Mohali [Punjab] [India] February 28 (ANI): After her question was answered during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Sunday, Aparna Reddy, who hails from Punjab, expressed her happiness, stating that she was in a “state of a sock” as well as feeling “really special”.
During the programme, Reddy asked the Prime Minister if there was something he missed out on during these long years as then Gujarat Chief Minister and Prime Minister.
On this, Prime Minister Modi said he regret that could not learn the world’s oldest language Tamil.
“I thought about the question and felt that – it is a regret of sorts that I could not learn the world’s oldest language Tamil. It is a beautiful language and popular across the world. Many people told me about the qualities of Tamil literature and the depths of Tamil poetry,” he said.
“India is the land of many such languages that are symbols of its culture and pride,” he added.
Speaking to ANI, Reddy said, “I did not know that my question would be chosen by our dear Prime Minister. I was at a wedding when somebody called and told me that Modi ji has answered my question. And, I was in a state of a sock. I liked what Modi ji answered.”
“I have been reading the articles and I think earlier he mentioned in 2018 that he regrets not learning the ancient Tamil language. I feel really special that my question has been answered by Modi ji,” added Reddy. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], February 28 (ANI): Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said India is emerging as the ‘COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing hub of the world’.
While addressing the Global Indian Physicians Congress, organized by the Global Association for Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), through video conference today, Harsh Vardhan praised the contribution of medical professionals in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As the world faced the unprecedented crisis of COVID19, it has been our doctors, nurses and healthcare workers who have cemented their position as the foremost champions of humanity, saving humankind as it was staring at an existential crisis. I salute their courage, valour and selflessness in serving society,” he said.
“No words are enough to express gratitude towards all the Corona Warriors, who risked their own lives to save the lives of others. It’s unfortunate and a great personal loss for me that so many of them lost their lives during this time,” he said.
In this context, Harsh Vardhan also noted GAPIO’s efforts towards establishing the Global Indian Physician COVID-19 Collaborative to continuously share their knowledge and experiences to arrive at the best possible approach for management of COVID-19.
The Health Minister also noted the contribution of scientists and said, “Our scientists have done remarkably well, working round the clock to provide us with two vaccines which are being indigenously manufactured and have been approved for emergency use in India. The world’s largest vaccine drive is underway in the country and is moving forward at a rapid pace with more than 1 crore doses administered already.”
“In what is a remarkable endorsement of our spectacular talent and capabilities, India which is often referred to as the pharmacy of the world is now also emerging as the COVID19 vaccine manufacturing hub of the world,” he added.
Harsh Vardhan took the occasion to highlight the government’s efforts in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It has been a result of our pre-emptive, proactive and graded approach that India has been able to perform well on various parameters related to COVID-19. We have continuously maintained one of the lowest fatality rates and highest recovery rates across the world,” the Health Minister said.
In this regard, he also noted, “Even with all the attention directed towards managing COVID-19, our government did not lose sight of ensuring continuity of other essential health services. Various policy interventions, as well as, use of technology like telemedicine services played a key role in this regard. Our eSanjeevani platform has recorded millions of doctor-patient consultations in a short span of time.”
Detailing the ongoing work within the Ministry, he said, “We are now working towards further augmenting our healthcare systems through a paradigm shift of policies and overarching programs like the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Aatmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana.”
“A new thinking is taking shape with the establishment of the National Medical Commission, Nursing Commission Bill and National Commission for Allied Healthcare Professions Bills. Ambitious plans have been made for expanding medical colleges and revamping the healthcare infrastructure in India. We are constantly working to revolutionize the delivery mechanism of healthcare services in the country,” he added.
The Union Minister concluded his speech by congratulating all the GAPIO award winners for their outstanding work and extending his best wishes for the success of the Global Indian Physicians Congress. (ANI)

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 28 (ANI): After Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Rathod resigned from the Maharashtra cabinet over his alleged involvement in the death case of 22-year-old girl Pooja Chavan, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that everyone should get justice adding that the matter is under investigation.
“We have a clear stand that everyone must get justice. Today Sanjay Rathod has submitted his resignation, the matter (in connection with the death of a woman in Pune earlier this month) is under investigation,” said Thackeray while addressing a press conference here on Sunday.
The Chief Minister also said that what the opposition was demanding since the past few days was only justice and today, Sanjay Rathod submitted his resignation.
He further stated, “You must have been thinking that why it took so long to take his resignation. The day this incident happened we ordered an investigation in this case. Through this investigation the truth will come out and be it, anyone, the action will be taken against the person. Disturbing an ongoing investigation is not right, and one must trust the police.”
“He has given his resignation that doesn’t mean that I will frame his resignation. His resignation is accepted and I will take the charge of the Forest Ministry and if anyone asks any questions related to forest development in the assembly, then the minister of state will answer them,” said Thackeray while responding to a question on whether or not Rathod’s resignation will be accepted.
Furthering answering a query on the suicide of Dadra and Nagar Haveli MP Mohan Delkar, the Chief Minister stated, “A seven-term member of parliament committed suicide in Mumbai. The leaders whose names are there in his suicide note, will they resign now? The police will investigate, I appeal to the Prime Minister and Home Minister to ensure coordination with the Mumbai police when they reach Gujarat.”
The body of 58-year-old Delkar was found in a hotel in South Mumbai on Monday and was been sent for a postmortem. The leader is survived by his wife and two children. The seven-time MP was born in December 1962 in Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
“Petrol and diesel prices have gone up. We have seen centuries by Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar but now we are seeing petrol-diesel century,” said Thackeray while commenting on the fuel price hike in the country.
With regard to the surge in the COVID-19 cases in the state, the Chief Minister assured that he is continuously monitoring the situation.
Speaking about the state budget Thackeray said that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is also the Finance Minister shall present the budget in the state assembly on March 8.
The budget session of the Maharashtra Assembly will be held from March 1 to March 10.
The session has been curtailed due to a surge in COVID-19 cases and will be held for ten days instead of four weeks, announced the business advisory committee at its meeting on Thursday. (ANI)

Gairsain (Uttarakhand) [India], February 28 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Sunday reached the summer capital Gairsain to attend the state Assembly session which will begin from tomorrow.
The Uttarakhand assembly will meet on March 1 for its first session of this year.
Gairsain in Chamoli district was declared as the summer capital of Uttarakhand last year.
The Uttarakhand government has planned to develop its summer capital in the next 10 years. (ANI)

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], February 28 (ANI): Under a week-long drive against the drug menace in the state, Punjab Police have arrested 392 persons after registering 283 FIRs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) act.
The week-long drive commenced on February 25, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Dinkar Gupta.
Under this drive, police have recovered heroin as well as other drugs after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug affected areas beside laying nakas at vulnerable routes across the state. The police have also arrested 15 Proclaimed Offenders (POs) of NDPS cases during these three days.
“The Punjab Police had set a new record by seizing over 700 kgs heroin worth Rs 3500 crores in the international market and confiscating property worth Rs 101 crores after arresting over 10,000 drug smugglers in year 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” Gupta said.
He informed that the massive crackdown on drugs not only led to break the supply chain of drugs but also resulted in decline in drug related deaths as only 19 drug related deaths were reported last year in comparison to the years 2019 and 2018, which had witnessed 47 and 111 drug related deaths respectively.
Under the current anti-drug drive, the Tarn Taran Police carried out a mammoth exercise based on technical collection, data crunching and human intelligence to identify areas notorious for drug smuggling and recovered 1.39 kg heroin and a large number of intoxicant tablets in just 3 days.
Similarly, the Amritsar Rural Police have recovered drug money worth Rs 89 lakhs besides impounding one pistol and 25 cartridges while the Jalandhar Commissionerate Police have recovered 6.23 kg opium, 4.50 quintal poppy husk, 237 grams heroin and 4.7 kg ganja. (ANI)

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], February 28 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh’s Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Prabhuram Choudhary said the state ranks second in the country in COVID-19 vaccination of the first dose of healthcare workers and frontline workers.
“Madhya Pradesh ranks second in the country in vaccination of the first dose of health care workers (HCWs) and frontline workers (FLWs),” he said addressing a press conference in Bhopal on Sunday.
He stated that 71.62 lakh senior citizens of the state are to be vaccinated from March 1 in the second phase.
“Vaccination facility has been provided free of cost in all government institutions. 250 will be charged in private institutions,” informed Choudhary.
The Health Minister also stated that the advance registration facility is available on the Co-WIN 2.0 portal, adding that registration for the vaccination drive will require an identity card containing a photo of the citizen, based on which the vaccine centre will vaccinate the person at the scheduled time.
He further added that health workers and frontline workers who could not register can also get vaccinated by registering on the portal.
“In the first week of March, vaccination will be available in government and private institutions on the 3rd and 6th. Vaccination facilities will be available in 186 institutions on March 1. It will include 51 district hospitals, 84 civil hospitals, 13 government medical colleges, three private medical colleges, 30 private hospitals. 200 people had problems after vaccination but now everything is normal,” added Choudhary. (ANI)