Here are the top 5 news updates of May 10, 2021:
Newly sworn-in Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today said the aim of his government is to make the state one of the top five in India in the next five years. "We will start working from tomorrow to achieve this objective," Sarma said after taking the oath. The NEDA (North-East Democratic Alliance) convenor said the prime focus of the second BJP government in Assam will be to control the COVID-19 pandemic, fulfil all poll promises and make the state free from the annual flood havoc.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi today said the party has to take note of its serious setbacks in assembly polls, and face the reality to draw the right lessons and put its house in order. Addressing a crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), Gandhi said she intends to set up a small group to look at every aspect that caused such reverses and come back with its findings. The meeting of the top Congress body has been convened to deliberate and introspect on the party's poor performance in the just-concluded assembly elections.
The ruling NCP and Congress in Maharashtra today hit out at the Centre over its handling of the COVID-19 situation in the country and called for "one nation, one policy" to fight the pandemic. State Minority Affairs Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik also demanded that the Narendra Modi government convene an all-party meeting to chalk out the policy. "The coronavirus cannot be eradicated only through advertisements at a time when there is a need to work out 'one nation, one policy' considering the current COVID-19 situation in the country," Malik said. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that "the Centre is not able to handle the COVID-19 situation," he claimed.
The vaccination strategy for COVID-19 has been formulated by the Centre in a "just, equitable, non-discriminatory" manner and any "overzealous" judicial intervention may result in unforeseen consequences, the government has told the Supreme Court. In an affidavit filed by the Centre in response to the points raised by the top court, it said as vaccination of the entire country is not possible in one stretch due to the very suddenness of the pandemic, limited availability of vaccine doses and the vulnerability are the prime considerations. The submission was made in a suo motu by the apex court case for ensuring essential supplies and services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Extending its gains for the fourth consecutive session, equity benchmark Sensex surged about 296 points to recapture the key 49,500-level today, led by intense buying in pharma and energy stocks. At the closing bell, the 30-share BSE index quoted 295.94 points or 0.60 per cent higher at 49,502.41. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty jumped 119.20 points or 0.80 per cent to 14,942.35. L&T was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying over 4 per cent, followed by Dr Reddy's, Sun Pharma, NTPC, IndusInd Bank, PowerGrid, ONGC and M&M. On the other hand, UltraTech Cement, Infosys, Reliance Industries and HCL Tech were among the laggards.
