Bharat Biotech, COVID-19, PM Modi, farmer protest, farm law, trade, farmers, 2021, Odisha schools, winter, cold waves

2 January 2021

• Bharat Biotech's Covaxin recommended for emergency approval

  The Central Government on Saturday said that the expert panel of India's drug regulator has recommended granting permission for restricted emergency use of the indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine 'Covaxin' in "public interest as an abundant precaution."
  
  The Subject Expert Committee of Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation had met on January 1 and 2, and made the following recommendations for the consideration and final decision of the Drugs Controller General of India. The final decision will be taken by DCGI VG Somani soon.

• Farmer impasse likely to be resolved on Monday

  After the last meeting of the government and farmers led to positivity and breaking of bread together, it appears that the over month-long deadlock may be resolved on Monday. Sources on both sides have indicated a thaw with a meeting ground on some of the most contentious issues emerging.
  
  The government may well be ready to offer amendments to the MSP and APMC issues in writing.
  
  As per the government and farmer sources, Monday will see a big breakthrough after more than six rounds of talks between the two parties have been held. The sticking points of MSP being retained and APMC may well see a resolution.

• Schools to reopen in Odisha for Class 10, 12 from Jan 8

   The Odisha government on Saturday decided that schools will reopen for Class 10 and Class 12 from January 8.
  
  In a statement, School and Mass Education Department informed that students will be taught for 100 days including Saturdays and Sundays. Classes will be held for Class 10 students from January 8 to April 26 and Class 12 students will attend their classes from January 8 to April 28.

• Farmers' Union to decide on line of action on Saturday

  Farmers' organisations under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), after a meeting at Singhu border, on Friday said that if the talks with the government on January 4 fail then they will intensify the protest and hold a tractor rally on January 6 on KundliManesar Palwal (KMP) expressway. The farmers' union will also hold a joint press conference on Saturday.
  
  The statement from the SKM said, "If the 6th round talks with the government are not fruitful then the Shahjahanpur border blockage will be moved towards Delhi and 'Desh Jagruti Abhiyan' will be organised from January 6 to 20 across the country."

• India's Dec merchandise exports slip by 0.80% YoY (Roundup)

  Lockdown measures in some of the key export markets subdued India's merchandise exports in December 2020 by 0.80 per cent to $26.89 billion from $27.11 billion in December 2019, preliminary data showed on Saturday.
  
  "India's merchandise exports in December 2020 totalled $26.89 billion, compared with $27.11 billion in December 2019, a marginal fall of 0.80 per cent," a Ministry of Commerce and Industry statement said on the basis of preliminary data.

• Nagaland hopeful of containing Dzukou Valley wildfire within Monday

  The Nagaland authority on Saturday expressed hope that the raging week-long wildfire in the famed Dzukou Valley on its border with Manipur will be brought under control within two days, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters, over 300 volunteers and personnel of many departments continuing their efforts to extinguish the inferno at the biodiversity hotspot.
  
  Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority's Officer on Special Duty, Johnny Ruangmei said that the heavy gusty winds have affected the officials' effort to tame the fire but we expect that it would be fully brought under control by Monday, as the blaze has been contained partially.

• PM to dedicate National Atomic Timescale to nation on Monday

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the 'National Atomic Timescale' and 'Bhartiya Nirdeshak Dravya' to the nation, and lay the foundation stone of the National Environmental Standards Laboratory on Monday.
  
  The National Atomic Timescale generates Indian Standard Time with an accuracy of 2.8 nanoseconds. The Bhartiya Nirdeshak Dravya is supporting testing and calibration of laboratories for quality assurance, at par with international standards. The National Environmental Standards Laboratory will aid self-reliance in the certification of ambient air and industrial emission monitoring equipment.

• Cold wave hits Bihar, fog reduces visibility

  People in Bihar are experiencing a cold wave as dense fog continues to affect life in several districts.
  
  Travel by road in morning and evening hours is being done very cautiously. Low visibility has been a constant issue during dawn and dusk for the last two weeks. According to MET Department in Patna, the maximum temperature in central Bihar areas like Patna, Gaya, Nalanda Begusarai remain 22 to 23 degrees Celsius while minimum temperature hover around 7 to 9 degrees Celsius.
  
  "The temperature has dipped in majority of the places in Bihar due to a western disturbance in northern India. Winds blowing in from the Himalayan ranges has added to the chill.