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Delhi govt launches financial assistance scheme for families of Covid victims

”Each family in which a death has occurred due to Covid will be provided an ex gratia of Rs 50,000.”
”We are launching a portal through which such people can apply for financial assistance. Our representatives will also visit such families and get applications filled up,” he added.

The chief minister said such representatives will not reject claims of families in case any document is missing and will only facilitate the process.
There is no income criterion to apply for financial assistance under the scheme.

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U.K. is easing Covid rules, bringing businesses fresh concerns

Ministers highlight the link between infections, hospitalizations and deaths has been weakened by one of the world’s most advanced vaccination programs, yet infections have increased by two-thirds in the past week, fueled by the fast-spreading delta variant.
Tony Danker, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, said it will be “critical” to build both customer and employee confidence and that the government has a “vital” role to play in providing guidance to employers. The big question remains: Will consumers come back?

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India’s June services activity shrinks at fastest rate in 11-months

“PMI data for June showed quicker declines in new business, output and employment that were sharp but much softer than those recorded in the first lockdown.”
Muted demand sank the new business sub-index to its lowest since July 2020.

As a result, firms shed headcount for a seventh straight month, with the fastest reduction rate recorded in June. A Reuters poll taken around a month ago showed the job crisis may worsen over the coming year.Asia’s third largest economy, which has already recorded more than 400,000 COVID-19 deaths, is still reporting over 40,000 coronavirus cases per day, taking the total number of infections to over 30.5 million.

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Increase in household debt stress is worrying: SBI report

Household debt — after taking into account retail loans, crop loans and business loans from financial institutions like commercial banks, credit societies, NBFCs and HFCs — has sharply increased to 37.3 per cent of GDP in FY21 from 32.5 per cent of GDP in FY20.

“The decline in bank deposits in FY21 and concomitant increase in health expenditure may result in further increase in household debt to GDP in FY22,” said the report. India’s household debt to GDP ratio is still lower than other countries, though there is need to supplement wage income as a percentage of GDP that has been declining.

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COVID-19 recovered with one/two doses of vaccine have higher protection against Delta variant: Study

“The high transmissibility associated with Delta variant led to second wave of the pandemic in India which affected millions of people. Besides this, variant of concerns have been reported to show lower neutralisation to several approved vaccines. This has led to breakthrough infections after completion of vaccination regimen,” it said.

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