New Delhi, Aug 30: India added 5,439 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,44,21,162, while the active cases declined to 65,732, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
The active cases comprise 0.15 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.66 per cent, the ministry said.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.70 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 2.64 per cent, according to the ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,38,25,024, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent.
According to the ministry, 212.71 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year. It crossed the four-crore mark on January 25 this year. (Agencies)

NEW DELHI, Aug 30: Economist Abhijit Sen, a former Planning Commission member and one of the country’s foremost experts on rural economy, died on Monday night. He was 72.
“He suffered a heart attack around 11 p.m. We rushed him to the hospital, but it was all over by the time we got there,” said Dr. Pronab Sen, his brother.
In a career spanning more than four decades, Abhijit Sen taught economics at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, and held several important government positions including the chair of the Commission of Agricultural Cost and Prices.
He was a member of Planning Commission from 2004 to 2014, when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister.

New Delhi, Aug 29: Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, on Monday announced that Reliance Jio will roll out standalone 5G services in select cities in the country by Diwali, which falls on October 24. To build pan-India true 5G network, Jio has committed a total investment of Rs 2 lakh crore.

To begin with, Jio announced the launch of 5G services in four metro cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

These will be expanded to other cities and towns in phases rapidly to cover the entire country by December 2023.

At the ‘Reliance AGM 2022’, Mukesh Ambani said it will be ‘world’s largest’, ‘standalone’ Jio 5G services.

“Jio 5G services will connect everyone, every place and everything with the highest quality and affordability. We are committed to making India a data-powered economy even ahead of China and the US,” said Muksesh Ambani.

Jio 5G will be the world’s largest and most advanced 5G network. Unlike other operators, Jio’s 5G network will be stand alone with zero dependency on 4G network.

MAINPURI (UP), August 29 :Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that India’s leather industry is offering world-class opportunities for StartUp and entrepreneurship.
Addressing experts, senior scientists and officials of CSIR-CLRI (Central Leather Research Institute), Kanpur and College students, Dr Jitendra Singh called upon the youth to look for lucrative career in the upcoming leather Start-up ecosystem. He said, the leather industry in India has exhibited consistency in high export earnings and it is one of the top ten foreign exchange earners for the country.
The Minister also offered seed funding to prospective Start-ups and innovative entrepreneurs from Technology Development Board under Department of Science and Technology at the centre, which he is heading.
Dr Jitendra Singh assured the students and youth of Mainpuri and adjoining districts that CSIR-CLRI (Central Leather Research Institute), Kanpur will be instructed to organise specific activities like Survey of leather and allied industries, Practical demonstrations, Trade counselling, Vocational and Tailor-made Training Programmes, Consultancy Services, Students’ Internship at regular intervals for promoting leather start-ups and businesses.
Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that the Uttar Pradesh Government under Yogi Adityanath has identified leather goods as an ODOP (One District One Product) for Agra & Kanpur districts and formulated strategic interventions for development of these clusters. He said, t Uttar Pradesh is trying hard to create an enabling ecosystem of export growth and support exporters in scaling up exports of leather goods from Uttar Pradesh. The Minister said, this will open up new opportunities for the entrepreneurs and youth of Mainpuri and adjoining districts.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, India is the second largest producer of footwear, second largest exporter of Leather Garments, fifth largest exporter of Leather Goods and third Largest Exporter of Saddlery and Harness items. He said, the global leather goods market size is valued at $424 billion in 2022 and expected to reach USD 744 billion by 2030 and added that India must tap the huge potential in the global leather pie.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, only youth with innovative thinking can fulfil the rising demand for comfortable, trendy, and fancy leather apparel, footwear, and accessories as leather products are often seen as a status symbol and provide a stylish look.
Abhinandan Kumar, Scientist-In-Charge made a presentation on the status of Kanpur Leather cluster and the activities of the CLRI Regional Centre Kanpur, showcasing various technologies available with CLRI for pollution abatement and value addition in leather making, which would help the industry in achieving environmental compliances and help in better unit value realisation. It was also mentioned that a testing facility for all physical and chemical testing needs of leather and leather products industries is being offered from recently acquired laboratory at KLC Complex, Banthar which helps the industry in ensuring quality at national as well as international standards.
CLRI Regional Centre – Kanpur is one of the four extension centres of CLRI. It was established in 1963 to benefit the Leather and Leather products industries in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The centre is fully equipped with Chemical, Physical & Eco testing Laboratory. This centre has a pilot Tannery which provides varied services to the industry.

NEW DELHI, Aug 29: The Centre sought more time from the Supreme Court on Monday to hold meetings with states and Union Territories on the issue of identification of religious minorities, including Hindus, at the state level.
In a status report submitted to the court in response to a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, the Ministry of Minority Affairs said comments/views of the State Governments including those of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and UT of J & K have not been received as on date.
“A reminder was sent to these states requesting them to furnish their comments/views. Further, comments of states of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are also awaited. In these states, the issue may have wider ramifications. The Ministry proposes to hold meetings in the ensuing weeks with the remaining State Governments/Union territories in order to have their views on the matter also.
“That in view of the position stated above, it is humbly submitted that this Hon’ble Court may kindly consider to defer the hearing and allow more time for holding meetings with other State Governments/Union Territories, and also to enable the State Governments/Union Territories and stakeholders with whom the consultative meetings have already been held, to finalise their considered views in the matter,” the ministry said.
The apex court is scheduled to hear the PIL, filed through advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey, on Tuesday.
The top court had earlier expressed displeasure over the Centre taking different stands on the issue of identification of minorities, including Hindus, at the state level and directed it to hold consultations with states on the issue within three months.
In supersession of its earlier stand, the Centre had told the apex court that the power to notify minorities is vested with the Union government and any decision in this regard will be taken after discussion with states and other stakeholders.
The Centre had in March said it was for the states and Union Territories (UTs) to take a call on whether or not to grant minority status to Hindus and other communities where they are less in number.
The apex court had earlier granted time to the Centre to respond to a plea seeking directions for framing guidelines for identification of minorities at the state level, contending that Hindus are in minority in 10 states.
Upadhyay had challenged the validity of section 2(f) of the National Commission for Minority Education Institution Act, 2004, alleging that it gives unbridled power to the Centre and termed it “manifestly arbitrary, irrational, and offending”. Section 2(f) of the Act empowers the Centre to identify and notify minority communities in India. (Agencies)