Daily News Dose: Centre allows Kerala to avail loans up to Rs 5,000 crore | May 14, 2022

Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. Tune in to get updated about the major news stories of the day.

Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. I'm your host, Ajish Jimmy George, and these are the major news stories of the day:

Kerala can breathe easy as Centre gives nod to avail loans up to Rs 5,000 crore

Twenty20 may declare political stand in Thrikkakara bypoll after talks with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

Heavy rain forecast in Kerala for next 3 days; Red alert in Ernakulam and Idukki on Saturday

Cong mulls over five-year cap for leaders holding party posts

Company owners arrested over Delhi's Mundka fire incident, building owner absconding

Let's get into the details:

Ending a week-long suspense, the central government has finally allowed the Kerala government to take a loan up to Rs 5,000 crore.

The move is sure to give temporary succour to the state government, which is now reeling under a financial crisis. The state government hopes to take the loan by next week.

Twenty20 may declare its political stand for the May 31 bypoll in the Thrikkakara legislative assembly constituency in a couple of days.

A decision whether to back or not a candidate of any of the leading parties in the fray is expected only after the talks Twenty20 leaders hold with Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal.

On Sunday morning, Kejriwal will meet district leaders of AAP and attend a membership campaign programme in Kochi. Later, he will address a public meeting organised by the Twenty20.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert, which means very heavy or extremely heavy rainfall, for Ernakulam and Idukki districts on Saturday. Orange alerts have been issued on Saturday for Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Kottayam. An orange alert signifies heavy to very heavy rain. The IMD has indicated that there will be an early onset of monsoon in Kerala, most likely on May 27.

At its brainstorming session in Udaipur, known as the Chintan Shivir, the Congress party is debating the recommendation to enforce a five-year cap for leaders holding a party post. Another recommendation contained in the draft organisational resolution is that a leader will be considered for the reappointment to the same party post only after three years.

However, it is understood that the norm will not be made applicable for the post of the party president since it is an elected post.

Chintan Shivir, which began here on Friday, took up these recommendations meant for major organisational overhaul for discussions.

The Delhi Police registered an FIR in the massive Mundka fire incident that claimed the lives of 27 people. The fire first broke out on the first floor which housed a CCTV and router manufacturing company.

The police have arrested the owners of that company, identified as Harish Goel and Varun Goel and their antecedents are being examined.

Meanwhile, the owner of the building, identified as Manish Lakra who resided on the top floor, has gone absconding. It is not known whether he was present in the building at the time of the incident.

Now let's check out the COVID numbers:

India's COVID-19 caseload increased to 4,31,19,112 on Saturday with 2,858 fresh infections, while the number of active cases came down to 18,096.

The Union Health Ministry data released at 8 am also showed that 11 fatalities, including 5 from Kerala alone, were reported in a 24-hour span.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.59 per cent and the weekly positivity rate stood at 0.66 per cent.

---------------------------

That brings us to the end of this episode. Be sure to come back tomorrow. As always, thanks for listening to Daily News Dose.