Business highlights

Following are the top business stories at 1917 hours: DEL94 BIZ-FM-2NDLD ECONOMY-STIMULUS Govt unveils Rs 1.7 lakh cr stimulus to help poor hit by lockdown New Delhi: The government on Thursday announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore stimulus that included free foodgrain and cooking gas to poor for three months, and cash doles to women and poor senior citizens as it looked to ease the economic impact of the nationwide lockdown. DEL119 BIZ-VIRUS-LD MANDIS About 1,600 fruit, vegetable mandis functioning; 300 more to operate from Friday: Agri Min official New Delhi: As many as 1,600 wholesale fruit and vegetable mandis have started functioning smoothly and 300 more will operate from Friday after the central government on Thursday stepped in to normalise the supply during the lockdown. DEL97 BIZ-LD STOCKS-CLOSE Market clocks best 3-day rally in years as stimulus calms investor jitters amid lockdown Mumbai: Equity benchmarks surged for the third straight session on Thursday, logging their best three-day gains in years, after the government's much awaited stimulus measures for coronavirus lockdown-hit segments lifted sentiments. DEL61 BIZ-VIRUS-EPF CONTRIBUTION Covid-19: Govt to pay employer, employee's PF contribution for 3 months New Delhi: The government will pay the employee provident fund (EPF) contribution both of the employer and the employee (12 per cent each) for the next three months, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday.

DEL56 BIZ-FM-PM KISAN Govt to transfer Rs 2,000 under PM-KISAN scheme to 8.69 cr farmers in April 1st week New Delhi: To provide relief to farmers affected due to the lockdown, the Centre on Thursday said it will transfer in the first week of April the first installment of Rs 2,000 to each of 8.69 crore beneficiaries under the PM-KISAN scheme. DCM14 BIZ-VIRUS-FOODGRAINS Enough foodgrains stock with FCI; govt closely monitoring PDS distribution: Paswan New Delhi The government has enough foodgrain reserves to feed the poor amid the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Thursday. DEL39 BIZ-FM-HEALTH FM announces Rs 50 lakh insurance cover for doctors, paramedic, healthcare workers New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a Rs 50 lakh insurance cover for healthcare workers who are at the forefront of dealing with coronavirus pandemic. DEL95 BIZ-VIRUS-FACEMASKS Centre caps MRP of 3 ply meltblown face masks at Rs 16/piece till June 30 New Delhi: The Centre has capped the maximum retail price of 3 ply face masks made of meltblown non-woven fabric at Rs 16 per piece till June 30 after clearing confusion with the manufacturers, Consumer Affairs Secretary Pawan Agarwal said on Thursday.

DEL77 BIZ-VIRUS-MILLS-SANITISERS Centre permits distilleries to manufacture hand sanitisers, issues licences to 45 firms New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday said it has given permission to distilleries and sugar mills to manufacture hand sanitisers in bulk and has already issued licences to 45 distilleries. DEL104 BIZ-RUPEE-CLOSE Rupee settles 78 paise higher at 75.16 a dollar on stimulus boost Mumbai: The Indian rupee surged by another 78 paise to 75.16 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced various welfare measures to tide through the coronavirus crisis. DEL62 BIZ-VIRUS-COMMODITY TRADING COVID-19: Exchanges cut trading hours for commodity trading till 5 pm New Delhi: Leading stock exchanges BSE and NSE on Thursday cut down trading hours for commodities derivative segment till 5 pm, instead of current practice of allowing it up till mid-night, in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

DCM26 BIZ-VIRUS-WTO WTO sees sharp fall in trade, calls for global solutions to tackle COVID-19 crisis New Delhi: The world trade is expected to witness a sharp fall due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis, and global solutions will be required to deal with the pandemic, according to the WTO. DCM48 BIZ-VIRUS-JEWELLERY Gems, jewellery sector announces Rs 50-cr welfare fund for its workforce Mumbai: Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has announced a Rs 50 crore welfare fund for its workforce, amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has brought business to a standstill. DCM46 BIZ-STOCKS-WEALTH Investors wealth zooms Rs 11.12 lakh cr in three days of mkt rally New Delhi:Investor wealth rose for the third consecutive day on Thursday, gaining Rs 11,12,088.78 crore in three days, as equity markets continued their sharp rally.

DCM31 BIZ-VIRUS-FITCH-BANKS Coronavirus impact to bring more worries for Indian banks: Fitch Mumbai: The coronavirus-related worries are likely to aggravate difficulties for Indian banks, ratings agency Fitch said on Thursday, revising down the operating environment score for the critical sector by a notch..