New Delhi: It was a day of highest single day recovery from Coronavirus pandemic. A record 82,961 patients recovered from the virus, thereby pushing the recovery rate to 78.53 per cent. The total number of recoveries has reached over 39.42 lakh.
Maharashtra contributes to be the biggest contributor in terms of recovery as well as new cases. It alone contributed about 23.41 per cent of the total new recoveries today while reported 20,000 fresh cases out of country’s 90,000 cases in 24 hours.
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu contributed to 35.5 per cent of the new recoveries in the last 24 hours. 27 States and Union Territories are reporting recovery rate more than 70 per cent.
The gap between recovered and active cases has crossed 29 lakh today. The recovered cases are nearly four times the number of active cases.
Record high of 82,961 recvories from Covid-19 in last 24 hours
India continues to record a spate of very high recoveries. In the last 24 hours, 82,961 COVID patients were cured, steeply pushing the Recovery Rate to 78.53%. The 7-day moving average of the Recoveries shows a consistent increase in the recoveries.The total recovered cases stand at 39,42,360. Maharashtra (19423) contributed 23.41% of the new recoveries while the States of Andhra Pradesh (9628), Karnataka (7406), Uttar Pradesh (6680) and Tamil Nadu (5735) contributed 35.5% of the new recoveries in the last 24 hours. Nearly 59% of the new recoveries came from these five States.There are 9,95,933 active cases in the country as on date. The gap between Recovered and Active cases has crossed 29 lakh today (29,46,427). Recovered Cases are nearly 4 times (3.96) the number of Active Cases. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu compose close to 60% of the Active Cases.90,123 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours in the country. With more than 20,000 new cases in the last 24 hours, Maharashtra is leading the tally. This is followed by Andhra Pradesh (8846) and Karnataka (7576).
The ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19’ was announced on 30 March 2020 for a period of 90 days. This was extended for a further period of 90 days i.e. up to 25th Sept, 2020.The scheme has now been extended for another 180 days i.e. 6 months.This Central Sector Scheme provides an insurance cover of Rs. 50 lakh to healthcare providers, including community health workers, who may have to be in direct contact and care of COVID-19 patients and therefore at risk of being infected. It also includes accidental loss of life on account of contracting COVID-19.
COVID-19 test for International Passengers at airport
Ministry of Civil Aviation has allowed RT-PCR testing at the entry airport on pilot basis to facilitate the transfer of international passengers. Under it, Airport Operator will create Sample Collection cum Waiting Lounge facility for RT-PCR testing. If the test result is negative, passenger will be permitted to exit the Waiting Lounge and proceed to the Departures to catch the connecting flight. However, if the result is positive, the passenger will be processed in line with applicable ICMR protocols by the State authorities. No passenger should be able to make an unauthorized exit.This information was given in a written reply by Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (I/C), Civil Aviation in Rajya Sabha today.
Conversion of Coaches into Covid Care Units
Indian Railways had converted 5231 Nos. of Non-AC ICF coaches into isolation coaches temporarily as COVID-19 isolation units during lockdown crisis. As per their requisition, 813 coaches are provided to the State Governments as on 12.09.2020. Subject to their residual codal life, these coaches shall be restored to passenger services when the requirement of these coaches to serve as isolation centres is fulfilled. This information was given by the Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
Govt took strong measures for labour welfare during Covid-19, says Labour Minister
Union Labour and Employment Minister Shri Santosh Gangwar said today that a number of unprecedented steps have been taken by the Union Government for labour welfare and employment including for migrant workers across India during COVID-19 pandemic. Elaborating it he said that immediately after the lockdown, directions were sent from Ministry of Labour & Employment to all the State Governments/UTs instructing them to provide financial assistance to construction workers from Building & Other Construction Workers’ Cess Fund. It is estimated that the highest proportion of migrant workers are construction workers. Till date, about two crore migrant workers have been provided Rs. 5000.00 crores directly in their bank accounts from Fund being maintained by various States. He also stated that in order to resolve the grievances of migrant workers during lockdown, Ministry of Labour & Employment had set up 20 Control Rooms all over the country. During lockdown, more than 15000 complaints of the workers were resolved through these Control Rooms and due to the intervention of Ministry of Labour & Employment more than two lakh workers were paid their due wages amounting to about Rs. 295 crores. In order to provide minimum financial assistance to the workers through their EPF Account, Ministry of Labour & Employment under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana has permitted all the EPF members to withdraw 75% of their total provident fund deposited in their EPF Account. Till date, about Rs. 39,000/- crore have been withdrawn by the member of EPFO.
Double digit growth in exports showing fast recovery, says Piyush Goyal
Minister of Railways and Commerce & industry Shri Piyush Goyal has called for aiming for the target of $500 billion of service exports. Addressing the inaugural session of CII’s India-UK Annual Conference virtually yesterday, he said that this is imminently doable. “We are all confident that under Prime Minister Shri NarendraModi’s leadership, India will get back to our 5 trillion economy target, and it is time we leverage on this.” The Minister said that in the week from 8th to 14th September, the value of exports is $6.88 billion, up by 10.73% over the same period of the previous year. “This is indicative that India is in a move to get back, our resilience is showing, our confidence is emerging, our can-do spirit is reflected in all these numbers”, he added. The Minister stated that the confidence that CII has demonstrated in terms of India’s ability to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, has truly been remarkable. “We will rapidly recover, ensure businesses come back on track & we will back to the growth trajectory. We believe our manufacturing ecosystem will grow by $300 billion in the next 5 years. For boosting the domestic consumption & exports, we are focusing on the 24 industry sub-sectors.”
Implementation of MGNREGA during COVID-19 Pandemic
Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is a demand driven wage employment scheme. Every adult member of a household in a rural area, having job card (as per Mahatma Gandhi NREG Act), is eligible for a demand for a job under the scheme. A job card can be issued to a migrant labour/family as per the provision of the Act against a demand by the migrant labour/family. A total of 86,81,928 new job card during the current FY so far has been issued as compared to 64,95,823 new job card issued during the FY 2019-20. Total fund released/spent under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) to States/UTs from April 2020 to August, 2020 is at 5870600 Lakh (funds released) and 5293764 Lakh (total expenditure). The Central Government, with active support of the State Governments, has so far been able to meet the demands of works with adequate funding. During current financial year, as on 10.09.2020, the Ministry has released Rs. 60,44,098.23 lakh till now to the States & UTs for implementation of Scheme. Total 238976142personday generated in August, 2020 as against 153052762in August 2019 indicating 56% increase for the month.This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in Lok Sabha yesterday.
About Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan
Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA) is a 125-day Abhiyan launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 20th June, 2020 with a mission to address the issues of returnee migrant workers and similarly affected rural population by Covid-19 pandemic through a multi- pronged strategy.GKRA aims at providing immediate employment & livelihood opportunities to the distressed, to saturate the villages with public infrastructure and creation of livelihood assets to boost the income generation activities and enhance long term livelihood opportunities by giving focus on 25 works in 116 selected districts across 6 States with a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore. Total mandays employment generated in six States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh under Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan is 27,21,17240 with an expenditure of23559.20 crore.This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in Lok Sabha today.
Steps taken to ensure safety of healthcare and other health workers of hospitals
Hospitals and dispensaries being a State subject, no data is maintained in the Union Government about Safai Karmacharis, who have died due to health and safety hazards related cleaning hospitals and medical waste during Covid-19 pandemic.States were asked to constitute Infection Prevention and Control Committees. Hospitals were also to identify a nodal officer who will monitor the healthcare workers and review their exposure status. High risk exposures are placed under quarantine for 7 days. Based on their exposure/clinical profile of such doctors, nursing officers and other health workers, to take a decision by the Nodal Officer/Head of the Department (or his appointed Sub-committee) for further period on one week. An advisory for managing health working in COVID and Non-COVID areas of the hospital was issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 18th June, 2020.Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has issued guidelines on Rational use of PPEs for healthcare workers including other field level workers. It has also provided guideline on Infection Prevention and Control practices to the State Governments. States were requested to train the hospital functionaries on infection prevention and control practices. Training on Infection Prevention and Control was also made available for all categories of healthcare workers on the iGoT platform.This information was given by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Ramdas Athawale in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
Cylinders distributed under PMUY during Corona crisis
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana(PMUY) commenced w.e.f. 01.05.2016 to provide deposit free LPG connections to adult woman of poor households. The target of the same was achieved on 7th September, 2019. 13.06 crore cylinders have been distributed to PMUY beneficiaries under the PMKKY during Corona crisis. This information was given by the Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in the Rajya Sabha today in a written reply.
How COVID-19 has affected Armed Forces
The number of COVID-19 cases in Army, Navy and Air Force are 16758, 1365 and 1716 respectively.The number of deceased due to COVID-19 in Army and Air Force are 32 and 03 respectively and ‘NIL’ in case of Navy. As per the extant Rules, there is no special compensation for deaths occurring due to infectious diseases while in service. However, all deaths while in service are awarded terminal benefits. This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Shripad Naik in a written reply to Shri Anumula Revanth Reddy in Lok Sabha today.
