Shownotes Transcript
1. Government may extend lockdown as multiple State governments & experts are requesting - The Narendra Modi Government would probably extend the on-going lockdown as multiple State governments and experts have requested to do so to deal better with the novel coronavirus pandemic. Sources said that the Central Government is deciding to extend the ongoing 21-day lockdown further.
**2. Assam Cabinet to cut salaries of Ministers, MLAs by 30% for one year - **The State Cabinet in its meeting held on Tuesday decided to deduct 30% of the monthly salaries of the Chief Minister, Ministers, and all MLAs for one year; and the amount will be deposited in the fund for treatment of COVID patients in the State.
**3. Assam Police held MLA Aminul Islam over controversial audio clip about Coronavirus - **Assam Police, on Tuesday arrested MLA Aminul Islam of the AIUDF for allegedly circulating an audio clip full of controversial comment on novel coronavirus pandemic and its precautionary measures adopted by the state and the Union government.
**4. Assam Coronavirus positive cases rise to 28: Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma - **With two more novel coronavirus positive cases detected in Assam on Tuesday, the State’s active cases rose to 28 while the total number of positive cases in the north-eastern region rose to 33.
**5. Coronavirus impact: Frequently forwarding WhatsApp messages limited to one chat at a time - **In a bid to curb the flow of misinformation in Coronavirus times, Facebook-owned WhatsApp on Tuesday announced to introduce a new limit on frequently forwarding messages where a WhatsApp user can forward such messages to one chat at a time.
**6. Muslim Religious leaders & Imams make awareness videos against Coronavirus in Darrang - **As the issue of Tablighi Jamaat has been rocking Assam, a section of Islamic religious leaders has prepared short videos to create awareness among the common people of their community living mostly in the remote areas of Darrang district in the state.
**7. Reserve Bank of India extends overdraft facility for States & Union Territories - **To ease the cashflow mismatches which might occur due to new Coronavirus lockdown, the Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday extended the time period for States and Union Territories to avail overdraft facilities. Accordingly, the RBI has decided to increase the number of days for which a State or UT can be in “overdraft” continuously to 21 working days from the current stipulation of 14 working days.
**8. Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati develops low-cost system to disinfect areas - **The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati on Tuesday said its researchers have developed a low-cost UVC LED-based disinfection system amid the spread of coronavirus pandemic in the country. The team is also addressing the critical need of the material required for the PPE i.e. a fabrication material with waterproof ability.
**9. Ensure availability of commodities, Chandra Mohan Patowary tells Transport officers - **Assam Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary has directed the senior officers of Transport Department to ensure that adequate numbers of trucks are made available for carrying of essential food commodities in the districts during the ongoing nationwide lockdown.
**10. 90 tonnes air cargo of medical kits, medicines sent to Northeast: officials - **Over 90 tonnes of air cargo, comprising medical kits, personal protective gears and medicines, have been transported to north-eastern states from Delhi and other places to thwart the scarcity during the on-going nationwide lockdown.