Hi, here's your todays newswrap

October 21, 2020

  • Protesting farmers in Punjab allow only goods trains to ply 

    Heeding to the appeal of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, 30 protesting farmers' organisations in Punjab on Wednesday decided to allow goods trains to ply till November 5, while passenger train services would continue to remain disrupted in the state. 

    However, their sit-in protests against BJP leaders, corporate houses and toll plazas would continue. They would meet again on November 4 to decide on the next course of action. 

  • Calcutta HC softens stand, allows more members in pandals 

    A day ahead of Mahasashti, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday partially relaxed its order in which it previously declared all Durga Puja pandals as no-entry zones for visitors amid the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. After Durgotsav Forum an umbrella body of 400-strong Durga Puja organisers in Kolkata has appealed for a review of the order, the court on Wednesday allowed entry of up to 45 people at a time. 

    The high court also said that Dhakis (traditional drummers) may be permitted, not within the pandal area but in the no-entry zone outside the pandal. Dhakis should wear the mask and maintain hygiene and physical distancing norms. 

  • UP Farmers forced to sell crops at less than MSP even now says Priyanka Gandhi Vadra 

    Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "This is when the MSP is guaranteed. Imagine what will happen when the MSP guarantee is removed." In her latest swipe at the Central government over the recently enacted farm laws, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said that farmers across Uttar Pradesh are forced to sell their paddy crops at prices less than the Minimum Support Price (MSP). 

    The Congress leader, taking to Twitter, accused the BJP government of not listening to the farmers. She also posted a video of a farmer alleging corruption in crop procurement at the Mohammadi Khiri mandi. 

  • Number of seats increased to 4,000 in West Bengal, says, Mamata Banerjee 

    MBBS seats in medical colleges of West Bengal has now increased to 4000. 'I am pleased to announce that we now have 4,000 MBBS seats for Bengal's vibrant medical students,' Mamata Banerjee said in a tweet.  

  • Multiple IDs will be used to give COVID-19 vaccine, clarifies government 

    When asked whether the NDHM digital ID would be mandatory to receive the vaccine, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said at the weekly briefing on COVID-19 that to ensure no one was deprived of vaccination, multiple IDs would be used during the inoculation drive. 

    On Monday, PM Modi had said that the country was working on putting in place a well-established vaccine delivery system – and that this digitised network, along with the digital health ID, would be used to ensure the immunisation of citizens. 

    Several IDs apart from the unique digital health ID under the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) would be prescribed for the COVID-19 vaccination drive expected next year, the government said on Tuesday. 

  • Bihar Congress president absent from manifesto launch cites MLC election 

    The Congress on Wednesday released its manifesto titled "Badlav Patra" for the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections 2020, in absence of the party's state president Madan Mohan Jha. 

    To this, Jha said, "Tomorrow (Wednesday) is my (MLC) election. Senior party leaders were there for the manifesto release. That is why I couldn't come. After the MLC polls, I will continue to campaign for my party." 

  • Vikas Dubey's wife questioned by ED 

    The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has questioned Richa, the widow of gangster Vikas Dubey, regarding the financial dealings of her late husband. The Enforcement Directorate is probing a money laundering case, which was registered last month against Vikas Dubey and his 10 associates, including his financier Jaikant Bajpai, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. 

    The probe agency had reportedly registered the case based on around 60 FIRs against Vikas Dubey and his associates in different parts of Uttar Pradesh. Officials had said that they came across instances where prima facie money had crossed the border. 

     

     

     

     

On the news

October 22, 2020

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