Delhi

Lucknow, May 8 (PTI) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday sent one lakh masks to be distributed among people of Uttar Pradesh, specially those in the red zone, a party leader said.

Party workers will start distributing the face covers to the needy from Saturday, said Lalan Kumar, the media coordinator of state Congress.

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said public sector banks (PSBs) sanctioned loans worth Rs 5.66 lakh crore to borrowers during March and April, and disbursement will start soon after the lockdown is lifted, leading to economic recovery.

In a series of tweets, the minister also said that as many as 3.2 crore borrowers have taken advantage of the three-month moratorium scheme on repayment of loans announced by the Reserve Bank to help people tide over the problems created on account of disruption in business activities due to lockdown.

Mumbai, May 8 (PTI) State Bank of India (SBI) has raised its home loan rates that are linked to repo rate by up to 30 basis points, a move which may be followed by other lenders.

The country's largest lender has also hiked effective interest rates on personal loans against property by 30 basis points.

New Delhi, May 6 (PTI) The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday held a flurry of meetings to fine tune arrangements for evacuation of thousands of stranded Indians from abroad under a mega exercise beginning Thursday.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla held a video-conference with chief secretaries of a number of states as part of efforts to ensure proper coordination in the operation christened 'Vande Bharat Mission', sources said.

As per the plan, the government will start sending flights to various countries from Thursday.

New Delhi, May 6 (PTI) A woman and a man were arrested for allegedly killing her husband in northwest Delhi, police said on Wednesday.

On the intervening night of Friday and Saturday when Sharat Dass (46) was asleep at his house in Jelarwala Bagh, Anita called Sanjay to her house and they smothered Dass to death with the help of a blanket, the officer added.

NEW DELHI, May 7 (NNN-PTI) – India’s federal government banned the export of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, in wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, officials said today.

An official notification to this regard was issued on Wednesday, by the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

“Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are prohibited for export,” said the order, issued by DGFT that comes under the federal ministry of commerce.

Hand sanitizers are in demand because of the COVID-19 pandemic in many countries.

NEW DELHI, May 6 (NNN-Xinhua) — A group of medical researchers and scientists that interacted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday is learnt to have told him that “over 30 Indian vaccines were in different stages of Corona vaccine development”, with a few going on to the trial stages.

New Delhi, May 5 (PTI) India should come out with a large enough stimulus package to revive demand, Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee said on Tuesday, asserting that putting cash in the hands of people would be the best way to boost the economy post lockdown.

Banerjee, while talking to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi through video-conferencing, suggested giving money into the hands of the bottom 60 per cent population to help revive demand.

New Delhi, May 4 (PTI) Liquor in Delhi will cost more from Tuesday as the government has decided to impose a 70 per cent 'Special Corona Fee' on its sale in the national capital, sources said.

The move will boost the government revenue, which has been hit hard due to the coronavirus-forced lockdown.

"70 per cent 'Special Corona Fee' has been imposed on the MRP of liquor bottles. The new rate will be applicable from Tuesday," a source said.

Bhopal, May 5 (PTI) The Congress in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday heaped scorn on the BJP government for allowing reopening of liquor shops in the state amidst the nationwide coronavirus lockdown that has caused financial distress.

The Opposition party suggested that the government also allow reopening of jewellery shops so that people lacking resources can pawn ornaments of their wives for purchasing booze.