Global caseload climbs past 3 crore

New Delhi, Sep 18: With 96,424 new additions in the past 24 hours, the country on Friday crossed another grim milestone of 52 lakh-mark COVID-19 cases, the Health Ministry said here.
The tally stands at 52,14,678, while the country now houses 10,17,754 active cases.
As the cases were rising unabated, India stands as second worst-hit country globally, just behind the United States, where the total positive cases are more than 66 lakh.
At the same time, the country recorded an unprecedented high of single-day recoveries, with 87,472 active cases being discharged in the past 24 hours from home/facility supervised care and hospitals.
The total recovered cases on Friday stood at 41,12,551 and was 4.04 times the number of active cases, outnumbering the latter by 30,94,797, an official statement here said.
The Recovery Rate further escalated to 78.86 per cent on Friday, while its low Case Fatality Rate (CFR) was at 1.62 per cent.

The country has been consistently reporting a high-level of daily recoveries of more than 70,000, since the past 11 days.
According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, nearly 30 COVID vaccine candidates are under development, in different stages of pre-clinical and clinical development.
Out of this, three candidates are in an advanced stage of Phase I/II/III trials and four in the advanced pre-clinical development stage.
The top five states with high active caseload were also the ones, which at present, were reporting a high level of recoveries.
As much as 59.8 per cent of the active cases were being reported from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, which together also contributed to 59.3 per cent of the total recoveries.
Maharashtra reported 24,619 new Coronavirus cases, taking the total number of infections in the state to 31,351, with an addition of 398 deaths during the day.
As many as 19,522 patients were discharged on Thursday after treatment, taking the number of recoveries in the state to 8,12,354 and the state now has 3,01,752 active cases.
With 1,147 new COVID 19 cases coming to light, the tally of coronavirus positive cases increased to 1,65,371 in Bihar so far.

Massive surge of positive cases of Coronavirus continued in Andhra Pradesh as 8,096 fresh cases were reported while 67 more patients died in 24 hours of time.
Uttar Pradesh recorded 6,548 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 98 more deaths from the virus in the past 24 hours, a state health official said on Friday.
According to a health bulletin here on Friday, the case tally of the state has climbed to 6,09,558 while the death toll surged to 5,244.
Tamil Nadu reported 5,488 new COVID-19 positive cases on Friday, taking the cumulative tally of infections to 5,30,908 while the death toll related to the virus increased to 8,685 with 67 more fatalities.
Health department in its bulletin said of the 67 deaths, 33 were reported in government hospitals and 34 in private hospitals.
According to Johns Hopkins University data, global Covid-19 caseload have climbed past 3 crores worldwide, the US has 6,674,458 infections and Brazil stands at third position after India with 4,455,386 cases.

Riyaz Bhat
Srinagar, Sep 18: The government on Friday asked the private educational institutions of Jammu and Kashmir not to charge any admission fee from the students.
In an order principal secretary to the government for school educational department and skill Development, Asgar Samoon also asked the private educational institutions to refund the amount to the parents which was collected by the management from November 2019 till date.

“The Fee Fixation Committee (FFC) was mandated to regulate the fee structure in private educational institutions in J&K and the committee has ordered inter-alia that private schools shall only charge tuition fee, annual fee, transport fee, voluntary special purpose fee or any other fee as may be approved by the FFC after following the due procedures. But shall not charge, in any manner, any other fee including admission fee,” the order reads.

The order further states that the FFC requested that the private educational institution be directed not to charge admission fees in violation of the government and court orders.

“By virtue of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019, the Right of Children to free and compulsory education Act, 2009 (Act) has been made applicable to the UT of J&K. No school or person while admitting a child, collects any capitation fee and subjects the child or his or her parents or guardian to screening procedure,” the order reads.

The order also states that any school or person, if in contravention of the provisions of sub-section (1) receives capitation fee, shall be punishable with fine, which may extend to ten times from the capitation fee charged.

“To subject a child to screening procedure, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to twenty five thousands rupee for the first contravention and fifty thousand rupees for each subsequent contraventions,” it reads.

“It is hereby ordered that no private school or person while admitting a child shall collect any admission fee from any child or his or her parents or guardians and such fee and if already collected in violation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 from the date of its applicability—that is from 31.10.2019 shall be refunded with immediate effect otherwise action under section 13 of the ACT shall be initiated forthwith,” reads the order. (KNO)

Seeks winter preparedness plan
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Sep 18: To assess the preparedness of the Power Development Department for the ensuing winter season, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha conducted a meeting at the Civil Secretariat here today.

The Lt Governor directed the officers concerned to ensure necessary advance procurement and decentralized distribution of critical components like transformers, poles, and other material for inaccessible and potentially snow bound areas in view of the upcoming winter season.

He also directed for submission of a ‘Winter Preparedness Plan’ within a week.

Observing the need to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the Union Territory, the Lt Governor directed to ensure quality check on the procurement of transformers and other critical equipments so that their shelf life remains longer.

He also directed the officers to ensure no unscheduled power curtailment in the metered areas.

The Lt Governor also directed that the long-pending projects be completed on priority. He also directed the officers to look into the high damage rate of transformers in the UT and to submit an action plan lower it to the national average.

Those present in the meeting included Advisors to Lt Governor, KK Sharma and Farooq Khan; Chief Secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam; Principal Secretary, PDD, Rohit Kansal; Managing Director JPDCL Yasha Mudgal; Managing Director KPDCL, Mohammad Aijaz Asad; Chief Engineers and other senior officers, in person and through video conferencing.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Sep 18: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today visited 92 Base Hospital and enquired about the well being of Rahul Mathur, Dy Commandant of Quick Action Team of CRPF.
Dy Commandant Rahul Mathur was part of Thursday’s encounter at Firdousabad, Batmaloo wherein he received gunshot injuries while leading the assault. Rahul Mathur later managed to gun down one of the militants, an official spokesman said in a statement.
‘I salute the exemplary courage and bravery displayed by Dy Commandant Rahul Mathur, despite being shot at twice’, said the Lt Governor while lauding the brave officer. The country is proud of his bravery, patriotism and commitment to duty’, added the Lt Governor.
Advisor to Lt Governor, RR Bhatnagar; Lt General BS Raju, GoC Chinar Corps; IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar and IGP CRPF, Charu Sinha also accompanied the Lt Governor.

Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar, Sep 18: The final decision, to open schools and allow students, even voluntarily, to go to school to seek guidance, rests solely with the local governments, the MHA said.
The unlock 4.0 guidelines, as released by the Ministry of Home Affairs, allows schools to partially open for teaching and non-teaching staff as well as for voluntary attendance of students of classes 9 to 12.

However the authorities here in the schools education department told news agency KINS they have to follow the MHA guidelines. “We have to follow the guidelines of the MHA on the reopening of the schools. But yes any other decision is the prerogative of the government. It is better to further talk to the higher ups,” said one of the top officials here in the Directorate of Schools education, wishing anonymity.

KINS tried to contact the Advisor KK Sharma, Principal Secretary School Education Department, Dr Asgar Hasan Samoon and even the government spokesperson Rohit Kansal to confirm the UT governments decision over the issue, but no one was available to attend the call or even answer the whatsapp messages.

While many states are planning to open the schools this month, some are not ready to take any risks keeping the pandemic under consideration. The Haryana and Delhi Government have allowed students of classes 9 to 12 to attend school to clarify doubts or seek guidance.

Those states who are planning to reopen the schools from next week will have to follow all SOPs issued by the Ministry of Health.

Sources said that most of the state governments have deferred re-opening of schools, Moreover, the Unlock 4.0 guidelines also suggest that schools can be opened after September 21, 2020 for teachers and non-teaching staff for special circumstances. However, regular classes will not begin now until September 30, 2020.

The schools would be allowed to reopen with 50 percent of teaching and non-teaching staff.

The SOPs released by the Health Minister has also forbidden sports periods, assemblies or opening of canteen on school premises. The colleges can also be functional for postgraduate and Ph.D scholars, but will also remain closed for others. (KINS)

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Sep 18: Lieutenant Governor (Lt Gov), Manoj Sinha on Friday launched the National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS) at a ceremony organized at Deputy Commissioner Srinagar’s office.
NGDRS represents a major shift from the existing manual registration system to online registration of all transactions in sale-purchase and transfer of land and the stamp papers have been replaced by e-stamps which have been incorporated in coordination with Stockholding Corporation of India. J&K will be the 10th among States and UTs to become part of NGDRS.

Speaking on the occasion the Lt Governor remarked that today’s launch marks another step of the government towards the establishment of an accountable and transparent governing system where the welfare of common citizen is at the core. The overall intent is to ensure hassle-free service delivery and transparency in the registration process by online uploading of the document, appointment with the registration office, e-stamp, and a one-time visit to the Registration office. The entire process has been reduced to 15 minutes which earlier would take several days in view of multiple steps involved. Now all 5 steps are under the digital process.
Sinha handed over an Endorsement Deed and an e-stamp generated through NGDRS to a Srinagar resident marking the launch of NGDRS.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary briefed the Lt Governor about the progress of Land Record Digitization in the district. He informed that apart from 100 per cent updation of Jamabandis and digitization under completion, 558 estates have been digitised and updated on NGDRS Portal. A revenue of Rs 46 Cr has been generated in district Srinagar so far and NGDRS will entail an ease of doing business both for revenue department and land owners/buyers.
In the first phase, apart from District Srinagar four other districts viz. Jammu, Samba, Kathua and Udhampur have also been included under NGDRS coverage. The Lt Governor directed the officers to launch the system in the rest of the Union Territory before October 31, 2020. He remarked that the launching of NGDRS is a big step towards National Integration and a leap towards ‘One Nation One Software’.
Those who participated in the event included Advisor to Lt Governor, K K Sharma, Chief Secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam, and Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, Dr Pawan Kotwal, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor, Nitishwar Kumar, among others. Senior officers from Delhi and Pune joined through Video Conferencing.
Secretary, Department of Land Resources, Government of India Ajay Tirkey, discussed key features of NGDRS and support to be extended to J&K Government for further expansion of the scheme, Ajay Joshi, Sr Technical Director, NGDRS, SDU NIC-Pune made a presentation on key features of NGDRS, Dr DC Mishra, DDG-NIC (Technical Partner) made a presentation of features of software, Pramod Joshi, represented the Stockholding Corporation of India.
Principal Secretary, Revenue Department J&K, Dr Pawan Kotwal also highlighting the process adopted for establishment of registration offices, capacity building and training of officers, introduction of e-stamping and further course of action for fresh land survey after completion of ongoing updation of revenue records and digitization.

Crores meant for construction of washrooms diverted to individual accounts

Srinagar, Sep 18: A major money scam has surfaced in Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), through which officials have transferred an amount of over rupees six crores, meant for construction of washrooms, into the accounts of party workers.

Official documents, the copy of which is  in possession of news agency Kashmir Dot Com- (KDC) suggest that on January 16 this year Housing and Urban Development department released Rs six crore and twenty five lakh in favour of Mission Director, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) through an order No. 27HUD of 2020 dated 16-01-2020

As per the documents the funds were released under Capex budget 2019-20 (Five months Budget from 31 October to 31 March 2020) under the scheme Additional Contribution of IHHLs (Individual Household Latrines) and CT/PT of Urban Development Sector.

As per the release order duly signed by the Dheeraj Gupta Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Dev. Department dated 16 January 2020, the funds were released into the official account of Mission Director, SBM.

Official sources said that the amount of funds to the tune of six crores was transferred into the accounts of the individuals, allegedly close to the officials of the SMC.

“These washrooms were actually never constructed on the ground and the majority of the funds were transferred into accounts of party workers,” they said.

Several citizens said that the washroom scandal is so huge that only the Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) should probe it as officials have illegally made money out of nothing.

Earlier, ACB had registered a case against officials of the SMC and an NGO ‘M/S Social Welfare India’ for alleged fraud, corruption and embezzlement of public money in the construction of individual household latrine (IHHL) units under Swatch Bharat Mission.

The ACB said the NGO had to construct 218 IHHLs, at Rs 17,490 per unit, and nine twin storage pits, at rupees 12,000 per pit, but not a single unit has been constructed by the NGO and the engineering wing of the SMC submitted the false verification report.

The officials and fake NGO owners were booked and the case is being heard by the High Court which recently rejected the bail of the accused.

Pertinently, SMC has been in news for the last two years, ever since the new corporation body was elected in 2018.

Several scams ranging from appointments of workers, illegal promotions of employees, permission for construction of high-rise buildings were given against the Master Plan and building permission rules were reported since then and newer ones are surfacing from time to time.

While cases against irregularities are under the probe of the Crime Branch and ACB, and several persons close to the top functionaries, have garnered a future, who till yesterday were among nobodies, many of these scams and several officials are under the radar of investigating agencies.

Chairman Swatchh Bharat Mission SMC confirmed to KDC that the said amount has been illegally withdrawn without seeking his written permission before using or disbursing the funds compulsory under Swatchh Bharat Mission.

Meanwhile, several attempts to seek the comments of SMC Commissioner Ghazanfar Ali and to know his version about the newly surfaced washroom scam failed, as he didn’t respond to the repeated calls made to him. (KDC)

New Delhi, Sep 17: Akali Dal leader and Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Thursday resigned from Union Cabinet on the government decision to bring farmer ordinances and legislation in Parliament.
‘I have resigned from Union Cabinet in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and legislation,’ Ms Badal said in her tweet.
She said she was ‘proud to stand with farmers as their daughter and sister’.
The resignation by Harsimrat Kaur Badal came after the Akali Dal faced heat from farmers in Punjab over its initial support to ally BJP’s farm sector bills.

The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were taken up in the Lok Sabha today for consideration and passing.
The minister, who was part of the cabinet meet that cleared it, resigned shortly before the voting on the bills in the Lok Sabha.
Shiromani Akali Dal opposed the agriculture bills in the Lok Sabha on Thursday and said farmers are going to be affected adversely if the draft laws are passed.
During the discussion on two bills — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 — SAD member Sukhbir Badal said Punjab has spent its last 50 years to develop State’s agriculture condition.
He said the Bill will allow corporate and private companies to interfere in this, which the Akali Dal will never allow.

The Akali Dal had earlier supported the Centre’s decision but then claimed that it had not been consulted on the bills.
With the BJP deciding to push through the bills, the Akalis decided to withdraw support and vote against the bills in parliament today.
On her being part of the Cabinet meeting that cleared the far ordinances, Harsimrat Kaur said her ministry opposed the proposal during the inter-ministerial consultation too.
Badal said that Punjab is the heart of the country’s farming. ‘A total 50 per cent of the grain yield is produced in Punjab. Hence the opposition of the farmers of Punjab represents the opposition of the farmers of the country,’ he said.
He said in the last 50 years the state has developed an excellent agricultural network.
‘The state has 12 thousand villages and 1,900 mandis. There is a mandi in every six villages. Hundred per cent of the farms are irrigated. This is the reason that there may be drought in other states of the country, there is no drought in Punjab,’ Mr Badal said.

Sukhbir Badal said the Akalis will continue to support the government from outside but oppose “anti-farmer policies”.
The bills, touted by the BJP as ‘a big ticket reform in the agri sector ‘, have evoked protests from farmers of Punjab and Haryana. The government said the bills, which would replace the three ordinances issued in June, will help farmers across the country get a better market and price for their produce.
Congress leader and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said Harsimrat Kaur’s resignation was “too little too late” and termed it as ‘a gimmick to fool the farmers of Punjab’.
He questioned the Akali Dal’s decision to continue to remain a part of the ruling NDA.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Sep 18: The government is authorizing Naib Tehsildars to issue Domicile Certificates to PRC holders and their family members. The decision was announced by Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha at a meeting while reviewing the working of Revenue department and the Auqaf.

Advisors to Lt Governor, KK Sharma and Farooq Khan; Chief Secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam; Principal Secretary Revenue Department and Inspector General of Registration Dr Pawan Kotwal; Principal Secretary to Lt Governor, Nitishwar Kumar; CEO Board of Directors for specified Wakafs and specified Wakaf properties,Mufti Mohammad Farid ud Din; Commissioner Survey Land Records, Shahnawaz Bukhari and senior officers of Revenue and Auqaf were present in the meeting.

During the review meeting, Lt Governor was briefed in detail about the working and organizational structure of the Revenue Department.  He was apprised about status of the first phase of ongoing process of scanning and settlement of land records in Jammu and Srinagar. The Lt Governor set timeline for digitization of all revenue records on speedy basis by September 30, 2020.

He also directed to complete the Cadastral survey under Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) across all districts of the UT by the end of May, 2021

While enquiring about the status of delivery of Domicile certificates in the UT, the Lt Governor directed to complete all long pendency by 30th September, 2020.

To speed up the process, Lt Governor announced to authorise Naib Tehsildars in addition to the Tehsildars for issuing Domicile certificate to all the PRC holders and their family members on priority.