*New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI)The lockdown and restrictions imposed in certain states due to to COVID-19 pandemic has caused a business loss of about Rs 5 lakh crore in the past 25 days, domestic traders body CAIT claimed on Tuesday.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said that COVID has proved much disastrous to commercial and economic activities all over the country.

"In the past 25 days, there has been a loss of Rs 5 lakh crore," it said, adding that due to COVID, people are avoiding to visit shops.

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Mandovi Pellets restarts operations at country's oldest pellet plant

* Chowgule group-owned Mandovi Pellets on Tuesday said it has restarted operations at the country's oldest pellet plant in India after a hiatus of nine years.

The 1979-built plant has undergone complete modernisation and refurbishment recently and will start operations with confirmed orders of 1.5 million tons, an official statement said, adding restarting operations will create employment for 400 people.

******************* HDFC Bank converts training facilities into isolation centres for COVID infected employees

*Country's largest lender HDFC Bank on Tuesday said it has converted its training facilities in Bhubaneshwar, Pune and Gurugram into isolation centres for employees infected by COVID-19 virus.

These facilities have been equipped with first line assistance and will have round the clock nurses and visiting doctors. Immediate medical help from a nearby hospital will be made available if required, an official statement said.

******************* SBI Mutual Fund announces launch of SBI Nifty Next 50 Index Fund

*SBI Mutual Fund on Tuesday announced the launch of SBI Nifty Next 50 Index Fund, an open-ended index scheme which would replicate the performance of the Nifty Next 50 Index.

It presents investors an opportunity to participate in the growth of future market leaders, and official statement said, adding Nifty Next 50 index's return since inception stood at 15.56 per cent per annum.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)