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Disposable income growth of households to fall further in FY20, may contract this fiscal: Report

As a wayout, the report suggests government incentivise households to save more, by increasing Section 80C/PPF limits, among other measures. “An increase in PPF (public provident fund) limit by even Rs 50,000 for individual households will lead to additional savings of over Rs 1 lakh crore compared to the revenue foregone of Rs 10,000 crore,” says the report.

Max Bupa expects 30-35% growth in current fiscal, says MD&CEO Ramachandran

As the pressure on health services rises, the insurer is likely to see an increase in telehealth services demand wherein consultancy to patients can be given via phone or through video services. This could have constructive long-term effects, helping healthcare reach more remote and less affluent populations including the under or uninsured said the official.

Coronavirus most prevalent among those aged between 5 and 17: Sero survey

Dr Mahesh Verma, the head of a Delhi government committee tasked with strengthening the preparedness of hospitals to battle coronavirus, said, “It is difficult to keep children and youngsters home-bound. Even if they are not going to school, they might be going out to play… or they might have contracted it through an indirect route. But it’s just a prediction and needs to be studied.”

Treating Covid may lead to increased antibiotic resistance, UK study finds

“COVID-19 has had an impact on almost every aspect of our lives. But this study shows its legacy could be felt long after the current pandemic has been brought under control, said Sean Comber, Professor of Environmental Chemistry in Plymouth.

“From our previous research, we know that significant quantities of commonly prescribed drugs do pass through treatment works and into our water courses.

Alphabet’s Verily targets employer health insurance with Swiss Re partnership

 Alphabet Inc’s life sciences division Verily’s new subsidiary, Coefficient Insurance Company, will be backed by the commercial insurance arm of Swiss Re, which is also making a minority investment in the new company.

“Coefficient is aimed at reducing blind spots and providing greater cost control mechanisms for self-funded employers,” Verily Chief Executive Officer Andy Conrad said in a statement.
Self-insurance arrangements are increasingly commonplace among larger employers, who typically pay health insurers to manage their healthcare benefits, but cover the costs of those claims themselves.

Coronavirus re-infections raise concerns about immunity

The cases, in Belgium and the Netherlands, follow a report this week by researchers in Hong Kong about a man there who had been re-infected with a different strain of the virus four and a half months after being declared recovered – the first such re-infection to be documented.

That has fuelled fears about the effectiveness of potential vaccines against the virus, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people, though experts say there would need to be many more cases of re-infection for these to be justified.

Two-wheelers neither luxury nor sin goods, merit GST rate revision: Finance Ministry

Two-wheelers currently attract 28 percent GST.

“Responding to a question about the need for lowering GST rates on two-wheelers, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman assured that this was indeed a good suggestion as this category is neither a luxury nor a sin good and hence merits a rate revision,”
Reducing goods and services tax (GST) on two-wheelers to 18 percent from the highest slab of 28 percent currently, could make bikes cheaper by up to Rs 10,000, said Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director at Bajaj Auto.

This “will be taken up with the GST Council”, the statements quoted Sitharaman as saying.

SC refuses to entertain plea for national policy for compensation to COVID-19 victims

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and R S Reddy dismissed the plea saying that every state has a different policy and gives compensation as per its financial power.

Advocate Deepak Prakash, appearing for petitioner Hashik Thayikandy, said that all he is asking for is a national policy to be formulated that would provide for uniform compensation throughout the country.

Rs 14.58 lakh compensation to kin of woman killed in accident

The deceased was at that time self-employed and earned Rs 12,000 per month, the applicants said, adding that they were dependent on her for their livelihood and hence, were seeking compensation.

The tribual in its order said the accident took place solely because of the rash and negligent driving on part of the tempo driver.

The tempo’s insurer, Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd, contested the claim, but the tribunal rejected its arguments.