(Contains Press releases concerning Covid-19, issued in last 24 hours, inputs from PIB Field Offices and Fact checks undertaken by PIB)

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India’s Case Fatality Rate lowest since 22nd March, Less than 500 Deaths reported in last 24 hours, 14 States/UTs have Case Fatality Ratio less than 1%

The focused efforts of Centre and State/UT governments on effective clinical management of the hospitalized cases have ensured that India’s Fatality Rate has touched 1.5%. Less than 500 deaths (480) have been reported in last 24 hours in the country. India has one of the lowest fatality rates in the world. The Case Fatality rate is lowest since 22^nd March and is continuously declining. 2218 Dedicated COVID Hospitals are providing quality medical care. At the ground level, frontline health workers like ASHAs and ANMs have done a commendable job of managing the migrant population and to enhance awareness at the community level. As a result, there are 14 States and UTs with CFR lower than 1%.59,105 new recoveries were added in last 24 hour whereas new recovered cases were 45,148. With this, the total number of recoveries have crossed 71 Lakh (71,37,228). Higher number of single day recoveries is also reflected in the continuous increase in the national recovery rate, which is at present 90.23%.India continues to report a trend of steadily decreasing active cases. Presently the active cases comprise merely 8.26% of the total positive cases of the country standing at 6,53,717. This is the lowest since 13^th August when the active cases were 6,53,622.  78% of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States/UTs. Karnataka has contributed the maximum to the single day recoveries with more than 10,000 cases followed by Kerala with more than 7,000 cases.  45,148 new confirmed cases were registered in the last 24 hours in the country. This is the lowest since 22^nd July when 37,000 new cases were added.  82% of new confirmed cases are from 10 States and UTs. Kerala and Maharashtra contribute maximum to the new confirmed cases with more than 6,000 cases each followed by Karnataka, Delhi and West Bengal with more than 4,000 cases.  480 case fatalities have been reported in the past 24 hours. Of these, nearly 80% are concentrated in ten States/UTs.  More than 23% of new fatalities reported are from Maharashtra (112 deaths).

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English rendering of PM’s address in the 17th Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat 2.0’ on 25.10.2020

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PM to interact with beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi Scheme from UP on 27 October

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will interact with the beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi Scheme from Uttar Pradesh on 27 October at 10:30 AM via video conferencing. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh will also be present on the occasion. PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme was launched on 1 June, 2020 to help poor street vendors, impacted by COVID-19, resume livelihood activities. Till date, a total of more than 24 lakh applications have been received under the scheme, out of which more than 12 lakh have been sanctioned and about 5.35 lakh loans have been disbursed.

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PM inaugurates three key projects in Gujarat, Launches ‘KisanSuryoday Yojana’ for the farmers of Gujarat

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated 3 key projects in Gujarat on Saturday through video conferencing. Shri Modi launched the KisanSuryodaya Yojana for providing 16 hours of power supply to farmers. He also inaugurated the Paediatric Heart Hospital attached with U.N Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre and a Mobile Application for tele-cardiology at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Ropeway at Girnar on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, he said Gujarat has always been an exemplary model for the determination and dedication of the common man. He added after the Sujalam-Suflam and Sauni scheme, the kisanSuryodaya Yojana Gujarat has set a milestone in meeting the needs of the Gujarat Farmers. The Prime Minister urged to work continuously in line with the changing times to help the farmers in doubling their income, by reducing their investment and overcoming their difficulties. He listed the initiatives of the Government to double the income of the farmers like formation of thousands of FPOs, neem coating urea, Soil Health Cards and launching of many new initiatives.

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Text of PM's address at the inauguration of three key projects in Gujarat via video conferencing

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Extension of due dates for Annual Return and Reconciliation Statement for 2018-19

The Government has been receiving a number of representations regarding need to extend due date for filing Annual Return (FORM GSTR-9) and Reconciliation Statement (FORM GSTR-9C) for 2018-19 on the grounds that on account of the COVID-19 pandemic related lockdown and restrictions, normal operation of businesses has still not been possible in several parts of the country. It has been requested that the due dates for the same be extended beyond 31^st October 2020 to enable the businesses and auditors to comply in this regard. In view of the same, on the recommendations of the GST Council, it has been decided to extend the due date for filing Annual Return (FORM GSTR-9/GSTR-9A) and Reconciliation Statement (FORM GSTR-9C) for Financial Year 2018-19 from 31^st October 2020 to 31^st December, 2020. Notifications to give effect to this decision would follow.

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Extension of due date of furnishing of Income Tax Returns and Audit Reports

In view of the challenges faced by taxpayers in meeting the statutory and regulatory compliances due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Government brought the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation of Certain Provisions) Ordinance, 2020 (‘the Ordinance’) on 31st March, 2020 which, inter alia, extended various time limits. The Ordinance has since been replaced by the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Act. The Government issued a Notification on 24^thJune, 2020 under the Ordinance which, inter alia, extended the due date for all Income Tax Returns for the FY 2019-20 (AY 2020-21) to 30th November, 2020. Hence, the returns of income which were required to be filed by 31st July, 2020 and 31st October, 2020 are required to be filed by 30th November, 2020. Consequently, the date for furnishing various audit reports including tax audit report under the Income-tax Act, 1961 (the Act) has also been extended to 31st October, 2020.

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New age sustainable disinfectants and sanitizers may bring relief from chemical ones with side effects

The days of suffering from dry, itching hands due to rinsing them multiple times with chemical disinfectants and soap as protection against contact infection of COVID 19 may soon be over. A number of start-ups based in different parts of India are now armed with a range of sustainable alternatives to conventional chemical-based decontaminants that can disinfect surfaces and even microcavities. Safe disinfection and sanitization technologies have come from a total of 10 companies supported for disinfectants and sanitizers under Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH), an initiative by the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), implemented by Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT Bombay. Mumbai based start-up Inphlox Water Systems, with expertise in treating complex polluted water and wastewater, modified their technology to design and develop a system for space and equipment disinfection to fight COVID 19 contamination titled VAJRA. The VAJRA KE Series uses a disinfection system consisting of a multistage disinfection process by incorporating electrostatic discharge that generates ozone, and the powerful sterilizing effects of UVC light spectrum. VAJRA Kavach-E (KE) uses advanced oxidation, electrostatic discharge, and UVC light spectrum to inactivate the viruses, bacteria, and other microbial strains present on the PPE. This saves costs by making the PPE, medical, and nonmedical gear reusable.

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Shri Gangwar performs Bhoomi Pujan of 100 Bedded New ESIC Hospital at Bareilly, U.P done

Bhoomi Pujan of 100 bedded new ESIC Hospital, Bareilly, U.P. was done by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State (I/C) for Labour and Employment yesterday.During his address, Shri Gangwar, eighth time Member of Parliament from Bareilly, hailed and expressed gratitude for the efforts of Central Government, State Government & District Administration for realizing the dream into reality of medical needs of the people of his Constituency. He also said that this hospital will now ease the difficulties of IPs and beneficiaries as earlier they had to either travel to AIIMS, Delhi or Lucknow for higher medical treatment. The Minister also announced that the facilities of this ESIC Hospital will be made available to common people by charging nominal user fee. He further said that this Hospital will be turned into a Model Hospital in future.

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Price Monitoring and Resource Unit set up in Goa under the aegis of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)

1. Price Monitoring and Resource Unit (PMRU) has been set up in Goa under the aegis of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India. NPPA, in coordination with Goa State Drug Control Department has set up a Price Monitoring and Resource Unit on 22, October 2020. This PMRU will function at the State level under the direct supervision of the State Drug Controller for increasing outreach of NPPA.  NPP has been working in tandem with State Governments during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure seamless availability of life saving medicines including HCQ, paracetamol, vaccines, insulin and medicines under COVID protocol, including medical oxygen. Working together with State Governments, NPPA has strived to ensure that there is no shortage of drugs throughout the country.

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INPUTS FROM PIB FIELD OFFICES

• Assam: In Assam during the last 24 hours 204 COVID-19 positive cases detected out of 8753 tests conducted with positivity rate of 2.33%.
• Meghalaya: 104 individuals have recovered from coronavirus in the State today. Total active cases reached to 1605. Out of them 53 are from BSF and Armed forces.
• Mizoram:1.46 fresh cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Mizoram yesterday. Total cases reached to 2493.Mizoram government launched 'Covid-19 No Tolerance Fortnight from today to break the chain of rising local transmission.
• Nagaland:Phek and Longleng district of Nagaland still continue to be COVID free. Out of state's 1865 active cases, Dimapur alone accounts for 1372 cases.
• Kerala: Health Minister K.K. Shylaja has said that post-Covid care clinics will be set up in the state with the help of Ayush department following an increase in such cases. Pointing out that the test positivity rate in the state went up due to the increase in the number of clusters, the Minister said the main focus is to reduce the death toll. The death rate in Kerala is 0.34 percent while it is over 1 percent in other states. One more person succumbed to the virus today taking the toll to 1333. Meanwhile, this year’s Kochi Binale has been called off due to the present pandemic situation. People in the state celebrated Vijayadasami with thousands of tiny tots initiated into the world of letters marking the culmination of the annual Navratri festival. Most of the children sat for the initiation ceremony at their homes due to the fear of Covid-19. The ceremony was arranged in temples and cultural centers with strict restrictions.
• Tamil Nadu: TN’s Agriculture Minister R. Doraikannu, who tested positive for Covid-19 on October 13, remains critical; CM visits him at hospital. A statement issued by the hospital on Thursday said that the minister, who is 72-years-old, has multiple comorbidities. For the first time in several months, the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), the largest government tertiary care hospital in Tamil Nadu, recorded no deaths due to Covid-19 for 24 hours. State continued to witness a declining trend in the number of daily coronavirus infections, reporting 2,869 fresh cases and 31 fatalities yesterday and thereby pushing the tally to 7.09 lakh and death toll to 10,924.
• Karnataka: Experts warn that Karnataka is likely to witness another surge in Covid-19 cases in the first half of November, if people do not follow the standard guidelines of SMS (social distancing, masking and sanitation) during festival season. Covid, floods and poll shadow over Rajyotsava awards ceremony: The Kannada Rajyotsava awards ceremony, scheduled to be held on November 1, is likely to be postponed. As per Covid expert committee recommendation, historical Mysore Dasara JambuSavari was held in a simple and limited way.
• Andhra Pradesh: The recovery rate in Andhra Pradesh has improved to 95.36 per cent while the mortality rate remains steady at 0.82 per cent. Coronavirus cases are declining over the past few days. The state reported 2,997 new cases, 3,585 recoveries and 21 deaths as on Sunday. With these, the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases has risen to 8.07 lakh, recoveries to 7.69 lakh and deaths to 6,587. The State now has 30,860 active cases of the coronavirus infections.
• Telangana: 582 new cases, 1432 recoveries & 4 deaths reported in the last 24 hours; out of 582 cases, 174 cases reported from GHMC. Total cases: 2,31,834; Active cases: 18,611; Deaths: 1311; Discharges: 2,11,912. The recovery rate in the state rose further to 91.40 per cent, while it is 90.2 per cent in the country. The case fatality rate in the state is 0.56 per cent, while it is 1.5 per cent at the national level.
• Maharashtra:  Maharashtra Chief Minister Udhdhav Thackeray has justified his decision of not opening religious places in the State amid COVID-19 prevalence.  In his first address to the annual Dussehra rally after becoming CM, he said that his government is committed to help the people of the State to fight against the Coronavirus. He also stated that right from the beginning, he followed the opening of the economy in the State in a phased manner and he will follow the same principle ahead despite opposition's heavy criticism.
• Gujarat: The recovery rate in Gujarat has improved to 89.46 per cent. The state on Sunday reported 919 new cases of which maximum 227 new cases were reported from Surat, while Ahmedabad recorded 174 new cases. The number of active cases in the state is 13,936 against total reported cases of 1,67,173.
• Madhya Pradesh: In Madhya Pradesh, the spread of COVID 19 is gradually decreasing in the state. The number of active cases is 11,237 even as 951 new cases were reported on Sunday, while 1,181 recovered. The state government had taken several precautionary measures to effectively control the crowd gathering in view of festivals.
• Chhattisgarh:Chhattisgarh''s COVID-19 count crossed 1.75 lakhs on Sunday after 1,368 people were found infected. 25 more deaths were recorded in the state taking the toll to 1,818.  There are 23,743 active cases in the state.

FACT CHECK

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