SUNDAY www.thestatesman.com 17 JANUARY 2021 FIND US ONLINE Scan this with your smartphone twitter.com/TheStatesmanLtd facebook.com/thestatesman1875 Pages 12 | `5 |LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR P8 WEATHER Mainly clear sky. Dense to very dense fog in the morning. The maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 20 and 07 degrees Celsius respectively. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max: 100% TEMPERATURE Max: 19.1°C (-1) SUN RISES 07:15 hrs MOON RISES 10:46 hrs P10 P11 Min: 06.4°C (-1) SUN SETS 17:48 hrs MOON SETS 21:55 hrs THUMBNAILS Gangasagar Mela pilgrims on their way home, SAILENDRA MAL in Kolkata on Saturday. Ex-CEO of BARC held in TRP scam hospitalised: C Partho Dasgupta, a former CEO of TV ratings agency BARC who was arrested in the Television Rating Points (TRP) rigging case, has been admitted to the ICU of a hospital in Mumbai after his sugar level shot up, officials said on Saturday. His daughter took to Twitter to allege that he was tortured in prison. Dasgupta, 55, a diabetic, was rushed to state-run J J Hospital . WhatsApp delays policy update rollout to 15 May: WhatsApp has decided to delay the rollout of its new policy update to 15 May after massive criticism from users globally, including India, over concerns that data was being shared with its parent company Facebook. The move assumes significance for users in India given that the country is among the biggest markets for WhatsApp with over 400 million P8 users. US retains terrorist designation of LeT: The USA has reviewed and maintained the terrorist designations of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ), along with ISIL Sinai Peninsula (ISIL-SP) and several other organisations. Ahead of the transition of power, the US Department of State said that it has amended terrorist tags of LJ and ISIL-SP. PM launches pan-India inoculation drive, warns against complacency urging people to continue with practice of wearing masks STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE he world’s largest vaccination drive against Covid-19gotunderway here on Saturday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanking scientists for developing two made in India vaccines and urging people to continue with the practice of wearing masks, maintaining hand hygiene, social distancing even after vaccination. In the national capital the vaccination was rolled out with sanitation worker Manish Kumar becoming the first recipient of the vaccine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), according to the Health Ministry. The vaccination drive came as the country continued to witness a decline in number of Covid-19 patients and increase in rate of recovery. The vaccination drive preceded a concerted campaign by the government seeking to allay peoples’ fears about its side effects. In his address to the nation before launching the countrywide drive Prime Minister Modi had also urged people to come forward and join the campaign fearlessly. He sought to reassure people that emergency use authorisation was given to the two ‘made in India’ vaccines only after scientists were convinced of their safety and effectiveness. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the vaccines would ensure a decisive victory over the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. He urged people to get them vaccinat- HYDERABAD, 16 JANUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the launch of the pan-India rollout of Covid-19 vaccination drive via video conferencing, PIB in New Delhi on Saturday. ed while strictly following the Covid health protocols. At one point of time during his speech, Modi’s voice choked as he narrated the sacrifices made by healthcare and frontline workers and hundreds others falling prey to the virus. He pointed out how the coronavirus killed people and the disruptions in its wake denied opportunity to their near and dear ones to perform last rites as per the tradition. The Prime Minister pointed out that as against normal years of preparations for the development of a vaccine the two made in India vaccine wasreadyinashortspanoftime. “Our vaccination programme is driven by humanitarian concerns, those exposed to maximumriskwillgetpriority,”Modi pointed out. He said it normally takes years to make a vaccine but in India two vaccines were ready in a short span of time and work on other vaccines was also progressing at a fast pace.Union Health Minister These vaccines are ‘sanjivani’ in our fight against this pandemic. We have won the battles against polio and small pox. Now, we have reached the decisive phase of winning the war against coronavirus. HARSH VARDHAN UNION HEALTH MINISTER PRESS TRUST OF INDIA NEW DELHI, 16 JANUARY NEW DELHI, 16 JANUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the launch of Rs 1,000-crore ‘Startup India Seed Fund’ to support startups and help budding entrepreneurs pursue innovative ideas. Addressing the ‘Prarambh: Startup India International Summit’, Modi exuded confidence that the growth of startups will help in generating jobs and improving lives of people in the region. “In order to provide initial capital for startups, the nation is launching a Rs 1,000 crore Startup India Seed Fund. This will help in setting up new startups,” the PM said. The government, he added, has been implementing the Fund of Fund Scheme to help startups PTI raise equity capital. A farmer union requested the Supreme Court on Saturday to remove the remaining three members of the committee it had set up to resolve the impasse over the three contentious farm laws, and select people who can do the job “on the basis of mutual harmony”. The Bhartiya Kisan Union Lokshakti said the principle of natural justice is going to be violated as those appointed to the four-member committee “have already supported these laws”. In an affidavit, it also sought dismissal of a plea of the Central government, filed though the Delhi Police, seeking an injunction against the proposed tractor march or any HarshVardhan, who was at the AIIMS at the time of vaccinations welcomed the occasion with an applause. He said the two vaccines are a sanjivani, life infusing, in the fight against the pandemic.“We have won the battle against polio and now we have reached the decisive phase of winning the war against Covid. I want to congratulate all frontline workers on this day,”Vardhan said shortly after the first vaccine shots were administered. Shots of the Covishield and Covaxin vaccines are being administered at medical centres across the country. AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, NITI Aayog member V K Paul, who is also head of an empowered group on medical equipment and management plan to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. Serum Institute of India’s Adar Poonawallah and West Bengal minister Nirmal Maji, also received their first shot of the two-dose vaccine. Bharat Biotech, which has received a government purchase order for supply of 55 lakh doses of Covaxin, a Covid-19 vaccine, said the company will pay compensation to recipients in case of any serious adverse effects experienced after receiving the antidote. A consent form to be signed by the vaccine recipients said, “In case of any adverse events or serious adverse events, you will be provided medically recognised standard of care in the government designated centres and hospitals.” “The compensation will be paid by sponsor (BBIL) in case if the SAE is proven to be causally related to the vaccine,” the PTI form said. 1,05,42,841 2,11,033 15,158 SEE ALSO INSIDE PAGES This is a proud moment for every Indian and I would like to convey my deepest appreciation to all the scientists for the remarkable speed with which the vaccines were developed in a record time M VENKAIAH NAIDU VICE PRESIDENT 16,977 1,52,093 UNION HEALTH MINISTRY FIGURES AS OF 8.00 A.M. SATURDAY 16 JANUARY 2021 ber committee to resolve the impasse. The committee comprised Bhupinder Singh Mann, national president of Bhartiya Kisan Union; Dr Parmod Kumar Joshi, Director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute; Ashok Gulati, agricultural economist and former chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Ex-servicemen join the kisan protest against the Centre’s farm Prices; and Anil Ghanwat, SNS laws at Delhi’s Gazipur border on Saturday. president of Shetkari Sangother kind of protest by farm- farmer unions spearhead- hatana. ers which seeks to disrupt the ing the agitation against the However, on 14 January, gathering and celebrations of farm laws on various border Mann recused himself from Republic Day on 26 January. points of Delhi for about 50 the committee. The Bhartiya Kisan Union Lokshakti urged A bench headed by Chief days now. Justice S A Bobde had agreed In an “extraordinary” the top court “to remove all to hear on 18 January the Cen- interim order, the top court these three members from tre’s application against the had stayed the implemen- the committee and appoint proposed tractor march. tation of the new farm laws those persons who make The Bhartiya Kisan Union till further orders and had the report on the basis of Lokshakti is one of the 40-odd constituted the four-mem- mutual harmony....” ‘Nepal will never allow interference in domestic politics’ PRESS TRUST OF INDIA NEW DELHI, 16 JANUARY Nepal will never accept external interference in its domestic politics as it is capable of handling internal problems, Nepalese Foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said on Saturday in the backdrop of China wading into the political turmoil that erupted in the Himalayan nation after dissolution of its Parliament. At the end of his three-day India visit, the Nepalese foreign minister also said that both New Delhi and Kathmandu have a “common commitment” to resolve the boundary issue and suggested that both sides are working on modalities to address it. Gyawali, who held exten- “We are able to settle our own problems. As a close neighbour, there may be some concerns or questions but we never accept interference,” the Nepalese foreign minister said when asked about China’s attempts to play a role in defusing a political crisis in the country sive talks with External Affairs minister S Jaishankar on Friday, told a group of journalists that Nepal has “excellent” relations with both India and LIGHT AT THE END OF 10-MONTH TUNNEL Covaxin side effects: Biotech to pay solatium NEW DELHI, 16 JANUARY Farmers urge overhaul of SC agri laws panel PM announces `1,000-cr ‘Startup India Seed Fund’ P12 India rolls out largest vaccination drive T Min: 52% BIG BOYS PUT TO THE TEST IN BRISBANE UGANDAN PRESIDENT WINS 6TH TERM ‘VACCINATIONALISM IS SELF-DEFEATING’ ‘COMMITTED TO TAKE STEPS TO SUPPORT GROWTH’ China, adding it never compares ties with each other. “We never accept interference in our domestic politics. We are able to settle our own problems. As a close neighbour, there may be some concerns or questions but we never accept interference,” the Nepalese foreign minister said when asked about China’s attempts to play a role in defusing the political crisis in the country. Nepal plunged into a political turmoil following Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s sudden decision last month to dissolve Parliament and call for fresh elections in view of internal feud in the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP). As the crisis deepened, China rushed a high-level team headed by vice minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guo Yezhou to Kathmandu hold talks with the rival factions within NCP. The Chinese meddling triggered a strong criticism within Nepal. Asked about allegations by NCP leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ that Oli split the ruling party and dissolved Parliament at India’s behest, Gyawali did not give a direct reply, saying as Nepal’s foreign minister he represents everyone including Prachanda. At the same time, the Nepalese foreign minister justified Oli’s decision to dissolve Parliament, saying he followed the democratic principle of seeking a fresh mandate from the people whose decisions are supreme in a democracy. (TURN TO PAGE 4) Manish Kumar (34) after taking the first jab at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, becoming the first person in the Capital to be vaccinated against coronavirus. DAY ONE Over three lakh healthcare workers are targeted for inoculation in 3,006 sites across all states and union territories. The shots are first being offered to an estimated one crore healthcare workers, and around two crore frontline workers. With a Covishield jab on his forearm, BJP leader and Gautam Buddh Nagar MP Mahesh Sharma on Saturday got vaccinated for coronavirus as a 'healthcare worker', becoming among the first parliamentarians in India to get inoculated for the infection. She (wife) even asked me not to take the vaccine. I told her it is just an injection. After taking the dose, I asked my mother to tell my wife that I am safe. MANISH KUMAR WHO IS A SANITATION WORKER, BECOMES FIRST PERSON IN DELHI TO GET VACCINE SHOT 100 former civil servants raise questions over PM-CARES Fund PRESS TRUST OF INDIA NEW DELHI, 16 JANUARY A group of 100 former civil servants wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday raising questions over transparency in the PM-CARES Fund. They said it is necessary that, for reasons of probity and adherence to standards of public accountability, the financial details of receipts and expenditures be made available in order to avoid doubts of wrongdoing. “Wehavebeenkeenlyfollowing the ongoing debate about the Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations, or ‘PMCARES’, ~ a fund created for the benefit of people affected by the Covid pandemic. Both the purpose for which it has been created as well as the way it has been administered have left a number of questions unanswered,” they said in the letter. “It is essential that the position and stature of the Prime Minister is kept intact by ensuring total transparency in all dealings the Prime Minister is associated with,” they said. The letter was signed by former IAS officers Anita Agnihotri, S P Ambrose, Sharad Behar, Sajjad Hassan, Harsh Mander, P Joy Oommen, Aruna Roy, former diplomats Madhu Bhaduri, K P Fabian, Deb Mukharji, Sujatha Singh and former IPS officers A S Dulat,PGJNampoothiriand Julio Ribeiro among others.