Security forces have been put on high alert at all vulnerable points along the inter-state boundary to pre-empt any untoward incident, said a senior police officer in Jorhat. We have received strict instructions to ensure law and order in the disputed areas. Besides anti-social elements, members of some rebel groups are active along the border.
25-26.07.21
TheAssam governmentwill notreopen schoolsunless theCovid positivity ratedips below two per cent across all districts, thestate education departmentsaid.
The newSOPpublished by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority directed alleducationinstitutions, including schools, colleges and universities, to continue to provide qualityvirtualoptions and said there would be no in-person classes. Online education amid a lingering second wave has posed a big hurdle for students from underprivileged backgrounds as they are not able to afford the necessary infrastructure.
The positivity rate of the state in the last seven days (from July 20 to July 26) has been 1.24%. Though most of the districts are maintaining below two per cent positivity, in the hill districts of Dima Hasao and West Karbi Anglong, its still 5.27% and 2.13% respectively. In five other districts, the positivity rate is hovering between 1.50 and 1.99%. These are Dhemaji (1.62%), Golaghat (1.94%), Kamrup (1.79%), Karbi Anglong (1.50%) and Nalbari (1.73%). During the seven days, 10,939 cases were positive.
TheCentrehas so far sanctioned projects worth over Rs 450 crore under various components of Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) for overall growth and development of the food processing sector.
In a written reply inLok Sabha, Union food processing ministerPrahlad Singh Patelsaid under PMKSY, the Centre has so far released grant-in-aid of around Rs 109 crore toOdishaunder various component schemes.
The food processing industries ministry provide credit-linked financial assistance (capital subsidy) in the form of grants-in-aid to entrepreneurs for setting up of food processing and preservation infrastructure as well as food processing units, said the Union minister.
The Centre has so far sanctioned 12 component projects under the PMKSY of which as many as seven have been completed. PMKSY is a demand-driven scheme and is being implemented across the country, said Patel.
Odishas first mega food park was set up by thefood processing ministryat Rayagada at an investment of around Rs 81 crore, including central assistance of Rs 50 crore, with facilities like fully operational industrial sheds, developed industrial plots for lease to food processing units, rice processing complex, warehouse, cold store, multi-fruit processing facility and other similar facilities. It was planned to benefit around 25,000 farmers in the tribal-dominated region.
The Centre has also planned another mega food park in the state with an aim to attract private investment in food processing sector, also a focus sector of the state government.
At a time when fuel prices are at an all-time high across the country, chief minister M K Stalin on Tuesday inaugurated through video conferencing 25CNG(compressed natural gas) stations in Chennai and Tiruvallur and one main station of Gujarat-basedTorrent Gas. The company will invest Rs 5000 crore in the state over the next five years.
Torrent Gas has announced a price of Rs 51.35 per kg for CNG, in Chennai and Tiruvallur, which is the second lowest CNG price in the country after the NCR region, said Jinal Mehta, director, Torrent Gas. Though Chennai is a late entrant as far as usage of CNG as fuel for vehicles is concerned, this is the right time to enter into the market, said Jinal Mehta.
Torrent Gas, in its efforts to promote and build an ecosystem conducive for widespread adoption of CNG has tied up with car and vehicle manufacturers. Existing petrol car users can also get their cars converted to CNG by fitting their vehicles with CNG kits from government approved retrofitters.
At least two-third of the population surveyed in 11 states were found to have developed coronavirus antibodies, according to the findings of a sero-survey by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) done between June 14 and July 6.
Madhya Pradesh leads the chart with 79% sero-prevalence whileKeralais at the bottom with 44.4%. Sero-prevalence in Assam is 50.3% andMaharashtra58%.
The findings of the fourth round of the national sero-survey, conducted across 70 districts, were shared by the Union health ministry.
Sero-prevalence the other states surveyed are:Rajasthan(76.2%),Bihar(75.9%), Gujarat (75.3%), Chhattisgarh (74.6%), Uttarakhand (73.1%), UP (71%), AP (70.2%),Karnataka(69.8%), TN (69.2%) andOdisha(68.1%).
The survey was designed to capture the extent of the spread ofCovidinfection at the national level. Therefore, the results do not reflect the heterogeneity of sero-prevalence between districts and even between states
After facing months of pandemic-induced challenges, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is hoping that the trend of revenge tourism will lift its revenue. It plans to introduce 25 tour packages by August-end, offering to take people from the tech capital to various destinations in and outside the state.
Chitradurga, Mysuru, Nandi Hills/Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple, Gol Gumbaz, Hampi, Dharmasthala, Kukke Subramanya, Tungabhadra Dam, Puducherry, Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu) and Gandikota (Andhra Pradesh) are among the places it intends to cover.
Revenge tourism refers to pent-up demand for travel after the Covid-19 lockdown.
The government informed theTelangana high courtthat thecommitteeof state and central authorities is on the verge of preparing a comprehensiveredevelopmentplan. The committee, formed by the high court to ensure conservation and protection of monuments in the state, has already identified 27 sites including Golconda Fort and Qutub Shahi tombs.
The counsel explained that the committee needed to analyse suggestions to formulate a clear plan. The field survey gave authorities useful first-hand information on the current situation, the counsel said. The bench sought a report from the panel by September 22.
It may be recalled that assistant solicitor general (ASG) Namavarapu Rajeswara Rao had made a field visit to Golconda Fort and Qutub Shahi tombs earlier and had raised issue over the structures mushrooming in the forts proximity. As many as 153 complaints had been lodged by central archaeological authorities with the state government over illegal structures within a 100-metre-radius of the Golconda Fort.
After a memorandum of understanding for offering a one-year diploma programme to Sri Lankan women entrepreneurs two days ago,Indian Institute of Management-Visakhapatnamis all set to enter into an agreement with the National Centre for GoodGovernance(NCGG) for joint research, policy formulation, case study documentation and academic title granting programmes.
The National Centre for Good Governance is an autonomous institute of the department of administrative reforms and public grievances (DAR&PG) under the Union government.
The Goa state council for science and technology has filed an application for the registration of Geographical Indication (GI) for the Goa Mankur (Mankurad) mango variant and is presently working on obtaining similar status for theMangelarandMussaratmango varieties.
AGI tagprotects the produce from being illegally used and ensures benefits to the community of local growers.
The department said the association will be open for membership and after completion of one year, a regular committee will be elected at a special annual general meeting to take the GI process further.
The Nagpur bench of Bombayhigh court directed theMaharashtra governmentto set up Lonar Development Authority within twoweeks.
A division bench comprising justices Sunil Shukre and Anil Kilor asked thegovernmentto issue a resolution (GR) to constitute the body that would be headed by the Amravati divisional commissioner.
It was further told to include names of senior counsel ChandrashekharKaptan, who is already a member of HC-appointed committee, and petitioners counsel Anand Parchure, both of whom are assisting the court in saving the historic lake believed to have formed about 50,000 years ago due to a meteorite impact.