rating agency
was not unexpected, even if it was shocking in its scale and CRISIL projected that around
severity. But that isn’t what this is about. For all the ones 3,400 companies, which have
who could have seen and should have known better, there taken loan of Rs 50,000 crore
were many for whom India’s newest Covid wave has been from banks, will be eligible
akin to having the ground fall out from underneath their for the scheme. The number
feet. Most of us are vaguely aware of their tragedy. We saw a of companies opting for debt
grim spectacle of it last year as millions of migrant labour- restructuring may, however,
ers were suddenly waylaid by the national lockdown. The remain small as the impact of
march of the sick, the desperate and the abandoned. While the pandemic is limited to a
one may optimistically hope that India is ‘prepared’ to few sectors so far.
endure more lockdowns without such tragedies, the real- The agency has also pro-
ity has been quite different. India’s poor, many of them jected that retail, hospitality,
barely having recovered a semblance of their daily lives Bankers have vehicle dealerships, tourism
after a harrowing year, are once again out struggling to keep requested the and the real estate sector will
their head above the water. Once again, lockdowns hit- be most impacted by the pan-
ting India’s economic centres are having a disproportionate RBI to extend demic. On the other hand, the
effect on India’s poor. Already stripped of any savings they the current pandemic will not have much
may have held last year and barely getting by with shrink- impact on the chemicals, phar-
ing wages, India’s informal sector labour force is caught
90-day period maceutical, dairy, technology
in the churn once again. Couple dwindling family savings to 180 days and FMCG sectors due to their
with growing unemployment and the story of India’s eco- for considering stable demand.
nomic recovery becomes more doubtful. Economists are Individuals and MSMEs
already cutting their forecasts of India’s economic recovery loans given to who have taken loans up to Rs
for this year given the circumstances. There are fears that the MSME sector 25 crore will be eligible for debt
this situation will significantly impact domestic consump- restructuring. They can get
tion, which accounts for almost 60 per cent of India’s GDP. as NPAs their debt restructured for two
The few people in the informal sector who can work do so years. The banks will restruc-
while facing immeasurable health risks amid a healthcare ture the loan within 90 days of
system that is buckling under the sheer weight of active receiving the application until
Covid cases. Experts say that India’s Covid surge could September 30, 2021. This ben-
become worse in the coming weeks. Some even see India’s efit, however, is meant for loan
current death toll, already considered an underestimation accounts that were standard
by a growing number of observers, could quadruple by till March 31, 2021. The bor-
the end of July. To add to this, you have the situation with rowers who have not paid their
India’s vaccination campaign. Daily vaccination numbers in dues to the bank for 89 days
India have actually been dropping rather than increasing as can also take advantage of the
the Covid crisis deepens. Last week saw an average of 16.6 scheme. According to the RBI,
lakh shots administered in one day as opposed to a previ- individual borrowers and small
ous high of over 40 lakh shots in April. There are questions businessmen who have a debt
about India’s vaccine supply and how well it is keeping up restructuring facility of less
with the demand. There are even debates ongoing about the than two years can request to
pricing of the vaccine. Many of these vaccine-related issues extend their repayment period
may well be fixed in due course of time. India’s vaccine to two years.
producers are expanding their production capabilities and The bankers’ problem is
India is even importing vaccines to help boost its stock. On
the side of pricing, many states have promised to provide
vaccines free of cost. But this is a matter of time. For many,
waiting for the situation to get better is a lot harder than it
is for others. For India’s informal labour, getting the vaccine
in time and free of cost may be the single biggest contribut-
ing factor to returning to work safely and supporting their
livelihood. And the longer the situation remains, the more
the chances are of inequalities deepening within the nation.
There is a real chance that when the pandemic ends and
India is well on its way to economic recovery, the rich will
be richer and the poor will be even poorer. This is not just
empty rhetoric. Depending on what estimate you believe,
Imran Khan’s expectation from embassies to win investments is misplaced; the
as many as 230 million people in India have slipped below
the national minimum wage threshold since the pandemic solution rather lies in overhauling the extremism-backed political system
began. While the formal sector is able to reorganise its work
O
and even consider procuring vaccines for its employees, the
fate of India’s informal sector and the lives of hundreds of n May 5, Paki-
millions that are tied to it hangs in the balance. This is the stan’s Prime Min-
less-visible tragedy that is engulfing India and threatening ister Imran Khan
any potential narrative of recovery. PRABHU DAYAL asked his coun-
try’s ambassadors to abandon
colonial-era attitude and treat
their diaspora with compas-
DearEditor sion. Addressing the envoys
virtually, he rebuked them for
their failure to serve overseas
Pakistanis.
FREE SPEECH However, is not the Paki-
stani political system itself to be
Last week the Supreme Court has rejected the Election blamed? Are Pakistani diplo-
Commission’s plea to restrain the media from reporting mats immune from their coun-
oral remarks made by judges during hearings, saying, try’s ethos?
‘Citizens have a right to know about what transpires Imran Khan should not for-
in the course of judicial proceedings.’ It refused to get the proverb ‘As you sow, so
expunge the Madras High Court’s observation that the shall you reap’. Pakistan is reap-
poll panel was responsible for the surge in Covid-19 ing the fruits of a decades-long
cases and its officers should be slapped with murder process that has trampled on
charges, saying that the remarks weren’t part of the the rights of the common man
official record. However, it appreciated the poll panel’s Pakistan is and systematically damaged the
work, saying, ‘The EC has a track record of being an reaping the very fabric of the society. This
independent constitutional body which shoulders a trend has affected the function-
significant burden in ensuring the sanctity of electoral fruits of a ing of its embassies too. After
democracy.’ A degree of caution and circumspection decades-long all, a country’s diplomatic rep-
by the High Court would have allayed a grievance resentation is a reflection of
of the nature that arose in this case, it advised the
process that the government and its values.
HC. The verdict has to be understood from the has trampled I have narrated an incident
in my book ‘Karachi Halwa’.
standpoint of institutional interplay as it went much on the rights A New York-based Pakistani
beyond the limited question in hand and enunciated
very important principles of accountability and of the common friend had expressed his admi-
ration for how India had put in
transparency in a democracy. Democracy functions man and place a system to nurture talent,
through institutions that are assigned specific roles and systematically and how in the global corpo-
together they form a system of checks and balances — rate arena, Indians have done
a bulwark against a possible concentration of powers damaged the well and gone on to become the
in the hands of an individual, a group or even an very fabric of CEOs of some of the world’s
organ of the State. Per se, there is nothing wrong with leading organisations. He then
one pillar of democracy finding fault with the other as society went on to lament that Pak-
it is indicative of a healthy practice. One would agree istan’s youth today can only
with the verdict that open court proceedings ensure aspire to become CEOs of
that the judicial process is subject to public scrutiny, organisations like the Taliban,
which is crucial to maintaining the transparency and Al Qaida, Lashkar-e-Taiba,
accountability needed to establish people’s faith in the Jaish-e-Mohammad and oth-
democratic setup. ers of this ilk!
Pakistanis are being
— KHOKAN DAS, KOLKATA via email deprived of the opportunity
to realise their full potential
millenniumpost.in because their country’s educa-
tional system has not kept pace
Log on to write letters to the editor or send them to with changing needs, and has,
letter2editor.mp@gmail.com. You can also send your comments to The Editor, in fact, been derailed. The prev-
Millennium Post, Pratap Bhawan, 5 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110 002 alent mood is one of cynicism
and disappointment as succes-
Editorial
RBI’s fund support of Rs 50,000 crore is expected to create demand in health and related sectors
that they will have to keep 10
per cent of the loan amount as
a reserve for provision require-
ment, which will not be used
for lending. Bankers say it may
lead to a capital shortage.
There is a demand to sus-
pend the Insolvency and Bank-
ruptcy Code, 2016 which the
Government may accept con-
sidering the current situa-
tion. The suspension of the
IBC process will give compa-
nies a chance to correct their
financial situation to deal with
the pandemic. If the IBC is
suspended for the next 3-6
months from April 2021 then
big companies will get a major
relief. In March 2020, the IBC
was suspended until March
2021 to help companies deal
with the challenges posed by
the lockdown. The function-
ing of IBC was resumed in
April this year, but at present,
banks are not showing much
interest in carrying companies
to NCLT. According to data
Hitting the spot
Imran Khan had rebuked embassies on May 5 for not being able to
attract investments
sive governments have adopted
the appeasement of Islamic
conservatism as a fundamen-
tal policy plank. These poli-
cies disregard the aspirations of
Pakistanis who would like their
government to adopt a more
forward-looking approach.
The government machinery
encourages an authoritarian
mindset among government
officials. Drawing a compari-
son between the Indian and
Pakistan embassies abroad,
Imran Khan said that Indian
embassies were “very proac-
tive” in bringing investments to
India as compared to Pakistani
embassies. There is no doubt
that Indian diplomats are much
more focused on furthering
their country’s economic inter-
ests but is the Pakistani ethos
from the Insolvency and Bank-
ruptcy Board of India (IBBI),
the number of insolvency cases
stood at 1,717 in December
2020, which is about 12 per
cent less than in September
2020.
Small enterprises battling
the second wave of the pan-
demic have urged the Finance
Minister to change the clas-
sification criteria of non-per-
forming assets (NPAs) and
rationalize the import duty
on major raw materials such
as iron and steel. Industrial
organisations demand that
classification should be eased
in the pandemic which has
disrupted the payment cycle
of traders. They further say
there should be flexibility in
banking rules so that positive
changes can be made accord-
ing to the situation. Not mak-
ing the necessary changes in
the NPA rules may adversely
affect MSMEs.
Commercial banks have
also not to be blamed? Is Paki-
stan’s investment climate even
remotely comparable to India’s?
A country’s investment cli-
mate refers to the economic,
financial, and socio-political
conditions that determine
whether individuals, banks,
and institutions are willing
to lend or invest in the busi-
nesses operating there. The
unfavourable investment cli-
mate of Pakistan is due to
many factors, but the rise of
Islamic extremism figures at
the top of the list.
Pakistan is home to the
largest number of internation-
ally designated terrorist entities
including Jamat-ud-Dawah,
Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-
Mohammed and Hizbul Muja-
hideen. It may be recalled that
also requested the RBI to make
the NPA classification crite-
ria logical for MSMEs. Lock-
downs imposed by the states
have increased the pressure
on the MSMEs. Bankers have
requested the RBI to extend
the current 90-day period to
180 days for considering loans
given to the MSME sector as
NPAs. They are seeking relief
for two years or till the situa-
tion improves. According to
the Basel-3 guidelines, NPA
rules can be made easier as per
the circumstances.
The RBI will auction Rs
10,000 crore for Small Finance
Banks (SFBs) every month
under a special long-term
repo operation (SLTRO). The
first auction will be held on
May 17 and then on June 15.
The SLTRO will remain intact
until October 14 or until the
remaining amount is fully uti-
lized. It will be valid for three
years. The scheme will help
reduce the negative effects of
during his visit to Washing-
ton DC in July 2019, Pakistan’s
Prime Minister Imran Khan
had himself admitted that suc-
cessive governments in Paki-
stan did not tell the truth to
the United States that 40 dif-
ferent militant groups were
operating within Pakistan,
that the country still had about
30,000 to 40,000 militants who
were trained and fighting in
Afghanistan or Kashmir and
that Jaish-e-Mohammed was
operating in Pakistan as well
as in India. Coming from the
horse’s mouth, this is incon-
trovertible proof of Pakistan’s
direct involvement in terror-
ism. When the Prime Minis-
ter is saying this, will investors
flock to Pakistan?
Moreover, the grey-listing
of Pakistan by the Financial
Action Task Force also makes
investors shy away from invest-
ing there.
FATF works with the
International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and the World Bank
those take into account its
findings and recommenda-
tions. For instance, the IMF
puts conditions for bailout
packages based upon the ful-
filment of FATF-related com-
pliances. Thus, the naming and
shaming by the FATF has costs,
which Pakistan has found out.
Pakistan’s economy is already
in shambles, and the FATF
grey-listing adds to its woes.
Imran Khan said that
the embassies “should work
to bring investment into the
country which is going through
very bad financial conditions
right now”. Pakistan’s economic
and financial woes are not hid-
den from anyone. However, the
Pakistan government seems
paralysed when it comes to the
question of taking meaning-
ful steps for economic recov-
ery. Pakistan’s textile industry
has been facing a shortage of
mp 7
the pandemic, but SFBs will
have to ensure that the money
borrowed from the RBI is used
for the unorganized sector.
RBI recently announced a
pandemic package of Rs 50,000
crore aimed at providing funds
to vaccine companies, med-
ical device suppliers, hospi-
tals and Covid patients. The
emergency healthcare loans
will be provided by banks till
March 31, 2022, which can
be repaid within three years.
Banks do not have to maintain
a cash reserve ratio or statutory
liquidity ratio for these dis-
counted primary sector loans.
Banks can raise money for
this at the repo rate. Loans can
be given to vaccine manufac-
turers, importers, suppliers of
vaccine, hospitals, dispensa-
ries, pathology labs, oxygen
and ventilator manufacturers,
importers of Corona drugs,
logistics firms and patients for
treatment through interme-
diaries. The RBI said that the
lenders can deposit their sur-
plus amount with the RBI at
25 basis points less than the
repo rate. This amount will be
in proportion to the outstand-
ing of corona loan accounts.
At present, banks deposit their
surplus amount at the reverse
repo rate of 3.35 per cent to the
RBI. With this fund support
of Rs 50,000 crore, a demand
of about Rs 80,000 crore is
expected to be generated in
the health sector, at the same
time, also benefiting biochem-
istry, rubber, plastics and other
sectors.
The government and the
RBI have taken some measures
to deal with the corona pan-
demic. In the current perspec-
tive, there is a need to loosen
the NPA rules and suspend the
IBC process for a few months.
These are difficult times and
there is a need to save both life
and livelihood.
Views expressed are personal
raw cotton and yarn. Currently,
cotton and yarn imports are
allowed from all countries
except India. The textile sec-
tor in Pakistan strongly favours
the import of cotton from India
as it is relatively much cheaper.
Pakistan Textile Exporters
Association Chairman Khur-
ram Mukhtar has stated that
the import of raw cotton, yarn
and grey fabric from India will
bridge the gap in demand and
supply and will enable Paki-
stani exporters to continue the
growth momentum.
Consequently, in March
this year, Pakistan’s textile
ministry headed by Prime
Minister Imran Khan recom-
mended the lifting of the ban
on the import of cotton from
India. On March 31, Paki-
stan’s Finance Minister Ham-
mad Azhar announced that
Pakistan would allow limited
imports of cotton, sugar and
wheat from India in order to
rein in rampant inflation. The
Pakistan government, how-
ever, made a U-turn on these
decisions within 24 hours
under pressure from ultra-
right Islamic parties.
Significantly, the Pakistani
Finance Minister had stated
that the decision to allow the
import was made ‘in the inter-
est of the people’. Logically,
therefore, the decision not to
allow these imports is not in
the people’s interests!
In such a background, it
is not just the functioning of
the embassies but the entire
political system in Pakistan
that needs to be overhauled.
The government must clamp
down on the extremist reli-
gious parties and their leaders.
Unless that happens, Pakistan’s
embassies will not be able to
fulfil Imran Khan’s ‘diktat’ of
bringing more investments
into the country.
Views expressed are personal
8 mp World millenniumpost
TUESDAY, 11 MAY, 2021 | NEW DELHI

Nepal PM Oli loses trust vote

OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT

Covid help from US for India

in House of Representatives
‘After losing, PM Oli is automatically removed from his post and now
the new coalition govt will be formed as per the constitutional process’
KATHMANDU: Nepal Prime
Minister K P Sharma Oli lost
a trust vote in the House of
Representatives on Mon-
day, in a fresh setback to the
embattled premier seeking to
tighten his grip on power after
the CPN (Maoist Centre) led
by Pushpakamal Dahal Pra-
chanda' withdrew support to
his government.
Prime Minister Oli secured
93 votes in the lower house of
parliament during a special ses-
sion convened on the direc-
tives of President Bidya Devi
Bhandari.
Oli, 69, required at least
136 votes in the 275-mem-
ber House of Representa-
tives to win the confidence
motion as four members are
currently under suspension.
A total of 124 members voted
against the confidence motion
while 15 members stayed neu-
tral, Speaker Agni Sapkota
announced. The session was
Nath Khanal abstained during
the voting.
The main Opposition
Nepali Congress and the Com-
munist Party of Nepal (Maoist
Centre), which control 61 and
49 votes, respectively, voted
against Oli's trust motion.
The Janata Samajbadi Party,
which has 32 votes, however,
was divided. The Mahantha
Thakur-led faction stayed neu-
tral while the Upendra Yadav-
led group voted against Oli.
After its alliance Nepal
Communist Party Maoist Cen-
tre led by Prachanda withdrew
its support to the government
last week, Oli's government was
reduced to a minority one. After
Nepal Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, centre, arrives at the parliament in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday  PTI losing the Vote of Confidence,
the Prime Minister is automati-
attended by 232 lawmakers. declare that the prime minis- Oli is automatically relieved cally removed from his post
"As the votes cast in favour ter's motion to seek a vote of from his post as per Article and now the new coalition gov-
of the motion fell short to confidence has been rejected, 100 (3). ernment will be formed as per
achieve a majority of the exist- Sapkota announced before Some 28 Lawmakers the constitutional process, said
ing strength of the House of adjourning the House. belonging to Oli's rival faction senior Nepali Congress leader
Representatives, I hereby With this, Prime Minister led by Madhav Nepal-Jhala Prakash Man Singh.  AGENCIES
touches half a billion dollar
WASHINGTON DC: Less
than a fortnight after President
Joe Biden in his conversation
with Prime Minister Naren-
dra Modi pledged his coun-
try's steadfast support for the
people of India, America has
responded with an unprec-
edented financial assistance
worth nearly USD half a billion.
Biden spoke at length with
Modi last month and con-
veyed solidarity with India in
its fight against the viral dis-
ease. He assured the prime US President Joe Biden  PTI
minister that the US and India
will work closely together in the This half a billion dollars worth USD 10 million each,
fight against COVID-19. includes USD 100 million Google has pledged USD 18
"Just as India sent assis- pledged by the Biden admin- million, which the Global Task
tance to the United States as istration, USD 70 million Force that comprises CEOs of
our hospitals were strained by pharma major Pfizer and top American companies have
early in the pandemic, we are 450,000 Remdesivir doses, the already pledged USD 30 mil-
determined to help India in its governmental purchase price lion worth of life saving equip-
time of need," Biden had said of each of which in the US is ment. Describing it as a Berlin
in a tweet. USD 390. Life Moment , Mukesh Aghi
Reflecting an overwhelm- Thousands of oxygen con- of US India Strategic and Part-
ing support for a "natural ally", centrators and plane loads of nership Forum (USISPF), told
the entire country not only the life saving drugs and health PTI he expects the assistance to
administration, but also the care equipment are flying off touch almost USD 1 billion by
corporate sector which created the United States for India the end of the month. It is emo-
a global task force, as well as almost every day. tional for the diaspora, almost
Americans and Indian-Amer- Several companies like everyone has someone who has
icans have opened their coffers Boeing and Mastercard have been touched by COVID-19,
for India. announced financial assistance he said.  AGENCIES

'Outright lies', says China

on reports that it probed
Coronavirus in 2015
BEIJING: China on Monday
termed as "outright lies" the
media reports that its military
scientists investigated weap-
onising Coronaviruses five
years before the COVID-19
pandemic outbreak and said
it is an attempt by the US to
smear the country.
The US State Depart-
ment reportedly obtained the
"bombshell" documents, which
were written by Chinese mili-
tary scientists and senior pub-
lic health officials in 2015 as
part of their own investigation
into the origins of COVID-19.
According to media
reports, which referred to the
documents obtained by the
US officials, scientists of the
Chinese People's Liberation
Army (PLA) allegedly inves-
tigated weaponising Corona-
viruses five years before the
COVID-19 pandemic and
may have predicted a World
War III fought with biological
weapons.
I have seen the relevant
report...Some in the US have
been playing up so-called inter-
nal documents to smear China.
But eventually, facts proved
that they are either making
malicious interpretations out
of context or spreading out-
right lies," Chinese Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Hua
Chunying told a media brief-
ing here when asked about the
reports first released by 'The
Australian'.
Quoting 'The Australian',
UK-based The Sun newspaper
reported that Chinese scien-
tists described SARS Corona-
viruses -- of which COVID is
one example -- as presenting a
"new era of genetic weapons".
Coronaviruses are a large
family of viruses, several of
which cause respiratory dis-
eases in humans -- ranging
from a common cold to Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS).
Hua referred to a report
published by state-run Global
Times, which stated that what
the US State Department
referred to is not an internal
document of the PLA but a
publicly issued academic book.
The book cited former US
Air Force colonel Michael J
Ainscough stating that the next
generation biological weapons
are part of the US programme
to deal with weapons of mass
destruction, she said.
So this is the US who is
undertaking the research in
biological war, she said and
accused Washington of main-
taining hundreds of bio labs
abroad to conduct research.
China always fulfils its obli-
gations under the Biological
Weapons Convention (BWC).
We do not develop biological
weapons. We have established
a sound legal framework with a
whole set of measures to ensure
safety of bio labs, Hua said.
The PLA papers referenced
seem to fantasise that a bio-
weapon attack could cause the
"enemy's medical system to
collapse", The Sun report said.
It references work by Ain-
scough, who predicted World
War III may be fought with
bioweapons. The paper also
includes musing that SARS
-- which hit China in 2003
-- could have been a man-
made bioweapon deliberately
unleashed by "terrorists", the
report said.  AGENCIES

Pakistan govt to set

new rules to meet
FATF demands
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, keen to exit from the
grey list of the FATF, is set to introduce new
rules relating to anti-money laundering cases
and change the prosecution process to meet its
remaining tough conditions, a media report said
on Monday.
Pakistan was put on the grey list by the Paris-
based Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the
global watchdog for money laundering and ter-
ror financing in June 2018 and the country has
been struggling to come out of it.
The Dawn newspaper reported that the
changes being made also include the trans-
fer of investigations and prosecution of anti-
money laundering (AML) cases from police,
provincial anti-corruption establishments
(ACEs) and other similar agencies to specialised
agencies.
This is part of two sets of rules including the
AML (Forfeited Properties Management) Rules
2021 and the AML (Referral) Rules 2021 under
the National Policy Statement on Follow the
Money approved by the federal Cabinet meet-
ing a few days ago, the report said.
These rules and related notifications for cer-
tain changes in the existing schedule of Anti-
Money Laundering Act 2010 (AMLA) would
come into force immediately to be followed by
the appointment of administrators and special
public prosecutors for implementation.  AGENCIES
millenniumpost
NEW DELHI | TUESDAY, 11 MAY, 2021
‘Total vehicle registrations
in India slips 30% in 2020-21’
Total vehicle registrations in financial year 2020-21 were 1,52,71,519
units as compared to 2,17,68,502 units in financial year 2019-20
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: The total vehi-
cle registrations in India fell by
29.85 per cent to 1,52,71,519
units in financial year 2020-21,
the lowest in the last eight years,
the Federation of Automobile
Dealers Associations (FADA)
said on Monday.
Total vehicle registrations
were at 2,17,68,502 units in fis-
cal year 2019-20.
All categories of vehicles,
except tractors were in red in
FY21 with two-wheeler (2W),
three-wheeler (3W), commer-
cial vehicles (CV) and passen-
ger vehicles (PV) falling by
31.51 per cent, 64.12 per cent,
49.05 per cent and 13.96 per
cent respectively -- the lowest in
last eight years and way below
the FY13 levels, FADA said in
a statement.
Passenger vehicles (PV) reg-
istrations were at 23,86,316 units
last fiscal, as against 27,73,514
units in FY20, down 13.96 per
cent, while those of two-wheel-
ers dipped 31.51 per cent to
1,15,33,336 units as compared
to 1,68,38,965 units in the pre-
vious fiscal. Three-wheeler reg-
istrations in FY21 were down
64.12 per cent at 2,58,174 units,
as compared to 7,19,594 per cent
in FY20, while CV registrations
were at 4,48,914 units as against
8,81,114 units, a decline of 49.05
per cent, FADA said.
Tractor registrations, how-
ever, grew by 16.11 per cent
IOC leverages expertise, assets to Covid: Paytm waives
help combat 2nd COVID-19 wave off transaction fees on
donations to NGOs
NEW DELHI: As a responsi-
ble corporate citizen, IndianOil
Corporation (IOC) continues
to go beyond its business pri-
orities to leverage its exper-
tise and assets to help in the
humanitarian efforts to com-
bat the second wave of the
COVID-19 pandemic sweep-
ing the nation.
In the face of a massive
surge in demand for medical
oxygen, IndianOil has diverted
the high-purity oxygen used
in its Mono Ethylene Glycol
(MEG) Unit to produce med-
ical-grade liquid oxygen at the
Panipat Refinery & Petrochem-
ical Complex. The throughput
of the Unit has also been scaled
down to serve the more critical
cause. Presently, it is supplying
270 Metric Tonnes of LMO per
day to the Hospitals in Delhi,
Haryana and Punjab.
IndianOil is also convert-
ing 14 LNG tankers of 17 MT
RBI modifies norms for undertaking
government business by private banks
MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank
on Monday came out with
modified guidelines that allow
sound private sector banks to
undertake government busi-
ness, whether at the Centre
or in states.
According to the modi-
fied norms, scheduled private
sector banks, which are not
under the Prompt Corrective
Action (PCA) framework of
the RBI, can undertake gov-
ernment business after exe-
cuting an agreement with the
central bank.
“Scheduled private sec-
tor banks, not having agency
Reliance, affiliates buy 3/4 of KG-D6 gas
RIL’s oil-to-chemical business unit picked up 3.2 mmscmd gas in auction
NEW DELHI: Reliance Indus-
tries Ltd and its affiliates have
picked up more than three-
fourths of the new gas vol-
umes from the firm’s eastern
offshore KG-D6 block which
at current government dictated
price will cost it less than half of
the imported rate, sources said.
Reliance and its partner UK’s
BP Plc last week auctioned 5.5
million standard cubic meters
Vehicle Registration in India
1,15,33,336
1,68,38,965
-31.51%
Two
Wheelers
Figures do not include data for Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana,
and Lakshadweep as they are not yet in centralised Vahan 4
Data gathered from 1,289 out of 1,493 RTOs
Source: Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations
last fiscal at 6,44,779 units as
compared to 5,55,315 units in
2019-20, it added.
As for April 2021, FADA
said since India was under com-
plete lockdown in April 2020
and not a single vehicle could
be sold, a year-on-year com-
parison is not possible.
When compared to the pre-
vious month of March, FADA
said in April 2021 total vehicle
registrations were down 28.15
each into medical grade oxy-
gen carriers to strengthen the
medical oxygen logistics in the
country. By mid-May, over 20
Road Tankers and 25 ISO Con-
tainers of about 820 MT com-
bined capacity will be pressed
into action by IndianOil.
Moreover, over the next six
months, IndianOil will be man-
ufacturing ten Cryogenic road
tankers at its Cryogenic Plant
at Nasik.
To further streamline the
medical oxygen supply sce-
nario, IndianOil has launched
a single-window application –
Sanjeevani Express.
This application is equipped
to enable real-time monitor-
ing of liquid oxygen supply
logistics.
The single window plat-
form has been created to help
all stakeholders, including the
Ministry of Road Transport
and Highways (MoRTH), Oil
banking agreement with the
Reserve Bank , but intend to
handle government agency
business, may be appointed
as agents of RBI upon execu-
tion of an agreement with the
Reserve Bank.
per day of incremental gas from
the newer discoveries in the
KG-D6 block, benchmarking
it to a gas marker.
Reliance’s oil-to-chemical
(O2C) business unit picked up
3.2 mmscmd gas in the auction,
three sources with direct knowl-
edge of the development said.
India Gas Solutions (IGS)
- a gas sourcing and market-
ing joint venture of Reliance
Apr-Mar 2019-20: 2,17,68,502
Apr-Mar 2020-21: 1,52,71,519
7,19,594
27,73,514
6,44,779
5,55,315
23,86,316
2,58,174
-64.12% -13.96% 16.11%
Three Private Tractors Commercial
Wheelers Vehicles Vehicles
KBK Infographics
per cent at 11,85,374 units ver-
sus 16,49,678 units.
PV registrations were down
25.33 per cent at 2,08,883 units
in April, as against 2,79,745
units in March this year, while
those of 2W declined by 27.63
per cent at 8,65,134 units, as
against 11,95,445 in the previ-
ous month, it added.
Registrations of CV were at
51,436 units in April as com-
pared to 67,372 units in March,
companies and other central
and state government agencies,
to monitor allocation, dispatch
and receipt of Medical oxygen.
IndianOil has also extended
medical insurance to its corona
warriors for yet another year
to support fuel station atten-
dants, LPG delivery persons,
contract workers and truck
drivers fighting the Covid-19
pandemic on the ground.
Earlier, IndianOil con-
tributed to India’s COVID-19
vaccination programme by
supplementing the available
Cold Chain Equipment (CCE)
infrastructure in the four States
of Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil
Nadu, Bihar and Manipur, for
the storage and transportation
of vaccine. Since the outbreak
of COVID-19, IndianOil has
incurred a CSR expenditure
of about Rs 300 crore to help
the country fight the deadly
pandemic.  MPOST
“This will be subject to the
condition that the concerned
bank is not under PCA frame-
work or moratorium at the
time of making the applica-
tion or signing of the agree-
ment with the Reserve Bank,”
the central bank said in a
notification.
It may be mentioned that
the Finance Ministry in Feb-
ruary 2021 had lifted the
embargo imposed in Septem-
ber 2012 on further allocation
of government business to pri-
vate sector banks.
In view of the lifting of the
embargo, the RBI has decided
and BP - picked up another 1
mmscmd, they said.
The remaining volume was
picked by Adani Gas (0.15
mmscmd), IRM Energy (0.10
mmscmd), GAIL (30,000 cubic
meters per day) and Torrent Gas
(20,000 cubic meters per day).
Sources said the price dis-
covered in the e-auction came
at a $0.06 discount to the JKM
(Japan-Korea Marker) LNG
down 23.65 per cent. Tractor
registrations also witnessed a
dip of 44.58 per cent last month
at 38,285 units, as compared
to 69,082 units in March this
-29.85% year, the automotive dealers
body said.
Commenting on the cur-
rent situation, FADA President
Vinkesh Gulati said, “India is
currently facing one of its tough-
est times with the second wave
of COVID creating havoc in
everyone’s life. This time, the
spread is not only limited to
urban markets but has also
8,81,114
4,48,914
taken rural India in its grasp.”
Auto registrations in April
witnessed double-digit fall as
most of the Indian states started
-49.05%
going under lockdown, partial
as well as full, beginning April
5 onwards, he added.
“Unlike last year, the lock-
down this time around has been
imposed by state governments
and not the Central govern-
ment. Due to this, there have
been no relief announcements
which have come out till now
either by the Center or the RBI
and auto Original Equipment
Manufacturers (OEMs),” Gulati
said.
Asking automobile man-
ufacturers to handhold their
dealers the way they did last
year during the first phase of the
pandemic, he said the current
“situation is very grim in most
states and dealer principals as
well as their teams are fighting
for their survival from COVID”.
HYDERABAD: Paytm on
Monday announced that it is
offering its Payment Gateway
services at 0% transaction fees
to all registered NGOs across
the country, in an effort to
help them secure maximum
resources for swift, seamless,
and smooth Covid Relief work.
This service would be applica-
ble on donations of up to Rs. 10
lakh. This move will help NGOs
save lakhs of rupees in transac-
tion fees, which they would be
able to use for providing more
aid and relief to those affected
by the pandemic.
To help NGOs immediately
start accepting all forms of dig-
ital payments, the company is
offering instant account activa-
tion and same-day settlement
facility along with zero charges
on setup and maintenance. Dur-
ing these unprecedented times,
to revise the framework for
authorising Scheduled Private
Sector Banks as agency banks
of RBI for conduct of govern-
ment business.
The notification further
said existing private Sector
agency bank with whom RBI
already has agency banking
agreement and who are autho-
rised to do government agency
business may continue to do
these government agency
businesses for Central and/
or State Governments with-
out taking any fresh approval
from the Reserve Bank
of India.  PTI
price. At current prices, this
translates into a price of $8-9
per million British thermal unit
(mmBtu) but the buyers will end
up paying less than half of this
rate. The government sets a cap
or ceiling rate at which natu-
ral gas from difficult fields like
deepsea can be sold. This cap
for the period April 1, 2021 to
September 30, 2021 is $3.62 per
mmBtu.  PTI
“FADA also requests OEMs
to not burden dealers with high
billings in all the states where
lockdown has been announced,”
Gulati said, while also asking the
government “to come out with a
financial package, the way they
did last year”.
He further said, “we also
request the RBI to come out
with guidelines/notifications
for relaxation of loan repayment
equivalent to the tune of num-
ber of days of lockdown each
state has announced.”
On the near-term outlook,
FADA said the first nine days
of May has seen extremely
lean sales due to lockdown
announced by the majority
of states as dealership outlets
remained closed. “Even where
dealerships are open, the walk-
ins have dropped to 30 per cent
and customers are delaying their
purchase decision,” it said.
Considering the rising num-
ber of COVID cases, the peak in
terms of infections for India on
a whole could be at least a fort-
night away. The just-concluded
elections in states like West Ben-
gal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and
Assam, movement of migrant
workers back to states like Uttar
Pradesh and Bihar can keep the
curve rising, FADA said.
“FADA hence maintains
absolute sluggishness for the
month of May as most of the
states have announced exten-
sion of lockdown till the end
of the month,” it added.
the company wants to ensure
that NGOs that are tirelessly
working to help those affected
by the pandemic by providing
food, medicines, oxygen cyl-
inders do not have to wait for
2-3 days to receive contribu-
tions made to them by aware
citizens and companies. With
the Paytm Payment Gateway
NGOs are able to get the funds
the same day so that they can
immediately put the resources
to good use. The company is
already offering its payment
gateway services to few of the
largest NGOs in the country
who are doing commendable
work in helping people dur-
ing the pandemic. It is aiding
several small NGOs in tier-
II, tier-III and beyond cities
to start accepting contribu-
tions digitally so that they have
adequate funds.  MPOST
ICA- T5531(3)/2021
ICA- T5557(4)/2021
ICA- T5542(2)/2021
Business
Bulls push Sensex up 296
points; Nifty above 14,900
Investors’ wealth has increased by Rs 6,44,760.45 crore in
four trading sessions on back of an equity market rally
OUR CORRESPONDENT
MUMBAI: Equity gauges
Sensex and Nifty rallied for
the fourth straight session on
Monday on hectic buying in
mainly pharma, power and
banking shares as investors
brushed aside concerns over
rising coronavirus cases amid
positive global cues.
Investors’ wealth has
increased by Rs 6,44,760.45
crore in four trading sessions
on the back of an equity mar-
ket rally.
At the closing bell, the
30-share BSE index quoted
295.94 points or 0.60 per cent
higher at 49,502.41.
Over the last four sessions,
the Sensex has gained 1,248.90
points or 2.58 per cent.
Similarly, the broader NSE
Nifty jumped 119.20 points or
0.80 per cent to 14,942.35 tak-
ing its total gains over the four
days to 445.85 points or 3.07
per cent.
On Monday, L&T was
the top gainer in the Sensex
pack, rallying over 4 per cent,
followed by Dr Reddy’s, Sun
Pharma, NTPC, PowerGrid,
IndusInd Bank, ONGC and
M&M.
On the other hand, UltraT-
ech Cement, Infosys, Reliance
Industries, HCL Tech and Axis
Bank were five losers among
the 30 shares.
Sectorally, BSE metal, capi-
tal goods, healthcare, power,
utilities and industrials indices
rose up to 3.53 per cent, while
IT was in the red.
Broader midcap and small-
cap indices rallied up to 0.97
per cent.
“Domestic equities contin-
ued to defy concerns of rising
COVID-19 cases and extended
mobility restrictions by sev-
eral states by extending gains
for the fourth consecutive
trading day,” said Binod Modi
Head-Strategy at Reliance
Securities.
Favourable global cues,
steady March quarter earn-
ings along with favourable
commentary, liquidity sup-
ICA- T5551(3)/2021
ICA- T5553(2)/2021
ICA- T5545(3)/2021
ICA- T5527(3)/2021
mp 9
Rupee rises 16 paise
to 73.35 against $
MUMBAI: The rupee rose
by 16 paise to close at 73.35
(provisional) against the US
dollar on Monday, marking
its third straight session of
gains on the back of positive
domestic equities and weak
American currency.
At the interbank forex
market, the rupee opened
at 73.34 and hit an intra-
day high of 73.33 and a low
of 73.48.
The local unit finally
settled at 73.35, register- eral Reserve will main-
ing a gain of 16 paise over tain its ultra low interest
its previous close. On Fri- rates for quite some time,”
day, the rupee had settled at said Saif Mukadam, Research
73.51 against the American Analyst, Sharekhan by BNP
currency. Paribas.
The rupee has strength- However, sharp gains
ened by 56 paise in the three were prevented on surge in
sessions to Monday. crude oil prices and FII out-
“The Indian rupee appre- flows. Foreign institutional
ciated amid weakness in dol- investors were net sellers in
lar and rise in risk appetite the capital market on Fri-
in the global markets. Mar- day as they offloaded shares
kets sentiments improved worth Rs 1,142.75 crore, as
on speculation that US Fed- per exchange data. MPOST
port announced by the RBI tic equities to shrug off rising
and absence of nationwide COVID-19 cases in the coun-
lockdown have aided domes- try, he further noted.
ICA- T5533(2)/2021
GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
BIRBHUM ZILLA PARISHAD
SURI, BIRBHUM
Abridged Notice Inviting e-Tender
Tender Notice No.BHM/N-02/21-22 (2nd call)
Memo no:-880/BZP Dated, 06/05/2021
Additional Executive Officer, Birbhum
Zilla parishad invites e-Tenders for
01 (One) no of work. Detailed
information including downloading
and uploading time is available from
the website www.wbtenders.gov.in.
sd/-Additional Executive Officer,
Birbhum Zilla Parishad
Memo no:-192/INF/BIR Dated, 10/05/2021
ICA- T5547(3)/2021
ICA- T5529(3)/2021
ICA- T5564(3)/2021
ICA- T5560(2)/2021
ICA- T5522(3)/2021
ICA- T5525(4)/2021 ICA- T5520(3)/2021
10 mp Business millenniumpost
TUESDAY, 11 MAY, 2021 | NEW DELHI

VACCINATION EXPENDITURE UNDER ‘TRANSFERS TO STATES’ CRITICAL HEALTH EQUIPMENT

‘Heading in Budget does not GeM took several steps for

easy procurement: CEO
inhibit govt from using funds’ OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Public procure-

Also, it allows the Union government to procure the vaccines and pass
ment portal GeM has imple-
mented several steps such as

them on to the states as grants in kind, according to Finance Ministry

OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: The finance min-
istry on Monday said provision-
ing Rs 35,000 crore-expenditure
for vaccines in the Union Budget
for FY22 under the title ‘Trans-
fers to States’ does in no way
inhibit the central government
from using the funds to buy
COVID-19 shots.
The amount of Rs 35,000
crore provided in the Union
Budget for fiscal year starting
April 1, 2021 (FY22) under
the Demand for Grants No. 40,
titled ‘Transfers to States’ has
been done for several admin-
istrative advantages, including
expenditure under such head
being exempted from the quar-
terly control restrictions.
Also, it allows the Union
government to procure the vac-
cines and pass them on to the
states as grants in kind.
Refuting reports that no
provision for expenditure on
COVID-19 vaccination has
been done by the central gov-
ernment, the finance ministry
said, “vaccines have actually
been, and are being, procured
by and paid for by the Centre
Finance Ministry said, ‘vaccines have
actually been, and are being, procured
by and paid for by the Centre through
this head of account (Demand for Grants
No.40 Transfers to States)’
through this head of account
(Demand for Grants No.40
Transfers to States)”.
Since expenditure on vac-
cine is one-off expenditure
outside the normal Centrally-
Sponsored Schemes of the
health ministry, separate fund-
ing ensures easy monitoring and
management of these funds, the
ministry noted.
The amount provided under
this head for vaccinations is
operated by the Ministry of
Health. Vaccines are passed on
to the states as grants in kind
and the actual administration
of vaccines is being done by
Highlights
»»Separate funding ensures
easy monitoring and
management of these
funds, the ministry noted
»»The amount provided
under this head for
vaccinations is operated
by the Ministry of Health
»»Further, there is enough
administrative flexibility
to change the nature
of the scheme between
grants in kind and other
forms of grants, it said in
a statement
states, it said.
Further, there is enough
administrative flexibility to
change the nature of the scheme
between grants in kind and
other forms of grants, it said
in a statement. “The use of the
Demand titled ‘Transfers to
States’ in no way implies that
expenditure cannot be incurred
by the Centre,” the ministry said.
Currently, COVID-19 vac-
cines are being provided free of
cost by the Centre to those who
are 45 years of age and above
and to all frontline workers.
The Centre has so far pro-
vided more than 17.56 crore
vaccine doses to states/ UTs free
of cost.
The Centre has placed total
orders of 26.60 crore doses
for Rs 3,639.67 crore with the
Serum Institute of India which
is manufacturing Covishield
vaccine while an order for 8
crore doses involving an amount
of Rs 1,104.78 crore has been
placed with Bharat Biotech for
Covaxin.
India is facing the world’s
worst outbreak of COVID-19
cases with more than 3 lakh
new daily cases being reported
for two weeks now and the
new cases reached more than
4 lakh daily over the weekend.
More than 2.46 lakh people in
India have died from the virus
infection.
Public health system is buck-
ling under the weight of surging
infections and deaths, with sev-
eral parts of the country report-
ing shortage of hospital beds,
medical oxygen, medicines and
vaccines.
rapid onboarding of sellers of
oxygen cylinders and concen-
trators, to enable easy buying
of critical health equipment
by government agencies in the
wake of on-going second wave
of the COVID-19 pandemic in
the country, a senior official said
on Monday.
The Commerce Ministry
launched Government e-Mar-
ketplace (GeM), an online plat-
form for public procurement, in
August 2016 with the objective
of creating an open and trans-
parent procurement platform
for government, which runs in
several lakh crore.
Last year in March, GeM
created a dedicated page on its
platform for medical and pro-
tective equipment like thermal
scanners, biohazard bags and
disinfectants to help the gov-
ernment fight the pandemic.
“In the face of the on-going
second wave of the COVID-
19 pandemic, GeM has imple-
mented several measures to
enable easy procurement of
critical health equipment. As
directed by Commerce and
Industry Minister Piyush Goyal,
GeM has undertaken rapid
onboarding of oxygen cylinders
and concentrators in the mar-
ketplace along with aggressive
marketing of the same,” CEO
He said that despite functional constraints
arising due to the pandemic, efforts of the
platform have yielded results with oxygen-
related orders of value Rs 65.86 crore
being placed on GeM in April
of GeM Prashant Kumar Singh and services. This includes
said. He said that despite func- the quick creation of several
tional constraints arising due to COVID- 19 specific categories
the pandemic, efforts of the plat- in the marketplace,” he added.
form have yielded results with Currently, government
oxygen-related orders of value departments, ministries, pub-
Rs 65.86 crore being placed on lic sector units, state govern-
GeM in April. ments, and Central Armed
Oxygen cylinders and con- Police Forces are allowed to
centrators are in huge demand carry out transactions through
due to increasing COVID-19 this portal. The portal provides
infections in the country. a wide range of products from
These efforts are in addi- office stationery to vehicles.
tion to the measures that have Automobiles, computers and
already been implemented over office furniture are currently the
the past year, Singh added. top product categories.
“Starting in March, 2020, Services, including trans-
GeM has taken a number of portation, logistics, waste
urgent and targeted measures to management, web casting and
ease the procurement journey analytical, are listed on the
for COVID-19 related goods portal.

Yamaha to
close mfg
plants from
May 15-31
NEW DELHI: Two-wheeler
major India Yamaha Motor
(IYM) on Monday said it will
suspend production from
May 15-31 at its two plants in
the country amid the second
Covid wave sweeping across
the country.
After a comprehensive
review and in view of the rising
COVID-19 cases in the country,
the company has decided to sus-
pend manufacturing operations
at its plants in Kanchipuram
(Tamil Nadu) and Surajpur (UP)
from May 15-31, IYM said in a
statement. “The step has been
taken to support the govern-
ment in its fight against Covid
and break the chain of COVID-
Sugar exports on good course;
contracts over 50L tonnes so far
NEW DELHI: India’s sugar
exports are on a “good course”
this year as traders have con-
tracted over 50 lakh tonnes of
the sweetener so far, Food Sec-
retary Sudhanshu Pandey said
on Monday.
The government has fixed a
mandatory export target of 60
lakh tonnes of surplus sugar
for the ongoing 2020-21 sea-
son (October-September). This
export policy was, however,
approved only in January.
During the 2019-20 sea-
son, India, the world’s sec-
ond-largest sugar-producing
nation after Brazil, had
shipped 59 lakh tonne of the
sweetener.
“Over 50 lakh tonnes of
sugar has already been con-
tracted and exports are on a
good course,” Pandey said in a
virtual press conference.
The mandatory sugar
export policy was announced
to support the sugar industry.
The cash-starved mills were
allowed to earn from the export
to ensure they make timely
payment to sugarcane grow-
ers, he said.
Besides exports, mills were
also encouraged to divert to
ethanol production.
Elaborating more, Food
Joint Secretary Subhodh Gupta
said, “Liquidity is a major prob-
lem for the sugar industry. We
are resolving these issues in two
ways — one is exporting sur-
plus sugar and the second is
diverting towards ethanol.”
On sugar exports, Gupta
said the progress has been
good. Initially, there were logis-
tics problems and the issue of
containers.
“Now, the export is smooth.
Already, more than 43 lakh
tonne of sugar has been des-
patched from mills. This year,
we will be exporting sugar in
record less time by June itself,”
he said.
The money which mills get
either by exports or by divert-
ing to ethanol will be used for
making cane payment to farm-
ers, he said adding that these
measures have helped improve
liquidity position of mills and
cane arrear is also reducing
gradually.
On ethanol blending, the
official said the country has
touched 7.4 per cent ethanol
blending, while 11 sugar pro-
ducing states and adjoining
states have already touched
9.5-10 per cent blending.  PTI
Debt MFs see `84,202-cr outflow in March
quarter on redemption from liquid funds
NEW DELHI: Debt mutual
funds witnessed an outflow of
Rs 84,202 crore in three months
ended March 2021, with liq-
uid schemes contributing 56
per cent of the withdrawal,
according to a Morningstar
report.
This was the only quarter in
2020-21 that saw outflow in the
fixed-income or debt category.
The outflow comes follow-
ing an inflow of Rs 1.69 lakh
crore in December quarter,
Rs 35,522 crore in September
quarter and Rs 1.09 lakh crore
in June quarter.
According to the report,
fixed-income category had
faced a challenging atmosphere
since the downgrade to IL&FS
back in 2018.
A spate of downgrades to
other entities following the
IL&FS crisis left some of the
fixed-income funds in a serious
liquidity crunch as redemp-
tions in certain categories
explode, it added.
“Given the uncertainty
in the economy caused by
COVID-19, investors are again
moving toward risk-averse
assets in the fixed-income seg-
ment during volatile times, as
they tend to provide better pro-
tection to their capital relative
to some credit strategies,” the
report noted.
The latest outflow pulled
the asset base of the fixed-
income category for March
2021 quarter to Rs 13.28 lakh
crore, which was 6 per cent
lower than the previous quar-
ter when the total asset base
was Rs 14.06 lakh crore.
The liquid, ultra-short-
term, money market, and over-
night fund categories constitute
a substantial portion of the
total assets (about 44 per cent)
within the fixed-income cat-
egory, the report said.
Given its significant contri-
bution, even a slight change in
the amount of flows in percent-
age terms in these segments
can make a huge difference
in the overall flows within
the fixed-income category,
it added.
Around 56 per cent of the
total outflow during the quar-
ter under review in the fixed-
income segment came through
liquid funds, where most of the
institutional money is parked.
Liquid funds witnessed
net withdrawal of Rs 47,398
crore during the quarter under
review typically due to advance
tax payment requirements.
This comes following an inflow
of Rs 16,270 crore.
In addition, low duration
funds and short duration funds
saw outflow to the tune of Rs
21,044 crore and Rs 12,419
crore respectively.
Further, banking & PSU
category, which is considered
as a safe option, witnessed
outflow of Rs 6,427 crore as
opposed to receiving net flows
of Rs 11,500 crore in the previ-
ous quarter.  PTI

‘Insurance, MF cos cut equity Business Briefs

19 transmission,” it added.
In the current scenario, the
health and safety of employees
is the top priority for the com-
pany, the Japanese firm noted.
The company will continue
to work closely with its dealers
and suppliers to minimise the
impact of this interruption and
focus on optimisation of stock, it
added. The employees working
at the corporate office and area
offices shall work from home to
preserve business continuity
while providing the best pos-
sible support to customers and
business partners, IYM said.
The company noted that it
has updated standard operating
procedures for the prevailing
second wave with a focus on
enhanced health surveillance,
expediting vaccinations, regu-
lar sanitisation at factory prem-
ises and workplaces. Besides,
it is also providing support to
affected employees and their
family members with HR poli-
cies that ensure the well-being
of all workers, it added.  PTI
JNPT, New Mangalore Port
handle 120 tonnes of LMO
NEW DELHI: JNPT and New
Mangalore Port on Monday
handled 120 tonnes of liquid
medical oxygen (LMO) on a
priority basis, the Ministry of
Ports, Shipping and Waterways
said in a statement.
The ministry also said India’s
largest container port, Jawaha-
rlal Nehru Port Trust, handled
four medical-grade oxygen-
filled cryogenic containers with
a total quantity of 80 tonnes.
Each cryogenic container
carried 20 tonnes of liquid
medical-grade oxygen, and
these medical-grade oxygen
containers were loaded in Jebel
Ali, United Arab Emirates, and
reached India on Monday, it
added in the statement.
Indian Navy’s INS Kolk-
ata reached New Mangalore
Port on Monday carrying 40
JNPT, handled
four medical-grade
oxygen-filled
cryogenic containers
with a total quantity
of 80 tonnes
MT of oxygen from Kuwait,
it added.
The cargo also comprised
of five tonnes of oxygen cylin-
ders and four high-flow oxygen
concentrators, the statement
said.
The ministry has directed
all major ports of India, includ-
ing Kamarajar Port Ltd, to
waive off all charges levied by
Major Port Trusts, including
vessel related charges and stor-
age charges.  PTI
investments in March quarter’ SBI CARD RAISES `455 CR VIA BONDS
MUMBAI: Insurance behe-
moth LIC opted for profit-
booking by selling its equity
stakes in companies during the
March quarter, a report said on
Monday.
The IPO-bound compa-
ny’s stakes in 296 companies
where it holds over 1 per cent
stake slipped to an all-time low
of 3.66 per cent at the end of
March as against 3.70 per cent
in December, the report by
Prime Database said.
Pranav Haldea, the man-
aging director of Prime Data-
base Group attributed this to
profit-booking by India’s larg-
est institutional investor, adding
that the stake held had touched
an all-time high of 5 per cent
in 2012.
Interestingly, in value terms
there was an increase in the
equity assets held by the state-
run company at an all-time high
of Rs 7.24 lakh crore in March,
which represents a 6.30 per cent
increase, it said, pointing out
that market benchmarks Sensex
and Nifty rose by 3.70 and 5.10
per cent, respectively, during
this period.
Holdings by insurance com-
panies declined to a 5-year low
of 4.80 per cent as on March 31,
down from 5 per cent at the end
of December 31, 2020. In value
terms, it went up by 3.09 per
cent from the previous quarter
to an all-time high of Rs 9.48
lakh crore as on March 31, 2021.
LIC accounts for over three-
fourths of the overall value of
the stakes held by insurance
companies in equities, it added.
Mutual funds’ holding
reduced to 7.23 per cent as on
March 31, 2021 down from 7.42
per cent as on December 31,
2020, and Haldea said that this
is the fourth straight quarter
where the MFs have sold their
holdings after 24 continuous
quarters of an increase.
However, in value terms,
the holding of domestic mutual
funds went up by 4.81 per cent
to Rs 14.30 lakh crore on March
31, 2021 from Rs 13.64 lakh
crore on December 31, 2021.
Net outflows by domes-
tic mutual funds stood at Rs
26,810 crore during the quar-
ter, as retail investors booked
profits.  PTI
NEW DELHI: SBI Cards and Payment Services (SBI
Card) on Monday said it has raised Rs 455 crore by
issuing bonds. The stakeholders’ relationship committee
of the company has approved the allotment of 4,550
fixed-rate, unsecured, rated, taxable redeemable,
senior, non-convertible debentures, SBI Card said in
a regulatory filing. Under this, the company will issue
bonds (NCDs) of the face value of Rs 10 lakh each
aggregating to Rs 455 crore on a private placement
basis, it added. The bonds with a maturity date of
May 10, 2024, will offer coupons at 5.70 per cent
per annum. SBI Card said it will list the bonds on the
wholesale debt market segment of BSE.
APM ADVISES CUSTOMERS TO PRIORITISE
COVID RELIEF MATERIAL IN TRANSIT
MUMBAI: APM Terminals Pipavav has advised its
customers to prioritise all COVID relief material in
transit to facilitate the transportation of such consign-
ments at the earliest, the private port operator said

NLCIL to set up oxygen plants in Neyveli, Thoothukudi

on Monday. The company has been undertaking
various initiatives in order to combat the pandemic
and bring ease in the current state of distress, it said

and seven other sites; orders placed for 500 OCs

Tenders have been floated for the Oxygen plants & once process is completed, plants will be set up within one month
CHENNAI: With a view to aug-
ment the supply of medical oxy-
gen, Public Sector Undertaking
(PSU) NLC India Ltd is in the
process of setting up nine Pres-
sure Swing Adsorption Medical
Oxygen plants at its project sites
including Neyveli and Thoothu-
kudi in Tamil Nadu and sites
across the country.
Tenders have been floated
for the Oxygen plants and once
the process is completed, the
plants will be set up within one
month.
The move is in lines with
the direction of the Union Coal
Minister Pralhad Joshi to PSUs
under its fold to set up oxy-
gen plants to meet the rise in
demand for medical oxygen
in hospitals across the country.
Sharing the details of the ini-
tiative, Rakesh Kumar, Chair-
man-cum-Managing Director
of NLCIL stated……… “Ini-
tially, NLCIL has planned to set
up nine plants with capacity of
12 NM3/Hour to 30 NM3/Hour
based on the requirement at dif-
ferent locations. Two plants of
12 NM3/Hour capacity cost-
ing Rs.25 to Rs.30 lakhs will be
installed at the NLCIL Hospital
in Neyveli while three plants of
30 NM3/Hour capacity costing
Rs.65 lakhs to 70 lakhs each
will be installed in Chennai.
The plants in Chennai will be
installed in Government Gen-
eral Hospitals identified by the
State Government.”
NLCIL will also be setting
up three oxygen plants each in
Rajasthan and through its sub-
sidiary Neyveli Uttar Pradesh
Power Ltd. ( NUPPL) in the
state of Uttar Pradesh.
The Navaratna undertak-
ing has business operations
in Neyveli and Thootukudi in
Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand
and in a small way in Andaman
and Nicobar Islands.
The plants will be funded
through the PSU’s Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR)
program for the fiscal 2021-22.
Keeping in view the pan-
demic situation, the progress of
the above is being directly mon-
itored by the CMD alongwith a
dedicated team for the purpose
headed by CGM (HR).
A number of initiatives have
been taken on war footing by
the new team. NLCIL had
augmented its COVID-19 bed
capacity in its hospital and other
places in Township in Neyveli
from 90 to 500 beds (200 in
the Hospital itself) for treat-
ment of COVID-19 patients.
The PSU had commenced Hos-
pital Operations at Ghatampur
UP within a week’s time with
the combined team of L&T, GE
and BGR. 70 bedded hospital is
in operation now and additional
200 beds are arranged for Covid
Care Centres in the nearby
buildings.
“NLCIL is also in the pro-
cess of placing orders for pur-
chase of 500 Medical Oxygen
Concentrators (OCs) of 10
LPM capacity each. Tenders
have already been floated and
we will finalize the bidder in a
week’s time. The oxygen con-
centrators will also be sent to
States including Odisha, Tamil
Nadu and Rajasthan based
on the requirement,” Rakesh
Kumar said.  MPOST
in a statement. The port has issued an advisory to all
its customers asking them to prioritise all COVID-19
relief material in transit with the objective of facili-
tating the transportation of such consignment at the
earliest to ensure it reaches the needy in time, APM
Terminals Pipavav said.
INDIAN CONSUMER SHIFTING TO DIGITAL
FINANCIAL SERVICES: NITI CHAIRMAN
NEW DELHI: India is seeing an increasing digitiza-
tion of financial services, with consumers shifting from
cash to cards, wallets, apps, and UPI, Niti Aayog
Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said on Monday. While
releasing a report — Connected Commerce: Creat-
ing a Roadmap for a Digitally Inclusive Bharat —
prepared jointly by Niti Aayog and Mastercard ,
Kumar said this report looks at some key sectors and
areas that need digital disruptions to bring financial
services to everyone.
millenniumpost
NEW DELHI | TUESDAY, 11 MAY, 2021
MX Player’s ‘Runaway
Lugaai’ to launch on May 18
Directed by Avinash Das, the show will feature
Naveen Kasturia, Ruhi Singh and others
OUR CORRESPONDENT
T
he trailer of MX Player’s
‘Runaway Lugaai’, which
features Naveen Kasturia,
Ruhi Singh, Sanjay Mishra, Ravi
Kishan, Aarya Babbar and Chit-
taranjan Tripathy in key roles has
already hit the Internet and gives
a glimpse into the fun vibe of the
upcoming show.
‘Runaway Lugaai’, produced by
Aarrav Jindal under his banner
‘Euphoria Productions’, is directed
by Avinash Das.
Naveen, who has proven his
acting acumen in a variety of
streaming shows, will be seen in
the role of Rajnikant Sinha (Rajni).
Essaying the role of a judge in the
course of India, Rajni is far from
the flamboyant image of his name-
sake, the megastar Rajnikanth.
Rajni believes in justice but ends
up being the pawn in the hands
of a corrupt system and his father,
essayed by the inimitable Sanjay
Mishra.
Ruhi Singh, a former
Miss India run-
ner-up who
Entertainment mp 11
Joss threatened
my career: Gal
The 36-year-old actor shared that
Whedon told her to ‘just be pretty’
LOS ANGELES: Gal Gadot, who
shared her experience of working
with filmmaker Joss Whedon on
the ‘DC’ movie ‘Justice League’, said
that the director threatened to make
her ‘career miserable’.
The ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ star,
who essayed the role of superhero
Wonder Woman in the ‘Warner Bros/
DC’ movies, revealed that Whedon
told her to ‘just be pretty’ and say her
lines.
“Joss kind of threatened my career
and said if I did something, he would
make my career miserable and I just
took care of it instead,” Gadot told Israeli
news outlet ‘N12’.
The clash had reportedly happened
when the 36-year-old actor pushed back
on some new dialogue Whedon had writ-
ten. During the exchange, he also alleg-
edly disparaged ‘Wonder Woman’ director
Patty Jenkins.
The Whedon took over the reins of ‘Justice
clash League’ after director Zack Snyder left the
project in the wake of a family tragedy.
had reportedly In an interview with ‘The Los
happened when Angeles Times’ in 2020, Gadot had
hinted at her troubling experience
Gadot pushed back on with Whedon and stated that it was
some new dialogue resolved privately.
“I had my own experience with
Joss Whedon had him, which was not the best one, but
written I took care of it there and when it hap-
pened. I took it to the higher-ups and
they took care of it. But I’m happy for Ray
to go up and say his truth,” she had said.
Rajni believes in
justice but ends up
being the pawn in
the hands of a
corrupt system and
his father, essayed
by the inimitable
Sanjay Mishra
a certain style, but I feel the real
challenge lies in telling different
stories differently. For me, ‘Run-
away Lugaai’ has turned out to be
a project that stands apart from
my recent works. I quite enjoyed
bringing alive a story that has
entertainment, politics, law,
corruption and human emo-
tions all rolled into one. I
had a great team of actors
who have added their
‘Have no plans to
featured in Madhur Bhandarkar’s quirks and dimension to
‘Calendar Girls’, essays the role of the characters in a delight-
Bulbul, a desi, free-spirited girl ful way,” said the director.
and eccentric girl who turns a run- ‘Runaway Lugaai’ will
work with James’
away bride post her wedding. premiere on ‘MX Player’
“Every director has on May 18.
Big B contributes
Rs 2 crore to a
COVID care facility
NEW DELHI: Bollywood megastar
Amitabh Bachchan contributed Rs The B’wood megastar
2 crore to ‘Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur
COVID Care Centre’ at the Gurd- made the donation
wara Rakab Ganj Sahib here to help to ‘Sri Guru Tegh
them combat the COVID-19 pan-
demic crisis. Bahadur’ to help the
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, pres- people combat the
ident of Delhi’s ‘Sikh Gurdwara
Management Committee’,
pandemic crisis
shared the news on ‘Twitter’.
“‘Sikhs are legendary, Delhi was facing a crunch in oxy-
salute to their service’ - gen supply, Bachchan would every
these were the words day enquire about the progress at the
of Bachchan ji when facility, which started from the after-
he contributed Rs 2 noon of May 3 with 300 beds.
crore to ‘Sri Guru In another tweet, Sirsa informed
Tegh Baha- that the 78-year-old actor also
dur COVID arranged oxygen cylinders from
Care Facil- abroad for the facility.
ity’,” Sirsa “He is not just a reel hero but a
wrote. real-life Hero,” tweeted Sirsa.
He During the ‘Vax Live: The Con-
added cert to Reunite the World’, which
that aired on May 9, Amitabh Bachchan
when had also urged the global commu-
nity to help India, which is currently
battling a deadly second wave of the
Coronavirus pandemic. PTI
Whedon’s alleged toxic behaviour
towards the cast of TV shows ‘Angel’
and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and
‘Justice League’ first came to light in 2020.
Ray Fisher, who played the role of
Cyborg in the super-
hero ensemble film
Charges against Franco altered
his and Seth’s professional ties
H ollywood actors Seth
Rogen and James Franco
had worked together on
several major projects over the
years. The duo used to be close
friends off-screen. But soon their
friendship’s dynamic changed when
James got accused of sexual mis-
conduct by students at his former
acting school. Several complaints
After Franco was
accused of sexual
misconduct, Seth
Rogen said that
their friendship’s
dynamic changed
were also turned into a lawsuit
against him, which was settled.
In his recent interview with
‘Sunday Times’, Rogen was asked
about Franco’s sexual misconduct
allegations and whether the ‘Pine-
apple Express’ writer will continue
to work with the actor following
them. Commenting on his profes-
sional relationship with Franco,
Seth maintained that he had ‘no
plans’ to work with the actor.
Mohan Joshi tests
COVID-19 positive
V
eteran actor Mohan Joshi,
who is predominantly Even after receiving
known for his work in Hindi
as well as Marathi films and shows, two doses of the
tested positive for the novel Coro- COVID-19 vaccine, the
navirus. He shared a post on ‘Insta-
gram Stories’ and informed his fans veteran actor tested
about the same recently. positive for the virus
The actor had received two doses
had claimed in a of the COVID-19 vaccine according sad emoji.
tweet that to a news report. As per the report, On the work front, Mohan Joshi
Whedon was the veteran actor was shooting for a is currently featuring on the Marathi
‘abusive’ and Marathi TV show in Goa a few days show ‘Aggabai Sunbai’. The cast and
‘unprofessional’ ago. He recently returned to Mum- crew of the show returned to the city
on the sets of bai, after his TV show shoot was recently, after the ‘Entertainment
their 2017 ‘DC’ cancelled. Society of Goa’ stalled and cancelled
movie. PTI “Please stay at home and stay permissions to shoot films and TV
safe. I’m Corona positive,” the vet- shows in the state due to the rise in
eran actor wrote and also shared a COVID-19 positive cases. AGENCIES
Farhan extends support to
COVID-19 affected families
Food is given to the people working
at cremation grounds in Varanasi
A
mid the second Coronavirus
wave in India, Bollywood actor The ‘Wazir’ star teamed
Farhan Akhtar came forward
to extend support to the COVID-19 up with a NGO, where
affected families and caregivers in the his donations are used
city of Uttar Pradesh.
The ‘Rock On’ star teamed up with a to feed patients and
non-for-profit organisation. His dona- caregivers in distress
tions are being used to feed patients and
caregivers in distress.
Diyanshu Upadhyay, secretary of ute lunch to the hospitals during the
the NGO revealed that the donations day, at night, we focus on the cremation
were not only being used to feed the grounds. Farhan sir has always stood by
virus-infected patients, but also the us in our times of need and we are grate-
people working at Harishchandra ful for his contribution this time,” stated
and Manikarnika shamshan ghats the secretary.
in Varanasi. Upadhyay further revealed that
“Eight of us from the ‘Hope’ he had earlier reached out to the
team have been distributing ‘Wazir’ star through social
1000 thalis every day in media. The actor gave a
the city. Each thali has prompt response and was
rice, dal, roti, sabzi, salad ready to help. AGENCIES
and biscuits. If we distrib-
“What I can say is
that I despise abuse and
harassment, I would
never cover or conceal
the actions of someone
doing it or knowingly
put someone in a situ-
ation where they were
around someone like
that,” stated Seth.
Revealing if
he will collabo-
rate with James
again, Rogen said, “I
also look back to that
interview in 2018 where
I commented that I would
keep working with James and
the truth is that I have not and I
do not plan to right now.”
Seth also addressed how he
regretted ‘Saturday Night Live’
(SNL) joke where he posed as
an underage girl and set up a
date with Franco.
Rogen also did not shy
away from agreeing that accu-
sations against Franco not only
affected their professional rela-
tionship but also their friendship.
Rogen maintained in the interview
that their dynamic changed com-
pared to how it was before. AGENCIES
12 mp millenniumpost
TUESDAY, 11 MAY, 2021 | NEW DELHI

DIP/Shabdarth/D/0014/21-22