New Delhi:  The government on Sunday said that the media reports about India’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign not achieving the target are misleading.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that India’s National Immunization Campaign is the most successful and largest among many developed Western countries in the global fight against Covid-19. The ministry said that such reports in the media are misleading and do not reflect the full situation.

ccording to the ministry, 90 percent of the eligible citizens have been vaccinated for first dose and 65 percent for the second dose so far in the National Immunization Campaign that started from January 16, 2021.

India has achieved many unprecedented milestone in this campaign.

More than one hundred crore vaccine doses have been administered in less than nine months in India.

The ministry said that only 73.02 percent of the eligible population in the US has been vaccinated against Covid-19.

In Britain, 75.9 percent, France 78.3 percent and Spain 84.7 percent of the eligible population have been given the first dose of vaccine.

Srinagar: In a first major breach by Pakistani Army of  February 2021 ceasefire agreement, Army on Sunday claimed to have foiled an attempted Border Action Team (BAT) action in frontier district of Kupwara by killing a Pakistani infiltrator.

General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Kupwara based 28 Mountain Division Major General Abhijit Pendharkar said alert troops guarding the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector foiled a BAT attempt when they eliminated a Pakistani infiltrator who was trying to sneak into this side from across the border on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference at Kupwara, Major General  Pendharkar said yesterday around 1500 hours “in a complete breach of the ceasefire understandings arrived between the two Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs)” one armed intruder in “Pathani suit” and a “Black Jacket” was detected moving from areas under the control of Pakistani Army across the LoC.

“You can say it was a BAT attempt, an infiltration bid attempted in the Keran sector of Kupwara district on January 1”, he said.

He said the swift action by the troops deployed at the LoC foil the bid and eliminated the “terrorist”  who was later identified as Mohammad Shabir Malik, a Pakistan national equipped with weapons, arms and ammunition and war like stores.

Major General  Pendharkar said the incident site is located on the Pakistan side as the Anti Infiltration Obstacle System was kept under surveillance by the Indian army to effectively counter any nefarious activity by the Pak infiltrators or Pakistani army.

Giving details of the operation he said an ambush was laid along the lightly routes that could have been adopted by the intruder and his movement was tracked and followed till about 1600 hours.  “The ambush was sprung at an opportune moment and the infiltrator was eliminated”, he added.

He said, the body of the slain infiltrator was recovered alongwith one Ak-47 rifle and large quantity of arms and ammunition including 7 hand grenades.

Major General Pendharkar said, the surveillance of the area is still in progress though  bad weather conditions are prevailing in the area.

A search of the belongings of the slain infiltrator revealed a Pakistani Identity card with his name written there as Mohammad Shabir Malik, a vaccination Certificate issued by the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination of The Government of Pakistan.

Besides,  a photograph of the infiltrator in a Pakistani army uniform with the name tab as “Shabir” prescribed on was also recovered, he added.

The operation is still on, Major General Pendharkar said.

He said Incidentally this route “Randori Behak” was also adopted by a group of five infiltrators who tried to sneak to this side  in April last year and were killed by the alert Indian army.

He said Pakistan is continuing unabated “cross border terrorism”, Major General Pndharkar said.

Meerut: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that with sporting infrastructure coming up in villages and small towns it was his resolve and dream that youths should be encouraged to “take up sports as as a profession.”

The Prime Minister’s remarks came while laying the foundation stone of Major Dhyan Chand Sports University in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said, “In Indian history, Meerut has not just been a city but a significant center of culture and strength.” He said for sports to thrive in the country, “it is necessary that the youth should have faith in sports and should be encouraged to take up sports as a profession. This is my resolve, and my dream.”

Srinagar:  Many places in Kashmir Valley including tourist resorts of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg, received fresh snowfall and rains.

According to the Meteorological Department Centre, the night temperature improved in Kashmir Valley and Ladakh in view of the snowfall and rains. Srinagar recorded a minimum of 0.3 degree Celsius against the average -2.1 degree Celsius this season. Srinagar has received 1.2 mm of rainfall since Saturday night.

They said the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir received 4.2 cms of fresh snowfall much to the delight of the tourists. Affarwath and Kongdoori in the valley of meadow also received about six inches of snowfall. The minimum temperature settled in Gulmarg as minus 6.2 degree Celsius against minus minus 6.0 recorded the previous night.

Reports of snowfall were also received from south Kashmir’s Shopian as it recorded 1.5 cms snow last night while Gurez in Bandipora recorded 3-4 cms. Gund-Kangan and Sonmarg in central Kashmir also received fresh snowfall of 3 cms.

Qazigund on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway recorded minus 1.0 degree Celsus against minus 4.0 a day ago.

The famous tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashm received 7 cms of snow. The minimum temperature was recorded as minus 1.7 degree Celsius against the minus 6.1 recorded the last night.

Kokernag also in south Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 1.9 degree Celsius against the minus 3.5 degree Celsius the previous night.

The frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara was recorded 1.6 degree Celsius against the minus 1.8 degree Celsius. Kupwara also received a rainfall of 1.3mm on Saturday night.

Reports of fresh snowfall on the upper reaches of Ladakh including Zojila pass, Captain more and Drass areas were also received. About 3-4 inches of snow accumulated in these places, according to sources.

Leh in Ladakh recorded a minimum of -9.2 degree Celsius and at automatic stations of Kargil minus 102 while at Drass it was recorded as minus 9.2 degree Celsius, the official said.

Srinagar:  Srinagar-Ladakh national highway and historical Mughal road connecting Shopian district in south Kashmir to Rajouri in Jammu region were closed for vehicular traffic due to fresh snowfall, a traffic official said.

They said the traditional Mughal road, which was closed since December 23, 2021 following the fresh snowfall at Bafliaz and peer Ki Gali, received another spell of snow on Saturday. The snow clearance operation could not be taken up due to the slippery road conditions, the official added.

Srinagar-Ladakh road was also closed for the moment of traffic following fresh snowfall at Sonamarg, Gumri, Captain more, Zojila pass and at Drass.

They said about 3-4 inches of snow had accumulated on the road and the men from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had pressed into service with sophisticated machines to clean the snow from the highway.

Meanwhile,  Srinagar-Jammu National highway was open for traffic from either side for light motor vehicles while heavy motor vehicles were allowed to move from Jammu to Srinagar.

Kupwara-Keran road in north Kashmir was also closed for vehicular traffic following another spell of snowfall. The snow clearance operation is going on, the official said and added the road is likely to be put through by the evening.

Snow clearance operations were also going on at Bandipora-Gurez  and Tulail road to restore the traffic movement, according to sources.

New Delhi:  India and Pakistan exchanged lists of nuclear installations and facilities, covered under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against nuclear Installations and facilities between both the countries.

The Minister of External Affairs said that the Agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides, inter alia, that India and Pakistan inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the Agreement on the first of January of every calendar year.

This is the 31st consecutive exchange of such lists between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992.

Pakistan has five operable reactors, with a further unit under construction, with China’s help. Pakistan’s nuclear weapons capabilities have arisen independently of its civil nuclear fuel cycle, using indigenous uranium.

Pakistan is outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty due to its weapons programme. Because of it, Pakistan is largely excluded from trade in nuclear plants or materials, which hinders its development of civil nuclear energy.

Amid this, China is positively cooperating with Pakistan’s nuclear ambition.

Pakistan, as of date, has a nuclear weapons stockpile of approximately 165 warheads, according to The Arms Control Association, a neutral membership group located in the US.