Mamata-led government in West Bengal has decided to distribute face masks on this Raksha Bandhan instead of rakhis amid fears over a possible third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking to the media, a senior West Bengal government official said that ''nearly 6.35 lakh rakhis would be bought for this purpose. The police and other departments would also be distributing masks," the official told media. Earlier, the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh had announced free bus services for women across the state for Raksha Bandhan.

Raksha Bandhan would be celebrated this year on August 22. Meanwhile, West Bengal had emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot in India during the peak of the second wave in April and May after which a complete lockdown was imposed in the state. Though most of the restrictions have been lifted, the state government has urged people to practice appropriate COVID-19 norms and guidelines to ensure cases do not rise again. It has also decided to increase immunization and urged the Centre to provide more vaccine doses.

"There are apprehensions that a third wave could hit sometime around September. The festive season is coming too. We need to be on guard," said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. West Bengal on Wednesday reported 646 new cases that pushed its COVID-19 tally to 15.40 lakh, said the state health department, adding that seven fatalities were reported during the same period. In West Bengal, 18,325 people have succumbed to the infection while 15.12 lakh patients have recovered from the infection, pushing the state's recovery rate to 98.18 percent, said the health department.

On steel plant privatization: All private companies have the same policies: C Narasimha Rao

Kerala govt to devise 20 lakh jobs in next 5 years, this much money to be spent

Afghanistan to become Islamic Emirate, Taliban says not democracy only Sharia will run here