Breaking news on March 23

Private sector lender IndusInd Bank on Monday said Sumant Kathpalia, who has been designated as managing director and chief executive, will take over the reins from veteran Romesh Sobti, who has retired after completing his mandated tenure.

The Finance Ministry on Monday said that contractual employees will be paid even if they are unable to report on duty due to lockdown imposed by authorities.

Homegrown FMCG major Dabur India on Monday announced suspension of its manufacturing operations across India, excluding essential items such as Ayurvedic medicines, and hand sanitisers.

Castrol India on Monday said it has decided to suspend operations in all its manufacturing plants with immediate effect until further notice due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The company has also mandated its employees to work from home, Castrol India said in a statement.

The situation will be closely monitored and operations at the manufacturing plants will be resumed when the situation improves, it added.

Similarly, auto components maker Amtek Auto said it has decided to suspend operations at all their offices and manufacturing locations in the country from March 23 to March 31 to ensure the safety of employees and contain the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

Engines maker Cummins India said that in view of the escalating COVID-19 situation and in compliance with government directives, the company has decided to temporarily close its offices and factory operations across Maharashtra and offices at other locations across India effective from March 23 till March 31.

During the said temporary suspension, the operations and despatches are likely to be impacted, it added.

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, fighting extradition to India on charges over the nearly USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, has been remanded in custody by a UK court until April 15.

The Army on Monday announced the postponement of its 10-day major recruitment rally slated to take place in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir next month in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Delhi government on Monday announced a Rs 100-crore scheme to introduce the national capital as a tourism brand to domestic and foreign tourists and create news jobs in the sector.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Monday urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to extend till June 30 the date for filing income tax and GST returns in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

India's largest IT services company Tata Consultancy Services' Global Head of IT Amit Jain passed away last week after a massive heart attack.

State-run engineering firm BHEL on Monday said the company will run only essential services at its plants and offices and has asked other employees' to work from home till March 31 amid COVID-19 outbreak.

The historic Nauchandi Mela in Meerut, which withstood the First War of Independence in 1857 and the Partition, has been cancelled in view of the spread of novel coronavirus.

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the welfare of workers in the informal sector amidst the coronavirus outbreak, suggesting the government can consider direct cash transfer for them.

Priests on Monday began rituals for shifting the Ram Lalla idol here to a temporary new location, clearing the site to allow construction of a Ram temple.

The Delhi government on Monday increased the 2020-21 budget for water supply and sanitation by around 70 per cent, allocating more funds for unauthorised colonies and wastewater treatment plants.

Three persons have been arrested in connection with an IED explosion near a BSF camp in Manipur's Thoubal district, police said on Monday.

Just before the Madhya Pradesh BJP legislature party meeting in Bhopal on Monday evening to elect its new leader, senior party MLA Gopal Bhargava tendered his resignation from the post of Leader of Opposition.

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (SFB) on Monday said its independent director Luis Miranda has resigned from its board to abide by the conflict of interest norms.

The Delhi government on Monday said it has set a target to reduce air pollution in the city by two-thirds in the next five years and set aside Rs 30 crore in the 2020-21 budget to install smog towers across the national capital.

Rupee plummets 102 paise to all-time low of 76.22 (provisional) against US dollar on weak equities market, coronavirus scare.

Realty firm Omaxe on Monday said it has appointed Vineet Nanda as President – sales and operations.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the Madhya Pradesh BJPs legislature party meeting will be held on Monday evening to elect its leader who will head the new government in the state.

Global pharma and life sciences major Bayer and domestic drug discovery firm Curadev have signed a research collaboration and licence agreement to discover new drug candidates for treatment of lung, cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, the companies said on Monday.

Three people have been arrested for allegedly killing a 35-year-old man by strangulating him and dumping his body in a sewer in Shahdara's Anand Vihar area, police said on Monday.

To deal with the coronavirus pandemic, Reliance Industries on Monday announced a raft of measures, including ramping up production capacity to 1 lakh face masks per day, free fuel to emergency vehicles carrying Covid-19 patients and free meals in various cities to support the livelihood of those impacted by the outbreak.

Rajya Sabha on Monday approved the bill for the budget of Rs 1-lakh crore for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for 2020-21.

Reliance to provide free fuel for all emergency service vehicles used to transport Covid-19 patients: Company statement

BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan to take oath as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh today at 9:00 PM at Raj Bhavan in Bhopal, according to ANI.

Delhi Assembly passes Budget for 2020-21

Lok Sabha passed the Finance Bill, 2020, without any discussion on Monday as the House curtailed its sittings in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The two-member judicial commission inquiring into the 2018 Koregaon Bhima violence case on Monday sought a six-month extension from the
Maharashtra government as it has postponed its hearing in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak and resultant lockdown.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday sanctioned Rs 20 crore out of the Chief Minister Relief Fund for providing free food and medicines to the needy in the state.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday presented a Rs 65,000-crore budget for 2020-21 in the Assembly, the first after the landslide win of Aam Aadmi Party last month.

Markets regulator Sebi has directed four companies of Moral Group and their directors to invite claims and complaints from the public regarding unpaid dues for the companies' non-convertible debentures (NCDs).

Free bus rides for women in Delhi to continue in next financial year: Deputy CM Sisodia

Delhi Government to implement Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Delhi, State Finance Minister Manish Sisodia announces in assembly

Spending of Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) funds for COVID-19 to be eligible for CSR activity

Shivraj Singh Chouhan likely to take oath as Madhya Pradesh CM later today after BJP Legislative Party meeting

Uttarakhand: Shops closed and streets empty in Dehradun, as JanataCurfew continues in the state till March 31 in view of Coronavirus; visuals from Dilaram Chowk.

Assam Chief Minister's Office: We have noticed that this WhatsApp message is being circulated, which is completely baseless. We will let everyone know if the Govt takes any such decisions. Request everyone not to panic in our fight against COVID-19.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took to twitter to express his displeasure on people who are not taking lockdown seriously. "I still see lot of people are not taking it seriously. Request you to save yourself and your family [from coronavirus]". He also urged states to enforce the lockdown with full force.

Sanjeev Chawla, who was allegedly involved in a match-fixing racket that was busted by Delhi Police in 2000 and extradited to India, moves bail plea in Delhi's Patiala House Court.

Sensex hits lower circuit of 10 per cent; trading stops for 45 minutes.

Indian Railways has cancelled all passenger trains till March 31, in view of Coronavirus; Visuals from Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station in Chennai.

Sensex opens at 27,383.22, down by 2532.74 points; Nifty down 625.45 points

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a lockdown in the state from 6 AM today till 31st March in view of COVID-19. Visuals from Kapas Hera where police have barricaded the movement of vehicles between Delhi and Gurugram.

Lockdown has been imposed in the state till 31st March in view of #Coronavirus. Visuals from Muzaffarpur's Sadar Thana area.

Lockdown has been imposed in 16 districts of Uttar Pradesh from 23-25 March in view of #COVID19. Visuals from Prayagraj's old city area.

Central Government has announced a lockdown in Chennai along with 74 other districts affected by Coronavirus, till 31st March. Visuals from Chennai's Ambattur OT.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a lockdown in the state from 6 AM today till 31st March in view of COVID-19. Visuals from Rajpath.