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Flurona, Deltacron, B.1.621.1, P.1, 20I/501Y.V1 … The Covid-19 lexicon seems nothing less than an indigestible alphanumeric soup these days. Some of these are scientific handles, which mean nothing to the uninitiated but hold a world of information to the scientists. Others are portmanteau words created by random strangers and immediately adopted by much of the world.The annual wholesale price based inflation remained in double digit for a ninth successive month though it decreased marginally in December to 13.56 per cent, revealed the index numbers of wholesale price in India (Base Year: 2011-12) for the month of December, 2021 (Provisional) released here on Friday by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The annual rate of inflation, based on wholesale prices, rose to 13.56 per cent from 14.23 per cent reported for November 2021 and on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) has risen exponentially over December 2020, when it stood at 1.95 per cent, the Ministry stated.
“The high rate of inflation in December 2021 is primarily due to rise in prices of mineral oils, basic metals, crude petroleum and natural gas, chemicals and chemical products, food products, textile and paper and paper products etc as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year,” the Ministry said. “The month over month change in WPI for the month of December 2021 stood at (-) 0.35 per cent as compared to November 2021,” it added.
Inflation in food articles has increased to a 23-month high at 9.56 per cent in December, against 4.88 per cent in November, similarly the vegetable price also jumped 31.56 per cent, against 3.91 per cent in the previous month. In the food articles category, pulses, wheat, cereals and paddy all witnessed a month-on-month price rise, while potato, onion, fruits and egg, meat and fish saw some softening, the Ministry said.
While the inflation in manufactured items was lower at 10.62 per cent in December, against 11.92 per cent in the previous month, in fuel and power basket the rate of price rise was 32.30 per cent in December, against 39.81 per cent in November, the Ministry said.
Data released earlier this week has stated that the retail inflation based on Consumer Price Index (Combined) rose to 5.59 per cent in December, from 4.91 per cent a month ago as food prices inched up.
The food inflation has spiked from the marginal 0.1 per cent in October 2021, to an unpleasant 23-month high of 9.6 per cent in December 2021, reflecting the unfavourable base particularly for vegetables, said a senior officer of the Commerce Ministry.
Despite the continued double-digit WPI inflation in December 2021, it is expected that the MPC will pause in February 2022. “The duration of the current wave and the severity of restrictions will determine whether policy normalization can commence in April 2022, or be delayed further to June 2022,” the Ministry added.
The annual wholesale price based inflation remained in double digit for a ninth successive month though it decreased marginally in December to 13.56 per cent, revealed the index numbers of wholesale price in India (Base Year: 2011-12) for the month of December, 2021 (Provisional) released here on Friday by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The annual rate of inflation, based on wholesale prices, rose to 13.56 per cent from 14.23 per cent reported for November 2021 and on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) has risen exponentially over December 2020, when it stood at 1.95 per cent, the Ministry stated.
“The high rate of inflation in December 2021 is primarily due to rise in prices of mineral oils, basic metals, crude petroleum and natural gas, chemicals and chemical products, food products, textile and paper and paper products etc as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year,” the Ministry said. “The month over month change in WPI for the month of December 2021 stood at (-) 0.35 per cent as compared to November 2021,” it added.
Inflation in food articles has increased to a 23-month high at 9.56 per cent in December, against 4.88 per cent in November, similarly the vegetable price also jumped 31.56 per cent, against 3.91 per cent in the previous month. In the food articles category, pulses, wheat, cereals and paddy all witnessed a month-on-month price rise, while potato, onion, fruits and egg, meat and fish saw some softening, the Ministry said.
While the inflation in manufactured items was lower at 10.62 per cent in December, against 11.92 per cent in the previous month, in fuel and power basket the rate of price rise was 32.30 per cent in December, against 39.81 per cent in November, the Ministry said.
Data released earlier this week has stated that the retail inflation based on Consumer Price Index (Combined) rose to 5.59 per cent in December, from 4.91 per cent a month ago as food prices inched up.
The food inflation has spiked from the marginal 0.1 per cent in October 2021, to an unpleasant 23-month high of 9.6 per cent in December 2021, reflecting the unfavourable base particularly for vegetables, said a senior officer of the Commerce Ministry.
Despite the continued double-digit WPI inflation in December 2021, it is expected that the MPC will pause in February 2022. “The duration of the current wave and the severity of restrictions will determine whether policy normalization can commence in April 2022, or be delayed further to June 2022,” the Ministry added.
Chief Secretary orders strict containment protocols in J&K
It was informed that the COVID cases in Jammu and Kashmir have risen by 10 times over the past 10 days, which has necessitated strict observance of CAB, COVID SOPs and protocols and curtailment of unnecessary movement by the general public.
Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta chaired a meeting on Friday to review the rising COVID cases in Jammu and Kashmir and directed observance of strict containment protocols to effectively reduce the rate of transmission.It was informed that the COVID cases in Jammu and Kashmir have risen by 10 times over the past 10 days, which has necessitated strict observance of CAB, COVID SOPs and protocols and curtailment of unnecessary movement by the general public.The Chief Secretary appealed to the general public to act responsibly during the third wave of the pandemic and avoid unnecessary and non-essential movement, especially during the weekend, and prevent further surge in cases.Emphasising that Omicron has a growth advantage over the delta variant, Dr Mehta impressed upon the divisional and district administrations to ensure fool-proof enforcement of all COVID protocols and SOPs.He directed mass scale awareness campaign for promoting the district COVID helpline numbers for seeking medical assistance through tele-consultations and re-activation of block-level COVID medical grid to provide isolation facilities at Panchayat level, primary medical assistance at primary health care centres, and referral to district ad tertiary healthcare facilities in cases of emergencies.The district administrations were directed to enhance their testing figures including RtPCR testing and expedite identification, isolation and micro- containment of the infection, besides speeding up vaccination drive in the 15-17 age category which is currently at 40%. They were asked to complete the vaccination in this age category within one week by raising the number of vaccination sites and decentralising the process.The Chief Secretary asked the Health & Medical Education Department to prioritize administering booster doses in vulnerable populations through the continuing ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign.Moreover, the Revenue, Police and Health Departments were directed to vaccinate the frontline workers, healthcare workers and volunteers with the third precautionary dose.The Chief Secretary directed the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Director SKIMS, Director General, Family Welfare, MCH & Immunization, and Principal GMC Srinagar to regularly give media briefings on the mitigation measures, current trajectory of the disease and suitably address the public concerns on the matter.
Air Quality dips further in Delhi
The air quality in the national capital was in the ‘satisfactory’ category continuously for three days from January 9 to January 11,
while it slipped to the ‘moderate’ category on January 12.
The air quality in the national capital was in the ‘satisfactory’ category continuously for three days from January 9 to January 11, while it slipped to the ‘moderate’ category on January 12.
Meanwhile, the air quality in Noida and Gurugram is in the ‘poor’ category. The AQI in Noida stands at 262, while Gurugram’s AQI is at 256.
As per the government agencies, and AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.
Those thefts included shipments of Nike sneakers and devices from Apple, Epson, Kenwood, and Magellan, among other merchandise.
Chawla allegedly paid Kukta $1.5 million, according to court documents.
The Chawla saga came to light when US District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Kristy Stock, 46, of Waterflow, New Mexico, to 18 months in prison for federal charges of interstate transportation of stolen goods and tax fraud.
Stock admitted that from 2013 to 2018, she stole more than 3,000 iPods purchased by the school district and sold them on eBay to Chawla and others for her personal benefit.
“From October 2015 to 2018, Stock and Chawla dealt directly with each other, in emails, texts, and phone calls. Stock repeatedly advised Chawla of the items she had obtained, providing details such as the model, colour and number of Apple products available,” according to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
Chawla and Stock then negotiated a price, and Stock shipped the items to Chawla’s relative on the Eastern Shore in Maryland.
Chawla paid Stock through PayPal.
Stock admitted that she received more than $800,000 in illegal proceeds from selling stolen iPods worth more than $1 million. A
After his relative received the stolen goods from Stock, Chawla listed them for sale online through eBay at a substantial markup.
According to Stock’s plea agreement, and other court documents, beginning in 2014, “defendant James Bender agreed to allow a good friend, defendant Chawla, and a relative of Chawla’s, SC2, to sell goods and merchandise through Bender’s eBay accounts”.
Chawla’s eBay account had previously been suspended due to security concerns.
From May 2014 through August 2019, Bender and Chawla conspired so Chawla could use Bender’s eBay and PayPal accounts to sell stolen goods and merchandise.
“Chawla, age 36, of Aurora, Colorado, and Bender, age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland, were sentenced to 66 months and to a year and a day in federal prison, respectively,” said the US Attorney’s Office.
Additionally, Chawla was sentenced to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $713,619, and to sign an order of forfeiture requiring him to forfeit a 2013 Tesla Model S ($2,308,062.61) from accounts held in his name, and the sale of property in Aurora, Colorado.
