Calling it a “cruel joke” and “historic injustice” on farmers, the Governor asked the government for “immediate amend”. He added that the state government was only required to identify the farmer families so that they could avail the benefits of the scheme.

While the August 3 notification advises people above 65 years and with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below 10 years to not visit gyms, it is mandatory for the exempted group to maintain a six-foot distance and use face covers or masks within the premises.

The BJP is planning to hold pujas at various places even though a complete lockdown will be in place across the state. Earlier, the Opposition party had urged the TMC government to change the lockdown date because of the “bhoomi pujan”, but the demand was rejected.

In this hotbed of infection, almost 50 per cent of the state’s caseload and over half of the deaths were reported from the capital city and North 24 Parganas.

This comes after actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s father filed a case against actor Rhea Chakraborty and five others, accusing them of abetment of suicide.

The trade union had recently set up a 67-member preparatory committee to form this new outfit, which has been named the West Bengal Migrant Workers’ Union (WBMWU).

This is for the fourth time that the state government has revised the August dates of the lockdown that was introduced last month to check the spread of coronavirus in the state.

Capital Kolkata and adjoining district of North 24 Parganas reported 21 deaths each, followed by Howrah and South 24 Parganas with three deaths each. Eight of the 10 deaths were from Kolkata and North 24 Parganas.

Health officials warn of steep virus curve if people keep defying protocols.

August started off on a bad note for West Bengal as it reported a record 2,589 new Covid-19 cases, and the highest single-day spike in fatalities with 48 deaths.

Another senior party leader said the three front-runners might be asked to share the leadership role.

The imam of Nakhoda mosque, one of the oldest and the biggest mosques in West Bengal, had earlier requested people to stay indoors during the Bakrid celebrations.

The body was disposed only after the intervention of local MLA and State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee.

Earlier this month, Dhankhar had said the education system in the state was “politically caged”.

“I never saw the PM not cooperating, but some people in constitutional positions are continuously disturbing the state, and are not cooperating," CM said.

According to the government, 3,528 people are still in government quarantine and 34,912 people are in home isolation. There are 1,403 people in safe homes.

“If we utilise all the money from the state disaster relief fund for post-cyclone restoration work, how are we supposed to fight the pandemic? When floods will come in the state, what will we do then? There is a need for a separate fund to fight the pandemic. I request you to look into it,” Banerjee told Modi.

According to his wife, Alpana Dutta, he was kept at a ward reportedly for Covid-19 patients. However, as his condition deteriorated he was referred to a hospital in Kolkata.

The campaign, Shoja Banglay Bolchi (speaking in straightforward Bengali), will be a video series that will be shared on social media platforms for three days a week.

However, the test-positivity rate was a high 7.29 per cent, remaining a concern for the health authorities in the state.

Sources said veteran and unpopular leaders, including sitting MLAs, will not be fielded in the Assembly election on the account of corruption allegations.

The Mamata Banerjee government had decided to impose total lockdown across the state earlier this week to check the rapid increase in Covid-19 cases in the past few weeks. This week, the comprehensive lockdown, as part of the new strategy, was imposed for the first time on Thursday.

Though recoveries have been over 1,000 a day since July 18, the infection growth and rise in fatalities have not stemmed. On Friday, the toll neared 1,300, rising to 1,290 following 35 new deaths.

After a meeting with CESC officials, he said the power utility firm would not disconnect power supply or collect late fees from consumers, even if the bills were not paid by the due dates.