1. Cases in India Rise to 2,547, Death Toll at 62
The total number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 2,547 on Friday, 3 April, according to Union Health Ministry data.
Out of these, 2,322 are active cases, while 162 people have recovered or discharged from the hospital. The death toll from the highly contagious Covid-19 disease stood at 62. One person migrated from the country.
Maharashtra is the most-affected state with 335 cases and 16 deaths. To combat the spread, Maharashtra government has declared 30 government hospitals of the state as Covid-19 hospitals with the availability of total of 2,305 beds.
Tamil Nadu is the second most affected Indian state with 309 cases and one death followed by Kerala with 286 cases and two deaths.
(Source: Mint)
2. For 9 Mins at 9 pm on Sunday, Light Diyas: PM Modi
Fifteen days after he exhorted citizens to clap, ring bells, and beat utensils to thank the providers of essential services during the Janata Curfew of 22 March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 3 April, asked for the unleashing of the “superpower of 130 crore Indians” to challenge the darkness of the coronavirus crisis with the “glory of light”.
In a video address to the nation at 9 am, Modi asked people to light candles and diyas, or switch on torches or mobile phone flashlights, for nine minutes at 9 pm on Sunday, April 5, to “illuminate the common purpose we are all fighting for”.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Centre Passes Order to Reserve All J&K Jobs for Domicile
Two days after introducing a new domicile clause redefining residence and recruitment rules for Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre on Friday, 3 April, amended its order to reserve all jobs in the Union Territory for only its domiciles.
The previous order included protections for level 4 jobs with a pay scale not exceeding Rs 25,500.
Level four jobs include the lower constabulary, junior assistants and entry level non-gazetted jobs.
The move had triggered a row with almost all shades of political opinion questioning its intent and timing, and criticising the Centre for “heaping insult on injury” upon the residents of the UT.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Centre Grants Rs 17,000 Cr to States to Tackle COVID-19 Crisis
The Centre on Frida, 3 April, released Rs 17,287 crore to different states to augment their financial resources to combat the coronavirus crisis.
While the home ministry approved an advance release of Rs 11,092 crore to all states under the State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF), in line with the assurance given by PM Narendra Modi to CMs on Thursday, the finance ministry said Rs 6,195 crore was transferred on account of “revenue deficit grants”, which were part of the 15th Finance Commission recommendations for 14 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
(Source: The Times of India)
5. Air India Stops Bookings till 30 April
Air India on Friday, 3 April, said it has stopped bookings till 30 April and is awaiting a decision after 14 April, when the nationwide lockdown is scheduled to end.
Bookings have been stopped for both domestic and international routes.
Domestic and international commercial flights in the country are suspended till 14 April amid the lockdown to curb spreading of coronavirus infections.
An airline spokesperson said bookings have now been closed till 30 April from Friday.
(Source: NDTV)
6. NDTV Wins Major Case That Alleged Money-Laundering
The Supreme Court Friday, 3 April, quashed the tax re-assessment of New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) initiated by the income tax (IT) department that alleged Rs 400 crore unaccounted money in a UK subsidiary of NDTV.
The tax case relates to the issue of step-up coupon bonds amounting to $100 million issued in July 2007 by Network PLC (NNPLC), an NDTV company incorporated in London. At that time, NDTV had agreed to furnish corporate guarantee for this transaction. These bonds were subscribed to by various entities and were to be redeemed at a premium of 7.5 percent after the expiry of the period of five years. However, these bonds were redeemed in advance at a discounted price of $74.2 million in November 2009.
(Source: The Indian Express)
7. India's Oldest COVID-19 Survivor and Wife Discharged
A 93-year old man, India's oldest COVID-19 survivor, and his wife were discharged from the government Medical College Hospital here on Friday, 3 April, days after they fully recovered, in what is being dubbed by the medical community as a "miracle cure", officials said.
Thomas Abraham and 88-year-old Mariyamma have recovered after days of life-and-death battle against the coronavirus since their admission to the hospital on 9 March, officials said.
(Source: Mint)
8. ‘Don’t Give Corona a Communal Twist’: BJP Chief
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda is learnt to have urged his party leaders to refrain from giving any “communal colour” or create any “division or differences” over the COVID-19 outbreak.
In a meeting with national office bearers Thursday, 2 April evening, Nadda is said to have told them that no party leader should make any provocative or divisive remark but support the efforts of the Prime Minister as well as that of state governments irrespective of which party is in power there, said a source.
This comes after more than 400 positive cases and 15 corona deaths have been reported across the country which, officials said, can be traced back to a Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Nizamuddin in Delhi in mid-March.
(Source: The Indian Express)
9. 10 Security Personnel At Mumbai Airport Test Positive For COVID-19
Ten jawans of the Central Industrial Security Force or CISF posted at the Mumbai airport have tested positive for coronavirus. The paramilitary force has decided to get all 152 jawans staying together in a camp tested.
"One of our jawans has tested positive on 27 March. With him, 11 other jawans were in contact. As a precaution we got others tested too out of which 9 have tested positive," a senior official in CISF told NDTV.
According to him, the first jawan who tested positive stayed in a CISF camp in Kalamboli. "152 jawans also stayed there so as a precaution we are getting them tested too," he said.
According to the CISF, those who test positive will be shifted to the Kasturba Hospital for treatment while those who test negative will be kept under observation at a quarantine centre for 14 days.
(Source: NDTV)
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