New Delhi, Oct 28: With 2,208 people testing positive for coronavirus infection, India’s tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 4,46,49,088, while the active cases declined to 19,398, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.
The death toll climbed to 5,28,999 with 12 fatalities which includes nine reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated. Three deaths have been reported from Maharashtra.
The active cases comprise 0.04 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.77 per cent, the ministry said.
A decrease of 1,423 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.55 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.12 per cent, according to the ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,00,691, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.18 per cent.
According to the ministry, 219.60 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, Oct 28: A cache of six AK-47 rifles, three pistols and 200 bullets was recovered by the Border Security Force Thursday night from along the India-Pakistan international border in Punjab, officials said.
The recovery was made around 7 pm from a bag that was found on the ground during a search conducted near the zero line of the border in Ferozepur sector of the state.
Three AK-47 rifles with six empty magazines, another set of three ‘mini’ AK-47 rifles with five empty magazines, three pistols with six empty magazines and 200 live bullets were recovered from the bag, a BSF spokesperson said.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has informed Punjab Police so that they can seize the weapons and ammunition cache and also conduct further investigation. (Agencies)

NEW DELHI, Oct 27: NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Suman Bery emphasised the need for the Indian model of localisation to achieve Social Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 set by the United Nations.
No poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation and affordable and clean energy are among the 17 SDGs.
Mr. Bery said the Indian model of SDG localisation has four pillars: creating institutional ownership, establishing a robust review and monitoring system, developing capacities for integrating SDGs in planning and monitoring and promoting a “whole society approach”.
Speaking at the ninth Dr. Verghese Kurien Memorial Oration at XLRI, Jamshedpur, he said, “In 2015, before the world became divided as it is now due to the Russia-Ukraine war, the world community came together to formulate a shared view of the future of our planet to make it a better place to live in.”
SDGs were formulated in 2015. Hailing students as the future leaders of India, he asked them to raise consciousness on why SDGs are important.
He also discussed how NITI Aayog monitors national progress every year based on the targets and indicators.
“We worked hard on the data to put together the SDG Index. SDGs are self-reinforcing and encompass economic, social and environmental aspects,” he said.
The official said the SDGs were adopted by the U.N. after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took charge.
XLRI Director Fr. S. George said Dr. Kurien was an ingenious thinker, revolutionary and social entrepreneur who ideated the world’s biggest agricultural development programme. (Agencies)

DEHRADUN, Oct 27: The sacred portals of the Kedarnath Dham located in the high Garhwal Himalayan region of Uttarakhand were closed for winter on Thursday, October 27, 2022.
Sources in the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee said the doors of the temple were closed for the devotees at 8.30 am after offering prayers amid chanting of vedic hymns.
More than 3,000 devotees along with temple committee president Ajendra Ajay, teerth purohit and officials of the Rudraprayag district administration were present on the occasion, while the Indian Army’s 11th Maratha Regiment played devotional tunes.

Over 43 lakh pilgrims reached Chardham this year. In Kedarnath alone, 15,61,882 devotees paid obeisance at the temple.

The media in-charge of the temple committee, Harish Gaur said the Kedarnath temple opened its portals at 3 am and the process of closing the doors for the winter started at 4 am.
The sanctum sanctorum and the main gate of the temple were closed after temple priest T. Gangadhar Linga covered the jyotirlinga with Baghambar, Bhringraj flower, Bhasma, local dry flowers and leaves and the panchmukhi doli of Lord Shankar left for the Omkareshwar temple of Ukhimath.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami thanked the pilgrims and said a record number of pilgrims reached Chardham Yatra this time.
The new Kedarpuri has come into existence under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi where facilities are being provided to the pilgrims, he said.
Mr. Dhami said recently the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Gaurikund-Kedarnath Ropeway and its construction will make Kedarnath Yatra easier.
The doors of Gangotri Dham, one of the famous temples of the Garhwal Himalayas known as Chardham, were closed on Wednesday for the winter season on the occasion of Annakoot festival.

The doors of Yamunotri will also be closed on Thursday, while the doors of Badrinath will be closed on November 19.
The four Himalayan temples of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri located in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand are closed for six months every year for the winters when they remain snowbound.
Lakhs of devotees visit every year for the Chardham Yatra, which is considered to be the economic backbone of the Garhwal region. (Agencies)

New Delhi, October 27: On the occasion of Infantry Day, Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in the national capital on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir to attend the ‘Shaurya Diwas’ program organized by the Indian Army. Later in the day, he will arrive in Leh on a two-day visit to Ladakh.
Infantry Day is observed as a remembrance of the first military event of independent India, when the Indian Army repelled the first attack on Indian soil on October 27, 1947, in the Kashmir valley.
The victory was accomplished by the personnel of the First Battalion of the Sikh Regiment.
On the 76th Infantry Day, the Defence Minister also extended greetings and warm wishes to the courageous infantry personnel and their families.
“On the 76th Infantry Day, greetings and warm wishes to our courageous infantry personnel and their families. Indian infantry has been associated with utmost courage and professionalism. The nation salutes their bravery, sacrifice, and service,” tweeted Singh.
The Indian Army celebrates October 27 every year as the ‘Infantry Day’, as it was on this day that the 1st Battalion of the Sikh Regiment landed at Srinagar airbase and displayed resoluteness and extraordinary courage to thwart the evil designs of the Pakistan Army, who had invaded Kashmir with the help of tribal raiders in 1947.
That is why every year on October 27, the Indian Army celebrates it as ‘Infantry Day.’
This year both the Indian Army and the Air Force are going to celebrate this special day as “Shaurya Diwas” because Thursday is also the golden jubilee celebration of the Indian Air Force’s Kashmir Air Base. (Agencies)