Covid 19 pushes indias middle class toward poverty

India has a dismal ratio of doctors and hospital beds, and the fragility of our healthcare infrastructure was amplified in 2020, when a global pandemic threatened to overwhelm our hospitals and medical centres. Covid-19, the gravest health threat in recent memory, has now pushed the country’s apex business chambers to also emphasise the need for hiking government health spend in the upcoming Union Budget for 2021-22. Typically, business chambers and India Inc send a wish list to the government for Budget each year, which includes some sectoral demands, suggestions on lowering the incidence of taxation on companies and individuals and for boosting infrastructure spending. Healthcare rarely finds a mention in such a wish list. But this year, things are different. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) have both sought a significant increase in the Centre’s budgetary allocation for healthcare, among other … [Read more...] about India Inc’s Budget Wish List Takes a Lesson From Covid-19 With Rare Health Spending Demand

Chef Vikas Khanna, who will soon reach the milestone of having distributed 25 million meals across India amid COVID-19, is now aiming to provide essential rations and supplies to 10 million street vendors and their families facing hardships due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 48-year-old chef and author has coordinated a massive food distribution drive from his home in Manhattan since the coronavirus pandemic gripped India, unleashing economic hardships for millions as a nationwide lockdown was implemented in March. "We are securing ration and are planning about 10 million meals around the country for street vendors, who actually hold the true heritage of Indian food in their hands," Khanna told PTI. He has distributed rations, meals and essential supplies to innumerable orphanages, old-age homes, leprosy centers, widow ashrams, Mumbai's famed Dabbawalas, boatmen and craftsmen in Varanasi as well as to migrant workers and hundreds of thousands of people in need across more than … [Read more...] about Chef Vikas Khanna to Help India’s Street Vendors Impacted By Covid-19 Pandemic

New Delhi: Industry body CII has urged the government to take “strongest” national steps including curtailing economic activity to contain the spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. CII President Uday Kotak has asked for highest-level response measures to address the rising wave of COVID-19 cases, as currently safeguarding lives is key to cut the transmission links. “The healthcare infrastructure and supply build-up are being undertaken on an emergency basis by the governments at the centre and states, but will take time. “At this critical juncture when the toll of lives is rising, CII urges the strongest national steps including curtailing economic activity to reduce suffering,” the President has said in a statement. The chamber said that the current pace of daily caseloads, the requirement for hospital beds and ICU beds, oxygen, and medicines will continue to escalate. “Healthcare and frontline workers are giving their best efforts to tackle the influx of patients, but it may … [Read more...] about COVID-19 Crisis: CII Calls for Strongest National Steps, Curbs on Economic Activity

MANISTEE COUNTY — Manistee County has recorded 45 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths since May 4, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Manistee County has had a total of 2,865 cases of COVID-19 and 74 deaths. 12 COVID-19 cases were recorded in Manistee County during the last MDHHS update on May 4. This is an increase of 111 new cases and five new deaths reported since Feb. 28. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated COVID-19 Community Level tool shows the risk for new cases in Benzie and Manistee counties remains at medium. Other counties in the region are also at a medium COVID-19 community level including Alpena, Leelanau, Kalkaska and Antrim counties. Grand Traverse County is the only county in the state with a high COVID-19 community level,  according to the most recent data from the CDC. However, despite the CDC showing Manistee County at a medium COVID-19 community level, the Michigan MI SAFE Start Map reads, "Manistee … [Read more...] about Manistee County sees sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in past 7 days

India on Monday 2,202 reported new Covid-19 infections, while the active cases dipped to 17,317, according to the Union Health Ministry data. It also reported 27 fresh deaths while the total active cases decreased by 375 in a span of 24 hours. While the current active cases comprised 0.04 per cent of the total infections, the national Covid recovery rate was recorded at 98.74 percent. The 27 new fatalities include 22 from Kerala, three from Delhi and one each from Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.74 per cent and weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.59 per cent, according to the health ministry. Meanwhile, Delhi on Sunday recorded 613 new Covid cases and three more deaths, while the positivity rate was 2.74 percent. The city had on Saturday recorded 673 new Covid cases and four deaths, the highest single-day fatality in over two months. The total number of people in the country who have recuperated from the disease surged to … [Read more...] about With 2,202 New Covid Infections, India Sees Slight Dip in Active Cases; 22 Fresh Deaths, Most from Kerala

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said transparency and tax stability were the key guiding principle of Budget 2021-22. Contrary to the expectations of a COVID-19 tax, the government has chosen to fund the budget stimulus through higher borrowing rather than increased taxes, she said while addressing members of industry chamber CII. While the Union Budget 2021-22 provides for enhanced capital expenditure by the government, it also envisages private sector participation in a big way, the finance ministry said in a statement quoting the minister. On the Budget announcement of setting up a Development Finance Institution (DFI), Sitharaman said the government will provide some capital and will also raise funds from the market. In addition, the DFI Bill will provide legislative space for private DFIs. The government proposes to set up a Rs 20,000 crore DFI with a view to mobilise Rs 111 lakh crore required for funding of the ambitious National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP). … [Read more...] about Transparency, Tax Stability Key Guiding Principles of Budget 2021-22, Says Nirmala Sitharaman

Mango is considered the king of fruit and proves this point even further Karnataka government has brought in the good news. The government has opened a mango portal in order to sell different varieties of fruit to its customers. “Dear customers, We are pleased to announce the opening of Mango Portal from 16th May 2022. This year the mango season is delayed by a month but will continue till early Aug 2022,” read a note on the portal. The portal has started taking in orders for different varieties of the fruit. The website has been launched in collaboration with India Post, which will deliver the fruits to customers’ doorsteps. The different variety of mangoes on the portal includes – Alphonso, Badami, Apoos, Raspuri, Mallika, Himam Pasand and Kesar. KSMDMCL’s managing director CG Nagaraju, while speaking to The Indian Express said, “From the last two years both farmers and customers have benefited from this initiative.” This is not the first time that such an initiative has been … [Read more...] about Karnataka Government Opens Web Portal to Deliver Mangoes at Customer’s Doorstep

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Criminal defendants in Oregon who have gone without legal representation for long periods of time amid a critical shortage of public defense attorneys filed a lawsuit Monday that alleges the state violated their constitutional right to legal counsel and a speedy trial. The complaint, which seeks class-action status, was filed as state lawmakers and the Oregon Office of Public Defense Services struggle to address the huge shortage of public defenders statewide. The crisis has led to the dismissal of dozens of cases and left an estimated 500 defendants statewide — including several dozen in custody on serious felonies — without legal representation. Crime victims are also impacted because cases are taking longer to reach resolution, a delay that experts say extends their trauma, weakens evidence and erodes confidence in the justice system, especially among … [Read more...] about Oregon sued over failure to provide public defenders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lumbini, Nepal, though only for a few hours, is full of symbolism and substance. No Indian Prime Minister has visited Lumbini in the last few decades. Mr. Modi’s visit is a combination of personal desire and political and strategic goals. For him, it is the fulfilment of a wish articulated in 2014 when he first became Prime Minister. Since he could not travel to Lumbini during his previous visits to Nepal, as Ambassador, I planted, on his behalf, a sapling of the sacred Bodhi tree in the gardens of the Maya Devi temple where Gautama Buddha was born. Amid the strife and turmoil and the anger and hatred that we see in society, the Prime Minister’s visit also provides a moment for quiet reflection and a reiteration of the message of peace, compassion and non-violence preached by the Buddha and spread by the roaring lions in the four directions, as depicted in the Lion Capital of Ashoka, our national emblem — a message that calls for shunning … [Read more...] about The importance of Lumbini

Many schools wore a festive atmosphere as they welcomed students back for offline classes after two years of disruptions owing to Covid-19. All schools, including State and Central board, reopened for the academic year of 2022-23 after 35 days of summer vacation. Government schools were decorated with flowers and rangoli while teachers welcomed students with roses, chocolates and sweets. Parents were seen dropping their children at school in the morning. Students looked happy to go back to school after two years of mostly online classes, Most schools said the attendance was moderate. Some private schools have postponed the reopening to May 25 and June 1. The first day of school after the summer vacation at Government Kannada Model Primary School at Ganganagar in Bengaluru on May 16, 2022. | Photo Credit: Sudhakara Jain “After the summer vacation, students are very happy to come back to school. We welcomed the students with roses and chocolate. In the midday meal, we … [Read more...] about Students welcomed with festive atmosphere at many schools in Bengaluru after summer vacation