Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) The Delhi government has decided to cap the rate of COVID-19 RT-PCR test at Rs 2,400 with the city witnessing an alarming spurt in coronavirus cases.

In its meeting chaired by Lt Governor Anil Baijal, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) approved the recommendations of a high-level expert committee for fixing the COVID-19 testing rate at Rs 2,400 for all facilities including private and government.

New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said India should no longer depend on China and instead focus on research and innovation to ramp up domestic manufacturing.

The minister also said the government is working on formulating a new policy for import substitution.

The remarks come in the wake of border clashes between the two nations in Ladakh.

New Delhi, June 19 (PTI) India on Friday saw another record spike of 13,586 new COVID-19 cases in a single-day, pushing the tally to 3,80,532, while the death toll rose to 12,573 with 336 new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

In some positive news, the number of recoveries crossed the two lakh mark and stands at 2,04,710, while there are 1,63,248 total COVID-19 active cases, according to the updated official figure at 8 am.

One patient had migrated.

New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday appealed to people to boycott products from China and also directed officials of his ministry not to procure any Chinese products for day-to-day office use.

The comments from the Food and Consumer Affairs Minister come against the backdrop of heightened border tensions between India and China.

New Delhi, Jun 17 (PTI) Front-line bases of the Indian army and the air force along the nearly 3,500 km de-facto border with China were Wednesday put on high alert in view of the worst border clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh that left 20 Army personnel dead, official sources said.

The Indian Navy has also been asked to raise its alert level in the Indian Ocean Region where Chinese Navy has been making regular forays.

New Delhi, Jun 17 (PTI) Petrol price on Wednesday was hiked by 55 paise per litre and diesel by 60 paise a litre, marking the 11th consecutive day of increase in rates that now totals to Rs 6.02 for petrol and Rs 6.4 for diesel.

Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 77.28 per litre from Rs 76.73, while diesel rates were increased to Rs 75.79 a litre from Rs 75.19, according to a price notification of state oil marketing companies.

Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT.

United Nations, Jun 17 (PTI) India is expected to register a comfortable victory in the Security Council elections on Wednesday that will bring the country to the UN high-table as a non-permanent member for the 2021-22 term.

The 193-member UN General Assembly will hold elections for President of the 75th session of the Assembly, five non-permanent members of the Security Council and members of the Economic and Social Council under special voting arrangements put in place at the UN headquarters due to COVID-19 related restrictions.

New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) Modern life is marked by alienation and aloofness, and the result is depression, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said, underlining that the flavour of sharing and caring which was a norm in old days is missing in present times.

Talking about his own experiences of life in good old days, Naidu said life then used to "play out amidst a network of strong social relationships and there was no reason to feel alone and uncared for and no ground to be depressed".

New Delhi, Jun 17 (PTI) The BJP announced on Wednesday the names of its candidates for the mayor, deputy mayor and other posts of the three municipal corporations ruled by the party in Delhi.

Jai Prakash (North Delhi), Nirmal Jain (East Delhi), Anamika Mithlesh (South Delhi) are the candidates for the mayoral posts of the three corporations, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta tweeted.

New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) Two Railway Protection Force constables were arrested for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl in Delhi, police said on Wednesday.

The teenager, who used to work as a domestic help in east Delhi, left the house on Friday and reached the New Delhi Railway station to go back to her home in Ranchi, according to the police.

She was allegedly lured by the two RPF personnel on the pretext of helping her to board a train to Jharkhand, police said.