NEWS

The home ministry has written to all states and Union Territories expressing concern over “blatant violation” of Covid norms in several parts of the country and consequent increase in “R” factor (reproduction number) in some states.

The home secretary has asked states to issue strict directions to the local authorities to regulate crowded places, take action against violators as per law and ensure that concerned authorities and officials are held accountable in case of any laxity in enforcement of Covid appropriate behaviour.

The MHA expressed special concern over crowds violating norms in hill stations and market places. In his letter, home secretary Ajay Bhalla said while with the decline in number of active case, states and UTs have started ‘unlocking’ in a gradual manner, the process should be carefully calibrated. He also cited the June 29 order by the MHA for implementation of targeted and prompt actions for Covid-19 management.

After expanding the cabinet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reconstituted the cabinet committees, trimming the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) and bringing in five new members as part of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA).

Crucial ministries, including Rural Development, Railways, and Petroleum and Natural Gas, which were represented in the earlier CCEA, have been left out this time.

While Union ministers Smriti Irani, Bhupender Yadav, Sarbananda Sonowal, Giriraj Singh and Mansukh Mandaviya have been brought in as new members of the CCPA, there are no representatives from the alliance partners. In the past, the CCPA included Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP), Harsimrat Kaur Badal (SAD) and Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena). Both the SAD and Shiv Sena left the NDA last year.

Poll strategist Prashant Kishor met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the latter’s residence on Tuesday, creating a fresh buzz in the political circles.

Kishor has recently held talks with NCP chief Sharad Pawar leading to speculation that he was helping build a larger opposition front to take on BJP in the next cycle of assembly elections and later in the 2024 general elections.

The meeting with Kishor, who is Punjab CMAmarinder Singh’s principal advisor, also came in the backdrop of ongoing discussions on a likely revamp of the party’s state unit, but AICC general secretary Harish Rawat said “Kishor did not come to negotiate on the Punjab issue”.

India has now recorded more than 2.5 lakh deaths from Covid-19 during the lethal second wave of infections in the country, nearly 1 lakh more than all previous fatalities since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Till Tuesday night, deaths during the second wave had crossed 2.54 lakh, if March 1 is taken as the start of the wave. Prior to March 1, in what can be loosely termed the first Covid wave in India, a little more than 1.57 lakh deaths had been recorded. India has so far reported 4,11,435 deaths from the virus.