In Chhattisgarh, cases of corona infection are increasing steadily.

More than 10 thousand six hundred new Covid positive patients have been identified in the state yesterday. With this, the total number of corona infected cases in Chhattisgarh has crossed the four lakh mark.

Yesterday 72 people died due to COVID. At present, 68,125 people are being treated in various hospitals or in home isolation in the state. In view of the current situation of corona infection, the total lockdown is being imposed in Raipur district from this evening.
 
In Raipur district of Chhattisgarh, the total lockdown will be imposed from 6 pm today. This lockdown will continue till the morning of April 19. During these 10 days, except for petrol pumps, medicine shops and LPG agencies, no other business establishment will be allowed to open. Government and private offices as well as banks will also remain closed during the lockdown. The borders of the district will be sealed for ten days. In view of the lockdown in Raipur district, people are rushing to the markets to buy essential commodities. To ensure the availability of essential goods to the people and also to prevent black marketing, the Raipur district administration has formed nine teams.
 
These teams are conducting surprise inspections in the shops. In view of increasing Corona infection, total lockdown will also be imposed in Rajnandgaon and Bemetara district of the state from tomorrow. Earlier, in the Durg district, the lockdown has already been imposed from April 6.
 
Meanwhile, the vaccination campaign in Chhattisgarh is also continuing vigorously. Till now more than thirty five lakh people have been vaccinated in the state. 

India has administered over nine crore 43 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses in the country so far. Union Health Ministry said that more than 36 lakh 91 thousand beneficiaries have been inoculated with Covid-19 Vaccine doses in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile a total number of one lakh 31 thousand 968 new cases have been reported in the country in the past 24 hours taking the cumulative positive cases to over one crore 30 lakh. The Health Ministry said, 780 deaths have also been reported during the last 24 hour taking the toll to over one lakh 67 thousand across the country.

Ten States including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Rajasthan have shown a rise in the COVID daily new cases. Over 83 per cent of the new cases are reported from these 10 states. 

Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases of over 56 thousand followed by Chhattisgarh with 10 thousand 652 cases.

The country’s COVID-19 recovery rate is at 91.22 per cent with the recovery of more than 61 thousand patients in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that more than one crore 19 lakh patients have already recovered from this disease. Presently, the total number of active cases in the country is over nine lakh 79 thousand which comprises of  7.50 per cent of the total positive cases.

The Indian Council of Medical Research said that various laboratories have conducted more than 13 lakh 64 thousand tests of coronavirus samples during the last 24 hours and more than 25 crore 40 lakh tests have been done in the country so far.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harshvardhan has expressed concern over the rising cases of Covid-19 in the country. He said, the casual approach and laxity of the people towards Covid-19 has resulted in a sudden spike of fresh cases.
 
While chairing the 24th Group of Minister meeting on COVID-19 today, Dr Harsh Vardhan assured that all the facilities required to tackle rising cases are maintained well. He informed that over 15 thousand dedicated health care facilities are functional in the country and there are over 18 lakh beds for Covid patients.
 
On the vaccination front, the Minister said, India is inoculating at a faster rate so far and over nine crore 43 lakh doses of vaccines have been administered. He said, in last week, over 43 lakh doses were given to various priority groups in a single day which is the highest in the world. He said, six crore 45 lakh doses of vaccines have been exported to 84 countries by India so far.

In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, seven terrorists among terror outfit Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind chief were gunned down by security forces in two different encounters in south Kashmir since last evening.
 
In the first encounter, five terrorists were killed in Shopian encounter that started yesterday afternoon, after a joint team of J&K Police and security forces launched a search operation on the basis of specific input about the presence of terrorists in the town.
 
Meanwhile, in another encounter , two  terrorists among terror outfit Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind Chief Imtiyaz Shah have been killed at Nowbugh Tral in Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district this morning.
 
Search operations at both the encounters sites are going on till last reports came in.  Further details are awaited.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asserted that Government is committed to enhance the growth of the Eastern parts of the country that has been neglected for far too long.

Speaking at the book launch ceremony of Hindi Version of the  ‘Odisha Itihaas’ written by Dr Harekrushna Mahtab in New Delhi today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated that the Centre has a focussed approach for growth in all areas which need immediate attention. Highlighting the special projects for the North Eastern states and Eastern Region, Mr. Modi said the government has initiated several key projects for development of Infrastructure and Industries in the region. He said the Centre is committed towards the Blue Revolution for the betterment of fishermen in the country living along the coastal lines. Mr. Modi said, Odisha has flourished with a wide network of national highways, coastal ways, oil and gas pipelines.

The Prime Minister stressed the need for much wider study of History. He said history should not only be a lesson of the past but should also mirror the future. Mr Modi said, the country is keeping this in focus while celebrating Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav and enlivening the history of the freedom struggle. He lamented the fact that many important events and stories of the freedom struggle could not come before the country in proper form. The Prime Minister said in the Indian tradition, history is not limited to kings and palaces. He said, History evolved with people over thousands of years. Mr Modi said, it is foreign thought process that has turned the stories of dynasties and palaces into history. 

Giving example of Ramayana and Mahabharata, the Prime Minister, most of the description in it is of the common people and in our lives, common person is the focus point.   

The Prime Minister emphasized that with struggles like Paika Rebellion, Ganjam Revolt to Sambalpur Struggle, land of Odisha always gave new energy to the fire of revolt against the British rule. He said, Surendra Sai of Sambalpur Andolan is a source of inspiration for all of us. The Prime Minister remembered the immense contribution of leaders like Pandit Gopabandhu, Acharya Harihar and Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab. He paid tribute to the contribution of Ramadevi, Malti Devi, Kokila Devi and Rani Bhagyawati.

The Prime Minister also noted the contribution of the tribal community who always troubled the British with their patriotism and valour. He also remembered the great tribal leader of the Quit India Movement Laxman Nayak. The Prime Minister said that history of Odisha represents the historical strength of entire India. This strength, reflected in the history is connected with the present and future possibilities and work as a guide for us. 

Mr Modi said, it is important that diverse and comprehensive history of Odisha should reach people of the country. He made a call for making the Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav a truly People’s movement and expressed that this campaign will lead to the flow of similar energy as was witnessed during the independence struggle.

Dwelling upon the development of the state, the Prime Minister said that for business and industry, the first requirement is infrastructure. He informed that thousands of kilometres of national highways, coastal highways are being constructed in Odisha which will lead to connectivity of the parts of the state. Mr Modi said, hundreds of kilometre long rail lines have also been laid in the states in the last 6-7 years. He said, thousands of crores have been invested to realize the vast possibilities in oil sector and steel sector in the state. Similarly, efforts are on to improve the lives of the fishermen of Odisha through blue revolution.

The Prime Minister also talked about the efforts being undertaken in the skill sector. He said, for the benefit of the youth of the state, foundations have been laid for institutes like IIT Bhubaneshwar, IISER Berhampur, Indian Institute of Skills, IIT Sambalpur in the state.

Speaking about former Odisha Chief Minister and author of the book ‘Odisha Itihaas’, Dr Mahtab, the Prime Minister said that he was not only a notable figure in the Indian Independence Movement but was also a political personality who contributed a lot in the making of modern Odisha. He noted that during the Emergency, Dr Mahtab went to jail opposing the party under which he became Chief Minister. He said, Dr Mahtab went to prison for both independence and for saving the country’s democracy.

The book, available in Odia and English so far, has been translated into Hindi by Shankarlal Purohit.Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Member of Parliament Lok Sabha, Bhartruhari Mahtab were present on the occasion.