Covid LIVE: Record 920 deaths in Maharashtra in a day; 346 in Karnataka

Coronavirus live updates | Statewise list of fresh Covid-19 cases: Maharashtra records 51,880 cases, followed by Karnataka (44,631), UP (25858), Tamil Nadu (21,228). Stay tuned for corona-related news

11:55 AM

Could India have averted the crisis? And why more districts need a lockdown

Last year in May, the government came out with a strategy to classify districts into three categories. The classification was to decide the level of activity allowed in each zone. The red districts, with rising cases, were to observe lockdown-like conditions with the administration allowing only a few services to operate. The orange districts were to be more liberal in strategy, and the green districts—reporting no infections in 21 days—were allowed to open up subject to capacity restrictions on public transport. Read on...

11:42 AM

India's US envoy meets Dr Fauci, discusses Covid-19 crisis, new strains

India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu held a virtual meeting with America's top public health expert Dr Anthony Fauci and discussed the current Covid-19 crisis in India, the efficacy of vaccines against the new strains and variants of the virus.

 

The meeting was part of the Ambassador's intensified and focused outreach to key stakeholders of healthcare and pandemic response in the US. This was for the first time that a top Indian government official had a meeting with Fauci, who is the top advisor to President Joe Biden on the pandemic.

 

During the meeting, Fauci expressed his solidarity and support with India in this hour of crisis. Read on...

11:41 AM

Delhi records 338 deaths; positivity rate below 30%: Health department

The national capital recorded 338 Covid-19 deaths and 19,953 cases in a day with a positivity rate of 26.73 per cent, according to the health bulletin issued by the Delhi health department on Wednesday morning.

 

The department could not release the document, which contains important figures reflecting the coronavirus situation in the city, on Tuesday night, and said, we are also looking into the reasons why it was delayed.

 

This is the second time on the trot that the number of cases remained below 20,000. Read on...

11:36 AM

'RBI in battle mode': Full text of Shaktikanta Das's speech on May 5

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will give banks Rs 50,000 crore to enable them to lend further for "healthcare needs" in the Covid-19 crisis, said governor Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday.

 

“India has mounted a valiant defence against Covid-19. The RBI will continue to monitor the emerging situation and deploy all instruments at its command," said Das at an unscheduled briefing where he listed measures the central bank will take to support the economy during a second wave of infections. Read on...

11:33 AM

RBI announces loan relief, Rs 50,000 cr liquidity to tide over Covid

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday announced a Covid-19 healthcare package of Rs 50,000 crore for vaccine makers, medical equipment suppliers, hospitals and patients in need of funds, as it opened up another round of restructuring of loans for individual and small borrowers for up to two years.

 

RBI governor Shaktikanta Das, in an unannounced press conference Wednesday morning, announced measures to help the economy during India’s second wave of Covid-19 infections. Loans, which can be given till March 31, 2022, by banks will be classified as priority sector loans for three years or repayment whichever is earlier. The classification comes with a softer loan rate. Read on...

10:42 AM

RBI permits limited KYC to be used till December 1, 2021

RBI permits limited KYC to be used till December 1, 2021

 

10:42 AM

RBI relaxes rules for availing overdraft facility for state govts up to Sept 30

RBI permitted states to remain in overdraft for a maximum of 50 days compared to 36 days earlier. The number of consecutive overdraft days have been increased from 14 days to 21 days.

10:39 AM

RBI provides 2nd window to individual, small borrowers having up to Rs 25 cr loans for restructuring loans

RBI provides 2nd window to individual, small borrowers having up to Rs 25 cr loans for restructuring loans if not availed earlier: Governor

10:32 AM

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das: Banks can relax one time working capital need for small business and MSMEs

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das: Banks can relax one time working capital need for small business and MSMEs

10:31 AM

RBI Governor Das says: Forex reserves of $588 billion give us the confidence to deal with global spillovers

RBI Governor Das says: Forex reserves of $588 billion give us the confidence to deal with global spillovers. The first G-Sap auctions elicited an enthusiastic response. G-Sap is contributing to softening of G-Sec yields, and in turn private sector borrowing in the market.

10:29 AM

RBI Guv: Those who have availed earlier window of restructuring can be given additional 2 years of moratorium

RBI Governor: Those who have availed earlier window of restructuring can be given additional  2 years of moratorium

10:28 AM

RBI announces targeted long-term repo operation for small finance banks of up to Rs 10,000 crore

The funds can be used for lending of up to Rs 10 lakh per borrower.

10:21 AM

Banks will be incentivised for quick lending under priority sector lending, says RBI Guv

Banks will be incentivised for quick lending under priority sector lending, says RBI Guv

10:20 AM

On-tap liquidity of Rs 50,000 crore with tenure of three years, at repo rate, open till March 2022: RBI

On-tap liquidity of Rs 50,000 crore with tenure of three years, at repo rate, open till March 2022: RBI

10:19 AM

RBI governor proposes measures amid Covid 2nd wave

Term liquidity facility of Rs 50,000 crore for access to emergency health security