CEA: India’s response strategy prevented 3.7mn Covid cases
NEW DELHI: Chief Economic Advisor Dr K Subramanian on Friday said India’s COVID-19 response strategy helped the country to prevent 3.7 million cases and 100.000 deaths.
Addressing a press conference on Economic Survey 2020-21, Subramanian said India’s COVID-19 response was guided by research, epidemiology and economics.
“The first chapter in the economic survey in volume I is about India’s policy response saving lives and livelihood amidst once in a century crisis. India’s response was guided by research and epidemiology and economics...the early intense lockdown not only saves more human lives but also enables a quicker and better economic recovery,” he said.
“According to survey estimaeconomic tion, India avoided 37 lakh (3.7 million) cases and about 1 lakh deaths to the strategy the country adopted. Maharashtra is under performer both in cases and in deaths. In cases, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Bihar are over performers while in deaths Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are over performers,” he added.
The CEA said this year’s economic survey is dedicated to all COVID-19 warriors who have really helped in upholding India.
“If you see the cover of the survey, we have COVID warriors joining hands to uphold India.
Doctors, nurses, scientists who have helped in developing the vaccine in record time, sanitation workers and others,” he said. “In this year of adversity when once in a century pandemic has hit us, India outweighed the opportunities that this pandemic provides,” he said.
Subramanian likened India’s economic recovery to the Indian cricket team’s recent victory against Australia.
“The cover also captures the V-shaped recovery that has happened in the economy. In fact, it mirrors V-shape performance that the Indian cricket team delivered in Australia well after being short out for 36 in an hour, they went on to win the series. The resilience of the Indian economy is mirroring the resilience of Indian cricket team as well,” he said.
NEW DELHI: All schools for classes 9 and 11 students as well as degree diploma institutions in the national capital will reopen from February 5, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday.
The conditions would be similar to the ones announced when schools reopened for students of classes 10 and 12 on January 18, he said, adding that students will attend classes only with the consent of parents, physical attendance will not be compulsory and all schools and colleges will be expected to follow the COVID-19 guidelines.
“Schools for classes 9 and 11 students, as well as colleges and degree diploma institutions will reopen in Delhi from February 5, following COVID protocols. The students will attend classes in a staggered manner and with the permission of parents,” Sisodia
K SUBRAMANIAN LIKENS INDIA’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY TO THE INDIAN CRICKET TEAM’S RECENT VICTORY AGAINST AUSTRALIA
said. Schools were closed in March last year ahead of a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Meanwhile, India added 18,855 fresh COVID-19 cases in a span of 24 hours, a jump from the previous day’s count of 11,666, the Union Health ministry said on Friday.
The country’s COVID-19 tally is now 1,07,20,048. India’s death toll due to the viral disease in the country has climbed to 1,54,010 with 163 more fatalities.
KOLKATA: Days after quitting the Mamata Banerjee cabinet, TMC leader Rajib Banerjee on Friday resigned as the MLA of the West Bengal Assembly, as speculation that he might join the saffron camp ahead of the state elections picked up steam.
The former forest minister, who represented the Domjur Assembly seat, visited the state assembly in the morning and submitted his resignation to Speaker Biman Banerjee.
“I have resigned as MLA of the state assembly. I have submitted my resignation letter to the speaker. I thank my party supremo Mamata Banerjee for providing me with an opportunity to serve the masses,” he said.
Asked if he would quit the ruling party, the disgruntled TMC leader, who had been critical of his colleagues on several occasions, said he is yet to take a call on the matter.
“I have not decided anything as yet. I will clear my stand tomorrow,” he said.
Replying to a query about chances of his switchover to the BJP, Banerjee said, “If you want to serve the masses, you need to be associated with a political party. People always want a politician to be associated with a party. But I have not spoken with BJP leaders so far,” He, however, stressed that he will “continue to serve the people of my constituency in the days to come”.
Incidentally, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address a rally in Banerjee’s home district Howrah on January 31.
Banerjee, a popular mass leader in Howrah, influences eight of the 16 assembly seats in the district.