New Delhi [India], March 5 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the ‘Janaushadhi Diwas’ celebrations on March 7, at 10 AM via video conferencing.
“Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the 7500th Janaushadhi Kendra at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong during the event,” read the press release by Prime Minister’s Office.
He will interact with beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana and also give awards to stakeholders by recognizing their excellent work.
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers D.V. Sadananda Gowda will also be present on the occasion.
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’s initiative endeavours to provide quality medicines at an affordable price. The number of stores under the scheme has grown to 7499, with all districts of the country covered. Sales in the financial year 2020-21 (up to March 4, 2021) led to total savings of approximately Rs. 3600 crore for common citizens, as these medicines are cheaper by 50 per cent to 90 per cent than the corresponding market rates.
In order to create more awareness about Janaushadhi, an entire week from March 1-7 is being celebrated as ‘Janaushadhi Week’ across the nation, with the theme of ‘Jan Aushadhi – Seva bhi, Rozgar bhi’. The last day of the week i.e. March 7 will be celebrated as ‘Janaushadhi Diwas’. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 5 (ANI): The special NIA court on Friday sentenced an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist to seven years rigorous imprisonment and fine in ISIS Conspiracy Delhi Case, said the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
According to a statement released by the NIA, the terrorist identified as Imran Khan Pathan alias Imran alias Imran Moazzam Khan alias Qasim was sentenced here today by the special NIA Court, Patiala House.
The case was registered by NIA on December 9, 2015 under section 125 of IPC and sections 18, 18B, 38 and 39 of UA(P) Act, 1967 and pertains to larger criminal conspiracy hatched by proscribed terrorist organisation ISIS to establish its base in India by radicalizing and recruiting Muslim youth through different social media platforms, as a result of which, radicalised youths expressed their solidarity, allegiance and support to ISIS and left India to join ISIS, the NIA stated.
The agency further stated that after completion of investigation, it had filed charge-sheet and supplementary charge-sheets against 17 accused including Imran Khan Pathan.
Earlier, 16 accused persons were convicted and sentenced upto 10 years rigorous imprisonment by the NIA Special Court vide its orders on October 16, 2020 and December 16, 2020 for the conspiracy hatched by ISIS handlers based in Syria and subsequently formation of group namely “Junood-ul-Khilafa-fil-Hind” owing its allegiance to ISIS, a proscribed terrorist organisation, informed the agency.
“The accused Imran Khan Pathan was in direct touch with ISIS handler namely Yusuf-Al-Hindi alias Shafi Armar. He had received funds to the tune of Rs 50,000 from one of the associates of Shafi Armar namely Mudabbir Mushtaq Sheikh (already convicted) for making an IED and to further the activities of ISIS in India”, read the NIA statement.
With this judgement all 17 charge-sheeted accused involved in this case stand convicted by the NIA Special Court, it added. (ANI)

Panaji (Goa) [India], March 5 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said that it has conducted searches at the office and residential premises of three forex dealers and their directors situated in Mumbai and Goa and seized illegal money worth Rs 44.37 lakh.
The dealing companies Full-Fledged Money Changers (FFMC,) Sete Mares Global Forex Pvt Ltd, Nemichand Khemraj Forex Pvt Ltd.
“The search resulted in the seizure of Rs 44.37 lakh and assorted foreign currencies worth Rs 9.55 lakh which was in contravention of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 and Rules and Regulation made thereunder,” the ED said in a statement issued.
“Further, incriminating documents, laptops, mobile phones, containing information related to hawala transactions, smuggling of foreign currency were also recovered and seized during the search operation,” it added.
These companies, engaged in the business of foreign currency exchange, had deposited huge amounts of cash in the bank accounts on a daily basis and remitted it through RTGS and NEFT to other FFMCs and collected foreign currency in cash which aroused suspicion against these companies.
“It was suspected that these companies may be involved in trade based hawala and the foreign currencies collected by these companies were smuggled out of the country to settle transactions abroad”, the ED said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 5 (ANI): Delhi reported 312 new COVID-19 cases, 312 recoveries and three deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Delhi health department on Friday.
With this, the total cases in the national capital have mounted to 640,494 including 1,779 active cases and 6,27,797 total recoveries.
However, the total number of deaths has escalated to 10, 918 including the new deaths.
As many as 16,838 new COVID-19 cases and 113 deaths were reported in India in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed today.
With 13,819 new discharges, the cumulative recoveries reached 1,08,39,894.
The country’s coronavirus tally has reached 1,11,73,761 including 1,76,319 active infections while the death toll has mounted to 1,57,548.
Meanwhile, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 1.90 crores today. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 5 (ANI): Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed that the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 1.90 crores on Friday.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16, 2021, and the vaccination of the frontline workers (FLWs) started on February 2, 2021. The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination has commenced from March 1, 2021, for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.
“A total of 1,90,40,175 vaccine doses have been given, as per the provisional report till 7 pm today,” read the press release by the Ministry.
These include 68,96,529 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose and 32,94,612 HCWs who have taken the second dose, 62,94,755 FLWs (first dose), 1,23,191 FLWs (second dose), 21,17,862 beneficiaries more than 60 years old and 3,13,226 beneficiaries aged 45 and above with specific co-morbidities.
On the other hand, six States, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, MP and Delhi, have reported high daily new cases in the last 24 hours. 84.44 per cent of the new cases reported in the last 24 hours (16,838) are from these six States.
Eighteen States/Union Territories have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours. These are Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh (UT), Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 5 (ANI): The Delhi Police has lost 32 of its own ‘corona warriors’ while discharging their duties during the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
According to Delhi Police data, Constable Amit Kumar, 21, and Sub-Inspector Karambir Singh, 59, who was on the verge of retirement, were among the casualties in the fight against the virus.
The total infections in Delhi Police have touched 7,603 with the recovery of 7,315 personnel so far.
As the lockdown seemed to immediately halt all movement and operations, ensuring the supply of essential commodities, emergency movement if people for medical purposes and unforeseen circumstances, movement of people for essential services, specific needs of senior citizens and more were undertaken by the police.
Police pickets were set up throughout the city to check for non-essential movement of people, which was further augmented by sending patrol parties on foot, motorcycles and vans to enforce complete lockdown.
After the creation of containment zones and difficulties in admission to hospitals, more police personnel were deployed to enforce physical restrictions. The Delhi Police was the first to start a Helpline on telephone number 23469526 to listen and resolve grievances through direct intervention.
On March 24, 2020, an order was issued establishing a dedicated 24X7 Helpline Centre under the supervision of a senior officer assisted by sufficient staff. The police personnel went far beyond their call of duty in not only enforcing the lockdown but also providing relief measures to the hungry, shelter to the stranded and succour to the helpless, according to data.
The Delhi Police also took note of law and order implication from families who were unable to feed themselves and started engaging with all entities for an organised food network in the national capital. In several parts of the city, community kitchens were started by the police to feed the hungry.
The police also issued movement passes for those engaged in the supply of essential services/goods and also for an extreme personal emergency. Thus the complete chain of supplies that had frozen with the onset of lockdown was revived.
The Delhi Police managed the issue of migrant labourers tactfully who were keen to leave the city to their native places due to lack of employment during to loss of employment. The police shifted hem to nearby shelter homes and ensured a regular supply of food and ration to them.
A Senior Citizens Cell at Police Headquarters was activated that provided help to older people, while Delhi Police personnel volunteered in reuniting the members of the families who were stranded in other cities and unable to come home due to the lockdown.
A campaign titled ‘Delhi Police – Dil Ki Police’ was launched to signify change and a large number of people and celebrities appreciated their efforts in the war against COVID-19.
The Ayurraksha Project was launched with the help of the Ministry of AYUSH titled ‘Corona se Jung – Delhi Police ke Sang’ to build immunity among 82,000 personnel with a 60-day treatment by administering immune-boosting Ayurveda Medicine. (ANI)