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RBI slashes repo rate by 40 basis points from 4.4% to 4%

Economic growth
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das

New Delhi (NVI): To revive growth and mitigate the impact coronavirus pandemic on the economy, the Reserve Bank of India today slashed repo rate by 40 basis points from 4.4 per cent to 4 per cent, a move that is expected to make loans and EMI’s cheaper.

In a video conference, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said reverse repo rate stands reduced to 3.5 per cent. He said that the Central Bank is trying to be proactive in responding to the current situation.


Among other decisions taken, the moratorium on term loans available till May 31 was extended by another three months till August 2020. The decisions were taken by RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

This is was the RBI Governor’s third press conference in two months, since the country went into lockdown in late March to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The briefing comes days after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced five tranches of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package in a series of press conferences.

In his address to the nation on May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat Package’ to counter the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and make India self-reliant.

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

New Delhi (NVI): Coronavirus cases in India continue to surge with Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat being the worst affected states in the country, apart from national capital Delhi which has reported over 10,000 cases so far.

Maharashtra reported over 40,000 confirmed cases yesterday, with its capital Mumbai recording over 25,000 COVID-19 cases so far.

The first confirmed coronavirus case in India was reported in the state of Kerala on January 30. Since then, the virus has tightened its grip across the country.

Total positive cases in States/UTs:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 33

Andhra Pradesh- 2,647

Arunachal Pradesh- 1

Assam- 203

Bihar- 1,982

Chandigarh- 217

Chhattisgarh- 128

Dadar Nagar Haveli- 1

Delhi- 11,659

Gujarat- 12,905

Goa- 52

Haryana– 1,031

Himachal Pradesh- 152

Jammu and Kashmir- 1,449

Jharkhand- 290

Karnataka- 1,605

Kerala- 690

Ladakh- 44

Madhya Pradesh- 5,981

Maharashtra- 41,642

Manipur- 25

Meghalaya- 14

Mizoram- 1

Odisha- 1,103

Puducherry- 20

Punjab- 2,028

Rajasthan- 6,227

Tamil Nadu- 13,967

Telangana- 1,699

Tripura- 173

Uttarakhand- 146

Uttar Pradesh- 5,515

West Bengal – 3,197

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andhra Pradesh- 53

Assam- 4

Bihar- 11

Chandigarh- 3

Delhi- 194

Gujarat- 773

Haryana- 15

Himachal Pradesh- 3

Jammu and Kashmir- 20

Jharkhand- 3

Karnataka- 41

Kerala- 4

Madhya Pradesh- 270

Maharashtra- 1,454

Meghalaya- 1

Odisha- 7

Puducherry- 1

Punjab- 39

Rajasthan- 151

Tamil Nadu- 94

Telangana- 45

Uttar Pradesh- 138

Uttarakhand- 1

West Bengal- 259

A total of 48,534 people have been cured or discharged from hospitals in India. There are around 66,330 active cases currently, according to the Health Ministry.

Coronavirus cases surge past 5.1 million globally

Coronavirus cases

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases around the globe have now surpassed 5.1 million while more than 3,32,000 fatalities have been reported, according to John Hopkins University tally.

In Latin America, more new cases have been reported than the US or Europe for three days in a row, driven by high numbers in Brazil, Peru and Mexico.

Meanwhile, Brazil, with 20,000 deaths and more than 310,000 infections, is fast approaching Russia to become the world’s second coronavirus hotspot, after the United States.

The world’s second largest economy, China, has abandoned its GDP target, and will not set an annual growth target for the year 2020 as it tries to rebuild its economy in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

In the US, around 1.57 million positive cases of coronavirus have been reported with more than 94,000 deaths being reported from the country.

In addition to this, US President Donald Trump ordered the nation’s flags at half-mast to honour coronavirus victims.

New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, said restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus will be eased to allow cafes, restaurants and pubs to have up to 50 seated patrons.

India’s Covid cases surge to 1.18 lakh, death toll 3,583

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in India has increased to 1,18,447, while the death toll rose to 3,583 from the pandemic, Union Health Ministry confirmed today.

In last 24 hours, 6,088 new COVID-19 infections were reported in the country, the highest single day spike, ministry said.

In Maharashtra, the coronavirus cases increased to 41,642.The state accounts for around 35 per cent of all coronavirus cases in India.

The southern state of Tamil Nadu remains on the second spot with 13,967 positive cases, followed by Gujarat with 12,905 cases so far.

Maharashtra has also reported the highest number of fatalities, 1,454, followed by 773 in Gujarat and 270 in Madhya Pradesh.

The COVID-19 cases in Delhi have climbed to 11,659, according to the Health Ministry data.

The other states with high number of cases are Rajasthan (6,227), Madhya Pradesh (5,981), and Uttar Pradesh (5,515).

The mortality rate of COVID-19 patients in India, however, has remained less than half of the global average of 6.65 percent, the ministry said.

So far, number of active cases stands at 66,330 and 48,534 people have been cured/discharged.

Meanwhile, the Indian Railways will reopen reservation counters at select stations and booking through common service centres and agents from today.

Lockdown guidelines being violated, need stricter implementation: MHA to states

MHA

New Delhi (NVI): The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today said that it has received several reports of violations of guidelines across the country while sending another warning to states for stricter implementation of the lockdown orders.

The Ministry has directed local authorities across the country to take all necessary steps to enforce the measures to combat the pandemic.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla today issued a letter to all State Chief Secretaries, regarding proper implementation of MHA guidelines.

“It has been brought to the notice of this Ministry, through Media reports and other sources, that there are violations, at various places, in the implementation of MHA guidelines. I would like to emphasise that the MHA Guidelines should be strictly implemented, and all state authorities in States/UTs should take necessary steps to ensure the same,” the Home Secretary wrote.

In his communication to States, Ajay Bhalla also asked States and UTs to ensure the prohibition of all non-essential activities between 7pm and 7am. He said the night curfew imposed to contain the coronavirus spread is an “important element of the Home Ministry guidelines”.

The letter further read: “Proper delineation of containment zones and effective implementation of containment measures within these zones, is key to preventing the spread of COVID-19. In this respect, the guidelines issues by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) need to be followed, and containment zones properly demarcated.”

India is currently under its fourth phase of lockdown till May 31, to contain the spread of coronavirus through social distancing. The lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 for 21 days. It has been extended thrice since then.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country has crossed the 1 lakh mark, with 1,12,359 confirmed cases so far. The death toll has climbed to 3,435 while active cases now stand at 63,624.

Hindustan Unilever extends partnership with UNICEF to support Assam tea workers

(Source: Twitter @jayanta_malla)

Assam (NVI): Hindustan Unilever Limited today said that it is extending its partnership with UNICEF to support the delivery of essential hygiene products to tea-plantation workers in Assam, in the response to COVID 19.

HUL’s announcement also comes on the occasion of International Tea Day today. Assam is the leading tea producer in India. However, the livelihood of thousands of tea workers in the state has been affected due to Covid-19 crisis.

The collaboration will benefit families residing in the tea-estates of the region and will facilitate the reach of key communication assets and the availability of essentials such as soaps and toilet cleaners for tea-plantation workers, the HUL said in a statement.

The initiative focuses on enhancing awareness related to COVID-19, amongst the tea-plantation workers and local communities and helps them take necessary precautions to stay safe during the pandemic, the statement read.

To train frontline healthcare workers in tea estates on response and containment measures related to COVID 19, training modules and short videos created by HUL will be developed.

Sharing details on the initiative, Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman and MD, Hindustan UnileverLimited said, “The tea industry is one of the oldest industries in India – a mainstream industry of the north-east region and one of the largest employers in India’s organised sector. As India’s largest tea company, we are committed to help keep those working in tea plantations safe and our partnership with UNICEF aims to do just that.”

UNICEF has been playing a key role in the tea plantations since 2010 through various interventions and the primary focus has been on the well being of children and women.

Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque, India Representative, UNICEF, India said, “Around two million people work in the Indian tea industry, most of them residing in the tea estates. UNICEF has been working in tea gardens since 2010 through Indian tea association to improve working and living conditions of plantation workers Protecting this population from the Covid-19 infection is one of our highest priority. With HUL’s support, we are confident of improving awareness levels and capacity building of healthcare workers across tea estates helping them fight this pandemic.”

In early April 2020, HUL committed INR 100 crore towards helping India fight the Covid-19 pandemic. As a part of this effort, HUL has rolled out many initiatives to ensure that citizens of India, across all walks of life have access to essential products such as soaps, sanitizers and toilet cleaners, and understand the causes and implications of the virus through simple and direct communication.

Hindustan Unilever’s collaboration with UNICEF is yet another measure to effectively and promptly identify communities affected by the COVID-19 crisis, and jointly guard their interests, while also driving widespread awareness campaigns around myths and facts related to it.

India says China hindering its normal patrolling along LAC

Representational Image

New Delhi (NVI): India today rejected allegations by the Chinese side that Indian troops had crossed Line of Actual Control in Western Sector or the Sikkim sector, saying that its Army is fully familiar with the alignment of the LAC in the India-China border areas and “abide by it scrupulously”.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava rubbished any claims that Indian troops had undertaken activity across the LAC on these two frontiers.

“Any suggestion that Indian troops had undertaken activity across the LAC in the Western Sector or the Sikkim sector is not accurate,” he said.

“In fact, it is Chinese side that has recently undertaken activity hindering India’s normal patrolling patterns,” he said adding that the Indian side has always taken a very responsible approach towards border management.

He was speaking with regard to the recent face-offs between the Indian and Chinese soldiers along the Indo-China border in north Sikkim and Ladakh.

The Line of Actual Control is the de-facto border between the two countries.

The MEA spokesperson said that all Indian activities are entirely on the Indian side of the LAC.

“At the same time, we are deeply committed to ensuring India’s sovereignty and security,” he said.

Srivastava further added that the Indian troops strictly follow the procedures laid down in various bilateral agreements and protocols to resolve any situations which may arise due to difference in perception of LAC.

He said the two sides have established mechanisms to resolve such situations peacefully through dialogue. “Both sides remain engaged with each other to address any immediate issues,” he added.

The MEA spokesperson said that in accordance with the consensus reached in Chennai, Indian side remains firmly committed to work for the common objective of maintenance of peace and tranquillity in border areas. “This is an essential prerequisite to the further development of Indian-China bilateral relations,” he said.

Envoys of 7 nations present credentials to President Kovind via video link

New Delhi (NVI): In a first, President Ram Nath Kovind today accepted credentials of Ambassadors and High Commissioners from 7 countries at Rashtrapati Bhawan here digitally.

The envoys were from North Korea, Senegal, Trinidad & Tobago, Mauritius, Australia, Cote d’Ivoire and Rwanda.

“This was the first time in the history of Rashtrapati Bhavan that credentials were presented through the digital medium,” said an official statement.

While addressing the envoys, the President said that the coronavirus pandemic posed an unprecedented challenge to the global community, and the crisis called for greater global co-operation. He also pointed out that India has been in the forefront of extending support to fellow nations in fighting the pandemic.

The President called the digitally-enabled credentials ceremony a special day in India’s engagement with the diplomatic community.

The President remarked that digital technology has enabled the world to overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19 and carry out its functions in an innovative manner.

He further added that India remains committed to harnessing the limitless possibilities of the digital pathway for the advancement of its people and the world at large.

531 new Covid cases in Afghanistan, total 8,676

New Delhi (NVI): Afghanistan authorities have recorded 531 new positive cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total in the country to 8,676, according to Afghan media reports.

The Afghan Ministry of Public Health said, the number of total known active cases stands at 7,547 in the country.

Among the new cases, 274 cases were reported in Kabul, the country’s hardest-hit area.

In addition, 69 cases were reported in Herat, 55 in Balkh, 35 in Nangarhar, 26 in Wardak, 15 in Sar-e-Pul, 12 in Paktika, 12 in Khost, 7 in Paktia, 1 in Badghis, 5 in Laghman, 13 in Parwan, 2 in Jawzjan, 2 in Farah and 3 in Faryab.

Likewise, Afghanistan’s daily case count is now regularly around or above 500, with almost half of suspected patients testing positive every day, as per media reports.

At present, 26,707 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the country, ministry said.

So far, 193 people have died due to the COVID-19 and 938 others have recovered since the outbreak across the country.

AIIB approves $250 mn support to help Bangladesh combat COVID-19

New Delhi (NVI): The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a USD 250 million loan for Bangladesh as the country grapples with the fallout of the novel coronavirus.

The support is a part of a program to mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic on the country’s poor and most vulnerable, particularly those affected by job losses in small and medium enterprises and the informal sector, as well as strengthen social safety nets.

Meanwhile, the total number of deaths from coronavirus in Bangladesh has reached 408 after 22 more people lost their lives in the last 24 hours, according to United News of Bangladesh.

The total number of coronavirus infections rose to 28,511 after 1,773 new infections were reported during this period.

In different hospitals of the country including Dhaka City 395 people have recovered in the last 24 hours increasing the total number of recoveries to 5,602.

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