CENTRE ALLOWS INTER-STATE MOVEMENT OF STRANDED MIGRANT WORKERS, OTHERS, BUT

IN BUSES

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Wednesday issued an order allowing

inter-state movement of stranded migrant labourers, students, and tourists,

four days before the second phase of lockdown is scheduled to end.

"Due to lockdown, migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other

persons are stranded at different places. They would be allowed to move,"

the MHA order issued by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said.

The MHA stated that this has to be done through mutually-agreed terms

between two states and the movement has to be carried out in sanitised buses

with required social distancing. Only asymptomatic people would be allowed

to travel and a second assessment of their health would be made upon their

arrival in their home state. Based on this, they would be kept in home or

institutional quarantine upon arrival.

In its latest order on Wednesday, the MHA said: "All States/ UTs should

designate nodal authorities and develop standard protocols for receiving and

sending such stranded persons. The nodal authorities shall also register the

stranded persons within their States/ UTs. In case a group of stranded

persons wish to move between one State/ UT and another State/ UT. the

sending and receiving States may consult each other and mutually agree to

the movement by road."

"On arrival at their destination, such person(s) would be assessed by the

local health authorities, and kept in home quarantine, unless the assessment

requires keeping the person(s) in institutional quarantine. They would be

kept under watch with periodic health check-ups. For this purpose, such

persons may be encouraged to use Aarogya Setu app through which their health

status can be monitored and tracked," the MHA order has said.

The move comes in the backdrop of increasing inability of states to sustain

migrant labourers in their states even as revenue sources dry up. There have

also been frequent instances of violent labour agitations in Maharashtra and

Gujarat in recent days with migrant workers demanding to be transported back

home. Maharashtra has openly demanded for the arrangements to be made for

inter-state transport of labourers.

According to an affidavit filed by the government in the Supreme Court on

April 12, nearly 16.5 lakh workers are living in shelters provided by their

employers, while 14.3 lakh migrant workers have been provided shelter in

close to 38,000 camps built by states and NGOs. Additionally, 1.34 crore

people are being given free food through over 26,000 food camps across the

country.

The order also comes at a time when both the Centre and states plan to

increasingly open more sectors in the economy for operation. Many states

have said they would like to open the economy completely in green zones

after May 3. The MSME sector, notably, is heavily dependent on migrant

labourers. With workers heading home, several industrial sectors in cities

could be negatively impacted.

The guidelines make no mention of trains or flights.

'CONSIDERABLE RELAXATIONS' IN MANY DISTRICTS AFTER MAY 3: MHA

Amid speculation on whether the nationwide lockdown will be lifted after May

3, the Union Home Ministry Wednesday said new rules will come in effect

after that date, giving "considerable relaxations to many districts".

The Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson said in a tweet: "MHA held a

comprehensive review meeting on the lockdown situation today. There've been

tremendous gains & improvement in the situation due to lockdown till now. To

ensure that these gains are not squandered away, the lockdown guidelines

should be strictly observed till 3rd May."

"New guidelines to fight COVID19 will come into effect from 4th May, which

shall give considerable relaxations to many districts. Details regarding

this shall be communicated in the days to come," it added.

US PLACES INDIA ON 'PRIORITY WATCH LIST' FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

PROTECTION

The US on Wednesday placed India on the 'Priority Watch List' for lack of

sufficient measurable improvements to its Intellectual Property framework on

the "long-standing" and "new challenges" that have negatively affected

American right holders over the past year.

The US placed 10 countries, including some of its major trading partners

like India and China, on the list, alleging that enforcement of the

intellectual properties have deteriorated or remained at inadequate levels

and the Americans who rely on their protection have difficulty with fair and

equitable market access.

The countries placed on the list by the Trump administration on Intellectual

Property (IP) related issues are Algeria, Argentina, Chile, China, India,

Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and Venezuela.

In its report, the USTR said that India had been placed on the 'Priority

Watch List' for lack of sufficient measurable improvements to its IP

framework on the "long-standing" and "new challenges" that have negatively

affected US right holders over the past year.

Long-standing IP challenges facing US businesses in India include those

which make it difficult for innovators to receive, maintain, and enforce

patents in India, particularly for pharmaceuticals; ineffectual enforcement

activities, copyright policies that fail to incentivise the creation and

commercialisation of content, and an outdated and insufficient trade secrets

legal framework, it said.

India also further restricted the transparency of information provided on

state-issued pharmaceutical manufacturing licenses, continues to apply

restrictive patentability criteria to reject pharmaceutical patents, it

said.

COVID-19 DASHBOARD - (Nos. IN INDIA / Nos. WORLDWIDE)

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 33,062 (+1,701) / 32,19,485 (+81,089)

Total Deaths 1,079 (+71) / 2,28,201 (+10,216)

Total Recovered 8,437 (+690) / 10,00,303 (+44,479)

Active Cases 23,546 (+940) / 19,90,981 (+26,394)

Serious / Critical Cases (Not Available) / 59,811 (+2,846)

Top impacted nations so far: (And some of India's Neighbours)

Country / Total Cases / Deaths / Total Deaths per 1M Pop.

USA 10,64,194 / 61,656 / 186

Spain 2,36,899 / 24,275 / 519

Italy 2,03,591 / 27,682 / 458

France 1,66,420 / 24,087 / 369

UK 1,65,221 / 26,097 / 384

Germany 1,61,539 / 6,467 / 77

Turkey 1,17,589 / 3,081 / 37

Russia 99,399 / 972 / 7

Iran 93,657 / 5,957 / 71

India 33,062 / 1,079 / 0.8

Pakistan 15,525 / 343 / 2.0

Bangladesh 7,103 / 163 / 1.0

Sri Lanka 649 / 7 / 0.3

Top 17 impacted Indian States so far: (Total No. of Confirmed case / No. Of

Deaths)

State/UT Confirmed Deceased

Maharashtra 9,915 / 432

Gujarat 4,082 / 197

Delhi 3,439 / 56

Madhya Pradesh 2,560 / 130

Rajasthan 2,438 / 55

Tamil Nadu 2,162 / 27

Uttar Pradesh 2,134 / 39

Andhra Pradesh 1,332 / 31

Telangana 1,016 / 25

West Bengal 725 / 22

Jammu and Kashmir 581 / 8

Karnataka 534 / 21

Kerala 496 / 4

Bihar 403 / 2

Punjab 375 / 19

Haryana 311 / 3

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

35 U.S. STATES RELEASE FORMAL OPENING PLANS

As many as 35 of the 50 American states have released formal opening plans,

as U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday exuded confidence that much

better days are ahead.

"We mourn, and I have to say this so strongly we mourn every life tragically

lost to the invisible enemy. And we are heartened that the worst of the pain

and suffering is going to be behind us," Mr. Trump said, during a White

House roundtable with industry executives on "Opening Up America Again".

By Wednesday, more than 61,000 Americans have lost their lives due to

coronavirus and over 10 lakhs have tested positive with COVID 19; the

highest for any country in the world.

Most industries and business activities remain shut and over 95% of the

country's 330 million population have been under stay-at-home orders. Over

26 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits and the number

is expected to go up to more than 30 million.

The U.S. economy grew by negative 4.8% in the first quarter.

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS: NO END IN SIGHT, SAYS IRAN PRESIDENT ROUHANI

Iran reopened for business despite its persistent coronavirus outbreak as

there was no end in sight to the crisis, President Hassan Rouhani said on

Wednesday, as 80 new deaths were announced. "Due to uncertainty about when

this virus will end, we are preparing for work, activity and science," said

President Hassan Rouhani.

"We have to follow all the medical instructions, but work and production are

as essential as these precautions," he told a televised cabinet meeting.

NEARLY HALF OF WORLD'S WORKFORCE RISKS LOSING LIVELIHOODS IN PANDEMIC: ILO

Some 1.6 billion workers in the informal economy, representing nearly half

of the global labour force, are in immediate danger of losing their

livelihoods due to the coronavirus pandemic, the International Labour

Organization (ILO) said on Wednesday.

The U.N. agency's latest report sharply raised its forecast for the

devastating impact on jobs and incomes of the COVID-19 disease. "It shows I

think in the starkest possible terms that the jobs employment crisis and all

of its consequences is deepening by comparison with our estimates of 3 weeks

ago," ILO Director-General Guy Ryder told a briefing, foreseeing a "massive"

poverty impact.

Already, wages of the world's 2 billion informal workers plunged by an

estimated global average of 60% in the first month that the crisis unfolded

in each region, the ILO said.

Informal workers are the most vulnerable of the 3.3 billion global

workforce, lacking welfare protection, access to good healthcare, or the

means to work from home, it stressed.

THE REST

========

IRRFAN KHAN PASSES AWAY

Actor Irrfan Khan died yesterday, losing his battle with a rare form of

cancer, a statement from his representative said. He was 53. The "Maqbool"

actor, who was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour in 2018, lost his mother

in Jaipur just four days ago. He was admitted to the intensive care unit of

the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital with a colon infection.

"Irrfan was buried at the Versova kabrastan in Mumbai at 3 pm this afternoon

soon after the news of his passing away was announced. In presence were his

family, close relatives and friends. Everyone paid their final respects and

mourned the loss of his passing away. We pray for his peace and we hope he's

in a better place today. He was strong in his fight, and we all have to be

strotoo in this loss," an official statement from his spokesperson said.

Social media as well as mainstream one is full of glowing tributes to the

hugely talented actor.

TIRUMURTI REPLACES AKBARUDDIN AS INDIA'S PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO UN

Seasoned diplomat T S Tirumurti, currently serving as Secretary in the

Ministry of External Affairs, was on Wednesday appointed as India's

Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

A 1985-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Tirumurti succeeds Syed

Akbaruddin who is credited with effectively presenting India's position on a

range of crucial issues at the global body's headquarters in New York for

last several years.

Akbaruddin, one of the most visible faced of Indian diplomacy, played a

crucial role in pushing for designation of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed

chief Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by the UN as well as in stalling

China's efforts to raise the Kashmir issue at the world body.

Akbaruddin has been serving as India's Permanent Representative at the UN

since January 2016. He is due for retirement shortly.

HOTSPOT DISTRICTS IN FOCUS

The number of Covid-19 hotspot districts in India as on Wednesday morning

has come down to 129 from 170 in a fortnight. In the same period, the number

of infection-free districts or green zones, too, have decreased from 325 to

307, according to official sources.

During this time, the number of non-hotspot districts, also known as orange

zones, increased from 207 to 297.

The Centre had classified districts into three categories on April 15. Those

with high load of Covid-19 cases or having a high growth rate of the disease

are marked as hotspots or red zones, while those with considerably fewer

Covid-19 cases fall in the orange zone or non-hotspots. Districts with no

Covid-19 cases are categorised as green zones.

However, a red zone or an orange zone district can be demarcated as green

zone if no new Covid-19 case is reported from those places for at least 28

days and 14 days, respectively.

The government has identified 15 districts in nine states, including Delhi,

Maharashtra and Gujarat, as having "high case load". Of these, seven -

Hyderabad (Telangana), Pune (Maharashtra), Jaipur (Rajasthan), Indore

(Madhya Pradesh), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Mumbai (Maharashtra) and Delhi - show

particularly high case volumes.

Other high case load places that are "critical" in the battle against

Covid-19 include Vadodara (Gujarat), Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh), Bhopal

(Madhya Pradesh), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Agra (Uttar Pradesh), Thane

(Maharashtra), Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and Surat (Gujarat).

AFTER UNFOLLOWING 6 TWITTER HANDLES, INCLUDING MODI'S, WHITE HOUSE EXPLAINS

During President Donald Trump's visit to India in the last week of February,

the official Twitter handle of the White House -@WhiteHouse - had started

'following' the accounts of President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister

Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister's office, the Indian Embassy in the US,

the US Embassy in India and the US Ambassador to India, Ken Juster.

Early this week, the White House 'unfollowed' all these six Twitter handles.

"The White House Twitter account normally follows senior US government

Twitter accounts, and others as appropriate. For example, during the time of

a presidential visit, the account typically follows for a short time, the

host country's officials to retweet their messages in support of the visit,"

a senior administration official is said to have explained.

The official was responding to a question on the reasons for the White House

'following' and then 'unfollowing' the Twitter handles of President Ram Nath

Kovind, Prime Minister Modi, the PMO, and the other Indian officials.

The White House 'unfollowing' the Twitter accounts of President Ram Nath

Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew reactions on social media in

India.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he was "dismayed" at the

development. "I'm dismayed by the unfollowing of our President and PM by the

White House. I urge the Ministry of External Affairs to take note," he said

in a tweet.

RAHUL SHOULD TAKE TUITION FROM CHIDAMBARAM: BJP

Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, the BJP, on Wednesday, said the Congress

leader should take "tuition" from his party colleague and former finance

minister P Chidambaram to understand the difference between 'write-off' and

'waive', and asserted that the Modi government had not waived any loan of

bank defaulters.

"Rahul Gandhi should take tuition from P Chidambaram on the difference

between 'write-off' and 'waive'. The Narendra Modi government has not

waived-off any loan. 'Write-off' is a normal accounting process. It doesn't

stop recovery or action against defaults," Minister Prakash Javadekar said.

The government, Javadekar asserted, has gone all out to bring the accused to

justice and not waived even a single penny of loan. Nirav Modi is in jail in

London and Vijay Mallya has been left with no option but to return to India

after rejection of his bail plea in the UK, the BJP leader said. Authorities

had seized Nirav Modi's assets and auctioned them, he said, highlighting the

action against him.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said wilful defaulters were

beneficiaries of 'phone banking' under the Congress-less UPA regime and the

Modi government was chasing them to recover the dues.

NEW ACADEMIC SESSION IN VARSITIES FROM SEP; FINAL SEMESTER EXAMS IN JULY

The new academic session for already enrolled students will start from

August while that for freshers will begin from September, the UGC said

yesterday while issuing an academic calendar and detailing guidance for

varsities that have remained closed since March 16 owing to the COVID-19

pandemic.

The UGC said exams for students of the final semester would be conducted in

July and added that universities could conduct exams online or offline

depending on the support system available with them, and reduce exam time

from three to two hours using innovative methods and keeping social

distancing norms in mind.

"University classes will be deemed to be attended by all students," said the

UGC, adding that every university would soon set up a COVID cell to address

students' queries about exams or the academic calendar.

The CBSE has made it clear that it will conduct the board examination for

Class 10 and 12 after the lockdown period is over.

GOVT TO INVEST RS 111 LAKH CRORE IN INFRASTRUCTURE BY 2025

The final report of the Task Force on National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP)

has projected investment of Rs 111 lakh crore till 2025 in order to provide

world-class infrastructure across the country, and thereby improve the

quality of life for all citizens.

Compiled in three volumes, the final report presented on Wednesday to Union

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman increased the expected investment by

about 10 per cent as compared to the earlier projections. As for investment,

the report envisages states spending slightly more than the Centre with the

private sector expected to contribute 21 per cent

RISHI KAPOOR PASSES AWAY

As per news received at around 9.40 A.M.this morning, veteran actor

Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor is no more. He was 67.

He was admitted to Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai

yesterday. Rishi's brother Randhir Kapoor had said: "He is hospitalised.

Neetu is by his side. He is not well."

Rishi Kapoor had returned to India in September last year after almost a

year long cancer treatment in New York.

INDICATORS

Sensex 32,720 (+606), Nifty 9,553 (+172), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

50.396

Nasdaq 8,915 (+307) Dow 24,634 (+532), S&P 2,940 (+76)

US$-Rs. 74.76 GBP-Rs. 93.07, Euro-Rs. 81.17, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.35, Can$-Rs.

53.67, Aus$- Rs. 48.83

GBP 0.80 /US$, Euro 0.92 /US$, Jap.Yen 106.57 /US$, Aus$ 1.53 /US$, Sing

1.41 /US$, Bang Taka 83.35 /US$, Can$ 1.39 /US$, Mal Ring 4.34 /US$,

Pak Re 160.82 /US$, Phil Peso 50.42 /US$, Russian Rouble 73.49 /US$, NZ$

1.63 /US$, Thai Baht 32.36 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 26.77 /US$, Norway NOK

10.35 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 7,093

Dollar Index 99.65 Brent Crude 24.29 BDI 643

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,711 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,634 /

4,534, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 41,510

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Our opinion of people depends less upon what we see in them than upon what

they make us see in ourselves. - Sarah Grand

OFF TRACK

"Mary," asked Dawn thoughtfully one day, "what would you do if you caught

your husband with another woman?"

"Another woman with MY husband?" Mary thought it over.

"Let's see; I'd break her cane, shoot her guide dog, and call a cab to take

her back to the institution she escaped from."