Tope also admitted that the "chalta hai" (laidback) attitude had creeped in after the government flattened the infection curve.
"Vaccination is our big weapon in the fight against COVID-19," he said. He added that India is the fastest country globally to reach the landmark of 17 crore doses in 114 days and thanked all the states and UTs for their contribution in achieving this feat.
The envoy said India has been successful in articulating its case with the international community including the US.
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan's recent request to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley - for an increase in tax on cigarettes from 45 per cent to 60 per cent in the coming Budget - seems to have had a serious impact on cigarette smokers' pockets.
Senior diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale, currently the country's Ambassador to Germany, has been appointed as the Ambassador to China to replace Ashok Kantha, whose term will end in early January.
"As far as the US is concerned, we have certainly reached a level of no return. In other words, we have developed today what we call a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. "We are cooperating across the board on areas that are of mutual interest to both our countries," said Shringla.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and other ministers took charge of their respective offices on Thursday, a day after taking oath at a ceremony held in the Darbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Attacking Arvind Kejriwal over his announcement of 50 per cent reduction in power tariff up to 400 units, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader Harsh Vardhan today said Kejriwal was indulging in "populism" and the decisions would be implemented at the cost of Aam Admi's welfare projects.
The total cost will include expenses related to crew, fuel, navigation, landing and parking charges.
The two leaders reaffirmed that the United States and India 'will take concerted action against all terrorist groups, including groups proscribed by the UNSCR 1267 Sanctions Committee'.
The health ministry has formed a committee to consider raising the number of drugs deemed essential and subject to price caps.
The Indian embassy in Ukraine issued a fresh advisory in view of increasing Russian attacks on several Ukrainian cities and reports of heavy fighting around the capital Kyiv.
Mehta said if the government so directs, the IOA, in coordination with the concerned National Sports Federations (NSFs), can facilitate the vaccination
In Phase 6, indications are that the BJP, which is defending 40 seats, will lose in double digits and gain in single digits. Not good, if you are the ruling party scrambling to earn a working majority, with just one phase left to go, argues Prem Panicker.
India has received over USD 20 billion in FDI amid the coronavirus pandemic, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Tuesday, showcasing the country as one of the most attractive destinations for investment globally.
India has always provided very strong support to minority communities in Afghanistan, particularly Sikhs and Hindus, and it is an important part of New Delhi's effort to evacuate those Afghan nationals who want to leave the war-ravaged country, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said.
President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Here's how Ahmedabad is decked up to welcome Mr and Mrs Trump.
Sitharaman, who was holding the Commerce portfolio (Independent charge), was on Sunday promoted to the Cabinet rank as was Goyal.
The reshuffle may take place before Modi departs for China to attend the BRICS summit.
Housing prices increased by up to 11 per cent annually across eight major cities during January-March period of this year due to a rise in demand for residential properties and a sharp hike in rates of construction raw materials, according to a joint report by CREDAI, Colliers and Liases Foras. Delhi-NCR witnessed highest rise in housing prices by 11 per cent to Rs 7,363 per sq ft during January-March 2022 as compared to the year-ago period, as per the first edition of Housing Price-Tracker report by realtors body CREDAI, real estate consultant Colliers and data analytics firm Liases Foras. Hyderabad witnessed 9 per cent increase in housing prices to Rs 9,232 per square feet, while Ahmedabad saw a 8 per cent appreciation to Rs 5,721 per square feet and Kolkata 6 per cent to Rs 6,245 per square feet.
Congress leader Ajay Maken on Monday dubbed Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal and Bharatiya Janata Party's chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi as "opportunists" who "used" Anna Hazare to meet their own political ambitions.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which emerged as the single largest party in Delhi assembly polls but fell short of a majority, on Thursday declined to form a government, strengthening the likelihood of fresh election in the national capital.
Bharatiya Janata Party will get absolute majority bagging around 46 seats in Delhi Assembly polls, riding on the 'Modi wave', while Aam Aadmi Party is likely to win in 18 constituencies, an opinion poll said on Monday.
Unlike the last assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party will not project anyone as its chief ministerial candidate in Delhi this time and will depend on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the party beyond the required halfway mark of 35 seats in the 70-member House.
Delegates of all G20 countries, barring China, arrived in Srinagar on Monday for the third working group meeting on tourism -- a much-anticipated event for which authorities have made extensive security arrangements and spruced up the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has boosted the representation of backward castes, dalits, tribals and women in his Council of Ministers in a big shake-up of his government with a focus on politically crucial states, including the all-important Uttar Pradesh.
The C-17 Globemaster, the biggest military aircraft in the Air Force, will carry a large consignment of medical supplies to China and bring back more Indians from Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic, the sources said.
The bill defines electronic cigarettes ss electronic devices that heat a substance, which may contain nicotine and other chemicals, to create vapour for inhalation.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led government is planning to push for full statehood for Delhi -- a key move in its turf war with the lieutenant governor.
While demanding more outdoor air ventilation, the strategy document calls for a structural modification in the workplace.
It was also the shortest speech by Sitharaman, who had delivered the longest speech last year. Her first Budget speech in July 2019 went on for around 137 minutes and in 2020, it went on for more than 160 minutes and was cut short after she felt unwell.
A day after the nearly 13-hour meeting, the two sides in a joint statement on Saturday reaffirmed that such a resolution would help restore peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and facilitate progress in bilateral relations.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has declared assets whose value has more than doubled during the past five years, reaching around Rs 2.7 crore.
Stepping up its efforts to evacuate Indian students stranded in war-hit Ukraine, the Centre on Monday decided that Union ministers Hardeep Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju and V K Singh will travel to its neighbouring countries to coordinate the evacuation mission and help students, government sources said.
Trade tensions between India and the US have been rising with President Donald Trump complaining that tariffs imposed by New Delhi on American products were "no longer acceptable".
The Bill was supported by the members across party lines, however, some suggested to add in its purview hospital sanitary staff, ASHA (accredited social health activist) workers and 'Corona warriors' in emergency services such as police and personnel from other departments.
Pharmaceutical companies, which are sending across medical aid for flood affected people in Jammu and Kashmir, claim to be facing difficulties in distribution of drugs.
Some experts opine that green crackers are yet not practical and question government's move to promote them.
The doubling time of coronavirus cases has slowed down to 13.9 days in the last three days.
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