The severe cyclonic storm Ampan has caused extensive damage to the four coastal districts of Odisha- Bhadrak, Balasore, Kendrapada and Jagatsingpur.

The state government has asked the Collectors of the four districts to submit a report within 48 hours regarding the damages caused by Amphan .

The cyclonic storm Amphan caused widespread damage to the four districts Bhadrak, Balasore, Kendrapada, and Jagatsingpur of coastal Odisha. While one minor allegedly died in Bhadrak district but the government is yet to confirm whether it happened due to Amphan . Some parts of coastal Odisha experienced heavy to heavy rainfall with the speedy wind.

Several trees were uprooted, roofs of kutcha houses blown away, and power infrastructure suffered damaged in these four districts as maximum wind speed crossed 100 km per hour in some places.

Railways has said that the booking of tickets for 200 trains which will run from 1st of June will commence from 10 AM today. These trains will be fully reserved trains having both AC and Non AC classes. General coaches shall also have reserved seat for sitting. There will be no unreserved coach in the train. Only four categories of Divyangjan concession and eleven categories of patient concessions are permitted in these special trains. Railways Ministry said, these special services will be in addition to the existing Shramik special trains and Special AC trains.

The Ministry said, other regular Passenger services including all mail and express, passenger and suburban services shall remain cancelled until further advice. The fare in these trains will be normal and for General coaches, second seating fare shall be charged and seat will be provided to all the passengers. No catering charges will be included in the fare. Provision for prepaid meal booking, and e-catering shall be disabled. Our correspondent reports that all stalls at stations including food plazas will be opened but only take away food will be given.

The Centre has notified the reduction in statutory rate of contributions from 12 per cent  to 10 per cent for wage months period from May to  July, 2020 for all class of establishments covered under the Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 .

Earlier,the government had announced  to reduce the rate  as part of Atma-Nirbhar Bharat package. Ministry of Labour and Employment in a statement said that the notification in this regard is available  on the home page of EPFO website. It said, reduction in rate of EPF contributions from 12 per cent  to 10 percent of basic wages and Dearness allowances is intended to benefit both 4.3 Crore employees and employers of 6.5 lakhs establishments to tide over the immediate liquidity crisis to some extent.

As a result of reduction in statutory rate of contributions,  the employee will have a higher take home pay and employers will also have their liabilities reduced by 2 per cent of wages of the  employees.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched a new mobile app named  - the ‘National Test Abhyas'. The App has been developed by National Testing Agency-NTA to enable candidates to take mock tests for upcoming exams such as JEE Main and  NEET under the NTA’s purview.

The app has been launched to facilitate candidates’ access to high quality mock tests as there was a demand for making up the loss to students due to closure of educational institutions and NTA’s Test-Practice Centers  due to the  lockdown. Students across the country can use the App to access high quality tests, free of cost, in a bid to be fully prepared for the upcoming JEE, NEET and other competitive exams. The tests can be easily downloaded.

Speaking at the occasion, the HRD Minister said, this timely launch is designed to ensure that no student is left behind in getting exposure to practice testing, especially  when student's loss due to closure of educational institutions is to be compensated.

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said Indian Railways will run 200 non-AC trains daily from 1st of the next month. In a series of tweets yesterday, the Railway Minister said online booking will start soon. These trains will be run in addition to the Shramik Special Trains and Indian Railways is planning to double the numbers of Shramik Trains to bring more relief to the migrant workers.

The Railway Minister said, in future, numbers of Shramik Special trains will be increased on a large scale.

Mr. Goyal said, State governments are requested to help the workers and register them with the nearest station and give the list to the railways, so that the railway workers can run special trains. He said, workers are requested to stay in their place. He assured that Indian Railways will take the workers to their destination.

Our correspondent reports that more than 21 lakh 50 thousand migrants have been transported to their home states through Shramik Special trains in 19 days by operating more than 1600 “Shramik Special” trains.

Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday participated in the 73rd World Health Assembly through video conference and highlighted the timely, graded and proactive measures taken by India towards COVID management.

Health Minister said India undertook the COVID-19 challenge with the highest level of political commitment.

The Minister said India took all necessary steps well in time, including surveillance at points of entry, evacuation of nationals stranded overseas, massive community surveillance through robust disease surveillance network, and strengthening of health infrastructure.

Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan urged upon all Governments, industry and philanthropy to prioritize the long term and pool their resources, to ensure everyone benefits.

Fourth phase of nationwide lockdown begins today. Union Home Ministry had yesterday extended the nationwide lockdown for fourteen more days, till 31st of this month. The lockdown since 24th March has helped considerably in containing the spread of COVID-19 in the country. The fourth phase of lockdown will however witness substantial relaxations than its previous versions. Centre has allowed States and Union Territories to demarcate Red, Orange and Green Zones. In the current phase of lockdown, States and Union Territories will be able to delineate districts, sub-divisions or even municipalities into the three different zones based on parameters set by Union Health ministry. This measure would help the States in extending the relaxations in larger parts.

The containment zones will be located within the Red and Orange zones with a small part of the area also demarcated as buffer zone. With directions of extra caution for the buffer zones, Government has directed that no activities, except for medical and essential supplies to be allowed in the containment zones. Home Ministry has put out a list of activities which will remain prohibited throughout the country till the next 14 days.

Noted literary personality, educationist and national Professor Anisuzzaman passed away in Dhaka on Thursday after a brief illness. He was 83.

He was a reputed scholar and leading intellectual of Bangladesh who made great contribution in the field of Bangla language and literature. Prof. Anisuzzaman was a liberation war fighter. He also participated in the language movement against Pakistan.

Born in Kolkata in 1937, his family moved to Bangladesh shortly after the independence of India in 1947.

The multi faceted Prof. Anusuzzaman was the President of Bangla Academy since 2012.

In his illustrious life as educationist, academic, author and social activist Prof. Anisuzzamn received many awards including the Ekushey Padak in 1985. Rabindra Bharti conferred an honorary D.Lit on him in 2005. He was awarded Padma Bhushan by the government of India in 2014.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her condolence message on the death of Prof. Anisuzzaman said that the country has lost a valiant freedom fighter and a luminary of education sector.

Mourning the death of Prof. Anisuzzaman President M Abdul Hamid said that he was a shining star of Bengali literature and culture who played a significant role in improving the quality of education in Bangladesh.

Veteran Bengali author Debesh Roy, who was conferred the Sahitya Akademi award for his novel ‘Teesta Parer Brittanto’, died at a private hospital in Kolkata on Thursday, his family members said

Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojna: The Gujarat government on Thursday announced a scheme under which people in lower middle income group can avail guarantee-free loan of Rs 1 lakh from banks at 2 per cent annual interest as it seeks to help them get back to normal life disrupted by the COVID-19 lockdown.

The government will pay another 6 per cent interest to banks giving loan under the scheme, Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojna (AGSY), targetted at small businessmen and a cross- section of people falling under the lower middle income group.