In Israel, 67.2 per cent eligible voters cast their ballots to elect a new Parliament yesterday. This was the fourth parliamentary elections in two-years to elect 120-member Knesset. Israel’s Central Elections Committee does not expect all of the votes to be counted this afternoon due to coronavirus-related restrictions.
 
According to exit polls, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and its allies are projected to win 52 or 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. Mr Netanyahu has been in power continuously since 2009, having served an earlier three-year term in the late 1990s.
 
His campaign focused on Israel’s world-leading Covid-19 vaccination programme and his diplomatic success in normalising ties with some Arab countries. Yair Lapid, a former finance minister who heads the centrist Yesh Atid party, has emerged as Netanyahu’s main challenger.

Union Health Minister has written to the States to immediately undertake necessary measures for expansion of covid 19 vaccination drive to include  beneficiaries aged 45 years and above. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written to the Chief Secretaries and Administrators of all States and Union Territories to direct the concerned officials in this regard.
 
He said, they should ensure wider dissemination of information of such expansion amongst citizens for increased uptake of vaccination services. He said, special focus should be given on optimal utilization of the  capacity of COVID-19 vaccination centres while minimizing the wastage of vaccines. Mr Bhushan said that National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19, NEGVAC has been guiding all aspects of COVID-19 vaccination drive on the basis available scientific evidence.
 
Based on the recommendation of NEGVAC, the government of India has now decided to expand the prioritized age group to include all persons aged 45 years and above for COVID-19 vaccination from 1st April,2021. He said there will now be no need for a comorbidity certificate for people aged 45 years to 59 years. The CoWIN software is also being suitably  modified for doing away with the need for confirmation of comorbidities  at the time of online registration  and on-site registration  or for uploading the comorbidity certificate at the time of vaccination. The registration on CoWIN would begin from 1st of April, 2021.

American credit rating agency Fitch has revised India’s GDP growth estimate to 12.8% for next fiscal from the previous 11% on the back of a stronger carryover effect, a looser fiscal stance, and better virus containment.
 
The ratings agency, in its latest Global Economic Outlook GEO, anticipates the level of the country’s GDP to remain well below its pre-pandemic forecast trajectory. Fitch also expects GDP growth to ease to 5.8% in Fiscal Year 2023.
 
In a report it said, India’s recovery from the depths of the lockdown-induced recession in the second quarter of 2020  has been swifter than expected. GDP surpassed its pre-pandemic level in the fourth quarter of current fiscal.
 
It also added that High-frequency indicators point to a strong start to 2021. The manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index PMI remained elevated in February, while the pickup in mobility and a rise in the services PMI point to further gains in the services sector.
 
The ratings agency notes that it no longer expects the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to cut its policy rate, owing to a brighter short-term growth outlook and a more limited decline in inflation than it had forecast.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad said that Sachin Vaze is prime accused in Mansukh Hiren’s alleged murder case. He is responsible for destruction of crucial evidence like SIM cards and mobile phone besides CCTV footage of his residence, office, certain godowns and business establishments. 

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai yesterday Chief of Maharashtra ATS, Mr. Jai Jeet Singh said, it will try to gain the custody of suspended police officer Sachin Vaze to question him about his role in Mansukh Hiren’s alleged murder case. Mr. Singh confirmed that evidence collected so far suggests that Vinayak Shinde, who was out on parole, had called Masukh for a meeting where he was killed.

The ATS further said bookie Naresh gore had purchased 14 SIM cards from Gujarat, some of which were used in the crime. It may be recalled that Sachin Vaze is in NIA custody till 25th of this month. Even though the Hiren murder case was transferred to the NIA on March 20, the ATS is still conducting an investigation. 

Meanwhile, Maharashtra ATS seized a high-end VOLVO car from Daman in connection with the Mansukh Hiren murder case. The car has been brought to the ATS office in Thane. While there is no clarity about the car’s owner; the ATS suspects that the vehicle was used by Vaze and his team to dump Mansukh Hiren’s body in Thane creek.

Besides this vehicle, at least five more vehicles have been seized by NIA in relation with the Antilia bomb scare case, in which suspended police officer Sachin Vaze is a prime accused.

Union Home Ministry issued an Order containing Guidelines for effective control of COVID-19. It will be effective from 1st of April and remain in force upto 30th of April. The main focus of the Guidelines is to consolidate the substantial gains achieved in containing the spread of COVID-19, which was visible in the sustained decline in the number of active cases, continuously for about five months. 
 
Keeping in view a fresh surge in COVID-19 cases, which is being witnessed in some parts of the country, the guidelines mandate the State and Union Territories Governments to strictly enforce the Test- Track-Treat protocol and ensure observance of COVID appropriate behaviour by everyone and to scale up the vaccination drive to cover all the target groups.
 
It is also emphasised that in order to ensure that the resumption of activities is successful and to fully overcome the pandemic, there is need to strictly follow the prescribed containment strategy, and strictly observe the guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures issued by the Home Ministry, Health Ministry ,other Ministries, Departments of the Central Government and State Governments.
 
With regard to Test- Track-Treat protocol, the Home Ministry said that States and UTs, where the proportion of RT-PCR tests is less, should rapidly increase it, to reach the prescribed level of 70 percent or more. The new positive cases, detected as a result of intensive testing, need to be isolated and quarantined at the earliest and provided timely treatment.
 
Further as per the protocol, their contacts have to be traced at the earliest, and similarly isolated and quarantined. The Ministry said, based on the positive cases and tracking of their contacts, Containment Zones shall be carefully demarcated by the district authorities, at the micro level while taking into consideration the guidelines prescribed by the Health Ministry in this regard.
 
Within the demarcated Containment Zones, the containment measures will be followed, which include strict perimeter control, intensive house-to-house surveillance and contact tracing. The local district, police and municipal authorities will be responsible to ensure that the prescribed Containment measures are strictly followed and State Governments will ensure the accountability of the officers concerned in this regard.
 
As per the guidelines, State and  UT Governments will take all necessary measures to promote COVID-19 appropriate behaviour in work places and in public, especially in crowded places. It said, for strict enforcement of wearing face masks, hand hygiene and social distancing, States and UTs may consider administrative actions, including imposition of appropriate fines.
 
States and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may impose local restrictions, at district and sub-district and city/ or ward level, with a view to contain the spread of COVID-19. The guidelines said that there shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods including those for cross land-border trade under Treaties with neighbouring countries. No separate permission or e-permit will be required for such movements.
 
It said, all activities have been permitted outside Containment Zones and SOPs have been prescribed for various activities including movement by passenger trains, air travel, metro trains, schools; shopping malls and  yoga centres. The SOPs, as updated from time to time will be strictly enforced by the authorities concerned. With regard to vaccination, the Government of India has launched the world’s largest vaccination drive against COVID-19. 

The Home Ministry said that while the vaccination drive is proceeding smoothly, the pace is uneven across different States and UTs and the slow pace of vaccination in some States is a matter of concern. It said vaccination against COVID-19, in the present scenario, is critical to break the chain of transmission. The Ministry said, all State and UT Governments should rapidly step up the pace of vaccination, to cover all priority groups in an expeditious manner.

Health Ministry said, a total of 5 crore 8 lakh 41 thousand 286 vaccine doses have been administered till now. 47 thousand 262 new COVID19 cases have been reported in the country in the last 24 hours. With this total cases have reached to 1 crore 17 lakh 34 thousand 58.
 
Total recovery tally has touched 1 crore 12 lakh 5 thousand 160 as 23 thousand 907 people recovered from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. 275 deaths reported the last 24 hours and death toll reached 1 lakh 60 thousand 441. Active cases now at 3 lakh 68 thousand 457.
 
ICMR said, a total of 23 crore 64 lakh 38 thousand 861 samples have been tested for COVID19 till yesterday. Out of these, 10 lakh 25 thousand 628 samples were tested yesterday.

Centre has opened Covid19 vaccination for everyone aged above 45 starting 1st of April. Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting in New Delhi yesterday, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar requested all eligible people to immediately register and get vaccinated. He said vaccination is the shield against COVID 19. He also clarified that vaccines are available in enough numbers and there is no scarcity. 

India will take on England in the first of the three-match One Day International series in Pune today. The match will begin at 1:30 pm.

Indian team’s confidence is soaring high after a resounding T20 series win, and it would look to win the ODI series as well, while the bruised England will look to bounce back after facing defeats in the test as well as T20 series. The second ODI will be played on 26th, and the third match on 28th of this month.

In a coordinated effort, US, European Union, Britain and Canada have imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for human rights abuses in Xinjiang. In a statement, ahead of meetings with EU and NATO ministers in Brussels this week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, amid growing international condemnation, China continues to commit genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang. Canada’s foreign ministry said, mounting evidence points to systemic, state-led human rights violations by Chinese authorities.
 
European Union was the first to impose sanctions yesterday on four Chinese officials, including a top security director, and one entity, a decision that was mirrored by Britain and Canada later in the day. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the treatment of Uighurs amounted to appalling violations of the most basic human rights. The sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, target senior officials in Xinjiang who have been accused of serious human rights violations against Uighur Muslims.

Rajya Sabha is scheduled to take up the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2021 today. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha yesterday. Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy will move the bill for consideration and passing. The Bill amends the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 which provides a framework for the functioning of the Legislative Assembly and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
 
In Lok Sabha business schedule, the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Bill, 2021 is listed for consideration and passing. The bill seeks to establish the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development. Its objective is to support the development of long-term non-recourse infrastructure financing in India including development of the bonds and derivatives markets necessary for infrastructure financing and to carry on the business of financing infrastructure.