Over 70,000 fresh cases reported
India reported 70,421 fresh coronavirus infections on Monday, taking the cumulative caseload to 29.5 million, according to central health ministry data. The country saw 3,921 deaths due to the pandemic, taking the death toll to 374,305. The active caseload is at 973,158, while the total recoveries have surged to 28.2 million. As many as 254.8 million vaccine shots have been administered since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Of these, 1.5 million were given on Sunday. Read more
Four food records amid the pandemic
Record offtake of grain from the Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) godowns, record procurement, record stocks in government warehouses and record exports. A report in The Indian Express said this has been the story of four food records amid the Covid-19 pandemic, when “food” – more specifically, rice and wheat channelled through the public distribution system (PDS) – has become the Modi government’s preeminent social safety net programme. Abundant farm produce and government initiatives enabled these records even amid a devasting health crisis, the report said. Read more