Union Government has announced a package of 1.7 lakh crore rupees for the poor who need immediate help in the wake of COVID-19 like migrant workers and urban and rural poor. Briefing media in New Delhi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said they have come up with Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan scheme to help the migrant and poor people. She also announced insurance cover of 50 lakh rupees per person for three months for COVID-19 warriors who are exposing themselves to the virus. They include doctors, paramedics, healthcare workers, sanitation workers, ASHA workers dealing with coronavirus outbreak.

The Finance Minister elaborated that 5 kilo rice or wheat will be given for the next three months for free in addition to the 5 kilos already being given to 80 crore people. Additionally, one kilo of  preferred pulses will also be given per family for free under Pradhan Mantri Anna Yojana.

Ms Sitharaman said, around 8.70 crore farmers will get 2,000 rupees in first week of April in their account under existing Prime Minister's Kisan Yojana. Besides, 20.5 crore women Jan Dhan Account holders will get  500 rupees per month for the next three months, while poor senior citizens, widows and disabled will get an ex- graita of  1,000 rupees.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi is going to start a tele-consultation facility for its follow-up patients in a day or two.

Talking about combat of coronavirus, AIIMS Director, Dr Randeep Guleria said, several patients whose appointments are now cancelled due to lockdown and chronic patients can consult doctors through this facility.

He said, every department will have some doctors who will resolve the health related issues through telephone.

Dr. Guleria also said, in case there is a big jump in COVID -19 cases in the coming days, a similar facility will be started by AIIMS.

He informed that through, this senior doctors will advice doctors at districts and state levels about managing critically ill patients of coronavirus.

Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IITGN) has launched Project Isaac to engage its students in creative projects to enhance their critical skills while they are confined to their homes because of Corona virus.

The official release said, the project is inspired by Sir Isaac Newton, who was similarly sent home by Trinity College, Cambridge, because of the Great Plague of London in 1665. During this year, Newton, then a 22-year-old college student developed some of his most profound discoveries, including early calculus, as well as his theories of optics and gravity.

As part of the project, four different competitions are being organized by IIT, Gandhinagar to cultivate new skills among students regarding writing, painting, coding, music, creative expression, and so on. Students can take part in competitions online. Nearly 40 per cent of IITGN students are already participating in various activities, which are entirely voluntary. 

Coronavirus India Live Updates: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Thursday said the government is helping those who have been affected directly because of the nationwide lockdown. Addressing a press conference, Sitharaman presented the economic relief package worth Rs 1.7 lakh crore and announced medical insurance cover for health workers and free grains for poor for the next three months.

Announcing Garib Kalyan Yojana, Sitharaman said 80 crore poor or two-third of population would get 5 kg rice or wheat free for the next three months. This will be over and above the 5 kg they already get. Additionally, they will also get 1 kg of preferred pulse.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join a virtual summit of G-20 leaders, chaired by Saudi King Salman, to discuss the coronavirus pandemic. With Jammu and Kashmir reporting its first Covid-19 death Thursday, the death toll in India spiked to 13 and the number of positive cases soared to 649. On the other hand, the global death toll has reached 21,287.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend an emergency virtual summit of G20 leaders to advance the coordinated response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

that has claimed many lives and upended life and businesses across the globe. The meeting will be chaired by Saudi Arabia''s King Salman.

“The G20 has an important global role to play in addressing the COVID 19 pandemic. I look forward to productive discussions tomorrow at the G20 virtual summit, being coordinated by the Saudi G20 Presidency,” PM said in a tweet.

The summit is likely to chalk out a strategy to counter the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephonic conversation on Wednesday and discussed ther measures put in place in both nations to fight coronavirus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi  has reiterated  that  social distancing is the only way to counter the spread of  COVID-19  saying  the virus does not discriminate and it can infect anyone. 

Interacting  with  the people  of Varanasi  through video conferencing today,  Mr. Modi said, some people despite being empowered with knowledge are not pay heed to warning which  is unfortunate.   He  said the Mahabharat war was won in 18 days and  this war the whole country is fighting against  coronavirus will take 21 days and the  aim is to win it.  

Mr. Modi  asked people to speak to their doctors  before taking any medicine clarifying that  there is  no medicine or vaccine for coronavirus as of now.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has come forward in support of those affected by the 21-day lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, pledging to donate rice worth 50 lakh rupees for the underprivileged.

The Cricket Association of Bengal announced in a statement that Ganguly along with Lal Baba Rice will provide for the needy people who have been put in government schools for safety and security.

First Made in India Test Kit to diagnose COVID-19 has got the commercial approval by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). According to the developers, it  would cost nearly one-fourth of the current procurement cost and is faster as it screens and detects the infection within 2.5 hours as compared with over 7 hours by others.

Japan's Prime Minister and the head of the International Olympic Committee Shinzo Abe today agreed to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Games by a year in an extraordinary move, unprecedented in peacetime, as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic.

The move would be a devastating blow for the city of Tokyo, which had won widespread praise for its organization, with venues finished well ahead of time and tickets massively oversubscribed. The Olympics, which has experienced boycotts, terrorist attacks and protests, but has been held every four years since 1948, would be the highest-profile event affected by the virus that has killed thousands and closed sports competitions worldwide.

The IOC has come under increasing pressure in recent days to postpone the Games, scheduled to start on July 24, with 1.7 billion people across the planet in lockdown to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

Government has announced a complete lockdown of the entire country for 21 days to fight COVID-19. All road, rail and air services  will remain suspended during the lockdown, which came into force midnight last night. However, freight movement will continue to carry essential commodities across the country. Essential services like Medical shops, Petrol pumps, grocery stores  milk booths, and online shopping have been exempted from the lockdown.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a Central allocation of 15,000 crore rupees to strengthen the health infrastructure to tackle the disease. In his second address to the nation in less than a week, Modi said there will be a complete ban on people from stepping outside their houses to save India and to save every Indian. He showed a poster saying corona means 'Koi Road Par Na Nikle' (No one should come out on roads). Mr Modi said, lockdown is being imposed on every state, union territory, district, village, mohalla and street. He said, the lockdown will be like ‘curfew' and more stringent than the 'janta curfew'. Mr Modi said it is applicable to everyone from the prime minister to a citizen in a village. Prime Minister said, if we don't handle these 21 days well, then our country, your family will go backwards by 21 years. Mr Modi asserting that the tough measure is necessary for a decisive battle against the coronavirus outbreak.