0 1/ &23 0233 VRGR $"#(!#1')VCEBRS WWT!Pa!RT%&!$"#1$# -)*)-*1 3-4+(( 2-(# /$9 "::: : :"::: . ;% (. -( : :/ - . ( . (: ( ( /- ( ; <:9 (/ >:99 ( - < = * < ( 456 57 8 .$0 !"#$%&'"$"% () (*(+$,- !"#$% " &'%( )*+),-*.//*+ veryone above 60 years of Eage and those over 45 years with comorbidities will be able to get Covid-19 vaccine from "# March 1 for free in 10,000 $$ Government medical facilities $$ and for a charge at over 20,000 %" private hospitals, the Government said on & Wednesday. K The rate for vaccines will ((K be decided by the Health &%*& Ministry within the next three- $ four days as discussions are on fter Maharashtra and with manufacturers as well as AKerala, at least eight more hospitals, said the Ministry. *& States — Chhattisgarh, The Cabinet, which met Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, under the chairmanship of $$%L$ Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Prime Minister Narendra M Nadu, West Bengal and Union Modi, took a decision in this -" .& Territory of Jammu & Kashmir regard, Information and /% — have started reporting a Broadcasting Minister Prakash ( surge in fresh coronavirus Javadekar said at a media brief- infections. % "# ing here. "&0 A worried Centre has “The second phase of the 0 rushed high-level multi-disci- world’s largest vaccination drive plinary teams to these States AIIMS Director Randeep Lady Hardinge Hospital in will start from Monday in for supporting them in public Guleria has already sounded New Delhi, did not rule out which anybody above 60 years, them to all the States,” cines which are both effective ily for health workers and health measures for targeted the alarm, warning that India further surge in the cases and that may not be less than 10 Javadekar said. with proven efficacy. frontline workers and the to take the vaccination will take Covid-19 response and man- is also vulnerable to the second advised the Government to crore people in the country, and Those who want to get vac- While Oxford- whole expenditure was borne it at the place of their choosing agement, and effectively tack- wave of coronavirus and peo- regularly conduct genome test- 45 years plus with co-mor- cinated from private hospitals AstraZeneca’s Covishield is by the Government, they were from March 1. ling the pandemic. It has ple should continue to follow ing of the positive Covid cases. bidities will be given vaccines will have to pay, but the amount being manufactured by the vaccinated free,” he said. Union Minister Ravi warned the States that slacking social distancing, wearing He also suggested that focus in 10,000 Government medical will be decided by the Health Serum Institute, Covaxin is Javadekar asserted that the Shankar Prasad, who also off on rules and measures to mask and other precautions. should be on hotspots, which facilities and also over 20,000 Ministry within the next three- being produced by Bharat vaccination in India has been briefed the media on the check infection will escalate His statement comes against contribute to between 70-80 private hospitals,” he said. four days as they are in dis- Biotech. successful, “faultless with hard- Cabinet decisions, said most of the crisis, given the emer- the backdrop of a recent med- per cent of cases, and those “Whoever goes to the cussion with manufacturers as Javadekar said the world’s ly any complaints”. the Ministers are of the think- gence of new virus strains. ical survey that has shown that pockets in the States which Government centre will be well as hospitals, he said. largest vaccination drive start- Asked whether Ministers ing that they will pay to get vac- Union Health Secretary over 70 per cent of the Indian have high number of people administered a vaccine free of Asked if people will have a ed on January 16 with and the Prime Minister, who cinated. Rajesh Bhushan has also writ- population is still susceptible to with comorbidities such as cost. The Indian Government choice on which vaccine — 1,07,67,000 people vaccinated would now be in the category The decision came as ten to seven States and Union Covid-19. diabetes and stroke should be will pay for them. The Covishield or Covaxin — they and 14 lakh also having of those who can take the vac- India’s cumulative vaccination Territories on the recent spurt Dr RK Dhamija, Head of given preference in vaccina- Government will purchase the want to take, Javadekar said received a second dose. cination, will get inoculated, coverage has crossed 1.14 crore in virus cases and has advised Neurology Department and tion. necessary doses and will send India is proud to have two vac- “This section was primar- Javadekar said those who want recipients. specific steps. public health expert from Dr Continued on Page 11 5, " . / 0 " protesting at Delhi borders for around three months, seeking nion Agriculture Minister repeal of three new farm laws UNarendra Singh Tomar on and a legal guarantee of the Wednesday said the MSP. -( : tions for closure of other Government is ready to resume So far, even after 11 rounds schools, Dr Singh said it is Lucknow (PTI): Amid that no person shall convert, talks with protesting farmers if of talks, the Government and ix staffers of La Martiniere unlikely. “This kind of positiv- protests by the Opposition, either directly or indirectly they accept its offer to put the the agitating farmers’ unions SBoys’ School tested positive ity rate witnessed in this school, the Uttar Pradesh Legislative from one religion to another three contentious farm laws on have failed to reach any con- for coronavirus infection on has not been seen in the other Assembly on Wednesday by use or practice of misrep- hold for one-and-a-half year sensus. The last talk was held Wednesday. Nodal officer for schools of the city,” he said. passed by voice vote a bill resentation, force, undue and work out the difference on January 22. The farmers’ Covid-19 Dr MK Singh said a “Credit goes to the rapid aimed at curbing religious influence, coercion, allure- during that time through a leaders have continued to press total of 442 samples were col- response teams that detected conversions by fraudulent or ment or by any fraudulent joint committee. for the demand that the gov- lected from city schools for RT- the cases in time, otherwise any other undue means, means or by marriage nor Speaking on the sidelines ernment should repeal the PCR testing. The school was these staffers could have spread including through marriage. shall any person abet, con- of an event, Tomar said under three laws. They have alleged already closed and preparations the infection to many others. The Uttar Pradesh vince or conspire such con- the leadership of Prime that these laws will end the were underway for re-opening The cases have been detected, Prohibition of Unlawful version. Minister Narendra Modi, the mandi and MSP procurement from March 1. thanks to the intensive sur- Conversion of Religion Bill, The onus to prove that Government is making efforts systems and leave the farmers Dr Singh 35 samples were veillance and testing carried out 2021 seeks to replace the the conversion has not been to double farmers’ income and at the mercy of big corporates, collected on Tuesday and 407 on a regular basis in Lucknow,” ordinance promulgated in done forcibly will lie on the strengthen the Indian agricul- even as the Government has on Wednesday. Out of the total he added. November last year that pro- person accused of the act and ture sector. rejected these apprehensions as $ % & ' samples which were collected It may be noted that under vides for imprisonment up to the convert, it said. The Minister was replying misplaced. % ( ) on Tuesday, six came positive the focused sampling which 10 years and a maximum An aggrieved person, to a query on Bharatiya Kisan During the 10th round of " ( ' ' * "# in antigen tests, after which was carried out by the Health fine of Rs 50,000 for violators. his/her parents, brother, sis- Union (BKU) leader Rakesh talks held on January 20, the health teams were sent to La department in Lucknow, ran- The bill was passed in the ter, or any other person who Tikait threatening to march on Centre had offered to suspend Martiniere Boys’ School on dom samplings were slated for House even as Aradhana is related to him/her by Parliament with 40 lakh trac- the laws for 1-1.5 years and Wednesday when it was detect- schools on February 23 and 24. Misra, the Congress blood, marriage or adoption tors if laws are not repealed. form a joint committee to find ed that the cluster was from the City schools with classes IX Legislative Party leader and may lodge an FIR about such Whether the Government solutions, in return for protest- school. to XII re-opened in a regular Lalji Verma, the leader of BSP conversion, according to the is making any effort to resume ing farmers going back to their “For the remaining staffers, manner from February 9 and in the Assembly, protested. bill. talks with unions, Tomar said, respective homes from Delhi He accused the BJP-led RT-PCR tests were conducted those with classes VI to VIII Under the bill, a marriage BJP leaders had said the “The Government has been borders. Central Government of being and 35 tested negative. The from February 10. However, will be declared “null and legislation intends to counter holding discussions with farm- Farmer groups have alleged haratiya Kisan Union “stubborn” over the three new reports of the rest are awaited. some schools chose to remain void” if the conversion is alleged attempts to convert ers sympathetically. Even today, that these agriculture laws will B(BKU) president Naresh agriculture laws, which farmer There were no students in the closed.