On the day, India’s daily tests have scaled a new peak of 10 lakh 23 thousand,India has achieved another milestone as it recorded highest ever single day recoveries of 63,631 in the last 24 hours.

With this high number of COVID-19 patients recovering and being discharged from the hospitals and home isolation (in case of mild and moderate cases), the Recovery Rate has reached 74.69%.This has also led to declining Case Fatality Rate, which stands at a new low of 1.87% today.

India’s total recoveries now exceed thetotal active cases (6,97,330) by more than 15 lakhs.The record high recoveries have ensured that the actual caseload of the country viz. the active cases, has reduced and currently comprises only 23.43% of the total positive cases. Early identification through aggressive TESTING, comprehensive surveillance & contact TRACING along with focus on timely and efficient clinical TREATMENT of patients have ensured speedy recovery.Higher number of recoveries and declining fatality have shown that India’s graded and pro-active strategyis delivering results on the field.

During the month of July 2020 EPFO has been successful in updating 2.39 Lakh Aadhaar’s, 4.28 Lakh Mobile numbers & 5.26 Lakh Bank Account’s in the UAN of its subscribers.

As the country faces the unprecedented challenge of the COVID 19 pandemic, the concept of social distancing has assumed immense importance. EPFO, as the principal social Security Organization in the country, has been striving hard, to provide unhindered services to its subscribers through digital mode with almost minimal contact.

The organization, in its endeavor to extend the availability and reach of its online services, has been proactively updating its Know Your Customer (KYC) data to enable its subscribers in availing its services through online mode.

The KYC updation is a one time Process that helps in the identity verification of its subscribers through linking of the Universal Account Number (UAN) with the KYC details. Once this exercise is completed and seeded KYC details validated, the EPFO subscriber becomes empowered to avail services of EPFO through digital mode.

In order to safeguard its subscribers and its employees, the organization has consciously adopted a strategy for active focus on KYC updation of its subscribers, through deployment of its workforce on this crucial task as Work From Home activity. A large number of EPFO staff members are exclusively assigned the task of updating KYC, including rectification of the details as a WFH activity. This has been undertaken as a time bound exercise which has yielded very encouraging results. This KYC updation has helped tremendously in empowerment of EPFO subscribers for availing services of EPFO in digital mode and thus eliminating need for any kind of physical contact with any office of EPFO for its needs.

Arunachal Pradesh has again received a very high rainfall in the current monsoon season. Many of the drinking water supply installations dependent on the surface sources have faced the fury of natural calamities in terms of flash flood, cloud bursts, landslides and erosions. TheLedum multi villagewater supply project feeding potable drinking water to Bilat circle, Oyan-Sille Circle and Ruksin headquarter covering 19 villages with population of 21,287 under East Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh was one of the projects damaged badly due to sudden cloud burst at its catchment area. The intake work which is situated at 1,500 feet above MSL and at a distance of 7 Km from last motorable road point was hit hard. The main pipe line (DI 250 mm diameter) was also damaged at various river crossings.

Arunachal Pradesh is highly dependent on Assam and states beyond for skilled and unskilled work force. With the Covid-19 pandemic related lockdowns and safety protocols in place, the availability of work force are constrained. Going by the gravity of the damages, it would have taken weeks to restore the water supply system, but the motivated youth of Bilat circle, about 70 of them, came forward to help the Public Health Engineering Department in restoration works. The Department while providing the skilled manpower, materials, etc. had to use the services of elephants also in retrieving the DI pipes that were scattered and buried under the silt or debris along the river bed. The result of participation of the people in the restoration effort saw that the resumption of drinking water supply to the entire villages was ensured in 3 days.

The efforts of the officials of PHED and the determination of the community to come forward for this kind of repair work shows that the community can play a huge role in operation and maintenance of water supply systems in rural areas. Jal Jeevan Mission aims to capitalise on the community participation.

Announced by Prime Minister on 15th August, 2019, Jal Jeevan Mission is under implementation in partnership with States with the objective to provide functional household tap connections to every rural household of the country by 2024.  The goal of the Mission is to enable every rural household has assured availability of potable water at a service level of 55 litres per capita per day (lpcd) on regular and long-term basis so as to bring improvements in lives of people living in rural areas.

Water availability in Arunachal Pradesh is not an issue, but the challenges faced in implementation are the tough mountainous terrain, sparsely located habitations and the harsh climatic conditions. However, the State Govt is making all efforts to cover all villages/ habitations so as potable water reaches every rural household. Jal Jeevan Mission provides a golden opportunity to the State to provide clean, potable water to its citizens in their houses, so that the burden of women and girls is lessened.

Arunachal Pradesh Government has decided to provide 100% tap water connections to all the households in the State by 2023 under the Mission.

Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore  Limited (FACT) a PSU under the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers  has turned out encouraging performance on the production and marketing front during first five months of current financial year. FACT’s Second  muriate of potash (MOP) shipment (27000 MT) for the kharif season has reached Tuticorin Port yesterday and Unloading in progress.

MOP along with FACT’s prime product Factamfos ( NP 20:20:013) is a fertilizer combination preferred by the farmers of South India. Earlier company had imported one MoP & one NPK complex parcels during June – July.

It is understood that Company is optimising its operations taking adequate safeguards against COVID pandemic. With reasonably good monsoon encouraging agriculture, Company is taking steps to meet the demand of farmers during the season.

The Centre has asked the States that there should be no restrictions imposed on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods and services during the present prevailing Unlock-3 guidelines.

In a communication to Chief Secretaries of all States today, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has stated that it has been reported that local level restrictions on movement are being imposed by various districts/States.  Such restrictions are creating problems in inter-State movement of goods and services and are impacting the supply chain, resulting in disruption of economic activities and employment, besides affecting supply of goods and services.

The MHA has said such restrictions at local level imposed by District Administrations or by States, amount to violation of the guidelines issued by the MHA under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Drawing attention to the MHA’s Order dated July 29, 2020 specifying Guidelines for Unlock-3, the communication reiterates that there shall be no restriction on inter-State and Intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements.  This includes movement of persons and goods for cross land border trade under Treaties with neighbouring countries.

States and Union Territories can avail the Common Eligibility Test (CET) to be conducted by National Recruitment Agency (NRA) for job selection, the decision for which was passed at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, said that the CET score could be shared with the Recruiting Agencies in the State and Union Territory governments as well as Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and also later on with the Private Sector. This, he said, would actually help the recruiting agencies including the State and Union Territory Governments to save the cost and time spent on recruitment, while at the same time also be convenient and cost-effective for the young job aspirants.

An arrangement in the form of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) could be put in place for using the CET score by these agencies and these organisations, said Dr Jitendra Singh. Eventually, this could prove a win-win arrangement both for the employer as well as employee.

Dr Jitendra Singh further revealed that the DoPT and he himself are in touch with many State and Union Territory governments which have expressed their inclination to be a part of the sharing arrangement of Common Eligibility Test score. Most of the Chief Ministers are also quite enthusiastic and favourable to adopt this reform, he informed.

Hailing Prime Minister Narendera Modi’s personal intervention and indulgence without which this revolutionary decision could not have been possible, Dr Jitendra Singh said, this is going to prove to be a major reform to bring about ease of living for struggling youth and job aspirants. He said, it is also a reflection of the sensitivity and thoughtfulness with which the government works under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.

Clearing apprehension in certain quarters, Dr Jitendra Singh said, for those who are appearing for the exam, relaxation in the upper age limit shall be given to candidates of SC/ST/OBC and other categories as per existing government policy. He also reiterated that the Common Eligible Test will have no correlation or incompatibility with the rules of recruitment like domicile etc. followed by certain States or Union Territories. Contrary to misgiving in certain quarters, the Common Eligibility Test will not be conducted only in Hindi and English language but will be conducted in 12 Indian languages to begin with, while gradually other languages of the 8th schedule will also be included.

States and Union Territories can avail the Common Eligibility Test (CET) to be conducted by National Recruitment Agency (NRA) for job selection, the decision for which was passed at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, said that the CET score could be shared with the Recruiting Agencies in the State and Union Territory governments as well as Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and also later on with the Private Sector. This, he said, would actually help the recruiting agencies including the State and Union Territory Governments to save the cost and time spent on recruitment, while at the same time also be convenient and cost-effective for the young job aspirants.

An arrangement in the form of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) could be put in place for using the CET score by these agencies and these organisations, said Dr Jitendra Singh. Eventually, this could prove a win-win arrangement both for the employer as well as employee.

Dr Jitendra Singh further revealed that the DoPT and he himself are in touch with many State and Union Territory governments which have expressed their inclination to be a part of the sharing arrangement of Common Eligibility Test score. Most of the Chief Ministers are also quite enthusiastic and favourable to adopt this reform, he informed.

A modern, durable, portable, fast installable, safe and varying weather compatible 10- Bedded Make-Shift Hospital was inaugurated by Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister (S&T, ES and H&FW) at NDRF 8th Battalion Centre, Ghaziabad. The make-shift hospital has been set up by CSIR constituent laboratory, namely, CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee in collaboration with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Ministry of Home Affairs for demonstration purpose as well as use of NDRF. It would serve the purpose for disaster recovery stage including for use in long pandemic or emergency situation. Dr Shekhar Mande, DG, CSIR; Shri S.N. Pradhan, DG, NDRF ; Dr Gopalakrishnan, Director CSIR-CBRI were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today held a meeting with senior Ministers and officials to discuss ways to boost manufacturing and global imprint of Indian toys.

Prime Minister said India is home to several toy clusters and thousands of artisans who produce indigenous toys which not only have cultural connect but also helps in building life-skills and psychomotor skills among children at an early age. He said such clusters should be promoted through innovative and creative methods.

It was informed that Indian toy market has huge potential and can bring a transformative change in the industry by promoting ‘Vocal for Local’ under AatmaNirbhar Bharat campaign. Prime Minister said focus should be on use of technology & innovation and also towards manufacturing quality products that meet global standards.