Migrant workers to get free foodgrains
- Economic stimulus package announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday is to provide free foodgrains for the next two months to migrant workers who do not have ration cards. The Centre will spend ₹3,500 crore for this purpose.
- The move to provide free foodgrain for migrant workers is an extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, announced on March 27, which provided an additional monthly free rice or wheat allocation of 5 kg per person, and 1 kg of pulse per household from April to June to the 80 crore people with ration cards covered by the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Work from home may stay for govt. staff
- Post lockdown, the Union government will continue staggered and variable work hours for its employees with the Personnel Ministry floating a draft consultation paper on best work from home practices.
- The Department of Personnel and Training may provide the option of work from home to eligible officers and other employees for 15 days a year as a matter of policy, the paper said.
- Employees will be provided with laptops or desktops.
- Employees might also be reimbursed for internet services used while working from home.
Railways cancels tickets till June 30
- The Railways has cancelled all tickets booked till June 30 and promised full refund to the passengers.
- However, the Shramik Specials or the 15 pairs of special trains started on May 12 will continue.
- The Railways said a total of 800 Shramik Specials were run from various States till May 14, ferrying over 10 lakh people. Additionally, for the special trains, so far over 1.25 lakh tickets worth ₹45.30 crore have been booked for more than 2.34 passengers.
DU to hold open book online examinations for final semester
- For final semester, Delhi University’s students will be allowed to take open book examinations from home, starting July 1, in case the situation does not normalise, the university notified on Thursday. The move has invited opposition from students and teachers’ bodies alike.
- Examinations will be held for students of all undergraduate and postgraduate courses in their final semester, term or year, including those part of the School of Open Learning and Non Collegiate Women Education Board.
- Former students of different categories will also be allowed to sit for the exams, it said. “All these exams shall be conducted in three sessions in a day, including Sundays, with a duration of two hours,”
- The notification has drawn strong condemnation from several different quarters, including teachers and students’ bodies.