Gurugram (Haryana) [India], March 20 (ANI): Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday spoke to his son and party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal — who is currently admitted at the Medanta Hospital in Haryana’s Gurugram after testing positive for COVID-19 — through a video call.
Tweeting a photo of the same, Sukhbir Singh said: ‘Your blessings are all I need…’.
Sukhbir Singh had informed on Tuesday he had tested positive for coronavirus and that he is adhering to the COVID protocols. “I would like to inform everyone that I have tested Covid positive. My health is fine and as per protocol, I have isolated myself. I request those who came in contact with me during the last few days to isolate themselves and get tested for Covid-19,” he had tweeted.
On Wednesday, the SAD chief said that he would be going to the Medanta Hospital for further treatment.
“Thanks to the blessings of Guru Sahib and all your good wishes, I am doing well. However, I am going to Medanta Hospital Gurgaon for further tests as a cautionary measure. Your messages of love and concern are much appreciated,” the 58-year-old had tweeted. (ANI)

Chabua (Assam) [India], March 20 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally in Assam’s Chabua (Tinsukia) on Saturday. The area was one of the hotspots of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will also continue campaigning in the area with more programmes lined up today.
Upper Assam is the area where protests against CAA was held for a long time. Congress is trying very hard to get votes by promising people that they will never allow CAA to be implemented in the state. In fact, in each programme in the Upper Assam area like Jorhat, Chabua and Tinsukia Gandhi speaks about CAA and promised people that if Congress is voted to power they will pass a bill or resolution against CAA in the state Assembly.
So now all eyes are on PM Narendra Modi’s scheduled rally today in Chabua, in which he may present BJPs stand on CAA.
Though BJP has maintained a tough stand against intruders.
As Congress leader Rahul Gandhi yesterday assured that the CAA will not be implemented in Assam if the party is voted to power in the state in the coming Assembly election.
It will be ensured in the state assembly that the CAA is not implemented in Assam, Rahul Gandhi said while speaking to students of Lahowal College in Dibrugarh district. He added, in other states, we will stop it (CAA implementation) after Congress comes to power at the national level.
On the other hand, BJP’s support for CAA is known, as the bill was passed by the BJP led NDA in the parliament, which witnessed a lot of protests especially in Northeast India including a massive protest in Assam, which saw a few protestors death also.
As BJP leaders on many occasions said, CAA is a law to protect bonafide people. So it will be Congress versus BJP stand on CAA in this area. During the election campaign, BJP leaders are regularly hitting out on previous Congress governments for ignoring intruders issue and saying due to Congress negligence original Assamese people are becoming minority in numbers. It will help BJP getting original Assamese origin votes.
Now people in this area are curious about the PM Modi rally as after it they will come to know about the BJP’s stand on the issues. Though the upper Assam area is a stronghold of the BJP. It will go on the election in the first phase on March 27. BJP is trying hard to increase its tally in this area to manage expected loss in lower Assam. As it might lose seats in lower Assam, which is the stronghold of the Congress, and Badruddin Ajmal’s party AIUDF, which have come together for this election. In the last election, BJP has got 35 out of 47 seats in upper and central Assam.
The first phase election of upper Assam is important for BJP as they want to increase its tally in this area more than the 2016 result of 35 seats. PM Modi will address the rally here and may clearly stand on CAA and Rahul Gandhi’s promises, which he has made during yesterday’s campaign in this area. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): The Cabinet Secretariat on Friday informed that the Central Government has decided to constitute “an empowered committee for manufacturing in high technology areas” in order to facilitate investments and promote manufacturing in technology-intensive sectors.
The 10-member committee will be headed by the Minister of Commerce and Industry. The committee will consider investment or project proposals in high technology areas, take action to facilitate investments, production and make recommendations for seeking approvals of competent authority, read an official statement.
“In order to facilitate investments and promote manufacturing in technology-intensive sectors including semiconductors, the Government of India has decided to constitute an Empowered Committee for manufacturing in high technology areas,” read the statement issued by Cabinet secretariat.
According to the statement, The composition of the Empowered Committee will be as under: Minister of Commerce and Industry – Chairperson; Cabinet Secretary; Rajinder Khanna, Deputy National Security Advisor; Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal rade (DPIIT); Additional Secretary (EA), Ministry of External Affairs; N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, TATA Sons; Baba Kalyani, Chairman, Bharat Forge Ltd.; Pawan Goenka, Managing Director and CEO, Mahindra Group Chairman, Atmanirbhar Bharat Mission, Cll; Sridhar Vembu, CEO, Zoho Corporation; Anshuman Tripathi, Semiconductor Domain Expert.
“Secretaries of Department of Economic Affairs, Department of Revenue, Department of Expenditure and Sponsoring Ministry/Department may be invited to participate in the meetings of the Empowered Committee, as required,” it said.
The Government in the release said that the empowered Committee will be serviced by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): A total of 40,953 new coronavirus cases and 23,653 recoveries were reported in the country in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Saturday.
With the addition of fresh infections, the total cases in the country reached 1,15,55,284, including 2,88,394 active cases and 1,11,07,332 recoveries.
The death toll stands at 1,59,558 including 188 fatalities recorded in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the worst affected state Maharashtra reported 13,601 new COVID-19 cases and 12,174 recoveries in the last 24 hours on Saturday as per the Union Health Ministry. The state also reported 58 deaths in this period.
Punjab reported a total of 14,366 cases of coronavirus with 1,046 new cases in the last 24 hours today. As many as 1,84,848 people have recovered from the virus and 1,291 were discharged in the last 24 hours.
As many as 4,20,63,392 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the country so far.
As per the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 23,24,31,517 samples up to Friday had been tested for the coronavirus. (ANI).

Mumbai (Maharashtra), March 20 (ANI): Despite rising COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra a massive crowd was seen at Dadar Market and Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Saturday morning.
The people in the market and the park were seen flouting social distancing norms and many were also seen without masks.
Mumbai on Friday reported 3062 new cases and 10 deaths. With 1,334 recoveries, the city’s cured tally has gone up to 3,232,81 Currently, Mumbai has 20,140 active cases and 11,565 fatalities.
Maharashtra reported as many as 13,601 fresh COVID-19 cases and 58 deaths on Friday, the death toll has gone up to 53,138. Currently, the number of active cases stands at 1,676,37.
Earlier, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday said that the government is aiming to vaccinate 3 lakh people daily amidst a surge in coronavirus cases in the state. While speaking to reporters, he said that although numbers are increasing and the state is facing the second peak of infections, there is no need to panic.
The state government on Thursday decided to impose a lockdown in Nagpur district from March 15 to 21 due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. Only essential services such as vegetable and fruit shops and milk booths will stay open, according to the order issued by the district administration.
Districts like Amaravati, Yavatmal, and Latur have already been put under restrictions whereas the Aurangabad administration has imposed a complete lockdown on weekends till further orders. (ANI)

Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 20 (ANI): Husband of a Sarpanch in Madhya Pradesh was crushed to death under a tractor for allegedly lodging a complaint against the encroachment of forest land in Vidisha district.
The deceased Santram Valmiki was the husband of the sarpanch of Murwas village of the district. He was mowed under a tractor in the broad daylight on Thursday. Six people were booked into this matter, police said.
“We have registered a complaint against six people and investigation is underway,” said the Investigation Officer on Friday.
The killing of Santram has created a sensation in the area. After the incident, Sironj MLA Umakant Sharma has also accused the police of not helping. “Santram was suffering on the road, but no one helped him,” he said.
The MLA alleged that the police were engaged in saving the accused instead of rescuing the deceased on the spot. The MLA also reached there and surrounded the police station with many people.
“He (Santram) was killed because he complained against the forest land mafia. Santram was also asking for protection as he felt a threat to his life. He and his wife (Sarpanch) were doing well for the people of the area,” said the MLA.
While the son of the deceased, Vishal said: “Despite the distance of three minutes, Police has reached the spot after one hour of the incident.”
Later, Sub-Divisional Magistrate has implemented Section-144 in view of the sensitivity of the incident. (ANI)