'Health will continue to be at the centre of the government's attention as it underpins economic recovery and our collective well being.'

'Whether the substantial hybrid immunity present in India can protect against severe consequences of the disease remains to be seen.'

In a move to plug gaps in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) has proposed robust norms against avoidance transactions, wrongful trading, and inordinate delays via changes to look-back period and fixed timelines for the tribunals to reject or approve plans, among other measures. The MCA has proposed that the IBC should provide the adjudicating authority with 30 days for approving or rejecting a resolution plan under Section 31. If a decision is not made on the resolution plan within that period, the adjudicating authority will record reasons in writing for the same, the ministry has proposed.

'There is no emergency of a third wave that we are rushing for booster doses.'

'We have to ensure the European situation does not occur in India and we don't see a spread like theirs.'

The Union health ministry has directed states to identify all left-out people and ensure everyone gets their Covid jab through initiatives such as workplace vaccination, as part of the government's "Har Ghar Dastak" campaign. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a review meeting on vaccination progress with Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Puducherry on Monday. In a tweet, the minister said, "Spoke about augmenting Govt's #HarGharDastak vaccine campaign. Requested help from religious leaders, NGOs & political groups to speed-up vaccination coverage." Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan has asked state officials that workplace vaccination should be organised for targeting people due for their doses.

The government said it had received many representations seeking extension of time citing many difficulties due to the second wave of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdowns. MCA has asked the registrar of companies to approve the extension of the time limit to hold the AGM.

While some experts believe that a large part of India is still vulnerable to the virus that could trigger a third wave, others feel the country is not likely to be engulfed by another deadly wave unless a new variant emerges.

States should ensure a weekly positivity rate of less than 5 per cent, vaccination coverage of at least 70 per cent among the vulnerable section, and community ownership of Covid-appropriate behaviour, reports Ruchika Chitravanshi.

Hardly anyone wears a mask and most brush off concerns over a pandemic. It is not just scepticism over the existence of the pandemic. A common refrain across villages is the fear of vaccines, reports Ruchika Chitravanshi.

'If you approached it with that level of aggression in 100 days, you would have vaccinated more than half of your country.' 'On a mass scale you will be able to eliminate that wave.'

India is expecting 156 million doses of the vaccine from August to September, reports Ruchika Chitravanshi.

If that outcome were to happen, the Modi government would be responsible for presiding over a self-inflicted national catastrophe.

But the numbers have continued to rise in 23 states including Bihar, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

'The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code cleans up non-performing assets and puts companies in capable and credible hands.'

Till now, there was no provision in the Companies Act that allowed a remuneration for the non-executive director if the company was in loss or had inadequate profits. Only the executive director was entitled for a remuneration in the event of a loss.

With just a few days left for the suspension on fresh corporate insolvency cases to end, government sources have indicated that another extension is unlikely. An extension may not be economically desirable as it hampers the restructuring prospects for stressed companies, according to senior officials. Also, it would be a challenge to amend the law in such a short time. A Bill would have to be passed in both Houses of Parliament, if any change, with respect to suspension of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), is to be made - including extension or creating any exceptions to the rule.

Companies such as Tata Sons and Bharti Telecom, which are unlisted but have listed subsidiaries, may soon have to file periodic financial statements with the registrar of companies under the new provision of the Companies Act. The provision requires greater financial disclosures by a certain category of unlisted companies.

Epidemiologists point out that if there is no second wave, it means that the number of infected has surpassed the uninfected, reports Ruchika Chitravanshi.

Moreover, 5,611 companies struck off earlier by the ministry of corporate affairs because of compliance-related lacunae, were registered again.