LIVE: Maharashtra sees 4,004 new Covid cases in 24 hrs; 1,530 in Delhi

8:44 PM

Will be happy if fare caps are increased: Vistara CEO

Vistara will be happy if the lower and upper limits on airfares are increased but the best solution would be for the airlines to have absolute freedom to price, its CEO Vinod Kannan said on Sunday.

On June 16, Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices in India were hiked by the steepest-ever 16 per cent to catapult rates to an all-time high in step with hardening international oil rates.

IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta said on June 1 that the civil aviation ministry should consider increasing the upper limits on domestic airfares as the rising ATF prices have become a real problem.

SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh said on June 16 that the sharp increase in ATF prices and the depreciation of the rupee have left the domestic airlines with no choice but to immediately raise airfares.

The civil aviation ministry had imposed lower and upper limits on domestic airfares based on flight duration when services were resumed on May 25, 2020, after a two-month lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, airlines currently cannot charge a passenger less than Rs 2,900 (excluding GST) and more than Rs 8,800 (excluding GST) on flights with duration of less than 40 minutes.

The lower caps are there to protect the financially weaker airlines and the upper caps are to protect the passengers from high fares.

 

8:43 PM

5th edition of 'Palle Pragathi' successful: Telangana Minister

Over 80,000 government offices and other public places in Telangana have been cleaned during the past 16 days of "Palle Pragathi" programme's fifth edition, state Minister for Panchayat Raj Errabelli Dayakar Rao said on Sunday.

In a press release, he said the state also identified nearly 11,000 km long roads (both sides) for avenue plantation.

"As part of the fifth phase of 'Palle Pragathi', 6,39,822 people participated in 'shramdanam' and 18,718 low-lying areas have been identified and filled with soil," he said.

As part of a one-day power holiday programme, electricity department staff laid electricity lines for more than 19,000 poles.

Dayakar Rao thanked his colleagues and public for making the programme a success.

The 'Palle Pragathi' programme was launched by the government as a means to improve the quality of life in the state's rural areas.

8:42 PM

Covid cases on rise in Bengal, 362 new infections

West Bengal on Sunday reported 362 new COVID-19 cases, 74 more than the previous day, pushing the tally to 20,21,917, a health department bulletin said.

The COVID-19 death toll rose to 21,208 as one more person succumbed to the disease on Sunday.

The daily positivity rate was 3.50 per cent during the day.

The state had reported 288 new coronavirus cases and zero fatality on Saturday.

West Bengal currently has 1,913 active Covid-19 cases while 19,98,796 have recovered from the infection so far including 73 people in the last 24 hours, it said.

On Sunday 10,337 samples were tested.

8:27 PM

Boundary wall of TDP leader's house demolished in Andhra's Narsipatnam town

Municipal authorities in Andhra Pradesh's Narsipatnam town demolished an alleged unauthorised boundary wall at the residence of former state minister and senior TDP leader Ayyanna Patrudu.

Tension prevailed as police force was deployed around the former minister's residence amid protest by his family members. A police official said the policemen were deployed as a precautionary measure at the request of municipal employees who were carrying out the demolition.

Security was tightened in Narsipatnam to prevent any untoward incident. Police erected barricades at various places in the town and were checking vehicles.

Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) alleged that Ayyanna Patrudu's supporters and TDP workers were being stopped from heading towards his residence.

The municipal staff began demolition of the boundary wall around midnight. The electricity supply was stopped in the area before JCBs were deployed for the operation. Municipal commissioner and Revenue Divisional Officer were camping there to monitor the demolition.

 

8:19 PM

Kerala reports 2,786 fresh Covid infections, 5 deaths

Kerala on Sunday recorded 2,786 fresh COVID-19 infections, a slight dip from the over 3,000 cases it was reporting in the last five days. The caseload is 66,01,884 till date.

 

Active cases increased to 22,278, according to official data.

 

There were 5 deaths today, taking the toll of fatalities to 69,889 so far, the data said, adding that 2,072 recovered from the infection today.

8:19 PM

8 killed, 3.7 mn people hit as flood situation in Assam worsens

The flood situation in Assam deteriorated on Sunday with eight more persons losing their lives and over 3.7 million people suffering across 30 districts, an official said.

 

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), three persons died due to landslides and five people drowned at different places during the day.

7:45 PM

Delhi reports 1,530 fresh Covid infections

7:44 PM

Maharashtra logs 4,004 new Covid cases, one fatality

Maharashtra on Sunday reported 4,004 fresh COVID-19 cases, including 2,087 in Mumbai, and one fatality, taking the tally to 79,35,749 and the toll to 1,47,886, the state health department said.

 

A day earlier the state had reported 3,883 cases and two COVID-19 fatalities.

 

Maharashtra is now left with 23,746 active cases after 3,085 patients were discharged on Sunday, taking the tally of recoveries to 77,64,117, the department said in a statement.

7:04 PM

Yellen says some China tariffs inherited from Trump 'make no strategic sense'

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said some tariffs on China inherited from the administration of former President Donald Trump made "no strategic sense" and added that President Joe Biden was reviewing them as a way to bring down inflation.

7:03 PM

Oil Ministry proposes higher age limit, shorter tenure for new chairman of ONGC

6:34 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches the torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad

5:32 PM

India fully protected interests of farmers, fishermen at WTO meet: Goyal

India has completely protected the interests of farmers and fishermen in the recently concluded ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said on Sunday.

Goyal, who led the Indian delegation for the WTO talks, also said that the decisions taken in the conference will further strengthen the role of the multi-lateral body in promoting global trade and India championed the cause of the developing and under-developed countries.

Members of the Geneva-based WTO on June 17 secured a 'Geneva Package' which included agreements on curbing harmful fishing subsidies and temporary patent waiver for production of COVID-19 vaccines.

The four-day talks of the 164-member body, which started on June 12, ended on June 17 after hectic negotiations.

"In the WTO ministerial conference, we fully protected the interests of farmers, MSMEs, and fishermen. There will be no burden on them. We protected their interests," the minister said here at an event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the main tunnel and five underpasses of Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor Project.

5:25 PM

Former Karnataka CM Yediyurappa gets bail by special court in graft case

A special court dealing exclusively with criminal cases related to legislators has granted bail to former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa in a corruption case.

Judge B Jayantha Kumar granted the bail on Saturday after the advocate for the complainant in the objections that were filed had stated that they did not oppose the granting of bail to the senior BJP leader.

The complainant's advocate K V Dhananjay, however, contended in the submission that they object only to some of the grounds assigned by the accused that was claimed to be irrelevant and improper.

The objections said the bail application of Yediyurappa refers to the case against Congress leader R V Deshpande and other accused against whom the original complaint was filed. But now the case is only against the BJP leader and reference to the others was improper.

"In his bail application, the accused B S Yediyurapppa, has further denied the commission of offence for which he has been summoned and has also offered justification for his actions that are subject of this criminal proceedings. The accused has further insinuated improper motive to this complainant," the objections stated.

5:24 PM

Air India reorganising itself under Tatas; no comment on A350 plane order: Airbus CCO

Air India is clearly reorganising itself under the "able stewardship" of the Tata Group and wants to invest in new planes to regain international passenger market share, the Chief Commercial Officer of Airbus said here on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) held here, Christian Scherer was asked whether Air India had finalised the A350 aircraft order with Airbus.

"I will not comment on that," the Chief Commercial Officer of the European Aerospace company said in response.

His remarks came after it was reported last week that the Tata Group-owned Air India has decided to procure its maiden batch of wide-bodied A350 aircraft from Airbus and the first plane is likely to be delivered to the airline by March 2023.

However, it was not immediately clear how many A350 aircraft will be purchased by Air India.

5:23 PM

Owaisi demands Nupur Sharma's arrest, says she will be projected as a "big leader"

Chief of AIMIM (All-India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen) Asaduddin Owaisi has demanded that suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma be arrested for her controversial remarks on prophet Mohammad, and said she would be projected as a "big leader" and it is also possible she may also be made the Delhi Chief Ministerial candidate in the coming months.

"BJP is protecting Nupur Sharma. We are demanding the BJP and the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), but he doesn't speak. We tell the Prime Minister to arrest her. We demand action against her and her arrest as per law," the Hyderabad MP said, addressing a public meeting organised by United Action Forum here on Saturday.

He further said, "I know that after six-seven months Nupur Sharma will be projected as a very big leader. It is also possible that she will be made the Delhi Chief Minister candidate. This is the reality of our country. The more you abuse Muslims, higher the post you get."

Owaisi said a complaint was given and an FIR was registered in Hyderabad against Nupur Sharma.

"We would like to tell our (Hyderabad) Police Commissioner and the Chief Minister of this State (Telangana) to send police to Delhi and bring "Mohtarma". Do something. What will happen only with an FIR? At least say that you will be going (to Delhi). You should bring her (Nupur Sharma)," Owaisi demanded.