Latest News: Centre caps vaccine doses at Rs 250; Indian Army warns Pakistan

Here are top stories this Saturday evening:

Centre caps vaccine doses at Rs 250 at private hospitals

As India readies for phase-2 of COVID-19 vaccination, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, on Saturday, announced that pricing for a vaccine dose has been capped at Rs 250 at private hospitals. While vaccine doses will be available free of cost at government centres, the Centre will bear the cost of the inoculation. As of date, 77 per cent of health care workers have been administered with the first dose and 70 per cent got the second dose - totalling 1,35,60,983 doses.

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Centre dispels doubts on OTT guidelines

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday addressed the 'misgivings' following the release of its new guidelines to regulate OTT platforms and social media, sharing that the interim blocking directions, as stated under Rule 16 were not new, and had been in existence for the past 11 years. The Ministry's clarifications come in response to certain reports over the new OTT guidelines which had claimed that the Centre was attempting to tighten the noose around free speech through 'blocking' content. 

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Indian Army warns Pakistan

On Saturday, the Indian Army affirmed that the ceasefire between India and Pakistan will have no impact on counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir. Amid relentless ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the Director Generals of Military Operations of both countries reviewed the situation in a "free, frank and cordial" atmosphere. Consenting on addressing each other's core concerns, they agreed to strictly observe all agreements and stop firing from February 25. 

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RJD joins 'Mahagathbandhan' in Assam

Collaborating with the Congress and RJD, AIUDF Badruddin Ajmal on Saturday, said that RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav will be campaigning for the 'grand alliance'. Ajmal clarified that no discussion regarding seat-sharing had taken place. The former Bihar Deputy CM has announced that it will naturally ally with Congress and the Left in the upcoming Assam polls. Assam elections will be held in three phases -  March 27, April 1 and April 6, while results will be announced on May 2.

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BJP delegation meets EC

The BJP on Saturday raised the issue of 'political violence' in West Bengal with the Election Commission after their LED vehicles were allegedly vandalised by TMC goons in Kolkata. Moreover, the party also alleged 'discrepancies' in the postal ballots adding that police officials were trying to tamper with the senior citizen ballots. The shocking vandalism of BJP's LED vehicles comes hours after EC's announcement of the state's poll schedule.

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Tamil Nadu Assembly Election: PMK to contest 23 seats

In the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly election, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has field candidates from 23 constituencies as a part of the AIADMK-led alliance. It is pertinent to note that DMK drew a blank in both the 2016 TN Assembly polls as well as the 2019 Lok Sabha election. At present, it has a lone MP in the Rajya Sabha- former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.

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Ashwin clean bowls pitch critics

Smashing critics complaining of pitches amidst the ongoing India-England Test series, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin stated that talks over the surface are 'getting out of hand'. The Chennai-lad reiterated that instead of talking about the pitch, there should be scrutiny over the quality of play after England's embarrassing 10-wicket defeat on Thursday in the third Test. Several players from both the camps including England skipper Joe Root has affirmed that the pitch had no part to play but instead it was the batsmen who failed to be at their best amidst the noise over the wicket by several ex-cricketers.

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