The rate of unemployment was the highest in the urban areas, which constitute the most number of red zones due to the COVID-19 cases, at 29.22 per cent, as against 26.69 per cent for the rural areas.

The IHS Markit India Services Business Activity Index stood at 5.4 in April, an extreme decline from 49.3 in March, and indicative of the most severe contraction in services output since records began in December 2005. As per the IHS Markit India Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a print above 50 means expansion, while a score below that denotes contraction.

'A total overall of the existing way of working by abolishing taxes and allowing citizens to help themselves without any government bottlenecks and impediments,' observes Rahul Mishra.

'As much as $4 billion in India's start-up companies has come from Chinese funds.' 'Government policy must not remain indifferent to the problems India's start-up ventures are likely to face after the change in FDI rules,' says A K Bhattacharya.

Just to promote govt's policy of Make in India, BSNL said, it cannot afford to procure sub-standard equipment from inexperienced companies, not having proven technology. BSNL complained that when competitors were procuring world-class 4G equipment from experienced vendors, why should BSNL be compelled to procure locally.

There is much to learn from how Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO, Airbnb, let 1,900 employees know they had lost their jobs.

'This prime minister thinks he knows everything.' 'He has to consult, he has to talk and he has to mobilise the best people, but having seen him function, I have no expectations from him.'

That would reverse the growth trend of around 11 per cent per annum, which the industry has logged over the past ten years, making it one of the most adversely-affected sectors of the economy.

Moody's Investors Service on Friday projected India's growth at zero per cent for the current fiscal and said the negative outlook on sovereign rating reflects increasing risks that GDP growth will remain significantly lower than in the past. The outlook also partly shows weaker policy effectiveness to address economic and institutional issues, it noted in the update to its November 2019 rating forecast.

Inventory losses would be more for refineries located away from the coast because they have to stock crude oil for longer periods.Besides inventory losses, operating performance of refiners is expected to remain weak in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 due to lower volumes and weak GRMs

The telecom operator had excess input tax credits but could not use them to adjust its final tax liability.The HC allows Bharti Airtel to rectify its returns for the September quarter of 2017

The Indian Army chief, who is on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir, to review LoC operations, said, "It is very unfortunate that at a time when the

Indian agencies have been engaged in countering Pakistani cyber-attacks on social media platforms for a very long time.

'Summer will come and this too will happen,' it says.

Rediff reader Milap Goud shares some of his suggestions to fight the virus.

Dhairya is hearing impaired from birth. But his painting describing the current situation is loud and clear.

'It will be a competitive market more than ever due to the layoffs that have happened.'

Maintain at least 2 metre distance from each other; this will help in reducing the spread of COVID 19, says Dr Sharanya Rajan.

'We are not laying any of our team off. We cannot do that especially at this time.' 'It will be hard for them to find other jobs now and we will not let our team down now.'

Dr M Madan Kumar, 45, shares some tips to sail through these troubled times.

Boston based poet and writer Sunayana Kachroo writes about her mother.

Avani Bhavya Shaliya from Borivali, Mumbai tells us why she adores her mother Chandra Ravilal Dedhia so much.

Mohammad Irfan Abdul Aziz, 39 from Nasik shares his casual work from home look!

Sanjali Ekatpure from Akluj, Solapur writes about her mother Shailaja Ekatpure.

Ahead of Mother's Day, Rediff readers write about their mothers and tell us what they mean to them.

Koushik Debnath from Agartala tells us how he spent the last few days in the lockdown.

'The game which I loved the most, it was taken away.'

'More than 114 cases have been registered for spreading fake messages, rumours and fake news on WhatsApp.'

'Strengthen hospital capacity, look after patients who need care, primarily ICU care...'

'Oh god, these workers will now spread the virus! Their only concern was to think about themselves.'

'This prime minister thinks he knows everything.'

'All is well in Visakhapatnam for now.'

'Does it mean that till the COVID-19 fight is over, the governor should be non-functional, in sleep mode, and fiddling in the Raj Bhavan while the state is burning?'

'The government will have to provide something for migrant workers or 'Farmers will still survive because they will eat what they produce.'

'In Mumbai the mortality rate was reaching a percentage of almost 8 plus in about April.'

'I can sense that because we have shared a room for 20 years of our lives.'

'All the animals -- buffaloes and dogs -- in the proximity of the factory are dead.'

'When we make these action machismo films, the stupidest thing is to show that the hero sails through a thousand people. It's a tradition we have grown up with.''We don't have the basis of creating a Bruce Lee or a Jackie Chan.'

Raipur's Nami Rai didn't let marriage or lack of sporting facilities affect her love for fitness.

His condition will be 'assessed' on Monday, the Mumbai Indians team management said.

'While this (Mueller's) report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him" and sets out evidence on "both sides of the question'

'This business of monopoly of one family must end.''Here, they picked up a few leaders for him as he needed support which was okay, but later, they became his cronies.'