India an important manufacturer of vaccines for world: White House
Washington (PTI): India is an important manufacturer of vaccines for the world, the White House said, acknowledging the crucial role the country played in supplying vaccines against COVID-19 globally.
Because of its incredible manufacturing capacity, (India) has been a major exporter of vaccines, Dr. Ashish Jha, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, told reporters at a news conference here on Tuesday.
Responding to a question, Dr. Jha said the QUAD partnership a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the US -- on coronavirus was important to the Joe Biden administration.
I think India is an important manufacturer of vaccines for the world. I mean not just for India itself, this is a really important thing, he said at the White House news conference.
Defending the Biden administration's decision to supply vaccines to the world, Dr. Jha said the US will continue making them available for every low and several low- and middle-income countries.
There are about 100 countries that are eligible to get free vaccines through COVAX -- where we donate the vaccines still available for donation, he said. According to Dr. Jha, every major variant that hit the US originated from outside the country. So, the notion that we can somehow wall ourselves off and not be affected by what's happening in the rest of the world is just naive, he said.
It's just not how transmissible viruses like this work. So even if you think about it from a very narrow self-interest, it's very important that we get much of the world vaccinated, that we help build out the kind of vaccination program. But beyond self-interest, you know, America is a country that has deeply engaged in the world, he added.
Dr. Jha claimed that Biden had restored American leadership on global health in a way which is very different from the previous President .
So, for a whole set of reasons, it's very, very important that America continues to lead, 4.02 billion is a small investment to make to better protect Americans and better protect the world, he said.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
