NEWS

The internal power struggle within the AIADMK is spilling onto the streets as supporters of O Pannerselvam put up posters warning against the party top order making decisions in the absence of their leader. In one of the posters, supporters of Pannerselvam from the southern district of Tirunelveli warn, “Do not make decisions, or carry out implementations in the absence of our leader.” The posters, signalling a standoffish attitude, have raised speculation as to whether the road ahead for the Panneerselvam-Palaniswami combine extends without hurdles. The AIADMK’s senior leaders had met last week after the party’s election debacle in which it lost by a considerable margin to the DMK.

The Odisha government Wednesday effected a reshuffle in the IFS and IPS cadre.

A notification issued by the Home Department said 1997 batch IPS officer Diptesh Kumar Pattanayak, IG, Eastern Range, Balasore has been transferred and posted as IG, Prisons while 2002 batch IPS officer Narasingha Bhol, IGP, Northern Range, Sambalpur has been posted as IGP, Central Range, Cuttack.

Himanshu Kumar Lal, IG, Prisons has been posted as IGP, Eastern Range, Balasore.

UDF on Tuesday slammed the Left government in Kerala over its decision to renovate Cliff House, the official residence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spending nearly one crore rupees at a time when the state was reeling under acute financial crunch.

Raising the issue in the Assembly, P T Thomas (Congress) sought to know how the government's declared policy of financial austerity and spending whopping amount for the 'refurbishing' of the CM's bungalow would go together.

"The finance minister has ensured the House that he would implement financial discipline.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has issued initial guidelines for the vaccination drive set to begin from June 21. As per the revised policy announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, the Centre will procure 75 per cent of all Covid-19 vaccines produced in India.

In a bid to avoid confusion going forward, the health ministry said distribution of 75 per cent of its quota to states will be based on a number of factors. These include population, disease burden and the progress of vaccinations. Vaccine wastage will affect allocation negatively, said the ministry.