West Bengal, Kerala agree to Centre’s plan to meet GST shortfall

COVID vaccine reaches length and breadth of country

As India is set to start the vaccination program against COVID-19 on January 16, millions of doses of Covishield vaccine, manufactured by Pune's Serum Institute of India, have reached the length and breadth of the country. Himachal Pradesh has received 93,000 shots on Thursday evening as part of the first consignment which was dispatched from SII's Pune facility. The hilly state has more than 800 active cases of COVID-19. Kerala, which is struggling to keep rising cases under control also received the first batch of the vaccine in Mallapuram. The southern state has more than 65,000 active cases of coronavirus, the highest in the country. Ladakh also got 11,500 doses of the Covishield vaccine as part of the first phase of the vaccination program. BJP MP Jamyang Namgyal and state Health Department Director Dr Phuntsog Angchuk received the vaccine at Leh airport. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the vaccination program at 10:30 AM on January 16 with 3 crore health and frontline workers being listed to get the shots in the first phase.

COVID-19 vaccines arrive at Kerala, Leh

Malappuram District received COVID-19 vaccines, ahead of pan-India vaccination drive. The first consignment of Covishield also arrived at Leh. So far, several states including Karnataka, New Delhi, Telangana, Bihar and Tamil Nadu have received the vaccine. First phase of COVID vaccination is scheduled to begin from Jan 16.

Cinema halls reopen in Kerala with 50% occupancy

Film theatres re-opened in the state of Kerala on January 13. Movie theatres got re-opened months after being closed in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Sanitisation was done inside the theatre premises to avoid spread of infection amid coronavirus. People came in large numbers months after reopening of movie halls. Theatres are reopening with 50% occupancy for the moviegoers.

'I am with TMC': Satabdi Roy after meeting Abhishek Banerjee

TMC MP from Birbhum Satabdi Roy said there was no question of her leaving the party. Roy's statement came after a two-hour meeting with TMC's youth wing president and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee. Abhishek reached out to Roy as she voiced dissent against the leadership ahead of the assembly polls. Actor-turned-politician, Roy is a leading face in Mamata Banerjee's cultural brigade. Speculations started on Thursday over a post on Facebook page of Satabdi Roy fan club. Roy had claimed that she was not being informed about party events in her constituency. The 3-time MP had said she would inform the public on Saturday if she takes any 'decision'.

Man dies after hospital in WB refuses treatment despite holding 'Swasthya Sathi' insurance scheme

A 65-year old man, Md Gaffar died after he suffered a brain stroke on January 12 in West Bengal's Matigara. Family of the deceased alleged that nursing homes in Siliguri refused to treat him. However, Gaffar has 'Swasthya Sathi' card, a state government health insurance scheme. "It's an unfortunate incident. We will look into the matter," Gautam Deb, Tourism Minister of WB.