With the prioritisation as guided by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC), the next phase of vaccination is due for citizens of age appropriate categories, including initially the people above 60 years of age and those aged from 45 years to 60 years and have the co-morbidities.

Disclosing this here on Friday, state Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said that all such citizens that are aged, or will attain the age of 45 years to 59 years as on 1 January 2022, and have any of the specified co-morbidities, which have been recommended by NEGVAC and approved by Government of India from time to time, subject to certification to that effect by a Registered Medical Practitioner.

Sidhu added that to augment and simplify the process of registration vaccination, the MoHFW is coming with COWIN 2.0, based on the feedback received during the implementation of Phase-1 of Covid-19 vaccination drive. He said that citizens will be able to register and book an appointment for vaccination using the COWIN 2.0 portal or through other IT applications such as ArogyaSetu etc.

He said that this new portal would prove helpful to expedite the vaccination drive especially to be conducted for aged people.

The Minister said that as per World Health Organization, Covid-19 vaccination is the single way out to deal with pandemic so that eligible beneficiaries have to take maximum benefit of this golden opportunity.

Divulging about the free and paid services, he said that vaccination will be provided free of charge at the government health facilities and will be on payment basis in the private health facilities, at a rate as may be decided by the Government of India from time to time.

New Delhi: In support of the Bharat Bandh called by the Confederation of All India Traders Congress on Friday, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said the central government is showing complacency when the inflation rate is high.

“Employment shut, inflation high, the government is cool with eyes closed, so Bharat Bandh,” read Gandhi’s tweet translated from Hindi. The effect of ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by the Confederation of All India Traders was visible in some parts of the country like Odisha, Assam and West Bengal where most shops and business establishments remained closed on Friday.

The Confederation of All India Traders called for the strike today in protest against rising fuel prices, new e-way bill and GST.

Over a period of time, the prices of petrol and diesel have increased sharply in the country. Opposition parties have held protests in different parts of the country over the fuel price rise. ANI

AICC national spokesperson Sravan Dasoju while delivering an emotional speech on Friday blasted K.T. Rama Rao (KTR), Minister for Industries, IT and Municipal Administration, who did not attend the open debate organised at the Telangana Martyrs Memorial, Gun Park. to discuss the issue of employment in Telangana.

The senior Congress leader criticized the minister for his arrogance and negligence of the welfare of Telangana, and for lying about recruitment numbers during a meeting at the Telangana Bhavan.

“Like father, like son. Shame KTR, you shamelessly betrayed 40 lakh beleaguered unemployed youths of Telangana with your fake and fabricated statements of filling up 1.32 lakh jobs in the state ever since you came into power,” said the AICC leader, while slamming KTR for his absence.

Dr Sravan along with Congress leaders and cadre had made arrangements to welcome KTR for an open debate on employment issues in Telangana. A separate chair had been decorated and kept ready especially for the minister. However, the minister did not show up, which was attributed to the fear that his statements would have been proven wrong publicly.

“We wouldn’t have beaten you KTR. In fact, we would have greeted you with nice garlands and flower bouquets. Democracy is all about healthy dialogue, discussion and debate to arrive at concrete solutions to complex issues,” the Congress leader said.

Ridiculing KTR’s statements on job offers, Dr Sravan explained that there were 4.19 lakh sanctioned jobs in 2014 while 3.12 lakh employees worked in the government and 1.07 lakh posts lay vacant. He questioned how current vacancies had gone up to 1.91 lakhs and the total number of existing employees reduced to 2.28 lakhs, if KTR was right. With the formation of new districts and gram panchayats, the total number of sanctioned jobs should have increased to 5.19 lakhd. As per the Biswal Commission, the state has only 2.28 lakh employees while 4.19 lakh sanctioned jobs are available, which means 47% of sanctioned jobs are currently vacant in Telangana, he noted.

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday rode a scooter during a roadshow of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal’s Panchpota, just a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to the road on an electric scooter.

Dressed in a black saree and doning a black helmet, the Union minister participated in the a bike rally in Baruipur-Sonarpur area in the South 24 Parganas district attended by scores of BJP workers amid chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and ‘Khela Hobe’ (the game will be played). Irani along with Union Minister Rajnath Singh are campaigning for the BJP in the poll-bound state currently being ruled by the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

BJP workers carrying party flags also showered flower petals on her as she drove past a large crowd. The Minister was also seen stopping for a while to wave at the crowd.

On Thursday, Mamata Banerjee rode an e-scooter to travel to and fro from her residence in Kalighat to state secretariat ‘Nabanna’ in Howrah as a mark of protest against the fuel price hike. While she rode pillion to the secretariat sitting behind state minister Firhad Hakim in the morning, she took to the driver’s seat during her return commute to Kalighat in the evening.

In the run up to the Assembly elections which will be held in eight phases starting 27 March, the TMC and the BJP have begun campaigning.

The Election Commission on Friday announced that West Bengal will witness eight-phased Assembly polls beginning 27 March. The counting of votes will take place on 2 May.

GULMARG: Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju on Friday said Srinagar will be made a hub for water sports. He also informed that the Sports Ministry has decided to give a Khelo India academy accreditation to the Mata Vaishnodevi sports complex. Sports Minister Rijiju also informed that two Khelo India State Centre of Excellence focusing on the disciplines of Judo, Fencing, and Rowing have been opened. “We had announced that we will create a state-of-the-art winter sports academy here. Now, we are happy to inform you that all the procedures are in place to get the world standard institute opened here soon,” said Rijiju. “We have also opened two Khelo India State Center of Excellence here focusing on the disciplines of Judo, Fencing and Rowing. Srinagar will be made a hub for water sports. Also, we have decided to give a Khelo India academy accreditation to the Mata Vaishnodevi sports complex,” the Sports Minister added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually inaugurated the second Khelo India Winter Games in the ski resort of Gulmarg in North Kashmir and said that it is the beginning to make the Valley the hub of winter games.

A participant holds the Tricolour during 2nd edition of Khelo India Winter Games 2021, in Gulmarg on Friday. (ANI Photo)Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers the inaugural address at the 2nd Khelo India Winter Games, through video conferencing, in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI Photo)

In this second Khelo India Winter Games tournament, players from 27 states and Union Territories are participating and this tournament will conclude on 2 March 2021.

“This is a step towards making India’s presence felt in the international winter games arena and also make Jammu and Kashmir a hub of winter sports,” PM Modi in a virtual address said on Friday while inaugurating these games.

The Prime Minister said that it is a big push for Jammu and Kashmir to reach new heights of peace and development and said that that it will also give strength for ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat’.

The Prime Minister said that sports is no longer just a hobby or “time pass” in the country. “In sports, we learn team spirit, look for new ways in defeats and learn to repeat victories. Sports shape the lives and lifestyle of players. It boosts self-confidence,” he stated.

The Prime Minister pointed out that under the new National Education Policy, sports have been given a lot of importance, and the government is opening sports universities in India. “We have to think about how we can take sports science and management to the school level. It will give our youth more opportunities and increase India’s participation in the sports economy,” PM Modi stated.

Addressing the young sportsperson participating in the games, the Prime Minister said, “When you show your talent at Khelo India National Winter Games, remember that you are not just a part of a sport, but you are also a brand ambassador of self-reliant India. The world evaluates India with the ground you work on.”

These winter games have been organised by the sports ministry and the Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir and according to the officials 1,200 players are participating in various competitions in these games.

Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju was present at Gulmarg for the inauguration, and while speaking on the occasion he said that very soon India would be a sporting powerhouse.