India crosses nine million COVID-19 tests
New Delhi: India has crossed the nine-million mark in conducting COVID-19 tests, with 90,56,173 samples having been examined till July 1, officials said on Thursday.
The officials of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) also said there are now 1,065 testing labs in the country -- 768 in the public sector and 297 in private. The daily testing capacity is also growing fast, they said, adding it was around 1.5 lakh per day on May 25 and is more than three lakh per day now.
As many as 2,29,588 samples were tested on Wednesday, which took the cumulative number to 90,56,173, the country's apex health research body said. Starting with just one laboratory, the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, and having 100 at the beginning of the lockdown, the ICMR on June 23 validated 1000th testing lab, it said.
The Union Health Ministry, meanwhile, said the total number of people being tested for COVID-19 in the country will soon touch one crore. "This has been (made) possible due to the removal of all bottlenecks by the government of India. Various steps taken by the Central government have paved the way for enhanced testing for COVID-19," the ministry said.
Through a significant step announced by the Central government on Wednesday, COVID-19 testing can now be done on the prescription of any registered practitioner, and not exclusively of a government doctor.
The Centre has strongly advised states and Union Territories to take immediate steps to facilitate testing at the earliest by enabling all qualified medical practitioners, including private ones, to prescribe COVID-19 test to any individual fulfilling the criteria for testing as per ICMR guidelines.
Reiterating that 'Test-Track-Treat' is the key strategy for early detection and containment of the outbreak, the Centre on Wednesday advised them to take all possible steps to ensure full capacity utilization of all COVID-19 testing laboratories.
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Karnataka govt plans to constitute SIT to probe scams in city-based cooperative banks: DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Apr 24: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the state government is planning to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to probe alleged scams in city-based cooperative banks, and claimed the involvement of BJP leaders in them.
The state Congress chief was referring to alleged financial frauds involving Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank, its sister concern Sri Guru Sarvabhauma Souharda Credit Cooperative Ltd and Sri Vasista Credit Souharda Sahakari Ltd, which come under the Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency limits.
Shivakumar said a group of depositors met Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday here before she left to Kerala for campaigning, and submitted her a petition seeking justice.
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"There are three lakh depositors who have suffered. Some 300 of them have since died, and many of them are senior citizens...When the BJP was in power, they promised to hand it (probe) over to the CBI. But our government (on coming to power) gave it to the CBI....But since BJP leaders are involved and they have indulged in the fraud, the CBI has neither registered a case nor has started inquiry," he told reporters.
"Priyanka Gandhi has asked Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) and me (Shivakumar) to consider constituting an SIT and take action in accordance with law. Immediately after the election, we will decide on this and ensure justice," he said.
"Your hard earned savings have been taken by BJP leaders. It shouldn't have happened," Shivakumar said, urging depositors to stay strong and assuring that the government will try to protect their interest.
Siddaramaiah had in December last year approved handing over the probe into alleged scams at the three cooperative banks to CBI.
According to reports, irregularities at the Guru Raghavendra Bank is to the tune of Rs 1,294 crore, while the Guru Sarvabhauma Society reportedly lost Rs 284 crore due to financial misappropriation, and fraud at the Vasishta Cooperative Bank is said to be tune of Rs 282 crore.
Recently, Bangalore South BJP MP and candidate for Lok Sabha polls, Tejasvi Surya abruptly left an election campaign meeting in his constituency, after depositors at Sri Guru Raghavendra bank allegedly heckled him over the delay in getting back their money. However, Surya's office later blamed those allegedly associated with the Congress party for the incident.
