The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday went all guns blazing to arrest a potential slowdown caused by the coronavirus (Covid-19), lowering the policy repo rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 per cent.

Given the Covid-19 stress, the six-member monetary policy committee (MPC) advanced their March 31-April 3 meetings to meet on March 24-26 and 27, and voted 4:2 to cut the policy repo rate to 4.4 per cent, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, who addressed the media through video streaming, said.

China reported more than 50 imported cases of the coronavirus on Friday, hours after announcing a ban on foreigners entering the country.

In recent weeks China's tally of infections has dwindled dramatically, with only a handful of domestic patients each day. But just as the country appears to bring the outbreak under control, nations around the globe have been battling to control soaring numbers of infections in new hotspots.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday assigned union ministers to take charge of specific states to oversee the measures that are being taken to defeat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak in India.

An ANI report said that a letter from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has been sent to all ministers, asking them to play an active and effective role in stemming the growth of the disease.

All international commercial passenger flights will remain suspended till April 14, aviation regulator DGCA announced on Thursday, amid a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on March 19 had announced that no international commercial passenger flight operations will take place in India from 1.30 am on March 23 to 5.30 am on March 29.

Hundreds of people were left stranded at various checkpoints on the Andhra Pradesh- Telangana borders since Wednesday night as authorities refused to let them into the state in view of the coronavirus lockdown, exposing the communication gap and lack of coordination between the authorities of the two States.

After frantic SOS calls by the stranded persons, including pregnant women and children, AP authorities finally agreed to let them in, on the condition that they be shifted to a quarantine facility.

As the government readies for the fight against the novel coronavirus, Indian Railways is considering offering its coaches and cabins to be used as isolation wards in rural and remote areas for patients who have tested positive.

All railway services have been suspended till April 14 in wake of the 21-day nationwide lockdown.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday addressed the media and said that people do not need to panic amid the lockdown as shops providing essential services will remain open 24x7 in the city during the entire 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Kejriwal also said that food delivery has also been allowed in the national capital.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, annoucing her support to the 21-day lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has infected around 649 people across the country.

In the letter, the Gandhi said that her party stands with the people of India in thte time of criris. Congress stands with people of India at this time of national crisis. We extend full support to the 21-day lockdown and extend cooperation to the government.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today announced a relief package for the poor and migrants in the country in light of the 21-day lockdown in the country to tackle the challenge posed by the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

The Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan scheme worth Rs 1.7 trillion will have two parts — cash transfer and food security, said the Finance Minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Thursday join a meeting of G20 leaders via video conferencing, that has been organised to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting will be chaired by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman.

The prime minister took to Twitter on Wednesday to inform about the development.

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