<keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s END <keyword id="80490" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="tuberculosis" source="Orion">Tuberculosis</keyword> (TB) programme, that is committed to making India Tuberculosis-free by 2025, five years ahead of the global target of 2030, is an ambitious goal, a herculean task, but certainly achievable, said experts on <keyword id="599318" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-tb-day" source="Orion">World TB day</keyword>. <keyword id="599498" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="world-tuberculosis-day" source="Orion">World Tuberculosis Day</keyword> is observed every year on March 24. "Yes! We can end TB!" is the theme for this year, and urges leaders from around the world to act to stop the TB epidemic.A India has about 3.1 million tuberculosis patients and approximately 2,000 patients are diagnosed with TB yearly. The Pradhan Mantri's TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan "is a very ambitious goal" and India is facing a "herculean task" to keep up with its commitment, Dr Vishal Rao, Fellow at Royal Society of Medicine (London), and Director at head neck surgical oncology department at HealthCare Global Cancer Centre, told IANS. "For TB to be eliminated, there should be less than one case for every 1 million in the country. Today, at the current rate, we are seeing a decline in the incidence of TB of 1.5 per cent, which needs to accelerate to more than 15 per cent each year. So, we have a very daunting task with us at hand, and with only two years left the decline rate of TB cases needs to go much higher," said Rao, who is also part of a consultative group to the Principal Scientific Advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "In my opinion, Prime Minister Modi's call to END TB by 2025 is outstanding. And I think it is achievable. One is the fact that we already see a lot of cases being notified from India. And a lot of push to work on prevention, which for sure will lead to a decrease in incidence and we already have noticed that," Dr. Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director, Stop TB Partnership, told IANS. She said that India has shown a lot of acepolitical commitment" which has resulted in providing nutritional support to people with TB, updated data to see how many people with the disease were found, diagnosed and treated up till yesterday. One of the major challenges ahead of India is that more than half of the TB cases do not get detected, Rao said. For this, he suggested strengthening peripheral Primary Health Centre (PHC) programmes focusing on detecting TB and stronger mass media campaigns that would raise awareness, and allocate more funds to the National TB Elimination Programme for improved manpower, awareness campaigns, counselling, and detection.A Another challenge is high <keyword id="9165761" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tobacco-usage" source="Orion">tobacco usage</keyword> in the country, which is an omnipresent yet preventable risk. More than 20 per cent of global TB cases and 40 per cent of Indian cases can be attributed to tobacco usage. Rao suggested implementing stringent policies to counter the tobacco industry, reduce the prevalence of tobacco consumption especially, among the youth; protect lung health by strengthening tobacco control programmes, especially smoke-free policies. He also stressed the need to promote healthy lifestyle practices, and make the youth aware of the harmful effects of tobacco; and adopting innovative measures, increased action, and multi-sector collaborations to control tobacco use and fight TB. "I think India will achieve the goal to end TB" because of its approach of "going at a very granular and peripheral level", Ditiu said. However, access should be secured for every single person. A decentralised approach is needed to ensure access to everyone even at the village level, she suggested. The country also needs to "maintain the political pressure, and then the financial resources to do this because the investments needed for this will be very huge and should be sustained". "It's not that you have a jump in 2024. And then you are relaxed. Basically, we have two more years for India to push on this up to the end of 2025. So let's hope that the political commitment and the financial resources will come," Ditiu said. <h2>Recommended stories:</h2> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="98910276" title="Microsoft intends to lock 12,000 tons of carbon to the bottom of the ocean, using algae!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

World Tuberculosis Day: India's goal to be Tuberculosis-free by 2025 ambitious but achievable, say experts

Kohima, Jun 14 () As Nagaland continues to fight COVID-19 pandemic, a group of NGOs has urged the state government not to neglect those suffering from AIDS, tuberculosis and drug addiction. While giving attention to COVID-19 patients and quarantine centres, programmes on HIV/AIDS, TB and drug users should not be totally neglected, the NGOs said while interacting with reporters on Sunday. NGOs, including Network of Nagaland Drugs and AIDS Organisations (NNagaDAO), Access to Rights and Knowledge (ARK) Foundation, Kripa Foundation and Network of Naga People Living with HIV/AIDS (NNP+), requested the government to give equal care as being provided to COVID-19 patients to those afflicted with AIDS and tuberculosis, besides drug addicts. NNagaDAO general secretary Ketho Angami said, "...We have observed that many of the welfare programmes that are ongoing and implemented by various agencies, particularly by Nagaland State AIDS Control Society in the state are being sidelined. "The government agencies are facing lots of problem with the present pandemic but the direct end receivers or the persons infected from HIV/AIDS and TB are suffering because they are not having access to all the services due to the focus being shifted to COVID-19." Since the first phase of lockdown on March 25, the state health department is focused on containing COVID-19, but new problems are emerging for patients of AIDS, tuberculossis, apart from drug users, he said. Access to HIV/AIDS related services has become a big challenge for beneficiaries and also service providers, he said while elaborating that they are unable to avail the services of hospitals attached with Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) centres along with laboratory facilities for baseline clinical investigation. "Even if AIDS patients go to such centres, no service is provided as the medical staff, who are supposed to attend to the needs of such persons, have been put on COVID-19 duty," he said. NNP+ president Lanu Aier said, the Dimapur ART centre is most affected with no doctor or nurse available there as they have been deployed for COVID-19 duty. HIV/AIDS patients are supposed to get free treatment at government designated hospitals but with the COVID-19 pandemic there are no doctors and nurses and patients are being directed to private hospitals, which are not encouraging HIV patients, he said. "People should not be deprived of treatment as they too have their right to health, said NNagaDAO president Abu Mere while urging the state government "not to abandon the initiatives on HIV/AIDS, TB and drug users". NBS MM MM

HIV-AIDS, TB, drug addicts should not be neglected during COVID-19 crisis: Nagaland NGOs

An 87-year-old Indian-origin man from the north east of England will become one of the first people in the world to get a vaccine against COVID-19 when he receives his Pfizer/BioNTech jab at a hospital in Newcastle on Tuesday. Hari Shukla from Tyne and Wear said he feels it is his duty to receive his first of the two-dose vaccine, a moment UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed as a "huge step forward" as Tuesday was dubbed "V-Day" or Vaccine Day in the UK. "I'm so pleased we are hopefully coming towards the end of this pandemic and I am delighted to be doing my bit by having the vaccine, I feel it is my duty to do so and do whatever I can to help," said Shukla. "Having been in contact with the NHS (National Health Service), I know how hard they all work and the greatest respect for them - they have a heart of gold and I am grateful for everything they have done to keep us safe during the pandemic," he said. Shukla was notified by the NHS based on the criteria set by the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation as part of a phased rollout plan based on those at the highest risk of death from the deadly virus. People aged 80 and over, care home workers as well as NHS workers who are at higher risk will be first in line to receive the "life-saving jab". "Today marks a huge step forward in the UK's fight against coronavirus, as we begin delivering the vaccine to the first patients across the whole country. I am immensely proud of the scientists who developed the vaccine, members of the public who took part in trials, and the NHS who have worked tirelessly to prepare for rollout," said Johnson. However, the UK PM struck a note of caution to warn that mass vaccination will take time and urged the public to remain "clear-eyed" and continue to follow the lockdown rules over the winter months ahead. The NHS said it is undertaking the biggest and most highly anticipated immunisation campaign in history at 50 hospital hubs, with more starting vaccinations over the coming weeks and months as the programme ramps up after the first set of doses arrived from <keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword>'s manufacturing site in Belgium. "We will look back on today, V-day, as a key moment in our fight back against this terrible disease, and I am proud our health services across the United Kingdom are about to embark on our largest ever vaccination programme," said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock. "With over-80s and frontline health and care staff receiving their vaccinations from today, the whole country will breathe a collective sigh of relief as our most vulnerable loved ones start to be given protection from the virus. Now's the time to sit tight and remain patient until you get notified by the NHS that it's time for your vaccination," he said, adding that the light at the end of the tunnel is visible but there is still a long way to go. Since the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine got the green light from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) last week, the NHS said its workers have been working around the clock to manage the large-scale logistical challenge of deploying the vaccine. "Coronavirus is the greatest health challenge in NHS history, taking loved ones from us and disrupting every part of our lives," said Sir Simon Stevens, NHS Chief Executive. "The deployment of this vaccine marks a decisive turning point in the battle with the pandemic. NHS vaccination programmes which have successfully helped overcome tuberculosis, polio, and smallpox, now turn their focus to coronavirus. NHS staff are proud to be leading the way as the first health service in the world to begin vaccination with this COVID jab," he said. The Pfizer/BionTech formula is an mRNA vaccine that uses a tiny fragment of genetic code from the pandemic virus to teach the body how to fight Covid-19 and build immunity. It is delivered in two doses of 21 days apart and, according to experts, it has shown a strong immunity response kicking in after seven days of the second dose. The MHRA has stressed it has been cleared for mass rollout only after "rigorous" safety tests despite the process being speeded up due to the urgency of finding an effective vaccine against a pandemic which has wreaked havoc around the world. NHS national medical director, Professor Stephen Powis, has warned that the roll out of a vaccine will be a "marathon" not a sprint. The Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at -70C before being thawed out and can only be moved four times within that cold chain before being used. General Practitioners (GPs) and other primary care staff have also been put on standby to start delivering the jab on a phased basis. Vaccination centres treating large numbers of patients in sporting venues and conference centres will subsequently start up when further supplies of vaccine come on stream, with a bulk of the rollout expected in the early part of the New Year.

India-origin man will be among the first to get Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in UK

By Yoshita Singh United Nations, Jul 7 () Global outbreaks like COVID-19 will become more common and increasingly prevalent if countries do not take effective steps to curb zoonotic diseases that pass from animals to humans, a report by the UN has said. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) on Monday launched the report- 'Preventing the next pandemic: Zoonotic diseases and how to break the chain of transmission'. "People look back to the influenza pandemic of 1918–1919 and think that such disease outbreaks only happen once in a century," head of scientific assessments at UNEP Maarten Kappelle said. "But that's no longer true. If we don't restore the balance between the natural world and the human one, these outbreaks will become increasingly prevalent," he said. UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said that as nations seek to build back better after COVID-19, "we need to fully understand the transmission of zoonoses, the threats they pose to human health and how to minimise the risk of further devastating outbreaks. "COVID-19 is one of the worst zoonotic diseases, but it is not the first. Ebola, SARS, MERS, HIV, Lyme disease, Rift Valley fever and Lassa fever preceded it. In the last century we have seen at least six major outbreaks of novel coronaviruses," she said. Zoonotic diseases are infections that jump between animals and humans, some of which have led to severe illnesses and deaths. The coronavirus outbreak has so far claimed 500,000 lives globally. It originated from a wildlife food market in China's Wuhan city. The Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or bird flu in 1996, Nipah virus infection in 1998, Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and the Swine acute diarrhoea syndrome (SADS) in 2016 all emerged in Guangdong, China, the report's data said. She said nations need to invest in ending the over-exploitation of wildlife and other natural resources, farming sustainably, reversing land degradation and protecting ecosystem health. "We were warned that the current pandemic was a matter of if, not when. It is a human failing that we predict but not prepare. Now we must become more proactive to avoid another pandemic and address endemic zoonotic diseases. This means recognising that human health, animal health and planetary health cannot be separated, and planning our responses accordingly," she said. The report said that 60 per cent of the 1,400 microbes known to infect humans originated in animals. It also noted that apart from contagions like COVID-19, neglected zoonotic diseases such as anthrax, bovine tuberculosis, rabies and Japanese encephalitis kill at least two million people every year, mostly in developing countries, which have communities with complex development problems, high dependence on livestock and proximity to wildlife. Zoonotic diseases have plagued societies since Neolithic times and were responsible for some of history's deadliest pandemics, including the bubonic plague of the late Middle Ages and the influenza pandemic of the early twentieth century. UNEP noted that as the world's population edges towards 8 billion, rampant development is putting humans and animals in increasingly close quarters, making it easier for diseases to vault between species. Andersen added that growth in humanity and its activity is largely to blame for increasing frequency of zoonotic diseases. She said meat production has increased by 260 per cent in 50 years, agriculture has intensified, infrastructure expanded and resources extracted at the expense of wild spaces. Dams, irrigation and factory farms are linked to 25 per cent of infectious diseases in humans. Travel, transport and food supply chains have erased borders and distances. Climate change has contributed to the spread of pathogens. "The end result is that people and animals, with the diseases they carry, are closer than ever," she said. Eric Fèvre, a professor of veterinary infectious diseases at the University of Liverpool and a jointly appointed ILRI researcher said, "as we exploit more marginal areas, we are creating opportunities for transmission. There is an increasing risk of seeing bigger epidemics and, eventually, a pandemic of the COVID-19 type as our footprint on the world expands." The report also noted that cost of zoonotic epidemics is steep. The International Monetary Fund has predicted that COVID-19 alone will cause the global economy to contract by 3 per cent this year, wiping out USD 9 trillion in productivity through 2021. But even in the two decades before the pandemic, the World Bank estimated that zoonotic diseases had direct costs of more than USD 100 billion. In order to prevent future outbreaks, countries need a coordinated, science-backed response to emerging zoonotic diseases, says Delia Grace, lead author of the report as well as a veterinary epidemiologist at ILRI and professor of food safety at the UK's Natural Resources Institute. UNEP and ILRI are urging governments to embrace an inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary approach called One Health. It calls on states not only to buttress their animal as well as human healthcare systems, but also to address factors - like environmental degradation and increased demand for meat – that make it easier for diseases to jump species. Co-author of the assessment and UNEP's Chief of Wildlife Doreen Robinson says it's also important for governments to better understand how zoonotic diseases work. That could help the world avoid another pandemic on the scale of COVID-19. YAS RS AKJ RS RS

Zoonotic diseases need to be curbed to prevent outbreaks like COVID-19: UN

By Shakoor Rather New Delhi, Jul 10 () As dengue season sets in across large parts of India with the onset of the monsoon, scientists warn that COVID-19 and the mosquito-borne disease have overlapping symptoms and worry the country's healthcare infrastructure won't be able to cope with this double whammy. The impact of a 'dengue-COVID-19' season would entail two different diagnostic tests and extract a huge toll on patients too, each disease making the other more complicated to deal with and perhaps more fatal. While the number of COVID-19 cases races towards the 8,00,000 mark with 7,93,802 cases on Friday and 21,604 fatalities, the incidence of dengue is also high. Based on 2016-2019 data, virologist Shahid Jameel estimated that India gets about 100,000 to 200,000 confirmed cases of dengue each year. According to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), 1,36,422 dengue cases were diagnosed in 2019 and an estimated 132 people died. "The virus is endemic and present around the year in southern India, and in monsoon and early winter in northern India," Jameel, CEO at DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, a public charity that invests in building biomedical sciences and health research framework, told . Both COVID-19 and have symptoms such as high fever, headache and body pain. The dengue season may aggravate the COVID-19 situation as both viruses may supplement each other, warned Dhrubjyoti Chattopadhyay, virologist and vice chancellor of the Amity University in Kolkata. "This situation is not yet well studied. But the information available from South America is dangerous and found to create a major challenge to their medical infrastructure," he said. "The effect will be very critical. As major symptoms are overlapping, simultaneous infection will be much more fatal. Weakened immune systems will help the other to be more fatal." Once the dengue season starts, added virologist Upasana Ray, the infection spreads aggressively due to high prevalence of its mosquito vector, aedes aegypti. "Each season, we experience heavy loads in the hospital wards due to dengue outbreak and those times it gets almost unmanageable. So, have we thought about what will happen when we have two menaces to handle together? Both of them have overlapping symptoms. Are we geared to distinguish if a person has dengue or COVID 19?" asked the senior scientist, CSIR-IICB, Kolkata. The challenges are many. Almost each patient with a three-day fever would need to undergo a test for dengue and another for the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19. "Considering the current numbers of COVID-19 patients, will our hospitals have beds available for dengue patients? Or will only severe dengue cases be handled at hospitals?" she asked. Explaining how the viruses manifest in the human body, Jameel said the dengue virus enters via a mosquito bite through the subcutaneous layer of the skin from where it reaches the lymph nodes that are rich in types of blood cells called monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells. The virus, he said, primarily reproduces in these cells and can severely alter cytokine production by these cells, a fundamental response to injury and infection in the body. On the other hand, SARS-CoV-2 enters the cells primarily through mucosal membranes of the mouth and nasal cavity and initially replicates in the epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract. "In some cases, however, the infection moves down the trachea into the lungs, where it infects the air sacs that exchange oxygen with blood. This causes inflammation as the immune system tries to fight the virus and leads to fluid accumulation in the lungs, which results in respiratory distress and oxygen demand. "So, you see, both viruses infect via different pathways and different cell types. There would of course be overlaps in physiological effects and immunological responses. They would most likely make each disease worse than either infection alone," Jameel noted. The most likely effect, he said, would be on healthcare capacity. "Since initial clinical presentation is similar -- high fever -- one would be ignored at the expense of the other. With hospitals mainly in COVID-19 mode, they may also refuse dengue patients," Jameel said. He said this has been already seen in connection with pregnancy care and deliveries, dialysis and tuberculosis treatment. "We need to be careful and deploy tests for dengue also for febrile illness. Thankfully, India makes some very good tests for dengue virus, e.g. NS1 antigen test that is positive on the first day of fever," said Jameel. Ray pointed out that there is no vaccine available clinically for either and no specific antiviral to treat them. "This infection may show low to severe forms of infection including simple dengue fever, severe dengue and the haemorrhagic fever," said Ray. "We are already amidst the SARS-CoV2 pandemic and hospitals are running out of beds although the government is trying its level best. We are yet to attain enough facility to handle the increasing coronavirus cases every day in India," she said. According to Ray, careful preparation is needed as the country has very little time before a full-blown dengue season starts. "While many dengue patients don't end up in critical care units (CCUs), a good fraction do. Do we have enough ICUs and CCUs to tackle dengue and COVID 19 together? Do we have enough trained manpower?" Healthcare and research, she said, need to gear up to fight this "upcoming very realistic situation". SAR MIN MIN MIN

Season of two viruses? Scientists worried that dengue outbreak may aggravate COVID-19 crisis

<ul><li>New income tax slabs: 10% tax on income between ₹7.5 lakh without exemption compared to 20% right now.</li><li>15% tax on income between ₹7.5 lakh and ₹10 lakh without exemption compared to 20% right now.</li><li>20% tax on income between ₹10 lakh and ₹12.5 lakh without exemption compared to 30% right now.</li><li>25% tax on income between ₹12.5 lakh and ₹15 lakh without exemption compared to 30% right now.</li><li>Cost to the exchequer ₹40,000 crore; Removed 70 tax exemptions and deductions. These new rates are available to those who forego exemptions, deductions, and rebates.</li><li>Dividend distribution tax will be abolished, it will be taxable in the hands of the recipient. Cost to exchequer: ₹25,000 crore</li><li>SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2020-live-updates-news-and-highlights/liveblog/73824572.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Business Insider India live blog</a> on Budget 2020.</li></ul>Finance Nirmala Sitharaman presented her second annual budget speech. The top highlights from the budget 2020 proposals include the government's plan to sell stake in state-iowned insurance giant Life Insurance Corporation of India, sweeping changes in the income tax slabs, as well as the abolition of the dividend distribution tax at the end of the corporates. Aside from theses, startups with revenue up to ₹25 crore can avail 100% tax deduction in any three years over a period of 7 years, according to the latest Finance Bill presented by Sitharaman. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman" msid="73828645" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;quot;As per tradition, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman calls on President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan before presenting the Union Budget,&amp;quot; the official handle of the President&amp;#39;s office tweeted today.&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>


































 Following are the key highlights of the budget speech: <ol><li>Only through higher growth, we can have our youth gainfully and meaningfully employed.</li><li>Fundamentals of the economy are strong, inflation has been contained, banks have been cleaning up the accumulated loans of the past decade. </li><li>An average household now saves about 4% of its monthly spends due to lower incidence of tax under the GST regime.</li><li>Welfare schemes with direct benefit transfer embedded in them, preventive healthcare via programmes like sanitation, healthcare via central schemes, housing scheme via Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY) etc changed the established order of a few individuals cornering most of the benefits. </li><li>During 2014-19, Indian economy grew at an average of 7.4% with low inflation. India's foreign direct investment was $284 billion between 2014 an 2019 compared to $190 billion in the preceding five-year period.</li><li>India's government debt fell to 48.7% of GDP as of March 2019 compared to 52.3% as of March 2014.</li><li>Three themes of Budget 2020: 'Aspiring India', 'economic development', and 'to build a caring society'. </li><li>We shall aim for seamless delivery of services by leveraging technology. </li><li>6.11 crore farmers insured under Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana - a centrally-sponsored insurance scheme. Farm markets need to be liberalised.</li><li>16 action points: 1: Encourage state governments that will implement the following model laws that have already enacted by the centre. 2: Propose comprehensive measures for 100 water-stressed districts. 3: Expand outlay for solar pumps to 20 lakh farmers, another 15 lakh farmers to pumpsets to solar grid. Farmers if they have barren lands, they can set up solar power plants and sell it to the grid. 4: Balanced use of orgnaic and inorganic fertilisers. 5: Provide viability gap funding for setting up warehouses. Food Corporation of India can set up warehousing on their land too. 6: Push to reduce storage costs for farmers. 7: Promotion of women self-help groups. 8: To launch refrigerated trains to transport food items from the farm to other parts of the country. 9: Horticulture exceeds the production of foodgrains. 'One product for one district' to promote focussed development of horticulture. 10: Integrated farming system in rain-fed areas. Multiple crops, bee-keeping solar pumps in rain deficient area. 11: Financing on negotiable warehousing receipts will be linked to e-NAM. 12: The NABARD refinance scheme will expanded. The agriculture credit target for FY21 will be expanded to ₹15 lakh crore from ₹12 lakh crore. 13. To eliminate foot and mouth disease by 2025. To double milk production to 108 million metric tonnes by 2025. 14. Blue economy - development management of marine resources. Target ₹1 lakh crore in fish exports by 2025. 15. By FY23, propose raising fish production to 200 lakh tonnes, will also promote algae, seaweed.</li><li>16. Under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, self help groups will be expanded beyond the current 58 lakh.</li><li>Allocation for agriculture: ₹2.83 lakh crore, this includes ₹</li><li>Mission Indradhanush has been expanded to include 12 new diseases and 5 new vaccines. A very focussed water and sanitation programme to reduce the burden of diseases on the poor. There are 20,000 hospitals empanelled under the PMJAY, this has to rise. Propose to set up hospitals under the private-public partnership, the 112 districts identified as 'aspirational' will get priority in the setting up of new hospitals. </li><li>Proceeds from taxes on medical devices will be used to support the programme to build the infrastructure.</li><li>Reiterate India's commitment to eradicate tuberculosis by 2025. </li><li>Allocation for health: ₹69,000 crore including ₹6,400 crore for PMJAY.</li><li>By 2030, India is set to have the world's largest working-age population. They need education, skills, and employment opportunities. Our education system needs more money to attract better teachers and to set up better labs. Open the education sector to external commercial borrowing. </li><li>In order to provide quality education to the under privileged, a full-fledged online courses will be launched from the top 100 institutions in India.</li><li>Under 'Study In India' programme, a new INSAT exam to be launched for foreign students to enroll into Indian universities. </li><li>Every medical college will be linked to a nearby hospitals under the public-private partnership mode.</li><li>Total outlay for education sector: ₹99,300 crore and another ₹3,000 crore for skill development.</li><li>150 top education institutes to start offering apprenticeship programmes.</li><li>Propose to set up an investment clearance cell for end-to-end services including information on land bank and facilitating the approval process etc. </li><li>It is proposed to develop 5 new smart cities in collaboration with state governments in PPP mode. </li><li>Electronics manufacturing industry is cost competitive and India has shown its potential. To attract large investments in electronic manufacturing -- including electronic equipment, smartphones -- a new policy will be announced soon.</li><li>A National Textile Mission to work for next four fiscal years with an estimated outlay of ₹1,480 crore.</li><li>A new scheme Nirvik, for higher insurance cover, reduction in premium for small exporters, and simplified claim process, including digital refund process to help exporters.</li><li>Every district must become a hub for exports.</li><li>Unified procurement scheme: Propose ₹27,300 crore for development of industry and commerce in FY21.</li><li>National Infrastructure Pipeline will bring in generic and sectoral reforms in construction and maintenance of the infrastructure. Propose a project preparation facility that will employ economist, management graduates to execute projects.</li><li>A National Logistics Policy will soon be released to clarify the roles of Central government, state governments, and the regulators.</li><li>The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and two other projects will be completed by FY23. The Chennai-Bengaluru expressway project will also started by then.</li><li>Government will monetise 12 NHAI highway projects.</li><li>Setting up a large solar power capacity alongside the rail tracks on the land owned by the railways, is a proposal under consideration.</li><li>150 trains under the PPP mode. More Tejas type trains will connect iconic tourist destinations. </li><li>Central government will give 20% of the funds needed for a suburaban rail transport system in Bengaluru.</li><li>100 more airports will be set up in the next five years.</li><li>₹1.7 lakh crore allocated for transport infrastructure.</li><li>Propose to replace traditional meters with digital meters in the next three years. This will allow consumers to port out of a service provider (selling power) just like they port out of mobile service provider.</li><li>Fibre to home connections through Bharat Net will connect 1 lakh villages this year itself. Propose to provide ₹6,000 crore for Bharat Net programme.</li><li>Quantum technology: An outlay of ₹8,000 crore over the next five years.</li><li>₹22,000 crore allocated for the power sector including renewble energy sector.</li><li>No manual cleaning of sewers will be allowed, new technology will be roped. Centre in conversation with civic bodies.</li><li>Provision of ₹85,000 crore for scheduled castes and other backward classes.</li><li>Provision of ₹53,700 crore for scheduled tribes in the country.</li><li>5 archaeological sites would be developed as iconic sites with on-site museum -- Rakhigarhi (Haryana), Hastinapur (UP), Dholavera (Gujarat), Shivsagar (Assam), and Aditya Nallur (Tamil Nadu).</li><li>Propose ₹35,500 crore for nutrition-related schemes.</li><li>Allocation for Ministry of Culture: ₹3,500 crore. </li><li>Propose ₹2,500 crore to promote tourism.</li><li>Propose ₹9,500 crore for senior citizens and specially abled.</li><li>Proposed total allocation for women-centric programmes ₹28,600 crore.</li><li>Propose ₹4,400 crore allocation for clean air. </li><li>Companies Act will be amended to abolish 'criminal liability' for 'civil offences'.</li><li>A National Recruitment Agency will be set up. It will conduct a common entrance test for non-gazetted positions in the government and public-sector enterprises. </li><li>Propose a new national policy on national statistics will push for use of AI to collect data real time.</li><li>India will host G20 Presidency in 2022; the government proposes to allocate ₹100 crore to start the preparations.</li><li>Governance reforms proposed for PSU banks: Robust mechanism is in place to monitor the health of all banks and the money of depositors are safe. Insurance of bank deposits raised to ₹5 lakh from ₹eposit insurance and credit guarantee scheme.</li><li>Government will sell its remaining stake in IDBI Bank to private investors. Stock jumps over 13%</li><li>MSME entrepreneurs can avail 'subordinate debt' from banks and the loan will be fully guaranteed by a Trust. This will be treated as quasi-equity stake.</li><li>Government has asked RBI to extend deadline for MSME debt restructuring by one more year. </li><li>FY20 fiscal deficit seen at 3.8% of GDP and at 3.5% in FY21.</li><li>Non-resident Indians will be allowed to invest in certain categories of government bonds.</li><li>Currently, foreign portfolio investors are allowed to buy a maximum of 9% of the outstanding corporate bonds. Finance Minister proposes to increase the threshold significantly to 15%.</li><li>An international bullion exchange will be set up in GIFT City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.</li><li>Government to sell stake in LIC. </li><li>Receipts for FY21 estimated at ₹22.46 lakh crore, estimate expenditure: ₹</li><li>Borrowing plan for FY21: ₹5.36 lakh crore, capital expenditure will rise over 22%.</li><li>Dividend distribution tax will be abolished, it will be taxable in the hands of the recipient. Cost to exchequer: ₹25,000 crore</li><li>Dividend and capital gains made by foreign funds on investment in infrastructure space will tax free.</li><li>Startups with revenue up to ₹25 crore can avail 100% tax deduction in any three years over a period of 7 years.</li><li>Small retailers with revenue up to ₹5 crore need not get their books audited by accountants.</li><li>New scheme to end tax disputes: If someone agrees to pay the disputed tax amount by March 2020, there will be no interest and penalty. There are 4,83,000 tax disputes pending at various forums.</li><li>FY21 disinvestment target ₹2.1 lakh crore, doubled from the ₹1.05 lakh crore target in FY20.</li><li>Propose a cash incentive for customers demanding invoice, to boost compliance with GST</li><li>Imported footwear, furniture, and medical equipments will get more expensive as customs duty will be increased.</li></ol> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/new-income-tax-slab-tax-savings-for-salaried-people/articleshow/73835816.cms">You'll save ₹78,000 more under new income tax slabs if you earn less than ₹15 lakh</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/indian-government-infuses-22000-crore-in-power-and-renewable-proposes-freedom-to-choose-supplier/articleshow/73835587.cms">Indian government infuses ₹22000 crore in power and renewable, proposes freedom to choose supplier</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/income-tax/news/check-out-new-income-tax-slab-of-2021/articleshow/73830824.cms">New income tax slabs 2020</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/there-will-be-no-manual-cleaning-of-sewers-anymore-announces-nirmala-sitharaman/articleshow/73835265.cms">“There will be no manual cleaning of sewers anymore,” announces Nirmala Sitharaman</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2020-live-updates-news-and-highlights/liveblog/73824572.cms">Union Budget 2020 Live Updates</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/indian-taxpayers-expectation-from-the-budget-2020/articleshow/73804969.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indias-budget-allocation-for-defence-has-remained-fairly-static-for-the-past-five-years/articleshow/73153930.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank"></a>

Income tax cuts, stake sale in LIC and other highlights from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's budget speech

<ul><li>German vaccine maker CureVac said that interim results from early trials showed CvnCoV triggered immune response among volunteers. </li><li>Israel began <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/israel-begins-human-trials-on-covid-19-vaccine/articleshow/78991044.cms?upcache=2">human trials</a> of a COVID-19 vaccine on November 1. </li><li>South African pharmaceutical giant Aspen Pharmacare signed a pact with Johnson &amp; Johnson to manufacture its Covid-19 vaccine.</li></ul>After registering over 42 million COVID-19 infections, the World Health Organisation is <a href="https://www.livemint.com/science/health/who-expects-to-see-covid-19-vaccine-by-end-of-2020-at-earliest-11602548070399.html">finally expecting</a> a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2020 or early 2021. It takes a decade or two to design, test, and launch an effective vaccine that can protect billions of people from diseases. However, COVID-19 has forced researchers to fast-track the vaccine making process. Here's a look at COVID-19 vaccine updates from around the world — Bharat Biotech to launch Covaxin by mid-2021 Bharat Biotech is planning to launch India's indigenous COVID vaccine, Covaxin, in the second quarter of next year, after it gets the necessary approvals from regulatory authorities, reported <a href="https://in.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-india-vaccine/bharat-biotech-plans-to-launch-vaccine-candidate-in-second-quarter-of-2021-idINKBN27H1JG">Reuters</a>. The company is planning to begin recruitment for the third phase of its vaccine trials this month. The trial will be conducted in 25 sites in 10-12 states and will provide two doses with each for the vaccine and placebo recipients, the company's Executive Director Sai Prasad said. Germany CureVac's vaccine triggers an immune response On Monday, German vaccine maker CureVac said that interim results from early trials showed that its investigational Covid-19 vaccine candidate, CvnCoV, appeared safe and triggered immune response among volunteers. "We are very encouraged by the interim Phase 1 data. It represents a critical milestone in our Covid-19 vaccine programme and strongly supports the advancement of our vaccine candidate," Franz-Werner Haas, Chief Executive Officer of CureVac, said in a statement. Aspen Pharmacare, Johnson &amp; Johnson announce a deal to make Covid-19 vaccine South African pharmaceutical giant Aspen Pharmacare signed a pact with Johnson &amp; Johnson to manufacture its Covid-19 vaccine if approved in South Africa and internationally. In a statement, Aspen said that if ongoing trials bring international health authorities to endorse the J&amp;J vaccine as effective and safe, it would be produced at Aspen's manufacturing facility in Port Elizabeth in South Africa's Eastern Cape province. Moderna prepares for the global launch of COVID-19 vaccine American biotechnology company Moderna announced that it was preparing for the global launch of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate. "We are actively preparing for the launch of mRNA-1273 and we have signed a number of supply agreements with governments around the world," Xinhua news agency quoted Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel as saying in a statement on Thursday. In addition to the Phase 3 study of the Covid-19 vaccine mRNA-1273, which is fully enrolled, Moderna now has four programs in Phase 2 studies, according to Bancel. Israel begins human trials of COVID vaccine Israel has begun <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/israel-begins-human-trials-on-covid-19-vaccine/articleshow/78991044.cms?upcache=2">human trials</a> of a COVID-19 vaccine on November 1, authorities have said. Two volunteers have received the vaccine. Israel will first test the vaccine on 80 people, before extending it to 980 in the second phase, and then 25,000 in the final stage, slated for April or May. "We can see the light at the end of the tunnel," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv. Japan’s Shionogi is planning to conduct clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine in December Japan’s Shionogi is planning to conduct phase I clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate in December and phase II trials in January. Moreover, Shionogi S phase III trials are likely to be done overseas “due to the relative lack of COVID-19 cases in Japan”, reported Reuters. Brazil says it might get a COVID-19 vaccine by June 2021 Brazil is expected to have a COVID-19 vaccine <a href="https://zeenews.india.com/world/brazil-will-have-a-covid-19-vaccine-by-june-2021-says-regulator-2321092.html">ready </a>by June next year, according to the head of Brazil’s health regulator Anvisa, Antonio Barra Torres. According to Reuters, Anvisa is yet to decide on the minimum efficacy required to give vaccine approval. However, the agency has approved the vaccine with less than 50% effectiveness previously. Brazil has played a significant role in conducting late-stage clinical trials of many global vaccine candidates including Oxford-AstraZeneca. Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine triggers an immune response in both young and old adults. Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate has <a href="https://in.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-astrazeneca-vaccine-i/oxford-covid-19-vaccine-prompts-immune-response-among-adults-old-and-young-astrazeneca-says-idUSKBN27B0L7">prompted </a>an immune response in both young and old adults. According to AstraZeneca, the vaccine also produces ‘lower adverse responses among elderly,” reported Reuters. “It is encouraging to see immunogenicity responses were similar between older and younger adults and that reactogenicity was lower in older adults, where the COVID-19 disease severity is higher,” an AstraZeneca spokesman said. Pfizer recruits 42,000 volunteers for phase II and III clinical trials. US drugmaker Pfizer — which is working on a COVID-19 vaccine with German pharma company BioNTech — has <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/coronavirus-outbreak/story/coronavirus-vaccine-update-oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-immune-response-pfizer-covaxin-news-1735407-2020-10-27">recruited </a>42,111 volunteers to test its experimental COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Earlier this week, Pfizer said it is likely to submit its COVID-19 vaccine to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in November if the trials are successful. Joe Biden pledges free COVID-19 vaccines for all Americans if elected. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, on October 24, has said that if he is elected to power in the November 3 election, he will make COVID-19 vaccines free for all Americans. "Once we have a safe and effective vaccine, it has to be free to everyone -- whether or not you're insured," Xinhua news agency quoted Biden as saying during a speech in Wilmington, Delaware. Johnson &amp; Johnson pauses late-stage COVID-19 trials following a participant’s illness A late-stage study of Johnson &amp; Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine candidate has been paused while the company investigates whether a study participant's unexplained illness is related to the shot. In a statement, the company said that illnesses, accidents and other so-called adverse events are an expected part of any clinical study, especially large studies, but that its physicians and a safety monitoring panel would try to determine what might have caused the illness. The pause is at least the second such hold to occur among several vaccines that have reached large-scale final tests in the US. The company declined to reveal any more details about the illness, citing the participant's privacy. Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine to be widely domestically available by early November Russia is all set to launch its COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, domestically by late October or early November, according to the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). Earlier in August, Russia claimed to be the first country to develop a <keyword id="8624004" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</keyword>. "We believe that the vaccine can start being widely used in Russia by late October or early November," Kirill Dmitriev, head, RDIF said. It is further expecting to roll out the vaccine in the Middle-East after human trials by the end of November, <a href="https://tass.com/society/1211423">Russian news agency TASS reported. </a> Pakistan hopes to acquire a COVID-19 vaccine within the next 6 months A Pakistani official from the Ministry of National Health Services has expressed hope that the country would acquire a vaccine against the novel coronavirus in the next six months. The official said on October 12 that Pakistan has also prepared antibodies against spike proteins, <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1584505/covid-positivity-rate-crosses-2pc-first-time-in-six-weeks">Dawn reported.</a> "At present, 15 vaccines were in phase-III trials globally out of which 11 target the spike protein," he said. UK to begin trials to test if anti-TB BCG vaccine works against COVID-19 Scientists in the United Kingdom will begin recruiting frontline healthcare workers to test if an old vaccine used to combat tuberculosis (TB), the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, or BCG jab can be repurposed to help boost immunity against the novel coronavirus as well. The University of Exeter in south-west England said on October 11 that it is leading the UK arm of the worldwide research called the BCG vaccination to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in healthcare workers (BRACE) trials. Participants will be given either the BCG vaccine, currently provided to more than 100 million babies worldwide each year, including in India, to protect against TB or a placebo injection. In India, Bharat Biotech asked to submit complete phase 2 trial data of its COVID-19 vaccine before phase 3 trials On October 10, Bharat Biotech — which earlier got permission to conduct phase-3 clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate — has been asked to submit complete safety and immunogenicity data of the ongoing phase-2 trial, besides providing some clarifications, before proceeding for the next stage. The vaccine candidate, 'Covaxin,' is being indigenously developed by the Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). According to officials, the Hyderabad-based vaccine maker applied to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on October 2, seeking its permission to conduct phase III randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled multicentre trial of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/prajakta-koli-aka-mostlysane-advice-for-content-creators-on-the-fine-line-between-brand-collaborations-and-staying-honest-on-social-media/articleshow/79013162.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink"> Prajakta Koli aka MostlySane’s advice for content creators on the fine line between brand collaborations and staying honest on social media</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stock-movers-tata-motors-zee-entertainment-icici-bank-cadila-healthcare-sterlite-technologies-and-others/articleshow/79012842.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Top stock movers — Tata Motors, Zee Entertainment, ICICI Bank, Cadila Healthcare, Sterlite Technologies and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/india-hits-out-at-pakistan-for-taking-advantage-of-coronavirus-pandemic-to-enhance-cross-border-terrorism/articleshow/79013307.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">India hits out at Pakistan for taking advantage of coronavirus pandemic to enhance cross-border terrorism</a>

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Income tax cuts, stake sale in LIC and other highlights from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's budget speech

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