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Pics of underwater protests from a small Indian island, which is fighting its local administration

Who does not love to travel? Most of us would give anything to take a long break from our regular work life and travel the world! And if the vacation rental behemoth <keyword id="19900375" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airbnb" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Airbnb" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Airbnb">Airbnb</keyword> is to be believed, Indians are taking to traveling with renewed vigor. When it comes to international travel right now, most Indians are traveling to Tokyo, largely to witness the momijgari (red leaf hunting), or the autumn tradition where leaves turn red, which makes for a breathtaking sight. For those seeking a little peace and quiet, the Amalfi Coast, off the Mediterranean Sea is in vogue. Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are also being increasingly making their way on the travel wish list of most Indian travellers. Per Airbnb, other countries on this list include Montenegro, Norway, Luxembourg, and Georgia. Closer home, the bustling city of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh is amongst the top travel destination for most Indians, along with the tropical Lakshadweep. People are also flocking to Ujjain and the hilly, quaint town of Munsiyari in Uttarakhand to take a well deserved break from their hectic lives. Says Vinay Bagri, Co-founder and CEO, Niyo, a travel banking platform"India’s growing middle class and increasing incomes are driving the rise in outbound travel. Additionally, India’s soft power diplomacy is shaping global travel industry trends. According to the Henley Passport Index, there are 62 countries where Indian passport holders can travel visa-free". "Niyo has seen a 60% growth in international travel over the past year. 55% among leisure travelers, 70% in student travel, and 25% in business travel. Interestingly, 40% of the customers we onboarded were first-time international travellers”, he continued. <h2>Be financially prepared</h2>But while it is great to travel, or take that dream vacation or overseas trip, setting aside money for the same can certainly be a herculean task. That's why, the key to a stress-free getaway, irrespective of it being a short break or an extended adventure, lies in making strategic investment choices. Here are some ways in which you can create a healthy corpus for your travelling, all from your savings: Creating a Vacation Budget Establish a comprehensive budget that covers expenses such as travel, currency exchange rates, time off from work, and the number of travelers. Conducting in-depth research on your destination, the best time to visit, and other relevant details can also lead to significant savings. A good idea is to plan in advance the number of vacations you wish to take each year. Deciding and booking your tickets ahead of time can help you save costs. Also, having a dedicated <keyword id="23343124" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Travel-Fund" source="keywords">travel fund</keyword>, separate from your daily expenses, helps you stay focused. Consider using a fixed deposit or a liquid mutual fund to watch your money grow faster. Per Swati Bhargava, Co-Founder of CashKaro and EarnKaro, building a travel fund not only allows you to experience your dream vacation, but also fosters healthy financial habits that prevents debt and maximizes the value of your hard-earned money. Short-term Gains for Quick Access Says Bhuvan Rustagi COO &amp; Co-founder of Per Annum, "By exploring options such as recurring deposits, liquid funds and short-term bonds, individuals can enhance their financial flexibility, which can also help them plan any spontaneous adventures". Don't let your travel fund sit idle in a savings account. You can invest it in various short-term instruments, depending on your risk appetite. In case you want to play it safe, a recurring deposit or liquid funds are a good option. For people willing to take on more risk, P2P lending can also be a good option. Automate your way By setting up recurring transfers from your primary account to a dedicated travel savings account, you can ensure that a portion of your income is automatically saved each month. This disciplined approach will eliminates the temptation to spend impulsively, and will also help you stay committed to your travel goals. During the festive season, which will set in from next month, most online platforms, websites, and aggregators abound with enticing discounts on flights and hotels. Keep a keen eye on these deals, and you can significantly reduce travel expenses and plan your trip more efficiently. During the sales, travel portals often offer exclusive discounts tied to specific banks or release flash sales. That is also a great way to maximize your savings on travel. Many Indians are also turning to <keyword id="23343125" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cashback-Platforms" source="keywords">cashback platforms</keyword> to maximize their savings on travel bookings. According to reports, the travel sector sees an average cashback rate of 8%, the highest of all sectors. Further clubbed with credit cards you save a lot more on your hotels &amp; flights. No wonder, travel credit cards emerged as the frontrunners, experiencing a remarkable 27% YoY growth in 2023. "For those planning a festive season getaway, combining multiple offers can lead to substantial savings, making your dream destination more affordable”, continues Bhargava So, what are you waiting for? Start planning your next travel destination now. With smart investments and budgeting, it might happen for you, sooner than you think!

World Tourism Day: Here's where India is travelling to, and how you too, can join the bandwagon

Mumbai, <keyword id="19913734" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="federal-bank" source="keywords">Federal Bank</keyword> on Tuesday reported 23 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 1,035.42 crore for December quarter 2023-24, helped by a sharp decline in provisions and also surge in non-interest income. On a standalone basis, the private sector lender's net profit in the quarter increased 25 per cent to Rs 1,007 crore, its highest ever. Core net interest income (NII) grew 8.53 per cent to Rs 2,123 crore, while the other income jumped 61 per cent to Rs 863 crore. The growth in the core NII was constrained because of narrowing of net interest margin at 3.19 per cent from the 3.55 per cent in the year-ago period, and the 18 per cent asset growth provided a limited succour. Chief executive and managing director <keyword id="20078868" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shyam-srinivasan" source="keywords">Shyam Srinivasan</keyword> said the bank has posted 19 per cent growth in deposits by giving higher rates, but was quick to add that the deposit growth is from individual clients which will yield dividends over a period of time. He admitted that the bank has not been able to deliver on its guidance of expanding <keyword id="19936365" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nim" source="keywords">NIM</keyword>s in the second half of FY24 due to the challenging external environment where funds are coming at a higher cost, and added that it will look at maintaining NIM at the 3.20 per cent level in the near term. He said the bank has been focused on the overall income growth from both interest and non-interest income lines, which has ensured that the overall business growth trajectory is maintained. Low-cost current and saving account deposit growth trailed at 8-9 per cent, and <keyword id="20079533" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="srinivasan" source="keywords">Srinivasan</keyword> said the Casa ratio is likely to come down further from the present 30.63 per cent. Srinivasan said the bank board has started the process to find a successor for him, and should be sending a list of candidates to the <keyword id="19922074" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reserve-bank" source="keywords">Reserve Bank</keyword> by early May 2024. The board will look at external candidates as well, he said, adding that the bank has two exemplary executive directors as well who can be the internal candidate. The incumbent MD and CEO said he will not take up any role in the bank after his current term comes to an end in September after 15 years of service. Srinivasan said it is not a "good governance" practice to continue in any other capacity but added that he may look at some engagement with a subsidiary of the bank post-retirement. The bank will be opening 100 more branches in 2024, which is the same as in 2023, Srinivasan said. Replying to a question whether it will open a branch in Ayodhya and Lakshadweep, he asked all not to get "swayed" by the news cycle. On the asset quality front, the overall slippage increased to Rs 479 crore which was higher than the preceding quarter's, but within the broader target of maintaining it at Rs 1,800 crore for FY24, Srinivasan said, adding that till now the overall slippages is at Rs 1,300 crore in the first nine months. He added that the slippages were a bit higher in Q3 because of a lumpy Rs 70 crore account, and added that the account will get reversed to performing in Q4 itself. Gross non-performing assets ratio improved to 2.29 per cent from the year-ago's 2.43 per cent. Overall provisions decreased to Rs 91.22 crore from the year-ago period's Rs 198.69 crore, and helped the bottomline. The bank's overall capital adequacy ratio improved to 15.02 per cent as against 13.35 per cent in the year-ago period. The Federal Bank scrip shed 2.16 per cent to close at Rs 149.70 apiece on the BSE on Tuesday, as against a 0.27 per cent correction on the benchmark.

Federal Bank Q3 consolidated profit jumps 23% to Rs 1,035 cr

At 2.4 tCO2e (tonne carbon dioxide equivalent), <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s per capita greenhouse gas emissions were far below the world average of 6.3 tCO2e in 2020, according to a new report released by the United Nations Environment Programme on Thursday. The "Emissions Gap Report 2022: The Closing Window", released ahead of the UN Climate Change conference (COP27) in Egypt next month, also said the international community is still falling far short of the Paris goals, with no credible pathway to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degree Celsius in place. To address climate change, countries adopted the Paris Agreement in 2015 to limit global temperature rise in this century to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. "World average per capita <keyword id="171507" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ghg" source="Orion">GHG</keyword> emissions (including land use, land-use change, and forestry -- LULUCF) were 6.3 tCO2e in 2020. The US remains far above this level at 14 tCO2e, followed by 13 tCO2e in the Russian Federation, 9.7 tCO2e in China, about 7.5 tCO2e in Brazil and Indonesia, and 7.2 tCO2e in the <keyword id="6355110" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="european-union" source="Orion">European Union</keyword>. "India remains far below the world average at 2.4 tCO2e. On average, least developed countries emit 2.3 tCO2e per capita annually," the report said. Per capita emissions range widely across G20 members: emissions of India are about half of the G20 average, whereas Saudi Arabia reaches more than twice the G20, it said. India's contribution to historical cumulative CO2 emissions (excluding LULUCF) is three per cent, whereas the US and the EU have contributed 25 per cent and 17 per cent respectively to total fossil CO2 emissions from 1850 to 2019. China contributed 13 per cent, the Russian Federation seven per cent, and Indonesia and Brazil one per cent each. Least developed countries contributed only 0.5 per cent to historical CO2 fossil fuel and industry emissions between 1850 and 2019. The report said despite a decision by all countries at the 2021 climate summit in Glasgow (UK) to strengthen nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and some updates from nations, progress has been "woefully inadequate". NDCs means national plans and pledges made by countries to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius. NDCs submitted this year take only 0.5 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent, less than one per cent, off the projected global emissions in 2030. Unconditional NDCs are estimated to give a 66 per cent chance of limiting global warming to about 2.6 degrees Celsius over the century. For conditional NDCs, those that are dependent on external support, this figure is reduced to 2.4 degrees Celsius, it said. Current policies alone would lead to a 2.8 degrees Celsius hike, highlighting the temperature implications of the gap between promises and action, it said. In the best-case scenario, full implementation of unconditional NDCs and additional net-zero emissions commitments point to only a 1.8 degrees Celsius increase. However, this scenario is not currently credible based on the discrepancy between current emissions, short-term NDC targets and long-term net-zero targets. "This report tells us in cold scientific terms what nature has been telling us, all year, through deadly floods, storms and raging fires: we have to stop filling our atmosphere with greenhouse gases and stop doing it fast," said <keyword id="2974898" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="inger-andersen" source="Orion">Inger Andersen</keyword>, Executive Director of <keyword id="6491230" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="unep" source="Orion">UNEP</keyword>. "We had our chance to make incremental changes, but that time is over. Only a root-and-branch transformation of our economies and societies can save us from accelerating climate disaster," Andersen said. To meet the Paris Agreement goals, the world needs to reduce greenhouse gases by unprecedented levels over the next eight years. Unconditional and conditional NDCs are estimated to reduce global emissions in 2030 by five and 10 per cent respectively, compared with emissions based on policies currently in place. To get on a least-cost pathway to holding global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius, emissions must fall by 45 per cent over those envisaged under current policies by 2030. For the two degrees Celsius target, a 30 per cent cut is needed, it said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/what-a-beach-lakshadweeps-minicoy-thundi-and-kadmat-beaches-awarded-prestigious-blue-flag-eco-label-for-coastal-cleanliness/articleshow/95119168.cms">What a beach! Lakshadweep's Minicoy Thundi and Kadmat beaches awarded prestigious 'Blue Flag' eco-label for coastal cleanliness</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/world-to-blaze-by-1-5-degree-goal-global-temperatures-to-rise-by-at-least-2-5-degrees-by-end-of-this-century-new-un-report/articleshow/95118337.cms">World to blaze by 1.5-degree goal, global temperatures to rise by at least 2.5 degrees by end of this century: new UN report</a>

India's per capita GHG emissions far below world average: UNEP report

Maharashtra, Gujarat and UP lead the race in new demat accounts

The after effects of the deep depression formed over Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea that intensified into a cyclonic storm (Tauktae) over the archipelago and adjoining southeast east central Arabian Sea moving northwards during the past six hours, has caused huge damage to the coastal areas in Kerala. Even though the depression is approximately around 290 km away from Kannur, on account of the heavy rains across the state, and with the sea turning rough, the state government has been forced to open numerous camps across the state to move people to safety. According to the India Meteorological Department Tauktae is very likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours and expected to move north-north-westwards and reach near the Gujarat coast by May 18 morning. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has informed the preparedness of the state in facing any calamity arising out of the cyclonic storm. "Even though, Kerala is not in the predicted path of the <keyword id="6386783" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="CYCLONE">cyclone</keyword>, heavy rains, strong winds and strong sea gusts are expected in the State till May 16. We should exercise utmost caution in districts and adjoining districts where the Meteorological Department has issued a Red and Orange Alert," said Vijayan and appealed to all to cooperate with the authorities and move out to camps whenever told. Even though so far there has been no casualties reported, the rain and the rough sea has caused innumerable hardships to the people, who are already battling the Covid pandemic. The worst affected on account of the rough sea include the coastal hamlets in the state capital, parts of Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargode. Starting Friday night, huge number of trees were uprooted and power supply disrupted for long hours on account of the high speed winds and heavy rain. In many places the supply was restored on Saturday, while in few places it's yet to be restored. With the state under a total lockdown from May 8, the only saving grace was the police did not have much work to man people on the roads. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/go-air-has-filed-for-a-3600-crore-ipo-at-a-very-desperate-time/articleshow/82626097.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Go Air has filed for a ₹3,600 crore IPO at a very desperate time</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/markets/news/heres-why-the-spike-in-inflation-in-the-us-may-worry-markets-in-india/articleshow/82597218.cms">Here's why the spike in inflation in the US may worry markets in India ⁠— but experts say don’t panic yet</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-responds-to-privacy-criticism-by-alleging-other-apps-like-zomato-ola-aarogya-setu-zoom-google-and-other-apps/articleshow/82570897.cms">WhatsApp responds to privacy criticism by alleging that other apps and tech companies also show disdain for user privacy</a>

Cyclone Tauktae causes heavy rains in Kerala ⁠— coastal areas are badly affected

Chhattisgarh, Punjab, and Mizoram lag behind other states in administering second dose of COVID-19 vaccinations

New Delhi, May 14 () The doubling time of coronavirus infection cases has slowed down to 13.9 days in the last three days, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday, as the COVID-19 death toll rose to 2,549 and the number of cases to 78,003.The minister, who visited the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) here and dedicated the COBAS 6800 testing machine to the nation, said 14 states and Union Territories have not reported any case of COVID-19 in last 24 hours.These states and UTs are Gujarat, Telangana, Jharkhand, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Puducherry.Also, Daman and Diu, Sikkim, Nagaland and Lakshadweep have not reported any case so far."It is heartening that the last three days' (COVID-19) doubling time has slowed down to 13.9 days, while the doubling time in the past 14 days was 11.1," Vardhan was quoted as saying in a health ministry statement.About ramping up testing capability, the minister said, "We have now developed a capacity to conduct 1,00,000 tests per day. Today marks an important milestone as we have carried out nearly 20 lakh COVID-19 tests at more than 500 laboratories -- 359 government and 145 private -- in the country." The COBAS 6800, he said, is the first fully automated, high-end machine for real-time COVID-19 PCR testing procured by the government, and is installed at the NCDC."The COBAS 6800 will provide quality, high-volume testing with a high throughput of test around 1200 samples in 24 hours. It will largely increase the testing capacity with reduction in pendency," Vardhan said.Highlighting its other features, the Union Health Minister said COBAS 6800 is robotics-enabled minimising the chance of contamination as well as the risk of infection among healthcare workers since it can be operated remotely with limited human intervention. As the machine requires a minimum BSL2+ containment level for testing, it cannot be placed at just any facility. COBAS 6800 can also detect other pathogens such as viral Hepatitis B and C and HIV, according to an official statement.Vardhan also visited the control room and testing laboratories, and reviewed the current status of COVID-19 testing with NCDC Director Dr S K Sing and other senior officials, it said."I salute the pathologists, lab technicians, scientists and other staff who are our 'Corona Warriors' and working under tremendous risky conditions day and night to save their fellow countrymen," he said and stressed the people need to shun stigmatising frontline healthcare providers and applaud their contribution.Vardhan also emphasised on the quality and sturdiness of community surveillance and contact tracing in fighting the coronavirus outbreak. "It is the need of the hour that all people who are either at home or facility quarantine, need to maintain a strict vigil, and practise the protocols of social distancing, and personal hygiene. Special care needs to be taken of the elderly, pregnant women and children," he said.As many as 134 COVID-19 deaths and 3,722 fresh instances the respiratory infection were reported in 24 hours till Thursday 8 am, according to the Union Health Ministry.With 26,235 people having cured of the disease so far, Vardhan said the recovery rate has further improved to 33.6 per cent from 32.83% on Wednesday on while the fatality rate was 3.2 per cent. He also added that as of Wednesday there were 3 per cent active COVID-19 patients in ICU, 0.39 per cent on ventilators and 2.7 per cent on oxygen support. PLB NSD

Doubling time of COVID-19 cases slows down to 13.9 days in last 3 days: Vardhan

(Eds: Combining related stories) New Delhi, May 14 () The doubling time of novel coronavirus cases has slowed to 13.9 days in the last three days and India now has a capacity of 1,00,000 COVID-19 tests per day with nearly 20 lakh carried out till now, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday.His remarks came even as the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 2,549 and the number of cases climbed to 78,003 on Thursday.The health ministry said an increase of 134 deaths and 3,722 cases have been registered in the last 24 hours since Wednesday 8 am.The number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 49,219 while 26,234 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, it said."Thus, around 33.63 per cent patients have recovered so far," a senior health ministry official said.Vardhan, who visited the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) here and dedicated a COBAS 6800 testing machine to the nation, said 14 states and union territories have not reported any case of the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours.These states and union territories are Gujarat, Telangana, Jharkhand, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Puducherry.Also, Daman and Diu, Sikkim, Nagaland and Lakshadweep have not reported any case so far."It is heartening that the last three days' (COVID-19) doubling time has slowed down to 13.9 days, while the doubling time in the past 14 days was 11.1," Vardhan was quoted as saying in a health ministry statement.On ramping up testing capability, the minister said, "We have now developed a capacity to conduct 1,00,000 tests per day. Today marks an important milestone as we have carried out nearly 20 lakh COVID-19 tests at more than 500 laboratories -- 359 government and 145 private -- in the country." Vardhan said the recovery rate has further improved to 33.6 per cent from 32.83 per cent on Wednesday, while the fatality rate is at 3.2 per cent. He said as of Wednesday there were three per cent active COVID-19 patients in Intensive Care Units (ICU), 0.39 per cent on ventilators and 2.7 per cent on oxygen support. Later, participating in the 32nd Commonwealth Health Ministers' Meeting through a video link, Vardhan said it is critical to build and strengthen core capacities of developing countries for future preparedness, response and resilience towards COVID-19.He stressed on facilitating universal and affordable access to all relevant medical products and technologies, both existing and new.Indian scientists are working on developing vaccine, drugs, cost-effective diagnostic kits and various life-saving equipment with the active support of the government, Vardhan said.The Union health minister said that in implementing the world's largest lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, India's aim was to protect lives by mitigating the explosive spread of the disease and by ensuring that the country's healthcare system is able to cope with the rise in cases of the respiratory ailment."At the same time, we are mindful of saving lives as well as livelihoods and are, therefore, keeping all essential services out of the purview of the lockdown. We are gradually easing the restrictions, especially in areas where we have managed to contain the disease," he told the conference.Vardhan also said India took all necessary and timely steps, including surveillance at points of entry, evacuation of nationals abroad, surveillance in community through disease monitoring network, health infrastructure strengthening, training and capacity building of health staff, risk communication and community involvement, as part of its management efforts. India has provided essential medicines such as hydroxychloroquine to almost 100 "needy countries", extending solidarity and support during this time of crisis, he said.Meanwhile, the government has decided to use one time RT-PCR based pooled sampling for COVID-19 screening among migrant workers and returnees from abroad kept in quarantine facilities.The same testing technique would also be used for monitoring in green zone districts which have reported no cases till now or in the last 21 days, the health ministry said while issuing 'Guidelines for RT-PCR based pooled sampling for migrants/returnees from abroad/green zones'.A total of 134 deaths deaths were reported since Wednesday morning, of which 54 were in Maharashtra, 29 in Gujarat, 20 in Delhi, nine in West Bengal, seven in Madhya Pradesh, four in Rajasthan, three in Tamil Nadu, two each in Telangana and Karnataka and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh.Of the 2,549 fatalities, Maharashtra tops tally with 975 fatalities, Gujarat comes second with 566 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 232, West Bengal at 207, Rajasthan at 121, Delhi at 106, Uttar Pradesh at 83,Tamil Nadu at 64 and Andhra Pradesh at 47.The death toll reached 34 Telangana, 33 in Karnataka and 32 in Punjab. Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir have reported 11 fatalities each due to the respiratory disease while Bihar has registered seven and Kerala has reported four deaths.Jharkhand, Chandigarh and Odisha have recorded three COVID-19 fatalities each while Himachal Pradesh and Assam have reported two deaths each.Meghalaya, Uttarakhand and Puducherry have reported one fatality each, according to the ministry data.More than 70 per cent of the deaths are due to comorbidities, according to the ministry's website. PLB UZM ASK ANBANB

Doubling time of COVID-19 cases slows down to 13.9 days; about 20 lakh tests done: Vardhan

New Delhi, May 17 () The doubling time of coronavirus infection in India has improved to 13.6 days in the last three days from 11.5 in the past 14 days, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday as the country registered a record single-day jump of around 5,000 cases.The fatality rate is down to 3.1 per cent and the recovery rate has improved to 37.5 per cent, he said.Substantiating his point that the spread of the infection in the country has been slow, Vardhan said coronavirus cases in India reached the 80,000 mark in 106 days while developed nations such as the UK, Italy, Spain, Germany and the US took 44-66 days to reach that mark.Eight states and Union Territories -- Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Ladakh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Puducherry, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Dadra and Nagar Haveli --have not reported any case of COVID-19 in the last 24 hrs.Sikkim, Nagaland, Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep have not reported any case till now, Vardhan said in a statement. With India entering the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown from Monday, Vardhan said, "Our policy, perseverance coupled with aggressive and early measures through a strong leadership have shown encouraging results. While the doubling time in the past 14 days was 11.5, it has improved to 13.6 in the last three days."Also as of Saturday, 3.1 per cent of the active COVID-19 patients are in the ICU, 0.45 per cent are on ventilators and 2.7 per cent on oxygen support, the minister said.The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) announced on Sunday that the ongoing countrywide lockdown has been extended till May 31. In an order, it said that lockdown measures need to be implemented for a further period of 14 days in the country to contain the spread of COVID-19.The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 2,872 and the number of total positive cases climbed to 90,927 Sunday morning, registering an increase of 120 fatalities and a record jump of 4,987 new cases in 24 hours since Saturday 8 am, according to the Union Health Ministry.The number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 53,946, while 34,109 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, it said. "Thus, around 37.51 per cent patients have recovered so far," a senior health ministry official said.In a tweet, Vardhan said, "Because of India's well-turned strategy in the fight against COVID-19, the nation touched the 80,000-cases mark in 106 days as against 44-66 days taken by countries such as the UK, Italy, Spain, Germany and the US. I truly believe that under PM Narendra Modi's leadership, we will win this war against the pandemic."Elaborating on the health infrastructure preparedness, Vardhan said 916 dedicated COVID-19 hospitals with 1,80,473 beds -- 1,61,169 isolation and 19,304 ICU -- and 2,044 dedicated health centres with 1,28,304 beds (1,17,775 isolation beds and 10,529 ICU beds) along with 9,536 quarantine centres and 6,309 care centres with 5,64,632 beds are now available in the country.The Union health minister said that while India sees a gets accustomed to a "new normal", following simple hygiene measures like washing hands with soap frequently or using alcohol-based sanitizers, not spitting in public, sanitizing one's workplace, using face covers in public places are a must."Physical distancing is the most potent social vaccine available to us and hence it is advisable to ensure 'Do Gaz ki Doori' (two-years distance) while interacting with others and to limit social gatherings by opting virtual gatherings," he said while people advising to travel only when it is absolutely necessary and not to visit crowded places to limit the exposure to the virus.Due precautions, safe handling of food can help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the minister said.The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has advised some simple steps like washing raw fruits and vegetables in potable water, having "fully cooked" meat, avoiding sharing of utensils and cleaning of surfaces such as tables with anti-bacterial bleach wipes that can be followed to ensure food safety.Vardhan expressed his gratitude to the services being rendered by frontline health workers such as doctors, nurses, ANMs, anganwadi workers as well as the pathologists, lab technicians, scientists and others since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the statement said.They have been working under tremendously high-risk conditions in their line of duty, to save their fellow countrymen, Vardhan said and emphasized that the nation needs to shun stigmatising them and applaud their contribution."By shunning the stigma attached with COVID-19, we encourage people to report symptoms on time which will help in early detection and management of the cases thus improving the recovery rate in the country," the health minister said.He also emphasised on the importance of downloading the Aarogya Setu app which helps in self-assessment and provides surveillance of COVID-19 positive cases.Additionally, Vardhan warned against falling prey to misinformation, rumours and myths or unfounded claims regarding the coronavirus infection. Highlighting that the daily testing capacity has increased to 1,00,000 tests through 373 government and 152 private laboratories, he said, "Cumulatively, 22,79,324 COVID-19 tests have been done so far of which 90,094 samples were tested on Saturday."He also said the Centre has provided 90.22 lakh N-95 masks and 53.98 lakh Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to the states, UTs and central institutions. PLB NSDNSD

You Searched For "save lakshadweep" and got 10 results

Pics of underwater protests from a small Indian island, which is fighting its local administration

Vaamanaa Sethi

World Tourism Day: Here's where India is travelling to, and how you too, can join the bandwagon

Ira Alok Puranik

Federal Bank Q3 consolidated profit jumps 23% to Rs 1,035 cr

PTI

India's per capita GHG emissions far below world average: UNEP report

PTI

Maharashtra, Gujarat and UP lead the race in new demat accounts

Bhakti Makwana

Cyclone Tauktae causes heavy rains in Kerala ⁠— coastal areas are badly affected

IANS

Chhattisgarh, Punjab, and Mizoram lag behind other states in administering second dose of COVID-19 vaccinations

BI India Bureau

Doubling time of COVID-19 cases slows down to 13.9 days in last 3 days: Vardhan

PTI

Doubling time of COVID-19 cases slows down to 13.9 days; about 20 lakh tests done: Vardhan

PTI

COVID-19 doubling time in India improved to 13.6 days in last 3 days: Vardhan

PTI

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