India-Pak cricket game nothing less than war, claims Sehwag
“Ready to join politics if I get contract worth at least 100cr by any party”
Panaji, Apr 12: A cricket match between India and Pakistan is nothing less than war, former India opener Virender Sehwag said here Friday.
Speaking to reporters at an event, Sehwag brushed aside queries on whether he intended to join politics with jestful remarks. He stressed that people should vote for a leader who is decisive, though he refused to take any name.
Asked if India should play Pakistan in the World Cup, he said, "There are two points which are discussed, whether we should have a war with Pakistan or not (and whether we should play Pakistan)."
"That is also one point that is discussed. We should do whatever is good for the country's welfare. When India and Pakistan play a match, it is nothing less than a war. We should win the war, not lose it," he told reporters at Goa Fest, an annual event organised here by advertising associations.
The World Cup will be played in England and Wales between May 30 and July 14 this year.
Facing a volley of questions on ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Sehwag said, "I feel a leader should have the courage to take decisions, quick decisions in the interest of the country, in the interest of the Army and the interest of the police."
He said if people started voting for leaders and not on the basis of party lines, then "half the leaders" wouldn't get elected.
"They (the leaders) get elected because people vote for the party. The person who can take decisions should get elected, irrespective of which party he is from," he claimed.
He said the police and the Army should not be kept "suppressed", adding that he wanted the country to prosper and not "any particular person".
Asked if he intended to join politics, Sehwag quipped, "I have always worked on contract. Right from Ranji to the IPL (Indian Premier League), whichever party gives me a good contract, I will join."
On a lighter note, he added, "The contract should not be less than Rs 100 crore."
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
