This Article is From Feb 02, 2021

Latest News Live Updates: Pensioners Above 75 Exempted From Filing Income Tax Returns

Latest News Live Updates: This year, the focus is likely to be on the healthcare sector in the Union Budget 2021.

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Latest News Updates: Nirmala Sitharaman presents Budget 2021

New Delhi:

More than a year after India recorded its first case of coronavirus, which triggered countrywide restrictions, Nirmala Sitharaman today presented the Union Budget 2021 in parliament. The country's health spending has been increased considerably.

Pensioners above 75 years of age will not be required to file income tax returns, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today as she presented the Union Budget 2021 in parliament.

India's coronavirus tally surged to 1,07,57,610 with over 11,000 new cases in the last 24 hours. Yesterday, Prime Minster Narendra Modi asserted that India is vaccinating its citizens "faster than anywhere in the world". In his monthly radio address "Mann Ki Baat", the Prime Minister also highlighted the fact that the country was able to help other nations in their inoculation drive. More than 1.07 crore cases have been logged so far; 1.04 crore patients have recovered in the country in a year. Over 1.5 lakh deaths linked to Covid have been registered. The number of healthcare workers vaccinated has crossed the 37 lakh-mark on the 15th day of the countrywide Covid-19 inoculation programme, the government data shows.

Farmers' protest near Delhi borders continues to grab the country's attention with more protesters joining the agitation after the clashes on Republic Day. PM Modi yesterday said "India was insulted by the insult to the tricolour".

Another important news that's emerging from Myanmar where country's leader Aung San Suu Kyi was detained in an apparent coup and the military has declared one-year emergency. "We have noted the developments in Myanmar with deep concern. India has always been steadfast in its support to the process of democratic transition in Myanmar. We believe that the rule of law and the democratic process must be upheld. We are monitoring the situation closely," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Here are the Latest News Live Updates on, Union Budget 2021 and Other Big Stories:

Feb 02, 2021 05:25 (IST)
UK COVID-19 variant present in 82 countries, South African strain in 39: WHO

The UK COVID-19 variant has now spread to 82 countries and the South African strain to nearly 40, Maria Van Kerkhove, COVID-19 Technical Lead of the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Emergencies Programme, said on Monday.
Feb 01, 2021 23:23 (IST)
Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava visits Delhi-UP border

Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava on Monday visited Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border and took stock of the security arrangements. Mr Srivastava also briefed the police personnel and appreciated their hard work, Delhi Police said.

Security has been tightened at the Ghazipur as well as other borders including Singhu and Tikri.

Nails have been fixed on the ground near barricades near Ghazipur

The protest at the Ghazipur border entered its 66th day on Monday.
Feb 01, 2021 23:13 (IST)
With 3 In 24 Hours, Delhi Records Lowest COVID-19 Deaths In 10 Months

The national capital reported 121 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths due to the disease today, the lowest in the last 10 months, authorities said. Read Here
Feb 01, 2021 22:59 (IST)
Austria to loosen lockdown, allowing shops and schools to reopen

Austria said on Monday it will loosen its coronavirus lockdown from Monday next week, switching to a nighttime curfew and letting non-essential shops and schools reopen despite infections remaining higher than the government would like.

Only pupils who have been tested will be allowed to attend lessons, with others able to join online, the government said in a statement, adding that tests will be carried out in schools and older pupils' classes will be split into separate groups.

Customers will have to wear FFP2 face masks in shops, it added
Feb 01, 2021 22:50 (IST)
WHO team having "productive talks" in China about COVID's origins

A World Health Organization team visiting China to explore the origins of the coronavirus is having productive talks with its Chinese counterparts, Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead for COVID-19, said on Monday.

"They are having very productive discussions with Chinese counterparts, visiting different hospitals ..a very good visit" to a marketplace, she told a virtual briefing in Geneva.
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Feb 01, 2021 22:37 (IST)
64 new COVID-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh reported 64 new cases of COVID-19 and one death in Krishna district.

According to the media bulletin released by the state nodal officer, the total count of cases in the state has risen to 88,79,00, while active cases are 1,242.

A total of 21,922 samples have been tested in the state in the past 24 hours.
Feb 01, 2021 22:16 (IST)
Farmer Leaders Say Will Block Roads Across The Country On Saturday

Farmers protesting against the centre's three farm laws have called for a countrywide "chakka jam" protest on Saturday. The protest will be held only for three hours -- from noon to 3 pm -- during which all transport will be brought to a standstill.  Read Here
Feb 01, 2021 21:30 (IST)
40,782 administered COVID-19 vaccines in Maharashtra

A total of 40,782 healthcare staffers were administered COVID-19 vaccines at 531 centres held on Monday across Maharashtra, taking the tally of those inoculated so far to more than 3 lakh, the state government said.

According to an official statement, 40,311 of the beneficiaries were administered Covishield vaccine.

The remaining 471 beneficiaries received Covaxin jabs, the government said. Covaxin was inoculated at six places: Amravati, Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Solapur and Aurangabad, it added.
Feb 01, 2021 21:15 (IST)
South Africa Receives First Batch Of Covid Vaccine Doses From India

South Africa's first coronavirus vaccine doses arrived by airplane on Monday, offering some relief for health workers who have been stretched during a second wave of infections and are first in line for the shots. Read Here
Feb 01, 2021 21:02 (IST)
South Africa Receives First Batch Of Covid Vaccine Doses From India
Feb 01, 2021 20:48 (IST)
96 more birds found dead in Maharashtra; samples sent for analysis
Maharashtra has reported deaths of 96 more birds, most of them poultry birds, amid the avian influenza scare, the state government said on Monday.

Their samples are being sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal and Disease Investigation Section, Pune, for testing to ascertain the cause of the death of these birds on Sunday, it said. 

According to an official statement, 77 of these were poultry birds. The government said 15 crows and four otherbirds, including herons and parrots, also died on Sunday.
Feb 01, 2021 20:19 (IST)
South Africa gets first vaccine doses, bringing relief to health workers
South Africa's first coronavirus vaccine doses arrived by airplane on Monday, offering some relief for health workers who have been stretched during a second wave of infections and are first in line for the shots.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and other top officials were at the OR Tambo international airport to receive the 1 million shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine, produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII). Some scientists and health workers have publicly criticised Ramaphosa's government for not securing access to vaccines sooner.

In remarks carried on state broadcaster SABC, Ramaphosa said he was delighted the first shots had arrived and that he would say more during an address to the nation scheduled for 1800 GMT.
Feb 01, 2021 20:07 (IST)
Budget 2021 Reflects Sidelining Of Non-BJP Ruled States: Amarinder Singh

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday flayed the Union Budget, saying it reflects the Centre's "persistent efforts to sideline" non-BJP ruled states. Read Here
Feb 01, 2021 19:46 (IST)
Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal: Why Cannot Prime Minister Narendra Modi Meet Protesting Farmers And Resolve The Issue

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers can't meet the farmers protesting for days in the cold and resolve the issue. Read Here
Feb 01, 2021 19:17 (IST)
Budget 2021: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Proposes Rs 1,500 Crore For Scheme To Promote Digital Payments

As many as Rs 1,500 crore has been proposed for a scheme that will provide financial incentive to promote digital modes of payment and further boost digital transactions, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) said on Monday.  Read Here
Feb 01, 2021 19:02 (IST)
Operational Reasons: Railways After Punjab Mail Diverted
The Punjab Mail was diverted while another train was short-terminated Monday, prompting charges that it was done to prevent farmers from reaching Delhi to join the ongoing protests against the three new farm laws, even as the Railways said the move was an operational necessity.
Feb 01, 2021 18:34 (IST)
Centre Earmarks Rs 2,217 Crore In Budget 2021 To Tackle Air Pollution
The Centre today earmarked a sum of Rs 2,217 crore for tackling air pollution in 42 urban centres, even as it shrunk the budgetary allocation for the environment ministry from the 2021 fiscal by nearly eight percent for 2021-22.
Feb 01, 2021 18:15 (IST)
Union Budget 2021: Rs 35,000 Crore Allocation For Vaccines Will Help End Pandemic: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has appreciated the 2021-2022 Budget, saying the allocation of Rs 35,000 crore for COVID-19 vaccines and commitment to provide further support will help end this pandemic and expedite economic recovery.
Feb 01, 2021 17:48 (IST)
Another Mahatma Gandhi Statue Vandalised In US, Indian-Americans Protest
Indian Americans on Sunday held protest against the vandalism of a Mahatma Gandhi statue in California's Davisand demanded reinstallation of the statue.
Feb 01, 2021 17:37 (IST)
Subsidy Bill Nears Rs 6 Lakh Crore In Financial Year 2021 Mainly On Extra Free Food Grain Distribution
The government's subsidies on food, fertilisers, LPG and kerosene are pegged at Rs 5.96 lakh crore in the current fiscal, over 2.5-fold jump from the initial budget estimates as the Centre distributed additional foodgrains free of cost to help poor mitigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.



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