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Markets and shopping complexes can reopen on an odd-even basis in Delhi and buses, autos and taxis can run with limited passengers, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today as he gave details of lockdown 4 extended in the capital till May 31.Standalone shops will also be allowed but salons will stay shut for now, he said."We have to slowly move towards opening of economy," Mr Kejriwal said, adding that masks and physical distancing would remain an imperative in the city, which is among the metros with the most number of coronavirus cases in India.

Restrictions on Indian air space will be eased to reduce travel time and save fuel, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today, in her fourth set of announcements on a mega stimulus package to tackle the economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis on various sectors. She also gave details of six airports to be auctioned to private players.The easing of airspace use would translate to benefits of about Rs 1,000 crore per year for the aviation sector, the minister said. "As of today, only 60% of India's airspace is free for use. This needs to be increased and optimised. This will…

Start-ups and private firms will get to use facilities and assets of the Indian Space Research Organisation or IRSO to improve their capacities, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today as she announced reforms for eight sectors amid the coronavirus pandemic."Future projects for planetary exploration and outer space travel will be open for private sector," the Finance Minister said on her fourth press briefing of policy decisions after Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week announced a Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus."India already has the benefit of an extraordinary institution like ISRO, but now lots of private players are also coming…

A seamless composite exploration-cum-mining-cum-production regime will be introduced in the mineral sector as the government brings in commercial mining in the coal sector, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said this evening, unveiling the government's fourth tranche of Rs 20 lakh crore fiscal stimulus announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. Five hundred blocks of minerals will be auctioned "through open transparent mechanism" as a part of the production regime, she said. A joint auction of bauxite and coal blocks would be done to enhance the aluminium industry's competitiveness, the Finance Minister said, adding that this will help the aluminium industry…

The inefficiencies of power companies will no longer have to be borne by customers, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday, announcing several reforms in the tariff policy as part of the fourth tranche of the centre's coronavirus financial stimulus. She said power companies will have to provide adequate power and load-shedding will be punishable.Ms Sitharaman also announced privatisation of power distribution in Union territories under the new policy."There will be privatisation here based on the tariff policy, which will soon be in place. Inefficiencies of power companies will no longer have to be borne by customers. There will also…

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to the streets of Delhi on Saturday afternoon to meet migrant labourers camped out near the Sukhdev Vihar flyover in the southeast of the city. In photos circulated on social media, Mr Gandhi can be seen wearing a face mask and sitting on the pavement, talking to at least three men, while others, including women and young children, squat nearby.According to sources, Mr Gandhi interacted with the migrants to understand problems faced by them as they try to return to hometowns and villages in other states amid a nationwide coronavirus lockdown.Mr Gandhi was also trying…