Delhi government caps price of RT-PCR test at Rs 800 in private labs
•The Delhi government on November 30, 2020 fixed the price of RT-PCR test by private labs in the national capital at Rs 800. The RT-PCR tests are extremely crucial for COVID-19 testing.
•Currently, the private labs in Delhi have been charging Rs 2,400 for the RT-PCR Test, while these tests are being conducted for free in government hospitals and testing centers.
•The state health department in an order fixed the price of the tests at Rs 800 for samples collected from the collection sites by private-sector labs and those that are collected at the private labs, collection facilities and hospitals. The rate includes charges of both sample collection and testing costs at the site.
•The department also fixed the price at Rs 1,200 for samples that are collected through home visits. The rate includes all charges including for visit, sample collection and the testing cost.
Government calls all-party meeting on December 4
•The centre has called an all-party meeting on December 4, 2020 of floor leaders of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to discuss COVID-19 situation in the country.
•Prime Minister Narendra had held a meeting with chief ministers of various states over the pandemic situation on November 24, 2020.
•PM Modi had also held virtual meetings with three teams involved in developing and manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccine- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd, Pune, Biological E Ltd, Hyderabad and Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd, Hyderabad.
Archery Association of India’s government recognition restored
•The Sports Ministry has restored government recognition of the Archery Association of India. The recognition was withdrawn eight years ago because of the body’s failure to conduct elections in accordance with India’s National Sports Development Code.
•AAI has now been recognised as a National Sports Federation for the promotion and regulation of Archery Sport in the country. However, government recognition will be valid for one year.
•President of Archery Association of India, Arjun Munda welcomed the Sports Ministry’s decision and termed it as historic.
India has lowest per million cases and per million deaths
•As per the latest reports, India is putting up a better fight against COVID-pandemic than most countries across the globe, as it has one of the lowest per million COVID cases and per million deaths.
•Other nations like the US, UK, France, Brazil and Italy have reported 4-5 times the number of cases on a per million basis than India as of November 28, 2020.
•As far as the number of deaths due to COVID-19 per million population is concerned, India has reported 98 deaths as of November 28, 2020. On the other hand, other nations like the US has reported 813 deaths, Brazil 805, UK 846 and France saw 780 deaths. All these countries have reported 8-9 times more deaths than India on a per million basis.
•Further, India’s curve currently is showing a downward trend in daily cases as from the peak of almost 97000 cases daily in mid-September, it has come down to around 43000 cases in November 2020.
US President-elect announces all-women communications team
•Joe Biden, US President-elect has appointed an all-women White House communications team. The team will be led by Kate Bedingfield, who will serve as the White House Communications Director.
•Biden has also appointed former President Barack Obama’s State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki as his White House press secretary.
•Psaki had served at several positions during the Obama-Biden administration, including as White House Communications Director and State Department Spokesperson.
New DRDO lab-created for focused research along India's border with Pakistan, China
•The government has created a new DRDO lab for conducting focused research on terrain and avalanches along India’s borders with China and Pakistan. The lab has been created by merging together two existing DRDO laboratories.
•The new laboratory has been named Defence Geo Informatics Research Establishment. The two labs merged by the government include the Manali-based Snow and Avalanche Studies Establishment and Delhi-based Defence Terrain Research Establishment.
•The merger is the first step in the large-scale reforms to be taken up in the DRDO by its Chief Dr G Satheesh Reddy in order to make the organisation leaner and more result-oriented.
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