India, China agree to ease stand-off
- Indian and Chinese troops began a partial “disengagement” from some of the stand-off points along the
Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. - Partial deinduction has happened from some points in the Galwan and Hot Springs areas. [The] Chinese side removed some of the tents and some troops and vehicles have been moved back, and the Indian side, too, has reciprocated. At some points in the Galwan Valley, Chinese troops have moved back 2-3 km. However, there is no change on the ground situation at Pangong Tso. While this is the first time officials spoke about the ground situation, no government statement was issued, either in Delhi or Beijing.
Migrants should not be prosecuted: SC
- A Bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan directed the Centre and the States to withdraw any complaint or prosecution lodged against migrant labourers who had set out on foot from big cities for their native villages to escape starvation, unemployment and disease during the pandemic.
- States/Union Territories to consider withdrawal of prosecution/complaints under Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act and other related offences lodged against migrant labourers who are alleged to have violated lockdown measures by moving on roads,” it directed.
‘Social vaccine’ is need of the hour: Harsh Vardhan
- Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday said India is in a much better position than the rest of the world in the fight against COVID-19, but there is “no time for complacency”.
- He said “social vaccine”— strict adherence to physical distancing, hand hygiene and using mask/face covers — is the need of the hour.
- Mr. Vardhan said as India enters the Unlock 1.0 phase where restrictions have been eased, “we need to be more disciplined”.
Can coffee growers deploy MGNREGA workers?
- Professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP has suggested coffee growers avail the services of MGNREGA workers to solve the issue of labour shortage and rein in the consequent high production cost.
- If a draft report prepared by the firm on the strategic road map for the Indian coffee sector, the firm suggested the use of MGNREGA labour up to the yielding stage. Currently, only trenching activities inside coffee plantations are covered under MGNREGA.
- The sector’s labour woes reached a boiling point in March after a large population of immigrant labourers returned to their home towns
- It also suggested that small farmers, who hold up to 10 hectare of land, should be given access to MGNREGA
labour pool.