Coronavirus cases in India rise to 724

The number of coronavirus cases in India has jumped to 724 on Friday, according to health ministry website.

The death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 17.

The number of active coronavirus cases in the country – 640, while 66 people were either cured/discharged and one had migrated, the ministry said.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a Rs1.7 lakh crore package for the people who need immediate help in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak.

  • Insurance cover of Rs 50 Lakh per health worker fighting COVID-19 to be provided under Insurance Scheme
  • 80 crore poor people will to get 5 kg wheat or rice and 1 kg of preferred pulses for free every month for the next three months
  • 20 crore women Jan Dhan account holders to get Rs 500 per month for next three months
  • Increase in MNREGA wage to Rs 202 a day from Rs 182 to benefit 13.62 crore families
  • An ex-gratia of Rs 1,000 to 3 crore poor senior citizen, poor widows and poor disabled
  • Government to front-load Rs 2,000 paid to farmers in first week of April under existing PM Kisan Yojana to benefit 8.7 crore farmers
  • Central Government has given orders to State Governments to use Building and Construction Workers Welfare Fund to provide relief to Construction Workers