YK MYK TIME TO DO AWAY WITH PROVISIONS OF PRESENT SEDITION LAW IN INDIA OPINION RANCHI SUNDAY, 28 FEB, 2021 PG-12, YEAR—10, ISSUE—294 (RNI NO: JHAENG / 2012 / 44137) MAX 32 C MIN 18 C Sky will be partly cloudy. AT A GLANCE POLICE, ARMY FOIL MAOISTS TERROR PLOT, DEACTIVATE IEDS GAYA: A joint operation launched by the Bihar police and the Army averted a major terror attack planned by the Maoists near the Chakrabandha police station area in Naxalaffected Gaya district in Bihar. The security forces recovered and disabled 83 IEDs planted on the road. A police official on Saturday said an operation was carried out by the security forces against the Maoists on Friday in the border areas of Aurangabad and Gaya districts. As many as 83 landmines planted by the Maoists in the Chakrabandha forest across 150 metres were recovered which were later disabled. PUNE ODIS TO BE PLAYED WITHOUT SPECTATORS PUNE: The three-match ODI series between India and England in Pune will be played without spectators due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, the state cricket association said on Saturday. The three matches are slated to be played at the MCA Stadium in Gahunje on the outskirts of the city on March 23, 26 and 28. "Keeping the seriousness of the current spike in COVID cases in Maharashtra, after inputs from the Hon'ble Chief Minister, it was decided that permission will be granted for these matches without spectators," the Maharashtra Cricket Association said in a media release. CORONA METER INDIA SPORTS Morning India Rs. 5 WEATHER TODAY INDIAN WOMEN'S ODI, T20I TEAMS FOR SERIES VS SA NAMED Use less plastic to make toys: PM tells industries NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday appealed to the toy industries in the country to use less plastic to manufacture toys. Speaking after inaugurating the India Toy Fair 2021, the Prime Minister stressed on the need to use raw materials while making toys so that these can be recycled. "Today, I would also like to appeal to the toy manufacturers of the country to make toys that are better for both ecology and psychology. Can we try to use less plastic in toys? Use things that can recycle," Modi said. He said "our toys reflect reuse and recycling that has been a part of the Indian lifestyle". The Prime Minister said most Indian toys are built out of natural and eco-friendly material, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing at the inauguration of the India Toy Fair 2021, through video conferencing,, in New Delhi on Saturday. ANI the colours used in them are natural and safe. "Through such efforts, we aim to add momentum to the efforts of toy industry to grow further," Modi added. Noting that toys play a significant part in the development of a child's mind and also help improve psychomotor and cognitive skills in the children, the Prime Minister said the new national education policy incorporates play-based and activitybased education on a large scale. "This is such an education system in which children should be given logical and creative thinking through riddles and games, special attention is given to it." In his "Mann Ki Baat" address in August last year, the Prime Minister had said that toys not only augment activity, but also give flight to aspirations. Noting the importance of toys in the holistic development of a child, the Prime Minister has earlier also emphasized boosting toy manufacturing in India. The four-day fair, from THE FOUR-DAY FAIR, FROM FEBRUARY 27 TO MARCH 2, AIMS TO BRING TOGETHER ALL STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING BUYERS, SELLERS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND DESIGNERS ON A VIRTUAL PLATFORM TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE LINKAGES AND ENCOURAGE DIALOGUE FOR THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRY. February 27 to March 2, aims to bring together all stakeholders including buyers, sellers, students, teachers, and designers on a virtual platform to create sustainable linkages and encourage dialogue for the overall development of the industry. MORE ON PG 5 NITI Aayog proposes vax price between Rs 300-500 NEW DELHI: The NITI Aayog has promulgated a price range of Rs 300-500 for two Covid vaccines that would be available for the priority group at private facilities in the third phase of vaccination set to begin from March 1, sources privy to the development told IANS, adding that the Bharat Biotech's Covaxin would cost a bit higher. However, the union health ministry would take a final call on the proposition. The proposed price has been floated after a five-hour long meeting held between the Dr VK Paul, member (health), NITI Aayog and officials from Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech on Friday evening, which was concluded around 11 p.m., sources added. "This would be the price end-user would pay for a dose. It includes the service charge the private facilities can take from the beneficiaries," a top official said. IANS had reported earlier that private facilities will be able to collect a "service charge" of up to Rs 100 from the beneficiaries to meet the operational expenses they will be incurring during the vaccination drive against Covid-19. This will be in addition to the cost of the vaccines. As per reports, the government has been procuring TOTAL CASES: 1,10,79,999 TOTAL DEATH: 156,976 WORLD TOTAL CASES: 113,671,973 TOTAL DEATH: 2,521,573 HIGHLIGHTS As per reports, the government has been procuring SII's Covishield for around Rs 210 per dose while the cost of Covaxin is around Rs 290 for a shot. The third phase of vaccination will begin from March 1 and will cover 27 crore people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities at 10,000 government and over 20,000 private vaccination centres. SII's Covishield for around Rs 210 per dose while the cost of Covaxin is around Rs 290 for a shot. The third phase of vaccination will begin from March 1 and will cover 27 crore people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities at 10,000 government and over 20,000 private vaccination centres. The government has decided that the people will be vaccinated free of cost at the government hospitals, while those taking the shots at private hospitals will have to pay. COVID-19 VACCINE PRICE AT PRIVATE FACILITIES CAPPED AT RS 250 PER DOSE NEW DELHI: The price of the coronavirus vaccine at private facilities in the country has been capped at Rs 250 per dose which includes Rs 100 as service charge, according to central government sources. From March 1, India is going to start the vaccination of people above 60 years. PG 5 Sants carrying a flag to put on ahead of the Haridwar Maha Kumbh, in Haridwar on Saturday. NIA names 4 in Delhi-Jharkhand human trafficking charge sheet RANCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed its first supplementary charge sheet against four people for running a human trafficking racket from Jharkhand to Delhi and neighbouring states. The gang used to traffic vulnerable poor boy and girls from Jharkhand on the pretext of providing them jobs in Delhi and neighbouring states. The case pertains to human trafficking in the guise of running placement agencies. It was initially registered in Jharkhand's Khunti district on July 19, 2019 THE CASE PERin which 37TAINS TO HUMAN year-old kingpin TRAFFICKING IN of the gang, THE GUISE OF Panna Lal RUNNING PLACEMahto, was MENT AGENCIES. arrested. Mahato IT WAS INITIALLY was running a REGISTERED IN human traffickJHARKHAND'S ing network in KHUNTI DISTRICT Jharkhand and ON JULY 19, 2019 Delhi. IN WHICH KINGThe NIA took PIN OF THE GANG, over the case on PANNA LAL, WAS June 13 last ARRESTED. year. During investigations, it was revealed that Panna Lal, along with his wife Sunita, was operating a human trafficking network in the guise of six placement agencies in Delhi. Sunita is still absconding. The agency said that the victims were exploited and were never paid the promised remunerations. Two other accused, Gopal Oraon and Shiv Shankar Ganjhu, were arrested during investigations. They were close associates of Panna and were actively involved in trafficking vulnerable persons from Jharkhand. Investigation has also revealed that both were owners of three placement agencies in Delhi, involved in human trafficking racket. In order to unveil the racket, twenty-two victims have been identified, rescued and examined till now, the NIA said while presenting the charge sheet in a special court here against four people-- Mahato, Sunita, Oraon and Ganjhu. CONG ‘GETTING WEAKER’ G-23 leaders meet to ‘strengthen grand old party’ JAMMU: Senior Congress leaders Kapil Sibal and Anand Sharma on Saturday stated that the G-23 or the group of 23 dissenting leaders are seeing the Congress party "getting weaker" and are raising their voice for the betterment of the party. "The truth is that we see Congress party getting weak. That is why we have gathered here. We had gathered together earlier too and we have to strengthen the party together," Sibal said at the 'Shanti Sammelan' event here. Anand Sharma who addressed the 'Shanti Sammelan' said that "Congress has weakened in the last decade." "Our voice is for the betterment of the party. It should be strengthened everywhere once again. The new genera- Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibal at 'Shanti Sammelan in Jammu on Saturday. tion should connect (to party). We have seen good days of Congress. We do not want to see it weakening as we become older," he said. Sibal and Sharma along with former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Raj Babbar and Vivek Tankha are among other Congress leaders who were present at the event organised by former Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad. Azad is the senior-most member among the 23 leaders, who had expressed dissent with the functioning of the Congress party and had written a letter to Sonia Gandhi in August last year. The 'Shanti Sammelan' event has been organised days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "NorthSouth" remark, which has led to a controversy over the past few days. The event is being held at a time when Rahul Gandhi is campaigning in Tamil Nadu. Raj Babbar in his address said: "People say 'G23', I say Gandhi 23. With the belief, resolve and thinking of Mahatma Gandhi, this nation's law and Constitution was formed. Congress is standing strongly to take these forward. 'G23' want Congress to be strong." Mamata, Sonowal, Pinarayi still favoured as CM NEW DELHI: Three incumbents -Mamata Banerjee, Sarbananda Sonowal and Pinarayi Vijayan -enjoy strong approval ratings as their respective states go to the polls. Of the five states going to the polls, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami is much behind M K Stalin of the DMK as CM choice while N Rangaswamy is leading the race in Puducherry. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata is much ahead of the pack with more than half or 54.5 per cent respondents in the IANS C Voter opinion poll wave 2 saying she is the most suitable candidate for CM. Dilip Ghosh, state BJP President comes second with 24.6 per cent of the vote. Similarly, Assam CM Sonowal is very popular with 43.3 per cent casting their vote in his favour followed by Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress with 26.4 per cent. Gaurav is the son of former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi who passed away recently. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan is headed for another win as 38.5 per cent respondents favoured him as CM followed by Oommen Chandy of the Congress with 27 per cent. In Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin of the DMK who has had a long wait to become Chief Minister is the favoured candidate with 39.4 per cent while Chief Minister E Palaniswami may be on his way out with 32.1 per cent giving him the nod. The star studded list in Tamil Nadu includes Sasikala, Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth. N Rangaswamy backed by the BJP and AIADMK is set to become Puducherry CM with 45.8 per cent favouring him with ousted Congress CM V Narayanasami getting approval of only 38.2 per cent. Despite being the top choice as a Chief Minister in West Bengal, the voter in the state prefers Narendra Modi as a suitable candidate for the Prime Minister's post. However, Lok Sabha MP from Kerala's Wayanad constituency Rahul Gandhi is preferred in the state over Modi for the Prime Minister's post. A total of 34.44 respondents preferred Gandhi, son of Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi, as a suitable candidate for the post while 33.71 per cent people think Modi as a most suitable candidate for the office. Interestingly in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, 19.94 per cent people prefer Gandhi as most suitable for the post of Prime Minister while about 21.84 per cent find Modi as the best candidate for the job. In West Bengal, only 10.16 per cent respondents believe that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the most suitable for the Prime Minister's post. ISRO TO LAUNCH AMAZONIA-1 TODAY NELLORE: Countdown for the launch of PSLVC51/Amazonia-1 mission commenced on Saturday from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. "Countdown for the launch of #PSLVC51/Amazonia-1 mission commenced today at 08:54 am from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. The launch is scheduled tomorrow at 10:24 am," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said. Primary satellite Amazonia-1 of Brazil and 18 co-passenger satellites onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C51) are scheduled to be launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) Sriharikota Range (SHAR) on February 28, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said here on Thursday. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C51), which is the 53rd mission of PSLV, will launch Amazonia-1 of Brazil as primary satellite and 18 Co-passenger satellites will lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 10:24 am on Sunday. PSLVC51/Amazonia-1 is the first dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Government of India company.