COVID-19: MHA Launches Portal to Monitor Movement of Migrants
Catch all the updates on the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown here.
The Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday, 16 May launched an online portal to facilitate the movement of migrant labourers across the country. The dashboard is to ensure better coordination, movement and contact tracing.
Earlier today, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressing the fourth press briefing on the 20 lakh crore economic package announced under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’. She announced a slew of structural reforms in eight sectors.
Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 85,940 on Saturday, 16 May, according to the Health Ministry. There are now 53,035 active cases across the country, while 2,752 people have died. As many as 30,152 patients have been cured or discharged and one has left the country.
- Six migrant workers were killed in a road accident near Madhya Pradesh’s Banda (Sagar district) on Saturday
- In another incident, 24 migrants died and many injured after a truck they were travelling in collided with another truck in UP’s Auraiya
- The Bengal govt said on Saturday that it would bear the entire cost of movement for their migrant workers by special trains from other states to West Bengal
- Mizoram has extended the lockdown till 31 May to check spread of coronavirus, PTI reported on Friday, 15 May, quoting an official
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)
Karnataka District Judiciary, Family Courts to be Closed Till 6 June
The district courts, family courts, labour courts and industrial tribunals in Karnataka will remain closed till 6 June 2020, ANI reported on Saturday, 16 May.
24 Migrants Killed, Many Injured After Two Trucks Collide In UP
Twenty-four migrants have been killed and many injured after a truck they were travelling in collided with another truck at around 3 am in Uttar Pradesh, making this the latest incident in which stranded migrant workers have been killed in an accident while trying to return home.
United States Will Donate Ventilators to India: Trump
US President Donald Trump on Friday said that the United States will donate ventilators to India to support the country's fight against the coronavirus pandemic. He also said that both the United States and India are cooperating on vaccine development in order to beat the "invisible enemy."
India Crosses China's Tally, Total Number of Cases at 85,940
The number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 85,940 on Saturday, 16 May, according to the Health Ministry. There are now 53,035 active cases across the country, while 2,752 people have died. As many as 30,152 patients have been cured or discharged and one has left the coutry.
There has been a spike of 3,970 cases and 103 deaths in India in the last 24 hours.
INS Jalashwa Departs From Malé as Part of Phase-2 of Operation Samudra Setu
INS Jalashwa departs from Malé, Maldives with 588 Indian citizens on board as part of the Phase-2 of Operation Samudra Setu, ANI reports, quoting the Indian Navy.
121 Indians From Newark Return to Hyderabad
121 Indians returned to Hyderabad from Newark (USA), on an Air India special flight which landed at 3:14 am on Saturday morning, ANI reports.
65 New Cases Reported in Odisha on Friday
65 new positive cases were reported in Odisha on Friday. The total number of positive cases in the state has risen to 737 as of 9 am on Saturday, ANI reports, quoting the state’s Health Department. Active cases in the state stand at 568 with 166 cured/recovered and three deaths.
FM to Address Press Conference on Aatmanirbhar Bharat at 4 pm Today
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address a press conference on Aatmanirbhar Bharat at 4 pm today.
Work on NPR Postponed in UP: Report
Work for National Population Register (NPR) 2021 has been postponed in Uttar Pradesh in view of the coronavirus pandemic, reports ANI.
US House Passes $3 Trillion Coronavirus Aid Bill Opposed by Trump
The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday narrowly approved a $3 trillion bill crafted by Democrats to provide more aid for battling the coronavirus and stimulating a faltering economy rocked by the pandemic, Reuters reported.
Trump Administration to Restore Partial Funding to WHO: Report
US President Donald Trump's administration is set to restore partial funding to the World Health Organization, Fox News reported on Friday, citing a draft letter, according to Reuters.
The Trump administration will "agree to pay up to what China pays in assessed contributions" to the WHO, Fox News reported, quoting from the letter.
Five Migrant Workers Killed in Accident in MP
Five migrant workers have been killed in a road accident near Madhya Pradesh’s Banda (Sagar district) on Saturday, after the truck they were travelling in overturned. They were going from Maharashtra to Uttar Pradesh, ANI reports, quoting ASP Praveen Bhuria.
23 New Cases Reported in Karnataka
23 new cases have been reported in Karnataka on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 1,079 including 36 deaths and 494 discharges. The total number of active cases now stands at 548, ANI reports, quoting the State Health Department.
65-Year-Old COVID Positive Man Also Suffering From Pneumonia Passes Away
A 65-year-old man who was also suffering from pneumonia, and had tested positive for COVID-19, passed away on Friday, the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida has said, according to ANI. This takes the total number of fatalities in Gautam Buddha Nagar district to five.
Haryana Becomes First State to Resume Public Transport Within State
Haryana has become the first state to resume public transport within the state. Inter-district bus services started in the state on Friday to facilitate the movement of people who are stuck in different parts of state due to the coronavirus lockdown.
"We were sending a lot of people to other states. Then we realised that many of our people were stuck in various districts with no means to travel. That's when we decided to start inter-district bus services," Haryana police chief Manoj Yadav told NDTV.
Total Number of Cases in Delhi Stands at 9,333
438 more COVID-19 cases and six deaths have been reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in the national capital now stands at 9,333, including 5,278 active cases, the Delhi Health Department said on Saturday, according to ANI.
‘Largest Debtor’: China Calls on Us to Pay Its Debts to the United Nations
China on Friday issued a statement calling on all UN member states to “actively fulfill their financial obligations to the United Nations,” stressing that Washington owes the organisation more than $2 billion, according to AFP report.
“As of May 14, the total unpaid assessments under the UN regular budget and peacekeeping budget amount to 1.63 billion and 2.14 billion US dollars respectively,” the statement from China said.
Priyanka Vadra Writes to Adityanath, Seeks Permission for Cong to Ply Buses to Send Workers Home
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has written to Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, seeking permission for plying of 1000 buses by the party to send migrant workers to their homes.
15 Inmates of Delhi's Rohini Jail Test COVID-Positive
15 out of the 19 inmates at Delhi’s Rohini jail who were sharing barracks with an inmate who had tested positive earlier have now tested positive, while one staff member has also tested positive, ANI reports, quoting Sandeep Goel, DG Prisons, Delhi.
Bengal Govt to Bear Cost of Migrant Labourers Travelling by Special Trains to Return Home
Total Number of Positive Cases in UP Stand at 4,140
The total number of positive cases in Uttar Pradesh so far is 4,140 and the death toll in the state is currently 95 people, ANI reports, quoting Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad.
Govt to Bring Commercial Mining in Coal Sector: Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Saturday, 16 May, that the government will bring commercial mining in the coal sector to remove governmen’t monopoly.
“Government will introduce competition, transparency, and private sector participation in the coal sector through revenue sharing mechanism instead of the regime of fixed rupee/tonne,” Sitharaman said.
She further said that the “investment of Rs 50,000 crores is for the evacuation of enhanced CIL's (Coal India Limited) target of 1 billion tons of coal production by 2023-24 plus coal production from private blocks.”
FDI in Defence Manufacturing Raised From 49% to 74%: FM
Finance Minister Sitharaman also announced that the Foreign Direct Investment limit in defence manufacturing under automatic route is being raised from 49 percent to 74 percent.
The government has also decided to stop the import of of some weapons.
“Make In India for self-reliance in defence production – we will notify a list of weapons/platforms for ban on import with year wise timelines. There will be indigenisation of imported spares,” she added.
Reforms Announced Today With Contribute to Economic Transformation: PM Modi
Hailing the structural reforms announced by the finance minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that these reforms will help create business opportunities and ‘contribute to economic transformation’.
Rahul Gandhi Speaks to Migrants on Streets of Delhi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to the migrants, who were walking on Sukdev Vihar flyover to return home, in Delhi.
Punjab Extends Lockdown Till 31 May
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has announced replacement of the strict curfew with a lockdown till May 31 in the state, while indicating resumption of limited public transport and maximum possible relaxations in non-containment zones from 18 May, reported ANI.