Tag: Modi

Categories
-Top News India News

Centre to develop seaplane services in India

The Civil Aviation Ministry would carry out bidding and select potential airlines operators based on their commercial consideration through bidding process, reports Asian Lite News

The Centre is set to develop seaplane services in India by expediting the development of new water aerodromes and operationalisation of new seaplane routes.

An MoU was signed between the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, for this purpose.

“This MoU envisages development of non-scheduled or scheduled operation of seaplane services within territorial jurisdiction of India under the RCS-UDAN scheme of the government of India,” the statement said.

As per the MoU, a coordination committee with officials from Ministries of Civil Aviation, Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Tourism is to be set up for timely completion of operationalisation of seaplane services at various locations.

The Civil Aviation and Ports, Shipping and Waterways Ministry will consider operationalising of seaplane operating routes as identified or suggested by all agencies, it said.

According to the statement, the Posts, Shipping and Waterways Ministry would identify and develop water front infrastructure of aerodromes or locations and obtain required statutory clearances or approvals in coordination with the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India, by defining the timelines for all activities involved in the development of facilities for starting seaplane operations.

The Civil Aviation Ministry would carry out bidding and select potential airlines operators based on their commercial consideration through bidding process, incorporate the locations or routes as identified by the Ports, Shipping and Waterways Ministry, and routes identified through bidding process in UDAN scheme document, it said.

The Civil Aviation Ministry “is also obliged to provide funds or financial support in respect of water aerodromes awarded under RCS-UDAN scheme and coordinate with Chief Secretaries of all states for the seaplanes’ operations”, it added.

Speaking on this occasion, Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Mansukh Mandaviya said that signing of the MoU will be a game changer both for Indian Maritime and Civil Aviation sector as it will not only enhance seamless connectivity across the nation by promoting eco-friendly transportation through seaplanes but also give a boost to the tourism industry.

Minister Puri said that this MoU between the two Ministries will help in expediting the development of new water aerodromes and also operationalization of new seaplane routes in India.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri

He further stated that this will give a big fillip to the provision of a new kind of tourism service in India.

As per the MoU, a Co-ordination Committee with officials of Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) and Ministry of Tourism (MoT) is to be set up. This committee will ensure timely completion of operationalisation of Seaplane services at various locations.

MoCA, MoPSW, SDCL (Sagarmala Development Company Limited) will consider operationalising of Seaplane operating routes as identified/suggested by all agencies.

MoPSW would identify and develop water front infrastructure of Aerodromes/locations and obtain required statutory clearances /approvals in coordination with MoCA, DGCA and AAI by defining the timelines for all activities involved in the development of facilities for starting seaplanes operations.

MoCA would carry out bidding and select potential airlines operators based on their commercial consideration through bidding process, incorporate the locations/routes as identified by MoPSW & routes identified through bidding process in UDAN scheme document.

MoCA is also obliged to provide funds/financial support in respect of water aerodromes awarded under RCS-UDAN scheme and coordinate with Chief Secretaries of all States for the Seaplanes operations.

ALSO READ-Dugong, seagrass toolkit among top 25 UAE innovations

READ MORE-Kerala explore water adventure sports

Categories
-Top News COVID-19 India News

Modi announces free vaccine for all above 18

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi (PIB)

The Prime Minister said that government of India itself will buy 75 per cent of the total vaccine production from vaccine manufacturers and give it free to the state governments…reports Asian Lite News.

India is on third Covid 19, but the nation is combating the pandemic with all its power. As the second wave of coronavirus has been indicating a declining trend in India for the last few days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced that all Indians above 18 years of age will be administered free Covid-19 vaccine from June 21.

Addressing the nation, the Prime Minister made it clear that the states will be provided these vaccine doses free of cost from Central government.

“The government of India will provide free vaccine to the states from Monday, June 21, in every state for all citizens above the age of 18 years,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that government of India itself will buy 75 per cent of the total vaccine production from vaccine manufacturers and give it free to the state governments.

Modi also said that 25 per cent of the vaccines being made in the country will be provided directly to the private sector hospitals while they will be able to charge a maximum service fee of Rs 150 for a single dose after the fixed price of the vaccine.

“The task of monitoring it will remain with the state governments,” the Prime Minister added.

“No state government of the country will have to spend anything on the vaccine,” Modi further announced.

Till now, the Prime Minister said crores of people of the country have got free vaccine. “Now people of 18 years of age will also join it.”

“Only the Government of India will provide free vaccine to all the countrymen,” the Prime Minister reiterated.

It was decided on Monday that the government of India will also bear the responsibility of 25 per cent of the work related to vaccination with the state governments, said the Prime Minister, adding “this arrangement will be implemented in the coming two weeks.”

“In these two weeks, the central and state governments will together make necessary preparations according to the new guidelines.”

He also announced that Covid-19 vaccine supply would increase in the country in coming days and trial for three more vaccine is going on.

“Due to the continuous efforts and hard work that the country has been doing for a long time, the supply of vaccine is going to increase even more in the coming days.

“Currently, seven companies are producing different types of vaccines in the country and trial of three more vaccines is also going on in advanced stage,” the Prime Minister said.

ALSO READ-Modi lauds woman loco pilot of Oxygen Express

READ MORE-Modi, Jaishankar condole demise of Anerood Jugnauth

Categories
-Top News India News

All eyes on UP as BJP sets the ball rolling for 2022 polls

The party has made it clear that it will bank on Hindutva, national pride, development for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh polls, reports Asian Lite News

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) election machinery has kick-started poll preparations for 2022, when state Assemblies of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Gujarat will go to polls.

Party Chief JP Nadda and BJP’s general secretaries met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to apprise him of the preparations. While elections are scheduled in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur during February – March next year. Gujarat Assembly polls is slated for 2022-end.

Sources said that Modi was apprised of the outcome of the discussion held on the upcoming Assembly polls preparations and the ongoing organisational works including ‘Sewa Hi Sangathan 2.0’.

“Main focus of the discussion with the Prime Minister was the Assembly polls, especially Uttar Pradesh,” they said.

BJP General Secretary Bhupender Yadav said, “We had a meeting with the national president. Poll-bound states were discussed in the meeting. Future programmes of the party are also discussed in the two-day meeting.”

It is also learnt that the results of the recently-held Assembly polls were also discussed in Nadda’s two-day meeting with the General Secretaries.

Sources added that the works done by the state units under ‘Sewa Hi Sangathan 2.0’ campaign, which was launched to provide help and relief to the people during the second wave of Covid pandemic, were also reviewed.

All eyes on UP

India’s largest state Uttar Pradesh will be the key focus for the party where Yogi Adityanath has been at the helm for the last five years. The party has made it clear that it will bank on Hindutva, national pride, development for the 2022 polls.

With the elections still more than six months away, the party will wait for the second Covid wave to subside and then gradually, but firmly, shift the focus back to the emotive issues such as the Ram Temple.

The Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be projected as one of the biggest achievements of the BJP and Yogi Adityanath’s proposed development plan for the city will also be showcased. BJP national General Secretary (organisation) B.L. Santosh and party Vice President Radha Mohan Singh, who were in Lucknow earlier this week, have stressed on cadre mobilisation and redressal of their complaints during meetings.

The two-day huddle of BJP’s top leaders began on Saturday when similar three-day confabulations of RSS top brass concluded in the national capital amid a buzz of plans for key organisational changes in Adityanath-ruled Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 Lok Sabha seats including Varanasi from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an MP. The BJP has officially ruled out rumours of a change of guard in Uttar Pradesh, which arose amid criticism of the state government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis and the talks of elevation of Gujarat cadre IAS officer-turned-UP-MLC Arvind Sharma as Deputy Chief Minister.

The party also plans a major programme to assuage the feelings of the cadre level workers who have been feeling alienated of late.

The BJP, according to sources, has no plans to give up the Hindutva card.

The party functionary said, “Yogi Adityanath has vibrantly put up the Hindutva factor during his regime. He has promoted development keeping in mind the religious factors, and has undoubtedly emerged as the torch-bearer of Hindutva. The party will capitalise on it.”

The BJP in Uttar Pradesh will further look to blunt the opposition by evoking ‘national pride’, which has been the hallmark of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

“There is development, Hindutva and national pride — a perfect mixture for resounding success in the next Assembly elections,” the BJP functionary said.

ALSO READ-This Yogi On A Clean Taj Mission

READ MORE-MODI: The Yogi of Populism

Categories
India News

Huge controversy erupted after one minute Modi-Mamata meet

The controversy started in the morning when an official from the PMO called Suvendu Adhikari and was asked to stay in the review meeting at Kalaikunda..reports Asian Lite News.

It was a meeting that hardly lasted for a minute but the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee created a huge political controversy.

When senior leaders of the BJP claimed that it was the chief minister’s ego that resisted her from staying away from the review meeting with Suvendu Adhikari, Trinamool Congress alleged that the meeting with the Prime Minister personally was pre-scheduled but she was not allowed time as promised by the PMO.

The controversy started in the morning when an official from the PMO called Suvendu Adhikari and was asked to stay in the review meeting at Kalaikunda. Adhikari, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the state legislative assembly, reached Kalaikunda at 1 p.m. much before the arrival of the Prime Minister.

Interestingly Mamata Banerjee announced from her review meeting in Hingalganj that she won’t be able to stay at the review meeting but she would hand over the estimate of the damage caused by the storm.

According to highly placed sources in the state secretariat, chief minister’s announcement comes after chief secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay confirmed that Prime Minister has given her separate time but when she reached Kalaikunda she was made to sit in a separate room and was informed that as the review meeting has started already, she will have to wait.

Mamata

Sources close to the chief minister said that she insisted for one minute time but she was requested to wait. Mamata Banerjee then walked into the review meeting, handed over the paper and walked out.

This one-minute incident was enough to attract strong political repercussions. Just after the meeting Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar who was also present wrote, “At the Review Meet by PM #CycloneYaas to assess damage caused. CM and officials @MamataOfficial did not participate. Such boycotts both in consonance with the constitution and federalism. Certainly, by such actions neither public interest nor interest of state has been served.

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee was quick to respond. In his tweet, Banerjee wrote, “@jdhankhar1, can you tell us, under what provision Nandigram MLA can be present in the review meeting between the central government headed by @narendramodi and state government headed by @MamataOfficial. Stop doing politics @jdhankhar1 in this situation”.

Suvendu Adhikari who was in the centre of the controversy wrote, “When Hon PM Shri @narendramodi stands strong with the citizens of West Bengal in wake of cyclone Yaas, Mamata ji should also set aside her ego for the welfare of people. Her absence from the PM’s meeting is murder of constitutional ethos & the culture of cooperative federalism”.

“Today is a dark day in India’s long-standing ethos of cooperative federalism, a principle held sacred by PM @narendramodi. If her track record is anything to go by, @MamataOfficial Didi’s administration was unable to manage Amphan relief. Rampant loot plagued the relief works. Even now, West Bengal is suffering and the state government is in absent mode,” he added.

Union Home Minister on his Twitter handle wrote, “Mamata Didi’s conduct today is an unfortunate low. Cyclone Yaas has affected several common citizens and the need of the hour is to assist those affected. Sadly, Didi has put arrogance above public welfare and today’s petty behaviour reflects that”.

Trinamool Congress refuted the allegation. The party’s spokesperson, Kunal Ghosh said, “There is no place for any kind of controversy. It was a meeting between the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister. The chief minister met the Prime Minister and submitted to him the details of the damage caused by the storm. There the matter ends”.

State BJP President Dilip Ghosh said, “This cannot be a good example of cooperative federalism. She gave preference to her personal ego more than the pains of the people of the state. Suvendu Adhikari is the Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister has invited him to be present. Her absence in the meeting will send a very wrong signal”.

TMC General Secretary Partha Chatterjee said, “Those who are speaking of her insensitivity should know that she was in the state secretariat whole might to oversee the pains of the people. She is the one who is personally overseeing the relief operations in the state. I would like to ask where were those people during the storm?”

ALSO READ-Stalin asks Modi to allocate 500-ton medical oxygen

READ MORE-Modi chairs high-level meeting on Covid

Categories
India News Politics

For the first time, red lines breach approval ratings of Modi 2.0

As many as 47.4 per cent respondents in the survey said that abrogation of Article 370 has been the biggest achievement of Modi 2.0…reports Asian Lite News.

For the first time in seven years, red lines have been breached on the approval ratings of the Narendra Modi government.

As per ABP-C Voter Modi 2.0 Report Card, voters say that abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir is the biggest achievement of the Modi government, while not handling the Corona crisis effectively is its biggest failure.

The sample size of the survey was 1.39 lakh with the samples spread across 543 Lok Sabha seats. The fieldwork was done between January 1 and May 28.

The survey shows that on many issues, voters are disappointed with the Modi government and the high popularity ratings enjoyed by the Modi government in the last seven years are now dissipating.

As many as 47.4 per cent respondents in the survey said that abrogation of Article 370 has been the biggest achievement of Modi 2.0.

The biggest failure is handling of the Corona crisis with 41.1 per cent respondents saying so.

Also, 23.1 per cent said dissatisfaction and anger in the farming community over the new farm laws is the second biggest failure of the Modi government.

In a castigation of the Centre, more than half or 52.3 per cent said that government help did not reach them during the lockdown.

Voters are also unhappy with the poll campaign during the second wave of the pandemic.

To a question on “Do you think it was appropriate for Prime Minister to participate in the poll campaign and address election rallies during second wave of the pandemic in the country?”, a massive 59.7 per cent said as Prime Minister of the country, Modi’s participation in election campaign was wrong.

While there may be anger against the government, voters still do not want Congress scion Rahul Gandhi, who has been very critical of government’s handling of the pandemic.

On a question, “Do you think Rahul Gandhi would have handled the Corona crisis in a better manner, if he was Prime Minister of the country? Or you believe that PM Narendra Modi is handling it in the best possible manner”, 63.1 per cent said Modi is handling the situation in the best possible manner.

Most voters – 60.8 per cent — think that the Assembly polls in five states/UT and panchayat polls in Uttar Pradesh should have been postponed.

A majority of 55.3 per cent of the respondents said that the Kumbh Mela should have been held symbolically from the beginning, in view of the second wave of the pandemic.

As many as 47 per cent of the respondents hold the Central government responsible for the rise in diesel and petrol prices.

In a criticism of the Modi government, a massive 64.4 per cent said that big corporate houses benefitted the most in economic terms from the works of the Modi government.

A total of 44.8 per cent said China’s encroachment in Laddakh region is a failure on the part of the Central government.

However, voters are very happy with the government’s handling of Kashmir, and improvement in relations with foreign countries, but feel that the demands of the farmers should be met.

ALSO READ-Modi releases 8th instalment under PM-KISAN  

READ MORE-Modi, Macron discuss positive outcomes of India-EU Leaders’ Meet

Categories
-Top News India News

Modi releases 8th instalment under PM-KISAN  

The Prime Minister will release the instalment through video conferencing at 11 a.m….Reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the 8th instalment of financial benefits worth Rs 19,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme on Friday to benefit more than 9.5 crore farmers.

The Prime Minister will release the instalment through video conferencing at 11 a.m.

“The instalment will enable the transfer of more than Rs 19,000 crore to more than 9.5 crore beneficiary farmer families,” said a statement issued from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Prime Minister will also interact with farmer beneficiaries during the event. The Union Agriculture Minister will also be present on the occasion.

Under the PM-KISAN scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to the eligible beneficiary farmer families, payable in three equal 4-monthly instalments of Rs 2,000 each.

The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. In this scheme, Samman Rashi of over Rs 1.15 lakh crore has been transferred to farmers’ families so far.

Meanwhile, amid a grim scenario brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday released Rs 3,928 crore which was directly credited into the bank accounts of 52.38 lakh farmers across the state.

This was the first tranche of the YSR Rythu Bharosa scheme in its third consecutive year, where each eligible farmer gets Rs 7,500.

The Chief Minister said that despite the Covid crisis, the state government hasn’t held back any welfare schemes, including Rythu Bharosa. The scheme was initiated to benefit the farmer fraternity across the state.

“So far, the state government has spent Rs 68,000 crore alone for farmers in the past 23 months, whereas for Rythu Bharosa alone, Rs 17,029 crore was spent. In all these 23 months, the government had directly credited Rs 89,000 crore into the accounts of the beneficiaries under various schemes without any discrimination or corruption, with full transparency and accuracy,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that Rs 2,000 crore will be credited into the accounts of 38 lakh farmers on May 25 under the YSR Free Crop Insurance scheme.

ALSO READ:Stalin asks Modi to allocate 500-ton medical oxygen


Categories
India News UK News

Nirav’s appeal against extradition awaits decision

The Administrative Division of the Royal Courts of Justice in London said that the matter has not been sent to a judge for consideration on the papers…reports Asian Lite News.

The fugitive diamond dealer Nirav Modi, who is wanted in India for allegedly defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) out of an estimated $2 billion has filed a permission to appeal in the UK high court against his extradition to India

According to reports, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed an appeal has been lodged but a High Court judge who will make a decision on the matter is yet to be assigned.

The Administrative Division of the Royal Courts of Justice in London said that the matter has not been sent to a judge for consideration on the papers.

Modi, 50, who was arrested in March 2019 and has been held in the Wandsworth prison in south London ever since, was ordered to be extradited by the UK Home Secretary Priti Patel on the 15th April 2021.

Westminster Magistrate’s Court’s judge Sam Goozee made a decision on February 25, finding Nirav Modi guilty on all the charges saying that the fugitive businessman had a case to answer for and should be returned to India.

The Indian government alleges that Modi and his associates colluded with officials at the state-owned Punjab National Bank to defraud the bank out of more than USD 1.4 billion by using a credit facility known as Letters of Undertaking, a form of bank guarantee to facilitate international transactions.

The court had been told that the proceeds of the fraud were then laundered through a series of shell companies manned by dummy directors and located in Dubai and Hong Kong. Modi is also charged with the destruction of evidence and intimidating witnesses.

Modi who had 14 days to appeal the decision has approached the High Court of appeals on the 28th April 2021 to appeal the decisions made by the lower court judge as well as the home secretary Priti Patel.

It will be decided by the court of appeals judge whether or not to grant the permission to appeal which is done on papers.

Modi is likely to argue on the decision of his mental health issue which was dismissed by lower court judge Goozee saying he was not satisfied by evidence submitted by the defence about Modi’s mental and emotional health and that he was satisfied that he was fit to plead once returned to India.

If he is successful in obtaining the permission then the appeal will be heard by a single judge or division bench. Modi will need to demonstrate a strong reason to initiate the hearings for his appeal. The entire process can take a good few months given the covid crisis around the world, especially in India where Modi is sought. If its rejected UK will have 28 days to extradite him. (with inputs from ANI)

Also Read-UK reopens quarantine-free travel to select countries

Read More-World’s largest cargo plane, carrying UK aid, lands at Delhi

Categories
-Top News COVID-19 India News

Navy Chief lists Covid initiatives in PM meet

He apprised the Prime Minister about the naval hospitals being opened for use of civilians in various cities…reports Asian Lite News.

India’s Covid tally is on a huge spike for the last few weeks. The Indian Navy is transporting oxygen containers as well as other essential supplies from Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Singapore to India, Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday during a review meeting on the Covid related initiatives undertaken by the force.

Admiral Singh informed the Prime Minister about the various initiatives being taken by the Indian Navy to assist the countrymen during the pandemic.

He informed the Prime Minister that the Indian Navy has reached out to all the state administrations, offering help in terms of hospital beds, transportation and other such things.

He apprised the Prime Minister about the naval hospitals being opened for use of civilians in various cities.

Singh also informed Modi that medical personnel in the Navy have been re-deployed at various locations in the country to manage Covid duties. Naval personnel are also being provided battlefield nursing assistace training for Covid duties.

Singh briefed the Prime Minister that the Navy is helping to increase oxygen availability in Lakshadweep as well as Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Seven Indian Navy ships have been deployed for shipment of liquid medical oxygen-filled cryogenic containers and associated medical equipment from various countries in the fight against the pandemic.

“The INS Kolkata, Kochi, Talwar, Tabar, Trikand, Jalashwa and Airavat have been deployed for shipment of liquid medical oxygen-filled cryogenic containers in support of the nation’s fight against Covid-19 and as part of operation ‘Samudra Setu II’,” the Navy had stated earlier.

The Navy also has the surge capability to deploy more ships when the need arises to further the nation’s fight against Covid-19.

The ships are combat ready and capable of meeting any contingency in keeping with the attributes of versatility of sea power.

Operation Samudra Setu was launched last year by the Navy when around 4,000 Indian citizens stranded in the neighbouring countries due to the outbreak of Covid-19 were successfully repatriated back to India.

Also Read-No entry to Punjab without Covid negative report

Read More-India reports 3.68L new Covid cases, 3,417 deaths in 24 hrs

Categories
-Top News India News

Modi chairs high-level meeting on Covid

The Prime Minister directed the authorities to work closely with state governments to start the PSA oxygen plants at the earliest…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting with top officials to review the Covid-19 situation in the country and was given an overview relating to oxygen availability, medicines and health infrastructure.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said: “The Empowered Group working on boosting oxygen supply briefed the Prime Minister on the efforts being made to ramp up availability and supply of oxygen in the country.”

“It was discussed that the production of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) in the country has increased from 5,700 MT per day in August 2020 to the present 8,922 MT on April 25. The domestic production of LMO is expected to cross 9,250 MT per day by the end of April 2021,” it said.

The Prime Minister instructed the officials to work closely with state governments to start the PSA oxygen plants at the earliest. Officers also apprised the Prime Minister that they are encouraging states to also set up PSA oxygen plants.

Also read:Delhi withdraws order on Ashoka Hotel Covid centre

The Prime Minister was briefed about the functioning of the Oxygen Express Railways service as well as the domestic sorties and international sorties undertaken by the IAF to transport oxygen tankers.

Covid-19 patient gets oxygen on the spot provided by Sikh Organisation “Hum Chakar Gobind Ke” at Jangpura Bhogal in new Delhi(Photo: Wasim Sarvar/IANS)

The Empowered Group working on Medical Infrastructure and Covid management briefed the Prime Minister on efforts being undertaken to ramp up availability of beds and ICUs.

“They informed the Prime Minister on efforts to break the chain of transmission. The Prime Minister stressed on the need to ensure that specific guidelines and strategies evolved regarding Covid management needs to be properly implemented by the relevant agencies in the states,” the PMO said.

Meanwhile, the Empowered Group working on communication informed the Prime Minister on the efforts being undertaken to improve awareness among people on Covid-related behaviour.

Also read:Delhi gasps for oxygen


Categories
-Top News COVID-19 India News

Armed forces recall retired medics to join Covid fight

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat

Medical officers on staff appointments at Command, Corps, Division, and similar headquarters of Navy and Air Force will take part in fight against Covid-19…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and reviewed the preparations and operations being undertaken by the Armed Forces to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

According to an official statement by the Prime Minister’s Office, the CDS briefed the Prime Minister that all medical personnel from armed forces who have retired or taken pre-mature retirement in the last 2 years are being recalled to work in Covid facilities in the proximity of their present place of residence.

“Other medical officers who retired earlier have also been requested to make their services available for consultation through medical emergency helplines,” it added.

The Prime Minister was also informed that all medical officers on staff appointments at Command, Corps, Division, and similar headquarters of Navy and Air Force will be employed at hospitals.

New Delhi: Health workers wearing PPE suits and treatment for COVID-19 positive patient admit in Emergency Covid-19 care center by Delhi Government at Shahnai banquet Hall in front of LNJP hospital in New Delhi on Thursday April 15th, 2021.(Photo:Wasim Sarvar/IANS)
Also read:Modi rules out lockdown

General Rawat informed PM Modi that nursing personnel are being employed in large numbers to complement the doctors at the hospitals and that oxygen cylinders available with Armed Forces in various establishments will be released for hospitals.

The CDS also said that they are creating medical facilities in large numbers and where possible military medical infrastructure will be made available to civilians.

The Prime Minister also reviewed the operations being undertaken by Indian Air Force (IAF) to transport oxygen and other essentials in India and abroad.

PM Modi also discussed with General Rawat that Kendriya and Rajya Sainik Welfare Boards and Officers posted in various headquarters in veterans cells may be instructed to coordinate the services of veterans to extend the reach to the maximum extent possible including in remote areas. (ANI)

Also read:Lockdown only the last resort: Modi