CENTRE EXTENDS REACH OF VACCINATION

With over 50 lakh beneficiaries registering for Covid-19 vaccination since the second phase of the inoculation drive began on Monday, and with overcrowding being reported in several parts of the country, the Centre on Tuesday directed states to utilise all private hospitals, including those that are not empanelled under government health insurance schemes, for the vaccination exercise.

The Centre has also said that hospitals can, in consultation with state governments, extend their vaccination sessions, and that it is not mandatory to limit the session to 5 pm. Besides, states and hospitals have been told “to open the vaccination slots for 15 days to a month”. Currently, beneficiaries applying on the Co-WIN portal can only find slots for a week.

In the first two days of the second phase of the vaccination drive that began Monday — for those above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with associated co-morbidities — around 10,000 private hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat, 600 under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), and State Health Insurance were designated as vaccination centres.

States have been directed to ensure that all private hospitals that will operate as vaccination centres must have “an adequate number of vaccinators, adequate space for observation of the vaccinated, adequate cold chain arrangement and adequate arrangement for the management of Adverse Events Following Immunisation”.

Dr Ram S Sharma, chairman of the Empowered Group on Vaccine Administration admitting that people may have faced difficulties while registering on the first two days. “…there could be difficulties, I am not going to deny that. However, 50 lakh persons have registered and every hour, around 2 lakh have been registering. This is good speed. However, if there are any issues, we will resolve them….People yesterday had complained about glitches in the system… but what had happened is that people were looking for an app. That app [Co-WIN 2.0] was not meant for this purpose [for beneficiaries to register]. Only Aarogya Setu provides that facility or beneficiaries can register on the website. Of course, we are watching the system for scalability and it should be able to take huge amounts of the load as we will be vaccinating one-sixth of humanity. We also want data to be secure and safe and that the system should be protected from cyber attacks,” he said.

During the weekly briefing, ICMR Chief Dr Balram Bhargava clarified that both Covishield and Covaxin are safe to be administered for those on blood thinners.

EMERGENCY WAS A MISTAKE, BUT….: RAHUL

Terming the Emergency that was imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi a "mistake", Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said what happened during that period was "wrong", but it was fundamentally different from the current scenario as the Congress at no point attempted to capture the country's institutional framework.

In a conversation with Kaushik Basu, professor in the Cornell University in the United States and India's former chief economic advisor, Gandhi said he is all for internal democracy in the Congress, which fought for India's independence, gave the country its Constitution and stood for equality.

Asked about his views on the Emergency, he said, "I think that was a mistake. Absolutely, that was a mistake. And my grandmother (Indira Gandhi) said as much."

Asked about Indira Gandhi announcing elections at the end of the Emergency and Pranab Mukherjee telling Basu later that she did so as she thought she might lose and wanted to put that to test, the former Congress chief said there is a fundamental difference between what happened during the Emergency, which "was wrong", and what is happening in the country now.

"The Congress party at no point attempted to capture India's institutional framework and frankly, the Congress party does not even have that capability. Our design does not allow us that and even if we want, we cannot do it," he said.

Gandhi alleged that the RSS is doing something "fundamentally different" and filling up the institutions of the country with its people. "So, even if we defeat the BJP in the election, we are not going to get rid of their people in the institutional structure," he said.

He said he used to wonder “how does a (Hosni) Mubarak win an election with 97 per cent of the vote.” He added: “The crony capitalists figured out is that the RSS is a sort of institution that can be used to capture the political system. And the trade is very much like in Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, the Wahhabis say you let us handle the institutional structure of Mecca and you handle the….the royal family handles the finances of the oil….so there is a split. This is exactly what is happening here.”

On internal democracy within the Congress, Gandhi said he is the one who pushed for elections in the party at the Youth Congress and National Students Union of India levels, but was criticised and attacked by his own party leaders.

He wondered why nobody raises questions on why there is no internal democracy in the BJP the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party and said such questions are asked about the Congress as it is an "ideological party" and has the ideology of the Constitution. "Therefore, it is more important for us to be democratic," he said.

POST ANAND SHARMA’S POSER, CONG DEFENDS DEAL WITH ISF

The Congress on Tuesday defended the deal with the Indian Secular Front (ISF) in West Bengal, rejecting posers from former minister Anand Sharma, who had yesterday argued that the pact was against the party’s secular ideology.

Hours after West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury attacked Sharma asking him and other letter writers to “not undermine the tree that nurtured them”, the Congress also officially backed the pact.

“It is undeniable that the Congress quota of 92 seats in Bengal stands filled and that is our primary concern. A large secular front has been created in West Bengal, mainly to combat the BJP. Now, if one of the parties of that front, the CPM decides to give seats out of its quota to the ISF, the perspective becomes different from what is being suggested,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.

Singhvi called confusion around the issue a BJP propaganda, saying, “The BJP despite the absolute hooligan level of politics it practices, claims itself as the true shining secular party and makes a joke by accusing others of communalism.” Hitting back at Sharma, Chowdhury said, “Your choice to call this decision communal is serving the polarising agenda of the BJP.”

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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BIDEN ADMIN ACCUSES RUSSIA INTEL OF POISONING NAVALNY, SLAPS SANCTIONS

The Biden administration declassified an intelligence finding on Tuesday that Russia’s FSB, one of its leading intelligence agencies, orchestrated the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, and announced its first sanctions for the attack and the imprisonment of the opposition politician. The sanctions closely mirrored actions that European nations and Britain took in October and expanded on Monday.

Officials said it was part of an effort to show unity in the Biden administration’s first confrontations with the government of President Putin. But none of the sanctions were specifically directed at Putin, or intelligence chiefs or the oligarchs that support the Russian leader.

The officials said seven senior Russian officials would face sanctions, such as asset freezes. In addition 14 entities associated with Russia’s biological and chemical agent production were levied punitive measures. Earlier, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would respond in kind.

SARKOZY SAYS READY TO SUE FRANCE TO PROVE INNOCENCE

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Tuesday he was ready to go all the way to the European Court of Human Rights to prove his innocence, his first public reaction after being found guilty of corruption by judges on Monday. “I appealed the decision, maybe I will have to pursue this fight all the way to the European Court of Human Rights,” Sarkozy told Le Figaro newspaper in an interview. “That would be painful for me to have to get my own country condemned, but I’m ready for it because that would be the price of democracy,” he said, adding he would not run for president in 2022 but will endorse a candidate in due time.

THE REST

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$31 BILLION LINED UP FOR 400 PORT PROJECTS ACROSS 7,500-KM COASTLINE: PM

India will invest $82 billion (or Rs 6 trillion) in port projects by 2035, raise the share of clean renewable energy source in the maritime sector, develop waterways, augment seaplane services, boost tourism around lighthouses, and generate 2 million jobs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

He urged global players to make India a “preferred investment destination”. In a bid to develop the 7,500-km coastline of India, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has drawn up a list of 400 projects with investment potential to the tune of $31 billion (or Rs 2.25 trillion), said Modi at the opening of a three-day Maritime India Summit, participated by 24 nations.

“More than 574 projects at a cost of $82 billion have been identified under the Sagarmala project for implementation between 2030 and 2035. We will encourage private investment in the port sector. India’s long coastline awaits you. Let India be your preferred trade destination. Let Indian ports be your port of call for trade and commerce,” Modi said, inviting players to invest in Indian ports, shipyards, and waterways.

“Ours is a government that is investing in waterways. Domestic waterways are found to be cost-effective and an environment friendly way of transporting freight. We aim to operationalise 23 waterways by 2030,” he said. India has as many as 189 lighthouses across its vast coastline. The government has chalked out a plan to develop some of these spots into tourist destinations.

He said steps are also being taken to introduce urban water transport systems in Kochi, Mumbai, Gujarat, and Goa.

The policy plans incentivising global cruise liners to make India their home port and emphasises on strengthening the maritime institutions to enhance India’s training and development capabilities on a par with global standards.

This will help in increasing India’s share of seafarers from 12 per cent to over 20 per cent.

HARYANA PASSES BILL ALLOWING 75% RESERVATION FOR LOCALS IN PRIVATE JOBS

Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya has given assent to the Bill providing 75% reservation in the private sector to job seekers from the state, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said yesterday.

The Haryana Assembly had late last year passed the Bill, a key poll promise made by the ruling alliance partner Jannayak Janta Party.

The Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Bill, 2020 provides quota for local people in private sector jobs that offer a salary of less than ₹50,000 a month.

Only 10 per cent of the recruitment by a company needs to be from the district in which it is located – the rest of the quota can be filled from other districts in the state.

The quota will initially apply for 10 year.

Apart from tackling unemployment among local people, the state government suggested that the law will discourage the influx of migrants seeking low-paid jobs, which has a “significant impact" on local infrastructure and leads to the “proliferation of slums".

For the domicile status, a person should be born in Haryana or have lived there for at least 15 years.

BJP SWEEPS GUJARAT LOCAL BODIES, CONGRESS LOSES BASTIONS TOO

Days after its impressive win in elections to six municipal corporations in Gujarat, the BJP Tuesday swept the elections to district panchayats, taluka panchayats and municipalities, routing the Congress.

Such was the mandate for the BJP – it claimed victory in all 31 district panchayats, around 200 of 231 taluka panchayats and 75 of 81 municipalities which went to polls — that the Congress, which had made significant gains in 2015 when elections to these local bodies were held in the backdrop of the Patidar quota agitation, was washed out even in its bastions.

Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Amit Chavda and Leader of Opposition in Assembly Paresh Dhanani resigned from their posts, taking responsibility for the debacle. It

According to the results announced by the State Election Commission, the BJP won 800 of the 980 seats in 31 district panchayats while the Congress managed 169 seats.

In the taluka panchayats, the BJP won 3351 of 4774 seats against 1252 of the Congress. In the municipalities, the BJP took 2085 of the 2720 seats while 388 seats went to the Congress.

Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “Results of the Nagar Palika, Taluka Panchayat and District Panchayat polls across Gujarat give a crystal clear message — Gujarat is firmly with the BJP’s agenda of development and good governance. I bow to the people of Gujarat for the unwavering faith and affection towards BJP.”

IN PRIYANKA’S FIVE ASSAM PROMISES, LAW TO NULLIFY CAA

Unveiling what appeared to be the centrepiece of the party’s manifesto for the Assembly elections in Assam, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra announced Tuesday five “guarantees”, including a law to nullify the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, if the party is voted to power.

Other than the law to nullify the CAA — Priyanka told a rally in Tezpur that it would be the party’s first step — the promises include five lakh government jobs, raising the wages of tea garden workers to Rs 365, free electricity up to 200 units per household, Rs 2,000 monthly income support to homemakers. “The BJP has attacked the very existence of Assam. They are waging a war against it… They had said before elections that CAA will not be implemented, but they did,” Priyanka said at the rally.

Influential groups and several parties consider the CAA to be detrimental to the interests of the indigenous people of Assam. “They have spoken about the CAA all across the country, but here in Assam, they did not have the courage to talk about CAA,” she said

A PhD THESIS AND THE AUTONOMY OF IIMs

One incident officially flagged in the government’s justification for a bigger say in the functioning of the IIMs last year was a case involving a PhD thesis at IIM-Ahmedabad in which the Institute’s director, Erol D’Souza, had put his foot down.

This was a dissertation with three essays on electoral democracy approved for the award of PhD degree at a seminar chaired by D’Souza in March 2020.

The Ministry of Education (MoE) had asked the Institute for a copy of the thesis in April 2020 after Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy sent a letter to the Prime Minister alleging that the thesis said the BJP and BSP were “ethnically constituted” parties. And that the BJP is a “a pro-Hindu upper caste party.”

Swamy had urged the government that IIM-A should be directed to “re-examine” the thesis by independent professors and that the PhD kept on hold until then.

When asked to share a copy of the thesis, D’Souza wrote to the MoE saying that the Ministry is not an arbiter of complaints regarding a thesis.

D’Souza declining to share the thesis was cited in the government’s justification for seeking powers to initiate an inquiry against the Board of Governors (BoG) of an IIM. That proposal has been shelved after the Law Ministry rejected the idea on the ground that it’s inconsistent with the provisions of the IIM Act, which gives unprecedented autonomy to the 20 business schools. And that any provision permitting the government to take punitive action against the institute can only be introduced through an amendment in the law.

INDIA TRIES TO WOO TESLA WITH OFFER OF CHEAPER PRODUCTION COSTS THAN CHINA

India is ready to offer incentives to ensure Tesla Inc's cost of production would be less than in China if the carmaker commits to making its electric vehicles in the south Asian country, transport minister Nitin Gadkari told Reuters.

Gadkari's pitch comes weeks after billionaire Elon Musk's Tesla registered a company in India in a step towards entering the country, possibly as soon as mid-2021. Sources familiar with the matter have said Tesla plans to start by importing and selling its Model 3 electric sedan in India.

"Rather than assembling (the cars) in India they should make the entire product in the country by hiring local vendors. Then we can give higher concessions," Gadkari said in an interview, without giving details of what incentives would be on offer. "The government will make sure the production cost for Tesla will be the lowest when compared with the world, even China, when they start manufacturing their cars in India. We will assure that," he said.

India's fledgling EV market accounted for just 5,000 out of a total 2.4 million cars sold in the country last year as negligible charging infrastructure and the high cost of EVs deterred buyers.

BULK OF TELECOM SPECTRUM SOLD GOES TO RELIANCE JIO AT RS 57,122 CRORE

Reliance Jio has emerged the highest bidder in the 4G telecom spectrum auction, which concluded on Tuesday in just six rounds, beating incumbents Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea by a wide margin. The Centre would get Rs 77,815 crore from the two-day auction — one of the shortest in a decade.

Reliance Jio has bagged more 73 per cent of the total quantum of airwaves sold by paying Rs 57,122.65 crore.

Bharti Airtel bought Rs 18,698.75 crore worth of spectrum while the financially-stressed Vodafone Idea purchased the least amount at Rs 1,993.40 crore.

“We want to ensure that we keep on enhancing experiences, not only for our existing customers, but also for the next 300 million users who will move to digital services,” Mukesh D Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Industries, said in a statement.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people whom we personally dislike. – Oscar Wilde

OFF TRACK

Three students are leaving their last classes of the day.

The law student is thinking, "I'm tired and thirsty. I must have coffee."

The engineering student is thinking, "I'm tired and thirsty. I must have a beer."

The medical student is thinking, "I'm tired and thirsty. I must have diabetes."