Latest job loss survey and national accounts statistics point to the need for strengthening PDS supply and cash transfers to reach more people, assisting self-employed/micro-enterprises, additional allocation for MGNREGS and a job scheme for urban areas

For a republic at work since 1947, decisions on issues of national importance without prior consultation with experts, opposition parties, state governments and other stakeholders are not only inconceivable but come with consequences that could be easily avoided

India needs to move towards real market pricing to build a future-ready electricity ecosystem

For years, India's fiscal practices and numbers have remained under a cloud with CAG red-flagging off-budget financing and window-dressing of accounts. Not putting the house in order now means effectiveness of stimulus 2.0 or deficit financing of a higher order would be unknown and unknowable

The most important component of the government's initiatives and recurring theme across most tranches of stimulus announcements was the thrust towards promoting private businesses by easing regulations and drafting new ones

The multilateral lending agency is also in discussions with the government to provide assistance to the country's micro, small and medium enterprises, said World Bank Country Director in India Junaid Ahmad in a webinar with media

The total commitment from the Bank towards emergency COVID-19 response in India is now $2 billion. A $1 billion support was announced last month towards immediate aid to India's health sector

Corona in India live updates: Following a SC verdict, Tamil Nadu government has issued an order regarding reopening of government-run TASMAC alcohol shops from Saturday; India's total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped to 81,970 on Friday

By August 2020, 67 crore beneficiaries in 23 states, which is 83 per cent of all the PDS population, will get covered by this 'One Nation, One Ration Card', FM Sitharaman said

Though Rs 90,000 crore stimulus to clear outstanding dues of independent power producers and generators is a positive step to ease liquidity pressure, appropriate structuring for bond issuance against guarantee will be critical to raise funds in current tight liquidity situation

Coronavirus in India live updates: President Ram Nath Kovind after contributing one month's salary to the PM-CARES Fund in March, has decided to forego 30% of his salary for a year. India's total number of confirmed coroanvirus cases stand at 78,003, as per the Union Health Ministry. Maharashtra is worst-hit with 25,922 cases, followed by Gujarat with 9,267 cases

India needs to address massive job losses; strengthen public healthcare for COVID-19 and beyond; develop institutional mechanisms and leadership to respond to emergencies; devolve decision-making and funding to states, local bodies and scale up public spending to infuse life into the economy, all of which call for structural changes

Another round of fiscal stimulus could include package for MSMEs, bank recapitalisation, DBT for poor among other expenditures

Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee, while speaking with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi  said that direct cash transfer is the only way to benefit not only the poor, but also those who have been severely affected by the long spell of lockdown. Banerjee said that Aadhaar portability could work wonders for migrants, by giving access to food grains through the Public Distribution System (PDS). The economist also advised government to bring in a temporary ration system for those in need and suspend all other ration cards temporarily. \"The migrant problem cannot alone be handled by the state governments and the centre needs to manage this\", he added. Watch the video for more.Also Read: 93% employees fear health risks on returning to office: Survey

While widespread poverty and inequality have reduced the capacity of a large population to survive the crisis of health and livelihood, the Indian government needs to get its priorities right to deliver what is expected of it

Smart technology solutions from L&T are helping city administrations like Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Prayagraj, Ahmedabad, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and others in tracking patients, containing the spread of the virus, monitoring quarantined people and controlling crowding by police personnel

Persons covered under medical insurance are contract labourers, delivery teams, carrying and forwarding agents, loaders and unloaders and logistic teams including drivers

Corona Lockdown in India: Delhi reported 92 new cases and 1 more death todat; Lado Sarai was added to list of containment zones, taking the number of COVID-19 hotspots in the national capital to 89

Corona lockdown in India updates: Personnel involved in COVID-19 management activities, central government employees, doctors, and media personnel with authorisation, as well as goods transport and ambulances have been exempted from this

Former NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya said that India, like nearly all other countries in the world, faced \"difficult choices\" against the COVID-19 pandemic