India’s fuel demand nearly halves in April amid lockdown
NEW DELHI: India’s fuel demand dipped 45.8% in April from a year earlier, as a nationwide lockdown and travel curbs to combat the spread of novel coronavirus eroded economic activity. Consumption of fuel, a proxy for oil demand, totalled 9.93 million tonnes – its lowest since 2007, government data showed on Saturday. State fuel retailers […]
Airtel Payments Bank removes all charges on cash withdrawal through IMT during lockdown
NEW DELHI: In such unprecedented times, Airtel Payments Bank is working tirelessly to make sure that the needy, especially at the bottom of the pyramid, do not face any inconvenience in running their day-today operations. Airtel Payments Bank has removed all charges on cash withdrawal through IMT (Instant Money Transfer) system. Neighbourhood banking points have […]
Lockdown in Telangana extended till May 29
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday announced that the lockdown in Telangana had been extended till May 29. After a cabinet meeting, Rao told reporters that night-time curfew would continue in the entire state. Last month, even before the Centre had announced the first extension of the nationwide lockdown till May 3, Rao […]
Kerala opens to a new normal after lockdown
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On Monday, across most Kerala districts it was like a curtain raiser for the new normal, as the good old days of absolute freedom will now go down into history as the old normal. Barring public transport and auto-rickshaws, roads in Kerala witnessed traffic as markets and shops opened. Also opened offices in the […]
Digital payments surge during lockdown to benefit telcos
NEW DELHI: Digital payments in India are surging in the ongoing Covid-19-caused lockdowns which will accelerate mobile data/4G penetration and build an ecosystem of services. According to a research report by CLSA, acceleration in data penetration will especially be positive for Bharti Airtel, as 50 per cent of its subscribers are still to upgrade to […]
Lockdown: Migrant workers clash with Gujarat Police in Surat
SURAT: Hundreds of migrant workers seeking to return home clashed with police and pelted stones at them near a village in Gujarat’s Surat district on Monday, following which the security personnel lobbed teargas shells and baton-charged the agitated workers, an official said. Besides, several labourers also came out on a road in Rajkot demanding that […]
State units will work out modalities with railways,chief secretaries to pay train fare of migrants: Congress
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday termed historic party president Sonia Gandhi’s decision asking PCCs to bear the cost of the train fare of migrant workers returning home, and said its state units will work out the modalities of paying the Railways after coordinating with chief secretaries. Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said […]
40-day lockdown to inflict $320 billion loss on Indian economy: Report
NEW DELHI: The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to hit Indian economy with about $320 billion in terms of daily gross domestic product (GDP) loss after 40 days of lockdown, said a report. The daily GDP of India is estimated to be approximately $8 billion. The impact has been severe on the travel and mobility sector […]
Spain eases strict lockdown as USA approves coronavirus drug
Spaniards were allowed out of their homes to exercise and walk freely after 48 days of confinement on Saturday as some European nations began cautiously easing virus lockdowns while others like Russia faced a spike in new infections. As governments across the globe balance lifting restrictions to restart economies against the risk of new infections, […]
Narendra Modi holds a review meeting to discuss Civil Aviation Sector
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi held a comprehensive meeting to review the strategies that could help in making India’s Civil Aviation sector more efficient. It was decided that the Indian Air Space should be effectively used in such a manner that the flying time is reduced benefitting the traveling public and also […]
US announces relaxations for H-1B visa holders, Green Card applicants
WASHINGTON: In a major relief for professionals and immigrants from countries like India, the US government has given a grace period of 60 days to H-1B visa holders and Green Card applicants, who have been served notices for submission of various documents, taking into account the massive novel coronavirus outbreak in America. The H-1B visa […]
Indian Railways start Shramik Special Trains to move migrant workers, other persons stranded at different places due to lockdown
NEW DELHI: As per the guideline issued by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Indian Railways has been decided to run “Shramik Special” trains from “Labour Day” today, to move migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places due to lock down. The first migrant labourers special train from Lingampalli to Hatia […]
India may grow in FY 20-21 at a rate of 1.55% to 1.83% if the lockdown is lifted
NEW DELHI: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the Indian businesses sector. According to Crediwatch, the pandemic’s impact on different sectors and classified them into three categories. i.e. high, medium and low-impact. Automobile, Tourism & Aviation, Real Estate, Manufacturing (Capital Goods), MSME, and Metals and Mining (Steel / Iron ore) fall under the first category. Financial […]
To reach ancestral village, Mumbai man spent over Rs 3 lakh for onions amid lockdown
NEW DELHI: How do you travel from Mumbai to Allahabad when there is a lockdown? Buy 25 tonnes of onions, load them onto a truck and hit the road. Desperate to reach his ancestral village on the outskirts of Allahabad, Prem Murti Pandey, who works at Mumbai airport, says he did just that. He spent […]
Lockdown: Godrej Group urges government to include mosquito repellents in essential items list
NEW DELHI: The Godrej Group on Saturday urged the government to include mosquito repellents and other similar products in the essential items list during the ongoing lockdown. As a trend, malaria and dengue spike during May running up to August and preparation for the malaria season starts from April, it said in a statement. The […]
Industries cannot be forced to pay wages during lockdown
NEW DELHI: Industries cannot be forced to pay wages to their employees during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, who chairs the parliamentary panel on labour, said on Monday. Amid the countrywide lockdown to check the spread of the novel coronavirus, the parliamentary panel on labour on Thursday submitted its report on the Industrial […]