Nationwide vaccination of children between 15 and 18 years begins

COVID-19 vaccination of children in the age group of 15 to 18 years will begin from Monday. The vaccine option for children will be only Covaxin. Union Health Ministry has said that all those whose birth year is 2007 or before, will be eligible for vaccination. The registration for vaccination of Covid jabs in this age group on Co-WIN portal has already started from 1st of January. The appointment for vaccination can be booked online or walk-in. All citizens irrespective of their income status are entitled to free COVID-19 vaccination at government Vaccination Centres. As part of the Nationwide Vaccination Drive, government has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID vaccines free of cost. Since the start of the National COVID vaccination drive on 16th January last year, the country has administered over 90 per cent of 1st dose and 65 per cent of 2nd dose to its eligible citizens.

-Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma distributed 5,000 cheques to the women beneficiaries to incentivize them to maintain good credit discipline at Dhemaji on Sunday. It may be noted that under the scheme named Assam Micro-finance Incentive and Relief Scheme for category 1 that is prompt payer category the cheques of Rs. 25000 per beneficiary or outstanding whichever is lower have been given to the beneficiaries. Dr. Sarma asked the beneficiaries to make good use of the financial incentive and strengthen their business ventures. He said that repayment of the loan amount is essential for them to increase their CIBIL score so that they can avail further loans for business purposes. The Chief Minister said that government will create a portal and applications will be sought from the defaulting loaners from February 1 to understand the requirements of the new scheme to enable the executing agency to design the scheme in sync with the needs of defaulting loaners.

-The Union Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, took a review meeting on Sunday with all the stakeholders regarding a Manipur proposed plan on Loktak lake. The Union Minister arrived at Imphal on a three-day visit to Manipur. He chaired a review meeting with the State Forest Minister, Chairperson of Loktak Development Authority, MLAs and officials of Forest and Environment, Loktak Development Authority, Manipur State Wetland Authority this evening and discussed thoroughly on the proposed plan on Loktak Lake titled as Loktak Manipur: An Integrated Plan for Wise Use 2020-2025. The Loktak Manipur: An Integrated Plan for Wise Use (2020-2025) was developed by the State government in 2020 with an aim to conserve the Loktak lake which has the world's only floating National Park. 

-Minister of State in PMO Dr. Jitendra Singh has said that Jammu and Kashmir will soon become the first Union Territory in the country to have a district level good governance index. He said, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances will carry out this task in collaboration with the Union Territory Government. Dr. Singh said, Good Governance Index at the district level will enable each of the 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir to rise to the level of some of the best administered districts of the country. The index will ensure time bound disposal of office files and other matters, increased transparency, accountability and citizen participation. The Minister said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen that the best practices of governance which are followed in other States and UTs of the country should replicate in Jammu and Kashmir. He said, in the last two years, there has been a fast-track attempt to change the work culture in Jammu and Kashmir and to follow the Mantra of Maximum Governance, Minimum Government.

-Keeping the rise of Covid 19 cases in view in Ladakh region, the Kargil District Disaster Management Authority, DDMA, has canceled Kargil Winter Expedition.  The Expedition which includes various events like Snow Horse Polo, Snow Soccer, Snow Bashing etc was scheduled to begin from 22nd  January for 7 days. Chairman and Founder Ladakh Adventure Sports and the organiser of the event Shahnawaz Var said that keeping in view of the situation and the directions of DDMA Kargil the event has been canceled.

-Following the constitution of a high-level committee to probe into the causes that led to the stampede at Vaishno Devi Bhawan, Divisional Commissioner Jammu on Sunday issued a public notice asking person/Persons who desire to furnish any facts, statements, evidence to share the same with the Committee on email divcomjmu-jk@nic.in  or Whatsapp No. 09419202723 or Landline Number 0191-2478996 by or before January 5, 2022. Any person who desires to meet in person, may appear before Enquiry Committee in person on Jan 5, 2022 between 11 am to 1 p.m in the office of Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Rail Head Complex, Panama Chowk, to furnish any statements/facts/evidence. Meanwhile, Mata Vaishno Devi temple following stricter guidelines. Nearly 27,000 pilgrims offered prayers at the shrine yesterday. The yatra is now going on smoothly. The yatra resumed following a brief suspension after the incident. Presently 3 injured are undergoing treatment at Katra’s Naryan Hospital, while 13 have been discharged so far.