CoWIN won’t schedule appointment for second dose of COVID vaccine

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The CoWIN portal is no more automatically scheduling an appointment for the second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19. So far, people could register on the portal for getting the vaccine shots.

RS Sharma, the chairman of the Empowered Group on COVID-19 vaccination, told about the development to news agency ANI on Thursday. Sharma said those wanting to take the second dose should schedule it themselves as per the recommended gap between the two doses of the vaccine.

Now, CoWIN does not schedule your second dose vaccination appointment automatically. You should schedule it yourself as per the recommended gap between the two doses of the vaccine: RS Sharma, Chairman, Empowered Group on COVID vaccination pic.twitter.com/A6RLnFi74a

— ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2021

The move comes after the Central government directed the states and Union Territories to increase the gap between two doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca developed Covishield (not applicable for Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin) to 4-8 weeks, instead of the earlier 4-6 weeks.

Earlier, on March 1, as India began its second phase of vaccination with senior citizens, aged above 60, and those with co-morbidities in the age group of 45 to 59, the CoWIN app and portal encountered several glitches.

Explaining its new directive asking state governments and Union Territories to increase the time interval for the second dosage of the Covishield vaccine, the Union Health Ministry had said on March 22: “In view of the emerging scientific evidence, the interval between two doses of a specific COVID-19 vaccine, i.e., COVISHIELD has been revisited by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) and subsequently by National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) in its 20th meeting. The recommendation has been revised to provide the second dose of COVISHIELD at 4-8 weeks’ interval after the first dose instead of earlier practised interval of 4-6 weeks (sic).”

You can anyway still register in the CoWIN app for the vaccine. Here’s how you can do it:

Download CoWIN from the app store or visit cowin.gov.in. You need to enter your mobile number, Aadhar number or any other government identification number. However, you may experience delays on the portal, as crores of people would be trying to register themselves.

Once you have registered, you will get a list of all vaccination centres in your vicinity, from which you will have to choose a centre and a time slot. Though you can also walk into a centre without registration, if the quota for the day is over, you’ll be asked to return the next day. Once you choose a centre and time slot, you cannot change it.

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‘I’m being made a scapegoat,’ says Sachin Vaze as NIA court extends his custody till April 3

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A Special NIA court in Mumbai extended the custody of suspended police officer Sachin Vaze till April 3.

Vaze was arrested by the NIA on March 13 in connection with the recovery of an explosives-laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in south Mumbai.

Vaze told the court that he is being made a scapegoat and has nothing to with the case.

“I was investigating officer of the case for one and a half days, and did whatever I could in that capacity. But there was a sudden change in some plan somewhere. I went to the NIA office on my own and was arrested,” the police officer said, adding he had not confessed to anything.

Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, the NIA lawyer, told court that everybody was shocked to find that a policeman was involved in the crime. During the probe, the NIA recovered 62 bullets from his house and it needed to probe why they were kept there, Singh said. The police department had issued Waze 30 bullets of which only five were recovered, and the rest were yet to be found, the ASG added

Vaze is also facing heat in the murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was in possession of the explosives-laden Scorpio car. Hiran was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5.  His wife had accused Waze of involvement in her husband’s suspicious death.

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Chief Jaljeet Singh on Tuesday said that Sachin Vaze was involved in the murder of Thane-resident Mansukh Hiran.

Vaze (49) is a former ‘encounter specialist’ and is credited with eliminating many criminals in ‘encounters’.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Kumbh duration curtailed to 1 month for first time; pilgrims must show ‘negative’ COVID test report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The duration of Kumbh Mela in Haridwar has been curtailed to just one month for the first time in its history in view of a recent surge in COVID-19 cases and it has been made mandatory for pilgrims to have a ”negative” RT-PCR test report to attend the mega congregation.

According to a notification, the congregation on the banks of the Ganges in Haridwar in Uttarakhand will take place from April 1 to 30, with three ”shahi snan” (major bathing) dates on April 12, 14 and 27.

Thousands of devotees take a dip in the holy river during the mela with their number increasing manifold on the days of ”shahi snan”. Authorities also expect heavy turnouts on the occasions of Chaitra Pratipada on April 13 and Ram Navami on April 21.

Held once in 12 years, the congregation usually lasts around three-and-a-half months. Its last edition was held in Haridwar from January 14 to April 28 in 2010.

According to the notification issued on Wednesday, the Kumbh Kshetra (area) covers Neergarh, Tapovan, Bitthal Ashram Marg to Muni-Ki-Reti Road and Rishi-Haridwar bypass in the north, and Narendra Nagar-Rishikesh bypass, the forest checkpost on Rishikesh-Dehradun Road, Rishikesh-Haridwar bypass, Mansa Devi, Billkeshwar Mandir, Tibri Mohand, BHEL residential buildings, Roorkee-Bahadarabadroad and up to 13 km on Haridwar-Delhi road in the west. In the south, the congregation area will extend from Bahadarabad-Haridwarbypass to Siddha Sot Setu and from Siddha Sot Setu to Neelkanth Mahadev temple in the east.

A ”negative” RT-PCR test report, not older than 72 hours before arrival, has been made mandatory for devotees by the Uttarakhand High Court. Devotees who have taken the COVID-19 vaccination will have to upload their certificate in an official portal and follow the guidelines. After the Centre called for stringent measures to control the spread of COVID-19 during Kumbh, the Uttarakhand government had asked people to strictly follow COVID-19-appropriate behaviour during the congregation in view of the fresh surge in infections in various parts of the country.

In the light of guidelines issued by both the central and state governments in the past for surveillance, containment and caution, Chief Secretary Om Prakash on Monday asked the district administrations, various state and central government organisations and other stakeholders to take all necessary measures to ensure wearing of face mask, maintaining hand hygiene and social distancing by people. These measures are also included in the national directives for COVID-19 management which have to be strictly followed throughout the state, he said.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had recently written to the UttarakhandChief Secretary underlining the need for taking strict measures to check the spread of the pandemic, especially during the congregation.

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Yogasana included in Khelo India Youth Games 2021: Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said the government has included Yogasana in Khelo India Youth Games 2021 in a bid to develop it as a competitive sport. Rijiju said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that the government has also given recognition to the National Yogasana Sports Federation (NYSF) for the promotion and development of Yogasana in the country.

”Yogasana sport for both male and female categories have been included in Khelo India Youth Games, 2021,” he said. ”The Government recognition makes NYSF eligible for financial assistance for the conduct of national championships in all the categories, viz. Senior, Junior and Sub-junior and participation in international sporting events.”

With the government recognising the sport, Rijiju said NYSF will be ”primarily responsible for promotion and development of Yogasana, to hold Annual Championships and ensure participation of Indian sportspersons and teams in international sports events of Yogasana.” In December last year, the Sports Minister, along with Minister of AYUSH, had recognised Yogasana as a competitive sport during an event, enabling the ancient practice to avail government funding.

An International Yogasana Sports Federation was formed under the presidentship of yoga guru Baba Ramdev with HR Nagendra as secretary-general in November 2019.

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Govt offers 67 coal mines for 2nd tranche of commercial auction, brings in rolling process of auction

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The coal ministry today announced the second round of commercial coal auction which will offer 67 coal mines. The geological reserves for the 67 coal mines are 35,997 million tonnes (MT) of which 6 coking coal mines with geological reserves of 1,018 MT will be offered. The ministry has also decided to bring in the rolling auction process. This will keep rolling the mines which do not find a bidder at the same time the ministry will keep adding explored or partially explored coal mines.

“We are steadily making coal attractive for downstream companies. The Government is honest in its intention that coal should be available on tap. We have made sure that ample fully discovered blocks are part of the coal auction. The Coal blocks will now always be available, in case it does not get auctioned. We have also ensured to offer quality coal, where not too much forest is interfered with because India cannot grow at the cost of environment” said AK Jain, Secretary, Ministry of coal

The government is of the view that with rapid energy transition and growth of renewable energy sources this is time to utilise India’s large coal reserves.

“The rolling auction concept is a good concept ideated by the officials at the Ministry of Coal. We have decided that we will allot coal mines even if only one bid is received. India’s energy consumption is going to double by 2040 and we are confident that 50 percent of the energy need will be met by coal” said Pralhad Joshi, Minister for Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs.

The government offered 38 coal mines for its first ever commercial coal auction held in November 2020.

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Great time to create portfolio of good quality stocks amid market correction, say experts

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Indian equity market is witnessing a sharp correction and the benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, are trading near two-month low levels. Worries over rising COVID-19 cases in the country and the possibility of fresh restrictions spooked investors.

Heavy selling was seen across sectors with banks, financials, auto and IT indices falling the most. The midcap and smallcap indices also continue to reel under pressure.

“The market is under pressure due to risks of rising COVID-19 cases, a surge in global bond yields and profit booking. The weakness is expected to continue in the short term,” said Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Group Chairman, Inditrade Capital.

However, Bandyopadhyay is of the view that this correction is a great opportunity to buy good quality stocks and create a portfolio.

“A 10 percent correction from highs is good and healthy for the market. We remain bullish for the long-term and believe this correction can be utilised as a great opportunity to create a portfolio of good quality stocks which are available at attractive valuations,” Bandyopadhyay said.

He believes stocks like ICICI Bank, Larsen & Toubro, SBI and BPCL look reasonably attractive at these levels.

Bandyopadhyay is bullish on the banking sector on the back of expected revival in the country’s economic growth.

“The GDP is expected to grow 10-12 percent going ahead. This makes us confident of the financial services sector to grow at 2x the GDP. With the recent correction, the banking stocks, especially good quality PSU banks, look very attractive,” he added.

Meanwhile, Atul Suri, CEO, Marathon Trends noted that from the lows of March 2020, the market has delivered 100 percent returns and said a 10-12 percent kind of correction after that is “good and healthy.”

“The Nifty had crashed to a low of 13,596 on January 29. It won’t bother me if we do not violate the pre-budget lows. In case, in spite of such a path-breaking Budget, if we revisit those places or go below that, that is when I would be worried,” Suri told CNBC-TV18.

According to him, stocks that fall less in falling markets are leaders of the next bull market.

Mehraboon J Irani, MD and CEO at Gini Gems Consultants, is expecting the markets to correct a little bit further.

“In a market, which has gone up in a hurry, a correction of 5-10 percent will just be a correction while quite a few traders will call it a sharp move. I would say that that correction is a great opportunity because this would be an intermediate bottom and we will see new highs coming,” he pointed out.

(Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on CNBCTV18.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. CNBCTV18.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.)

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