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Digital payments sees significant growth in tier II, III towns

The report said that on August 6, 2021 – which marks the completion of 500 days of pandemic-related restrictions — a new lifestyle for disruptors and disruptive businesses has emerged with digital payments as its financial backbone.

Not a single sector has shown negative growth during the last 250 days, reflecting their openness to innovation and acceptance of digital modes of payments, it said.

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1,016 claims settled till Aug 5 under PMGKP scheme for health workers fighting Covid: Govt

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP): Insurance Scheme for Health Care Workers Fighting COVID-19 was launched on March 30, 2020 to provide comprehensive personal accident cover of Rs 50 lakh to 22.12 lakh health care providers including community health workers and private health workers who may have been in direct contact and care of Covid patients and may be at risk of being impacted by this.
The scheme is being implemented through an insurance policy from New India Assurance Company Limited, a public sector insurance company under Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance. Initially, the insurance policy had validity of 90 days which was extended twice and it finally ended on March 24, 2021 on the expiry of its validity.

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Will take all measures to eliminate use of crypto-assets: Govt

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary also said the government will explore the use of block chain technology proactively for ushering in digital economy.

”The government does not consider crypto-currencies legal tender or coin and will take all measures to eliminate use of these crypto-assets in financing illegitimate activities or as part of the payment system,” he said.

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Economic impact of 2nd COVID-19 wave likely to be muted; visible signs of eco rejuvenation: FinMin

The latest Monthly Economic Review, released by the finance ministry, said the ”robust recovery in tax collections cushions the fisc towards meeting the budgeted support to the economy”.

It also said the recent sero-prevalence results signify that India can reduce the likelihood of severe illness due to COVID-19 if the country sustains the momentum of the vaccination programme.

”Having antibodies reduces the probability of acquiring serious illnesses, as is borne by studies. So, any subsequent waves are expected to be mild in terms of severity of disease,” the ministry said in the report.

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Covid-19 R-value more than 1 in 5 states, it’s cause for concern: Govt

At a press briefing on the pandemic, officials said the reproduction number or R number that indicates the speed at which COVID-19 is spreading is more than 1 in five states — Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh — which remains a cause for concern.

Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Nagaland have their reproduction number at 1, Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said.

For India, it is around 1, he said.

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