YK MYK EVERY POLITICAL LEADER INCLUDING PUNJAB CM ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT IMPACT ON POLL OPINION Rs. 3 KOLKATA MONDAY, 17 JAN, 2022 PG- 8, YEAR— 8, ISSUE— 237 (RNI NO: WBENG / 2014 / 56803) AT A GLANCE ANIT THAPA’S PARTY TO SUPPORT TMC SILIGURI: In the upcoming Siliguri Municipal Corporation elections, Bimal GurungRoshan Giri's Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership said that they will support the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Adding to this, Anit Thapa, another popular leader of the hills, who ceded from the front and formed his own political party said on Sunday that his party, the Indian Gorkha Republican Front (BGPM), would support the Trinamool Congress in the Nepali-dominated areas of Siliguri constituency. He said that his party will also campaign for the TMC if need arises subject to the exact poll strategy of the ruling party. LATA MANGESHKAR CONTINUES TO BE IN ICU: DOCTOR MUMBAI: Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar continues to be under treatment in the ICU of a city hospital here, the doctor treating her said on Sunday. The 92-yearold singer tested positive for coronavirus with mild symptoms and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Breach Candy Hospital in south Mumbai last week. Associate professor Dr Pratit Samdani from the Breach Candy Hospital told PTI, "She continues to be in the ICU and is under treatment". Mangeshkar's niece Rachana Shah had on Thursday said the singer is doing well and requested the media to respect the privacy of the family. INDIA LOGS 2,71,202 NEW COVID CASES NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing Covid-19 resurgence, India reported 2,71,202 fresh Covid cases in last 24 hours which pushed the active caseload to 15,50,377, accounting for 4.18 per cent of the country's total positive cases, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Sunday. CORONA METER INDIA TOTAL CASES: 37,122,164 TOTAL DEATHS: 486,094 WORLD TOTAL CASES: 327,199,527 TOTAL DEATHS: 5,555,306 INDIA OPEN BADMINTON: SATWIK-CHIRAG PAIR WINS MEN'S DOUBLES TITLE SPORTS Morning India REPUBLIC DAY PARADE Mamata writes to Modi urging to reconsider ‘tableau’ decision MI NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA: Reconsider the decision to drop the Bengal tableau that was supposed to be featured on the occasion of Republic Day. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She wrote in the letter that she was shocked and saddened by the decision taken by the Centre. The arbitrary decision has insulted the freedom fighters of Bengal. Asking for reconsidering the matter, the Chief Minister wrote in the letter, "Bengal has played a leading and significant role in the freedom struggle of the country." That is why the people of Bengal have been hurt by the decision taken by the Centre.' Keeping in mind the 75th year of India's independence, the Centre has decided to celebrate Republic Day and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's birth anniversary simultaneously this year. Keeping this in view, the West Bengal government sought permission from the Centre to send the tableau related to the issue. But it has been cancelled. Last year also, the India’s vax drive has added great strength in fight against Covid: PM NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India's vaccination programme has added great strength to the fight against Covid-19. On completion of one year of vaccination drive, Modi saluted each and every individual who is associated with the vaccination drive. The Prime Minister lauded the role of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers for vaccination drive. He said that India's vaccination programme has added great strength to the fight against Covid-19. In response to a tweet by MyGovIndia in a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said, "Today we mark #1YearOfVaccineDrive. I salute each and every individual who is associated with the vaccination drive. Our vaccination programme has added great strength to the fight against COVID-19. It has led to saving lives and thus protecting livelihoods." "When the COVID-19 pandemic first struck, we did not know much about the virus. However, our scientists and innovators immersed themselves in developing vaccines. India feels proud that our nation has been able to contribute to fighting the pandemic through vaccines," he said. The Prime Minister mentioned that role of our doctors, nurses and health care workers is exceptional. "At the same time, the role of our doctors, nurses and healthcare workers is exceptional. When we see glimpses of people being vaccinated in remote areas, or our healthcare workers taking the vaccines there, our hearts and minds are filled with pride," he said. The Prime Minister emphasized that India's approach to fighting the pandemic will remain science based. "India's approach to fighting the pandemic will always remain science based. We are also augmenting health infrastructure to ensure our fellow citizens get proper care," Modi said. Centre cancelled the State tableau featuring Kanyashree and several social projects, in the Republic Day parade. The theme of this year's Republic Day is 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'. According to a Central government source, it has been decided that Republic Day celebrations will begin from January 23 to mark the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. At the same time, it has been learned that on the occasion of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary, Republic Day celebrations will start from LAKSHYA SEN WINS INDIA OPEN 2022, DEFEATS LOH KEAN YEW IN SUMMIT CLASH NEW DELHI: India shuttler Lakshya Sen won the men's singles final of the ongoing India Open 2022 here at the KD Jadhav Stadium here on Sunday. Lakshya Sen defeated Singapore's Loh Kean Yew 24-22, 21-17 in the summit clash that lasted for 54 minutes. This is the first time that Sen has managed to win the Super 500 title in his career. Lakshya Sen was comfortably leading the first game, but world champion Kean Yew came from behind, and it was evenly poised at 22-22. The India shuttler then raised his game to win the first game 24-22. The 20-year-old Sen continued with his momentum and he went on to win the summit clash in straight games. Earlier on Sunday, the duo of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy clinched victory in the men's doubles finals of Indian Open 2022, which is part of the BWF World Tour tournament series. The Indian pair defeated the Indonesian duo of Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan in straight games 21-16, 26-24 in the summit clash that lasted for 43 minutes. ‘Aroma, lavender cultivation popular option for agricultural startup in J&K’ NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Jitendra Singh on Sunday said here that aroma/lavender cultivation has become a popular option in farming for agricultural startups in Jammu and Kashmir. Noting that the 'Purple Revolution' is J&K's contribution to 'Start-ups India' -- an initiative that was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016, he said that the Aroma Mission launched by the Union Ministry of Science & Technology through the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), which has led to the wellknown "Purple Revolution" in India. The Minister also informed that the CSIR had, to begin with introduced high-value essential oil bearing lavender crop through its Jammu based laboratory, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (IIIM) for cultivation in districts Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and later also in the other districts including Ramban, Pulwama, etc. In a brief span of time, aroma/lavender cultivation has become a popular option in farming for agricultural start-up, he added. Sharing a lesser known fact, Singh disclosed that a youth called Bharat Bhushan hailing from remote village Khillani in district Doda has become a role model success story. Bhushan started lavender cultivation in just about 0.1 hectare of land with the sup- port of CSIR-IIIM but as profits started showing, he converted a larger area of maize plantation around his house also into lavender plantation. Today, he has 20 others working on his lavender fields and Nursery while around 500 farmers from his district have also followed him by switching over from maize to perennial flowering lavender plant, he said. He also informed that Indian Institutes of Integrated Medicine (IIIM) Jammu was helping the Start-ups in aroma and lavender farming to sell their produce wherein the prominent companies like Mumbai based Ajmal Biotech Private Limited, Aditi International and NavnaitriGamika, etc. are the primary buyers. January 23 instead of January 24 every year. With that in mind, the theme of Bengal was named 'Netaji and Azad Hind Bahini'. In the letter written to the PM, Mamata has shown the role of personalities like Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Aurobindo Ghosh and Birsa Munda in the freedom struggle. The Chief Minister wrote, 'Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay first gave the clarion call of nationalism by penning 'Vande Mataram '. It later became the national song. Ramesh Chandra Dutt was the first such individual to write an essay criticising the colonial economy of the then British rulers. Surendranath Banerjea set up the first national political organisation in the country, which was named the Indian Association. Mamata Banerjee candidly stated that the Centre's decision to cancel the tableau from Bengal means denial of such a glorious history. It is tantamount to insulting the Bengali community as a whole. That is why she wrote in the letter, 'I am shocked and saddened by the decision of the Central government. It has literally insulted the freedom fighters.' CBSE set to conduct Class 10, 12 phase-2 board exams amid Covid surge NEW DELHI: As exams across the country have been scrapped in view of the surging Covid-19 cases, the CBSE Board and the Union Ministry of Education are all set to conduct Term 2 of the 10th and 12th board examinations, the first phase of which were held in November-December, 2021 and the second phase is scheduled to be conducted in MarchApril. The chances of the second term of the board examination getting cancelled this year are very slim, as health experts had earlier mentioned that the third wave is under control. The duration of the second phase of exams will be of two hours and the questions will be subjective. Dr. Joseph Emmanuel, Academic Director of CBSE, told IANS: "The sample question papers and the marking schemes for Term 2 examinations of Class 10 and 12 have been released on the website and the schools affiliated to CBSE Board have been alerted too." Sanyam Bhardwaj, CBSE's controller of examinations, said: "If the situation gets worse, only then the second term of examinations will not be held. Marks obtained in the first phase will be considered final and based on them, the results will be prepared. But if such a situation does not arise and the second term is held successfully, the final result will be decided on the basis of 50-50 per cent marks of these two terms." Both the Union Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health are paying special attention to the vaccination of students between the 15-18 years of age group so that they can appear for the board exams safely. Pankaj Rathore, principal of Seth Jaipuria School, said: "The preparation for the exam and the Covid situation has made children used to the hybrid mode of learning. School's new method of evaluation will help us move beyond the traditional notions of assessment. Schools must keep up with the situation and ensure that students are well prepared for pre board and board exams. He added: "Offline classes are being planned for these children after immunisation of the 15-18 years age group is complete. Vaccination camps within the school premises will help the children feel at home. It is important to observe the students for a few days after vaccination as their health is our top priority." Talking about the children's health being the first priority, the Ministry of Education said that the CBSE Board exams will be held while strictly adhering to all the Covid protocols. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is soon going to do a show called 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' for which more and more students, teachers and parents are being encouraged to register. According to the Ministry, this year the format of this programme has been proposed to be kept online like last year. An online creative writing competition on various topics is being organised from December 28 to January 20 to select the participants. The questions asked by the selected winners will be included in the 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' programme. School students, teachers and parents of Classes 9-12 students will be selected through an online competition.