# Covid surge

• Union health ministry advised that the RTPCR test rate should be 70% of total covid tests.

• Union health ministry also advised that states should work towards zero wastage of vaccines. As the country is witnessing over 6% wastage of vaccines.

• Health secretary rajesh bhushan said 70 districts across 17 states registered a 150% rise in cases in the past 15 days.

# TMC manifesto

• West Bengal Mamta Banarjee on wednesday released the TMC manifesto for the 2021 assembly election.

• It included promises of delivery of rations under the public distribution system at the door step and universal basic income for every family.

• Under universal basic income scheme, all the 1.6 crore families under the general category will get 500/month and SC/ST families will get 1000/month.

# Ration cards

• A petition was filed in Supreme court which claimed that over 3 crore ration cards has been cancelled in last few years.

• The ration cards were cancelled because they were not linked to aadhar cards.

• These ration cards include even tribals and other poor people.

# Appropriation bill

• The Loksabha on wednesday cleared the appropriation bill, allowing the central government to draw funds from consolidated fund of India.

• These funds may be used for the government operational requirements and implementation of various programmes.

• The bill was passed without proper voting i.e with the voice of vote.

# Sugar exports

• Indian mills have contracted to export 4.3 million tonnes of sugar so far in 2020-21.

• The sugar prices are four year high and an export subsidy makes overseas sales lucrative.

• The sugar prices are buoyed by the lower production in thailand, the worlds second largest exporter.