DGCA directs Airport authorities to enhance Covid surveillance

India is to participate in France-led naval drill La Perouse for the first time in the Bay of Bengal next month. Australia, Japan and the US will also participate in La Perouse, but India’s first-ever participation is seen as a significant step. The exercise is scheduled between April 5 and 7.  After La Perouse, another important naval exercise, the India-French Varuna exercise, will also take place. This time, it will also include the United Arab Emirates.

-Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman  has encouraged the New Development Bank (NDB) to facilitate private sector participation, and explore more innovative financing structures. She has also asked them to develop a pipeline of bankable projects, and promote environmental and social safeguards to enhance the sustainability of infrastructure. She was attending the 6th annual meeting of Board of Governors of  NDB through video-conference.  The Minister  acknowledged the Bank’s achievements and progress made over the last six years. She highlighted NDB's role in countercyclical lending through a 10 billion dollar Emergency Assistance Programme for supporting the member countries in fighting the COVID pandemic. She also stressed the need for NDB to maintain and improve upon the ratings assigned by international rating agencies through adequate capitalisation, high quality governance and prudent management. The NDB is  a multilateral development bank set up by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa,  (BRICS) in 2014 with the objective of mobilizing resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects.

-Centre has proposed up to 25 percent tax concession on the purchase of new vehicles on submission of scrappage certificate. Road, Transport and Highways Ministry on Tuesday published the draft rules regarding concession in motor vehicle tax against scrapped vehicles.Under the draft rules, people will get 25 percent concession on the purchase of personal vehicles with vehicle scrappage certificate while on the purchase of commercial vehicles, the tax relief will be 15 percent. In case of personal vehicles, the tax concessions will be available up to eight years while for commercial vehicles, it will be up to 15 years. The period will be reckoned from the date of first registration. The government has invited suggestions from various stakeholders on the draft rules within a period of 30 days. The rules are proposed to come into force from  October 1 this year.

-Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked for enhanced surveillance pertaining to COVID-19 protocols at the Airports. In an advisory issued today, the DGCA has said that during the surveillance of some airports, the compliance towards COVID-19 protocols was not found satisfactory. It further asked all airport operators to ensure that the instructions on Covid-19 protocol from the standpoint of wearing face masks properly, covering nose and mouth, as well as maintaining social distance norms within the airport premises are followed scrupulously. The flight regulator has also asked the airport operators to explore the possibility of taking punitive action, such as levy of spot fines after consultation with the local police authorities. It said the punitive action may serve as a deterrent for violation of Covid-19 protocols within the Airport premises.

-The COVID 19 infection continued to remain above 5000 for the second consecutive day on Tuesday in Bangladesh with the total infection reaching 6.05 lakh. The country also saw 45 deaths in a row taking the death toll to 8994. The positivity rate in the sample collected for testing was recorded at 18.94 percent, marking a big jump from about 3 percent on 28 February.The number of new COVID 19 infections over the last two days is the highest since the first Corona positive case was detected in Bangladesh last year.
The government of Bangladesh had issued fresh guidelines on Monday putting restrictions on public gathering.The public transport including buses and railways has been directed not to carry more than 50 percent passengers of their capacity. Inter-district transport to areas of high infection will be curtailed and suspended completely, if necessary. The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) in a circular on Tuesday announced institutional quarantine of 14 days for passengers from Europe and the UK. Incoming passengers from other countries will be required to undergo 14 days home quarantine.