India

Kolkata, May 6 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday blamed the Centre's "lack of farsightedness" for the migrant labourer crisis in the country and asked why the PM CARES fund is not being used to finance their journey home.

The party also said it is condemnable that migrant labourers who have been "starving" for over 40 days are being made to pay for their tickets, as is being alleged.

Muzaffarnagar, May 6 (PTI) A group of migrant workers, accompanied by women and children, reached UP's Shamli after travelling on foot for 10 days from Punjab's Ludhiana, police said on Wednesday.

The group of 40 included five children and three women.

They were going towards Fatehpur district when police stopped them in Shamli on Tuesday evening.

Police said the group members said that they had to cross the Yamuna river with the help of a tube during their journey.

Silvassa, May 6 (PTI) Seeking to return home amid the coronavirus lockdown, a group of over a 100 migrant workers turned violent near Silvassa town of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli on Tuesday night, police said.

One hundred workers, most of them from Uttar Pradesh, were arrested from the spot for rioting and stone-pelting, an official said on Wednesday.

Ahmedabad, May 6 (PTI) To control the spread of coronavirus in Ahmedabad city, civic authorities on Wednesday ordered the closure of all the shops except those selling milk and medicines for a week.

As per the order signed by municipal commissioner Mukesh Kumar, the shops will remain closed from May 7 midnight till 6 am on May 15.

While milk outlets and medical stores can remain open, all other shops, including thoses selling fruits, vegetables and grocery items, will remain closed, the order said.

Chandigarh, May 6 (PTI) Pegging the April revenue shortfall for Punjab at 88 per cent, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said with all tax revenues dried up and only 1.5 per cent of the industry currently operational, the state was facing a difficult financial situation.

He said that the situation has been compounded by absence of aid from the central government.

NEW DELHI, May 6 (NNN-Xinhua) — A group of medical researchers and scientists that interacted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday is learnt to have told him that “over 30 Indian vaccines were in different stages of Corona vaccine development”, with a few going on to the trial stages.

NEW DELHI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A massive fire broke out at a warehouse in Tikri border area in Delhi on Wednesday morning, confirmed an official of the Department of Delhi Fire Services to Xinhua via phone.

As many as 30 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot for fire-fighting.

Giving details of the fire incident, the official said, "The fire broke out a PVC (Polymerizing Vinyl Chloride) godown this morning in a small industrial area at Tikri Kalan village of Delhi. There are no reports of human death or injuries so far."

New Delhi, May 5 (PTI) India should come out with a large enough stimulus package to revive demand, Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee said on Tuesday, asserting that putting cash in the hands of people would be the best way to boost the economy post lockdown.

Banerjee, while talking to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi through video-conferencing, suggested giving money into the hands of the bottom 60 per cent population to help revive demand.

Srinagar, May 4 (PTI) Three CRPF personnel were killed and two others injured when militants opened fire on them at a checkpoint in Kupwara, officials said here on Monday, a day after five security personnel lost their lives during an encounter in the district.

A teenaged civilian, reportedly of unsound mental condition, was also killed in the exchange of fire between the security forces and the ultras on Monday, they said.

New Delhi, May 4 (PTI) Liquor in Delhi will cost more from Tuesday as the government has decided to impose a 70 per cent 'Special Corona Fee' on its sale in the national capital, sources said.

The move will boost the government revenue, which has been hit hard due to the coronavirus-forced lockdown.

"70 per cent 'Special Corona Fee' has been imposed on the MRP of liquor bottles. The new rate will be applicable from Tuesday," a source said.