IANS

INDIA

COVID-19 crisis | Andhra Pradesh govt announces fixed deposit accounts worth Rs 10 lakh for children orphaned by pandemic

The plan mooted by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, envisages setting up a fixed deposit (FD) account worth Rs 10 lakh, in the name of every child, who has lost both parents to Covid-19.

BUSINESS

Centre releases Rs 5,968 crore to 15 states under Jal Jeevan Mission

Of the central funds allocated under the Jal Jeevan Mission, 93 percent is to be utilized on developing water supply infrastructure, 5 per cent on support activities and 2 percent on water quality monitoring and surveillance.

INDIA

Goa oxygen shortage claims 13 more; 75 dead in 4 days

An Opposition MLA of the Goa Forward party Vijai Sardesai has called the four hours between 2 am and 6 am -- when most of the deaths have happened -- as the 'dark hour' of death.

BUSINESS

TikTok India head Nikhil Gandhi quits

After the company folded its India business, Gandhi was recently redesignated as TikTok Head for the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and South Asia.

BUSINESS

Help desks for cows in every Uttar Pradesh district, says Yogi Adityanath

The state government has also issued instructions that all the cow shelters (gaushalas) must strictly follow the Covid-19 protocols, and has made the usage of masks and frequent thermal screening mandatory.

TRENDS

Paracetamol, doxycycline raw materials twice as expensive now; Assocham calls for government help to clear import bottlenecks, fix transport costs

India gets 85% of active pharmaceutical ingredients from China. Pharma lobby warns that supply issues may arise as second wave of Covid-19 ripples through the country. Already, Chinese state-owned Sichuan Airlines has suspended cargo services to India for 15 days.

BUSINESS

IRCTC's train schedule and lockdown: Railways Minister Piyush Goyal has this to say

Piyush Goyal said this after a huge number of people turned up at various railway stations and bus stands in the last few days to rush home after night curfew and localised lockdowns were announced in some parts of the country.

INDIA

President Ram Nath Kovind undergoes cardiac bypass surgery, condition stable

Kovind was shifted to AIIMS on March 27 where post investigations doctors had advised him to undergo a planned bypass procedure, the Rashtrapati Bhavan had stated earlier.

INDIA

Veteran singer Asha Bhosle is 'Maharashtra Bhushan 2020'

The announcement was made following a meeting of the Maharashtra Bhushan Award's selection committee presided over by Thackeray, with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Cultural Affairs Minister Amit Vilasrao Deshmukh, Minister of State Rajendra Patil-Yadravkar, and other top officials attending.

BUSINESS

Amazon, Flipkart among foreign entities hell bent on destroying India's retail sector: CAIT

CAIT in a communication sent to Piyush Goyal said that FDI in e-commerce section of Press Note No.2 of FDI Policy 2016/2018, the stipulations of which foreign entities like Amazon and Flipkart are hell bent on ruthlessly destroying the Indian retail sector with their deep pockets and expansive lobby of legal experts who will stop at nothing before trampling the lives of over 40 crore Indians.

INDIA

China steps up cyber-attacks after disengagement from Pangong lake

On February 28, the 'Red Echo' group targeted NTPC Infrastructure with a malware that it had planted, establishing a connection that fed into the hacker's server

INDIA

Delhi Govt taking multiple initiatives to promote e-vehicles: Kailash Gahlot

The Minister claimed the AAP government has floated the largest tender in the country so far to build 100 public charging stations with a target of total 500 charging points at prominent locations across the city.

POLITICS

Ravi Shankar Prasad demands inquiry into the impact of sustained political campaign after Batla House encounter

Addressing a press conference a day after the court verdict, Prasad asked why the Congress, Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee Didi and all those who questioned the Batla House encounter have turned silent.

BUSINESS

India now has over 700 commercial aircraft: DGCA

As per official figures, India had 695 aircraft at the beginning of 2020. Last year, 73 aircraft were added while 52 were sent back to the lessors by the airlines.

BUSINESS

Tech bids open for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train bridge project

The technical bids for contract packages of P-1(B) and P-1(C) for construction or building of bridges for the MAHSR corridor in the state of Gujarat as well union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

SPORTS-TRENDS

Belarusian athletics coach Nikolai Snesarev passes away in Patiala

Adille J. Sumariwalla, president of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), confirmed the passing away of Snesarev.

ENVIRONMENT

Vast cracks free huge iceberg in Antarctica

The first indication that a calving event was imminent came in November 2020 when a new chasm - called North Rift - headed towards another large chasm near the Stancomb-Wills Glacier Tongue 35 kms away, BAS said in a statement on Friday.

BUSINESS

CBDT chairman Pramod Chandra Mody's term extended till May 31

Mody's tenure was last extended in August 2020. This is the third extension to his tenure as CBDT chairman.

SPORTS-TRENDS

Ukraine Wrestling Event | India's Vinesh Phogat wins gold in 53 kg freestyle

Vinesh is one of the four Indian wrestlers to have qualified for the 2021 Olympic Games. Male wrestlers Bajrang Punia (65kg), Ravi Dahiya (57kg) and Deepak Punia (86kg) are the others.

INDIA

Centre fixes COVID-19 vaccine price at Rs 250 per dose

The cost break-up is Rs 150 for a dose plus Rs 100 as a service charge which the private facilities can charge from the beneficiaries.

INDIA

Amazon Pay to install safety screens in 40K Uber autos

This partnership will further boost the growth of Uber Auto in seven critical markets as rides become more affordable and commuters can e-hail an Auto from the safety and comfort of their homes.

POLITICS

Tamil Nadu Assembly Polls | Ahead of elections, K Palaniswami waives loans taken by poor, SHGs

CM K Palaniswami announced in the state assembly the waiving of loans taken by pledging ornaments by the poor and farm labourers and women self help groups from cooperative societies and cooperative banks.

WORLD

China releases video of Galwan Valley attacks ahead of military talks

The Indian Army didn't react to the video of the clash released by China and maintained silence over the issue.