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Indian News

Group health insurance startup Plum raises $15.6mn Series A funding led by Tiger Global

The group health insurance market in India, which is almost 50% of the total $3.5bn health insurance market, has seen an annual growth of about 25% in the last few years and is doubling every three years. Group health insurance products cover about 90 mn Indians, but are expected to cover more than 500mn Indians by the end of this decade..With over 600 organisations on-boarded, Plum has been witnessing a growth rate of 110% quarter-on-quarter

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India’s Mahindra expects car sales to take two years to rebound after COVID shock

Car sales had started to pick up in the January-March period but a second, more deadly wave of infections forced lockdowns again. This time consumer sentiment has taken a hit and discretionary spending is likely to take longer to recover.

The virus is also spreading to rural India, which was relatively protected during the first wave and had offset the low demand automakers saw in urban centres.

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Carmakers in ‘India’s Detroit’ allowed to operate as workers protest COVID risk

Tamil Nadu government order issued on Saturday said so-called continuous process industries, which include auto factories, would be allowed to function in accordance with measures such as social distancing to stem the virus’s spread.

It also urged vehicle manufacturers to initiate immediate action to vaccinate all their employees within a month.

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Govt announces scheme to provide pension for dependents of COVID-19 victims

Besides family pensions, insurance benefits under the Employees” Deposit-Linked Insurance (EDLI) scheme have been enhanced and liberalised. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said these steps will help mitigate financial difficulties faced by these families.

To help these families live a life of dignity and maintain a good standard of living, the benefit of the Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) pension scheme for employment-related death cases is being extended to even those who have died due to Covid, the PMO said in a statement.

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African Swine Fever continues to wreak havoc in Mizoram

The ASF outbreak has caused a loss of Rs 18.60 crore to the farmers of the state, said Dr Lalhmingthanga, the Joint Director (Livestock Health) at the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Department.

The first pig death due to ASF was reported on March 21 at Lungsen village in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district, bordering Bangladesh, he said.

Since then the dreaded pig disease has spread to nine districts — Aizawl, Lunglei, Mamit, Serchhip, Lawngtlai, Khawzawl, Hnahthial, Siaha and Champhai.

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