Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) Delhi Agriculture Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday demanded that the Centre direct the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to set up counters in Narela and Najafgarh markets and start procuring wheat from farmers at minimum support price.

Rai said his department had written two letters, requesting FCI to set up counters in Narela and Najafgarh grain markets.

"The FCI replied counters have been set up and procurement started on April 1. However, these claims are false," the minister told reporters.

New Delhi, Apr 6 (PTI) The United States' Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, on Tuesday lauded India for "getting the job done on climate" and said it is a world leader already in deployment of renewable energy.

Kerry is on a four-day visit to India, from April 5 to April 8, during which he will meet representatives from the Union government, the private sector and NGOs.

New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) Following are the highlights of RBI's monetary policy for 2021-22:

* RBI keeps policy rate unchanged for fifth time in a row; repo at 4 pc

* Economic growth projection for current fiscal retained at 10.5 pc

* RBI to maintain accommodative monetary policy stance to support growth, keep inflation at targeted level

* Says recent surge in COVID-19 infections has created uncertainty over economic recovery, focus be on containing virus spread

New Delhi, Apr 6 (PTI) With polling taking place for assembly elections in four states and a Union Territory, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday urged people to cast their vote, saying "India is counting on you".

Polling is taking place for 31 seats in the third of the eight-phase West Bengal assembly elections, while 40 seats are at stake in the final and third phase of the assembly elections in Assam.

Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are voting on Tuesday in single-phase assembly elections.

New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived here on Monday on a nearly 19-hour visit which is aimed at preparing ground for the annual India-Russia summit.

Ahead of his visit, the Russian Embassy said Moscow attaches great importance to collective work based on the principles of goodwill, consensus and equality, and rejects "confrontation and bloc-type approaches".

New Delhi, Apr 6 (PTI) The daily rise in new coronavirus infections in India remained above 90,000 for the third consecutive day taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally of cases to 1,26,86,049, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

New Delhi, Apr 6 (PTI) Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana was on Tuesday appointed as the next chief justice of India.

According to a notification issued by the government, Justice Ramana would take over as the 48th CJI on April 24 after incumbent S A Bobde demits office a day before.

Justice Ramana would retire on August 26, 2022.

New Delhi, Apr 6 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a swipe at the government over the Rafale fighter jet deal, saying karma is the ledger of one's action and no one can escape it.

He said this after a French media report claimed that 1.1 million Euros was paid to a "middleman" by the aircraft manufacturer, a charge that was denied by the BJP as baseless.

Gandhi has been alleging that commissions have been paid in the Rafale deal, which the government has denied.

New Delhi, Apr 6 (PTI) More than 43 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in a span 24 hours on April 5, the highest single-day coverage till now, taking the total doses given in the country so far to 8,31,10,926, according to the Union Health Ministry.

As on day-80 of the vaccination drive (April 5), a total 43,00,966 vaccine doses have been given out of which 39,00,505 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 48,095 sessions for 1st dose while 4,00,461 beneficiaries received the 2nd dose, according to the data updated at 7 am.

Delhi; 05 April 2021 (UMMN): Dassault agreed to pay one million euro to an Indian middleman just after the signing of Rafale contract in 2016, an investigation by a French publication has revealed.

An amount of 508,925 euro was paid under "gifts to clients".