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Death of Covid patients due to oxygen crisis ‘not less than genocide’: HC

“We are at pain in observing that death of Covid patients just for non supplying of oxygen to the hospitals is a criminal act and not less than a genocide by those who have been entrusted the task to ensure continuous procurement and supply chain of the liquid medical oxygen,” read the order by a bench of Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Siddhartha Varma.

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As COVID-19 sweeps rural India, sick struggle to access healthcare

India’s COVID-19 crisis has been most acute in the capital, New Delhi, among other cities, but in rural areas – home to nearly 70% of India’s 1.3 billion people – limited public healthcare is posing particular challenges. Ill-equipped hospitals, staff shortages and long journeys to dedicated COVID-19 wards are making it harder for village patients to access treatment as a second wave pushed India’s total coronavirus cases to more than 20 million this week.

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Khuntia panel submits report to centre on increasing country’s insurance penetration

Subhash Chandra Khuntia, chairman, IRDAI, revealed that a proposal to initiate pilot projects covering some states or districts prone to natural disasters like cyclone and flooding has been sent to the government and the National Disaster Management Authority(NDMA).

The idea is to cover all dwelling units in a vulnerable geographical area against natural catastrophes. The cost of coverage upto a limit can be funded by the Government and the owners can pay additional premium for higher coverage. Since dwelling unit insurance is very cheap, this is quite affordable and feasible and will save Government expenditure in terms of compensation to the affected after the incident,’..
Looking at the size of India in terms of population, geographical spread, diversity and low insurance penetration, there is tremendous scope to have more insurance companies. The market is far below the saturation point.

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India’s Covid deaths could double in coming weeks, forecasters warn

While coronavirus cases can be hard to predict, particularly in a sprawling nation like India, the forecasts reflect the urgent need for India to step up public health measures like testing and social distancing. Even if the worst estimates are avoided, India could suffer the world’s biggest Covid-19 death toll. The U.S currently has the largest number of fatalities at around 578,000.

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IRDAI suggests model insurance villages to increase insurance penetration in rural areas

“The concept may be implemented in a minimum of 500 villages in different districts of the country in the first year and increased to a minimum of 1,000 villages in subsequent two years,” the paper said on which the insurance regulator has invited comments from stakeholders by May 17.

It also said the choice of villages is to be made carefully, considering various relevant aspects and parameters in order to implement the concept successfully for a period of three to five years.

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HC asks Centre why it should not face contempt for failing to supply oxygen

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli also rejected the Centre’s submission that Delhi was not entitled to 700 metric tonnes of medical oxygen in light of existing medical infrastructure.
“We see grim reality everyday of people not able to secure oxygen or ICU beds in hospitals which have reduced beds due to gas shortage, the high court said.

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India asks state banks to protect dollar assets on Cairn concern

U.K.-based Cairn Energy can push authorities to impound Indian assets if the South Asian nation declines to honor an arbitration ruling in a $1.2 billion tax dispute, according to a letter the company sent to the Indian High Commission in the U.K. earlier this year.

The banks’ decision to avoid adding more dollars to their offshore account has roiled India’s exchange rate in recent days because state-run banks are the usual counterparties who swap rupees into dollars and their absence makes the forward trade more expensive. The one-month USD/INR premium rose to as much as 10% on Tuesday on an annualized basis, from 5.41% on Thursday.

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