NEWS

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday (February 15), said that India will start administering vaccines to people above the age of 50 in March, 2021.

“We will be in a situation to administer vaccines to those above 50 years of age in March,” he said adding that an expert group on vaccination will discuss how to pay for vaccination of those above 50 years of age. He also said that a formal decision on the funding of the vaccination of this group is yet to be taken. 

Talking about the COVID-19 vaccination in India, which commenced on January 16, Harsh Vardhan said that 80-85% of frontline workers are vaccinated and 20-25 countries will benefit from the vaccine.  

“80-85% frontline workers vaccinated and over 20-25 countries to be availed with vaccines. At least 18-20 vaccines are in preclinical, clinical & advanced stages and are expected in the coming months,” he said while addressing the media. 

The West Bengal government on Monday launched a new scheme to provide a cheap cooked meal to the poor across the state. Called "Maa", the scheme provides state-subsidised daily meals at lunchtime to the poor.

Flagging off the programme virtually across the state, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the canteens will serve cooked meals comprising of rice, dal, vegetables and egg curry every day.

"This is dedicated to the mothers of Bengal. Please ensure that the meal reaches the poor and needy," Banerjee said.

On the first day, "Maa" kiosks were operationalised across 27 areas in Kolkata and other districts.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has said that the preliminary inquiry into the tweets by celebrities in response to posts by some international celebrities has brought to fore the names of the BJP IT cell head and 12 "influencers".

Addressing his first media briefing after recovering from Covid-19, Deshmukh sought to clarify his earlier statement in this regard saying, "My earlier statement regarding the tweets by celebrities was presented in a distorted manner. I never meant that the inquiry was going to be of celebrities. Lata Mangeshkar is godlike for us. And every countryman respects Sachin Tendulkar. There is no question of their inquiry. What I had meant was that inquiry will be done into the role of the BJP IT cell. And preliminary inquiry has brought to fore the names of BJP IT cell head and twelve influencers and further probe is on in the matter."

The devastating flash floods in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Monday hit the water supply of thousands of Delhi residents. Water supplies were cut to tens of thousands residents as authorities blamed the high quantities of mud and debris from glacier disaster for the water shortage.

The Rishiganga valley in Uttarakhand state is 530 kilometres (330 miles) upstream to the northeast of Delhi but its water is a key supplier for the national capital.

The Uttarakhand flash flood left more than 50 people dead, over 150 missing and swept through the valley devastating a power complex and destroying roads and bridges.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) said that high turbidity in water from the upper Ganga canal has been reduced by up to 90 per cent and the water supply from Bhagirathi Water Treatment Plant will resume by Monday evening.