CM announces ₹240cr grant for cash-starved Pbi varsity

CM announces ₹240cr grant for cash-starved Pbi varsity

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Patiala:25.11.2021

Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday announced to increase the annual grant to the Punjabi University from Rs 114 crore to Rs 240 crore. Channi visited the university, which had been facing a financial crisis for the past several years and demanding a loan debt waiver, along with the finance minister and announced to “take over” the financial laibilities, including its bank loan of Rs 150 crore.

In the budget presented in March this year, the state government had announced a special grant of Rs 90 crore for the university against the demand of Rs 400 crore. In April, the finance committee of Punjabi University had passed a deficit budget of Rs 129 crore approximately for the current financial year (2021-22) whereas last year it passed Rs 296 crore of deficit budget.

“We are implementing a new model of education ‘Navi Soch Navan Punjab’. Each year, the state government will give Rs 240 crore as annual grant to this university. Rs 20 crore is monthly expense of Punjabi University that it needs from the state government, but the government was giving it Rs 9.5 crore monthly grant... It is our responsibility to provide quality education to students and ensure that universities do not face any financial crisis. Thus, we decided to provide Rs 20 crore monthly grant to Punjabi University. Besides, we have taken over Rs 150 crore of bank loans from Punjabi University,” he said.

Channi said, “The incumbent VC (Prof Arvind) and his predecessor (Prof B S Ghumman) too had approached me (during his term) for financial assistance. But actually decisions are taken by those running the government and not under the chief minister. So I am thankful to the finance minister who came here along with me to resolve this issue of financial crisis.”

Addressing the gathering at the university, Channi said it was set up to promote of Punjabi language. “I thank those who established this university and gave Punjab this good institution that is serving both Punjabi language and its people. We should take pride in our mother tongue Punjabi and both this institution and state government.”

Later, he inaugurated the Centre for Rural Entrepreneur and Skill Training and Centre for Restoration of Ecosystem of Punjab, saying it speaks volumes about the untiring efforts of the university to explore new avenues in entrepreneurship to generate employment, especially in the Malwa region.

CM Charanjit Singh Channi with finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal with VC Dr Arvind at Punjabi University in Patiala

VC-MLA ROW

Congress MLA from Ghanaur assembly segment in Patiala district, Madan Lal Jalalpur refused to share a seat with the university vice-chancellor, alleging he was appointed on the behest of RSS during Capt Amarinder Singh’s term as CM. The VC was about to sit along with the chief minister and others for a press conference but Jalalpur refused to join them. “I am planning to file a defamation case against MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur, who publicly misbehaved and levelled baseless allegations. I am an international scientist and do not want to engage with him at his level,” the VC said.

CM ON ‘FAKE KEJRIWAL’

Replying to a media query over AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘fake Kejriwal’ remark, Channi said, “When pain intensifies, then such replies are expected from them. Now they have gone hallucinating and gone off the track. They themselves are fake. They want people to go out of the track by uttering such things to provoke others, but now their this system has failed. We are carrying forward a positive and good thinking for Punjab and moving on this track. I would not blame anyone for copying me or criticizing them (our rivals). We are improving ourselves and bringing all that which is requirement of people of Punjab. ” On guarantees announced by Kejriwal in Punjab, Channi said, “We are not just giving guarantees, but doing the work in reality.

IGI was busier than Dubai airport in Nov

IGI was busier than Dubai airport in Nov

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:25.11.2021

The pandemic has flipped the pecking order of world airports. This month, Delhi’s IGI Airport was busier than Dubai International Airport in terms of combined domestic and international seat capacity deployed by airlines.

At close to 30.9 lakh, IGIA is the seventh busiest airport globally this month, ahead of Dubai at a little over 30.7 lakh, according to UK-based air consultancy firm OAG. In pre-pandemic November 2019, Dubai was at number 3 and IGIA at number 10.

While Dubai remains the world’s busiest international airport by seats, IGIA does not figure in the list of top 10 international airports due to continued restrictions on scheduled foreign flights by India. The revival of domestic air travel in India has led to a revival of footfall at airports, making IGIA overtake Dubai in overall seat capacity.

Decision on resuming int’l flights soon: Govt

India will soon decide on resuming scheduled international flights. While there are chances that it could happen before the yearend, the worsening Covid situation in Europe has led to a rethink. Union aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said: “I am working on the issue with other ministries.”

Only half of current Top 10 airports were in 2019 list

In pre-pandemic times, nearly 60% of the international traffic between India and the rest of the world flew foreign airlines. Of them, Gulf carriers took the lion’s share in terms of both point to point and connecting traffic. “If India is able to take steps to lower the steep operating cost structures for its airlines and the latter are able to mount more nonstops to the rest of the world, including distant continents, then the blow to airlines of nearby hubs will be big. Transit traffic to and from India is a big source of filling the planes of these airlines,” said an airline official.

Thanks to traffic recovery, India’s busiest and second busiest airport, Delhi’s IGI and Mumbai airport, respectively, are now using all their terminals. Meanwhile, the 10 busiest airports overall this month, according to OAG, are Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, Dallas Fort Worth, Chicago O’Hare, Guangzhou, Denver, Los Angeles International, Delhi IGIA, Dubai DXB, Tokyo Haneda and Shenzhen. The 10 busiest airports by international seat capacity alone this month are Dubai DXB, London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Paris CDG, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Doha, Madrid Adolfo Suarez-Barajas, New York JFK and Dublin.

“Only half of the current Top 10 airports were in the Top 10 in November 2019. Still missing are Singapore (23), Hong Kong (27), Incheon (45) and Bangkok (63) as recovery in Asia continues to falter,” says OAG.

Be Careful, India

Be Careful, India

US and Western Europe are a cautionary tale of Covid dangers despite brisk vaccination

25.11.2021

The Covid surge in Western Europe and the US, including in some countries where around 70% of the population is fully vaccinated, sends a message to India – be very careful. India cannot be swayed by comforting assumptions. It must focus on upping disease surveillance and expediting vaccination. Just 30% of Indians are fully vaccinated; and decisions on child immunisation as well as booster shots for 2.5 crore senior citizens and healthcare workers who received second doses over six months ago are still awaited. Reopening educational institutions have triggered a few Covid clusters, evidence that the virus is transmitting even when unable to wreak much damage.

The national serosurvey in July had revealed Covid antibodies in 67% of the population even when single-dose coverage was just 28%. Subsequent serosurveys in Delhi, Kerala and Haryana had revealed over 90%, 80% and 70% seropositivity respectively in the general population. But as the Kerala seven-day Covid trajectory of over 5,000 daily cases, despite 95% single-dose adult vaccination, indicates, only speedy universal full vaccination can mitigate infection risks. High seroprevalence is a comforting prospect but in a situation where immunity is waning, India’s propensity for rapid infection transmission – evident during the Delta second wave in April-June – poses a nightmarish scenario to be avoided at all costs.

Scientific studies to glean actionable intelligence are needed. Regular serosurveys could signal the duration of seroprevalence by vaccine type besides societal-level protection. Hospitalisation data can reveal concrete evidence of waning immunity based on vaccination status, age, sex and location. NTAGI, the apex technical advisory group having the mandate to recommend the booster dose, should requisition all-out support from research bodies under ICMR to pursue studies that further our understanding of vaccines. Mix-and-match trials of vaccines to establish safety and immunogenicity are also necessary: Those wishing to switch out of Covishield or Covaxin must get that option with booster doses.

Concurrently, NEGVAC, the expert group on Covid vaccine administration, must debate the merits of rolling out booster doses in the private sector for those receiving medical advice to take the third dose, while governments steadfastly focus on the community medicine aspect of accelerating first and second doses. From 61% three months ago, the UK’s fully vaccinated population has inched up to just 68% now. With over 20 crore doses lying unused and nearly 10 crore people overdue for their second doses, the vaccination effort is entering a complicated stage in India too. Scientific rigour and state capacity are on test.

Why colleges may continue with online classes for now

Why colleges may continue with online classes for now

New Delhi:25.11.2021

While colleges and other educational institutions have been allowed to reopen, they are likely to continue holding classes in the online mode for now. Ensuring 50% capacity may be difficult for them, said officials.

Yogesh Singh, vice-chancellor of Delhi University, said, “Our concern is with the DDMA guidelines that allow 50% capacity. It is difficult to ensure that, so we are working on something concrete. However, that will take some time. For the final year students' practicals, the project work is already ongoing offline. We will soon have a meeting with the principals and decide for the first-and second-year students as well”.

For first-year students, the online classes at DU began on November 22.

At Delhi Technological University (DTU), the concern is about providing the students with hostel facilities. An official said, “First-year classes will begin from December 27 in the online mode. If offline classes are to be done in 50% attendance, the issue becomes that many of our students are outstation ones and there aren’t sufficient hostels. We may start with offline practical classes and continue theory classes online.”BR Ambedkar University Delhi will take a decision on reopening in a few days’ time. Anu Lather, vice-chancellor of the university, said, “We will have a consultation with the deans and take a call. Reopening is long-awaited and a welcome step. In between also, we tried to open 50% of the capacity of classrooms.” TNN

6k half-empty vials of Covid vaccines found in garbage pit

6k half-empty vials of Covid vaccines found in garbage pit

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:25.11.2021

As many as 5,500 half-empty vials of Covishield vaccine and 550 halfempty vials of Covaxin were found in a garbage pit in Mauganj community health centre of Rewa district on Wednesday.

Pictures of these vials went viral, triggering an allout administrative response. The district’s chief medical and health officer, Dr BL Mishra, set up a probe team and sent it the town, around 65km from Rewa HQ. He too rushed to the spot at night, and said the vials contained unused doses.

“Not even one of these vials of Covishield and Covaxin was sealed. These are actually last doses that were left over as patients did not turn up. Suppose, a vial is opened and only seven patients show up, then the remaining three doses are not used the next day. The only irresponsibility in this case pertains to improper disposal of medical waste,” the CMHO told TOI.

“Before the new waste disposal norms were put in place in the state a few years ago, medical wasted used to be dumped in garbage pits. This is one of the same garbage pits. Notices will be issued to all concerned over improper disposal,” he added.

Pictures of the vials in a garbage pit went viral on Wednesday

Singapore Airlines to resume flights on Nov 30

DOUBLE JAB MUST

Singapore Airlines to resume flights on Nov 30

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:25.11.2021

Singapore Airlines will restart its Bengaluru to Singapore City and return flights on November 30, after the country recently announced it will allow entry to fully vaccinated people, including Indians. Flights will be four days a week now, and from December 17, there will be daily flights from Bengaluru.

Flight SQ511 will take off from Kempegowda International Airport at 11.10 pm on November 30 and Flight SQ510 will land from Singapore. Return flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays till December 16.

Travel to Singapore has been categorised as vaccinated travel lane (VTL) and non vaccinated travel lane. Flights from Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai to Singapore fall under VTL, and those from Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kochi and Kolkata come under non-VTL category.

Int’l flights may resume by year-end

Int’l flights may resume by year-end

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:25.11.2021

India will soon decide on resuming scheduled international flights that remain suspended since last March. While there are chances the same happens before the yearend, the worsening Covid situation in Europe has led to a rethink on the issue.

Union aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told TOI on Wednesday: “I am working on the issue of resumption of scheduled international flights with other Union ministries like home and health. There is no definite decision as of now due to the resurgence of Covid in some countries. The inter-ministerial discussions on the issue will hopefully arrive at a decision shortly.” Earlier in the day, aviation secretary Rajiv Bansal told reporters that international flight services would normalise “very soon”, possibly by the end of this year. “This is still work in progress,” he told TOI.

The government wants to weigh in the Covid situation very carefully before deciding on scheduled international flights that were suspended in March 2020. Since last summer, international flights operate under air bubbles India has so far created with 31 countries. But the limited capacity has led to exorbitant international fares.