IRDAI approves ICICI Lombard to pilot five projects under Sandbox

ICICI Lombard has received approval from Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India’s (IRDAI) to pilot five innovative applications and programs in its health and motor portfolio under the Sandbox Project. ICICI Lombard is to pilot the five proposals from February 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020. This is the highest number given to any company under the IRDAI introduced project.

The insurer has secured approval for APP Monitored Diabetes Mellitus Wellness Program, APP Monitored Dyslipidaemia Management Program under the health insurance portfolio, Pay As You Use (PAYU) policies for Private Car, Pay How You Use (PHYU) policies for Private Car and Single owner multiple vehicle (Motor floater policy).

This methodology allows insurers to launch and test a product with a select group of people for a period of six months, after which, on the basis of the results of the pilot run and the feedback, it will be launched commercially for the public.

Google Cloud and Bharti Airtel to offer G Suite to SMBs

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel partners with Google Cloud to offer G Suite to small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) in India as part of its integrated information and communication technology portfolio. G Suite is a set of intelligent apps including Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar designed with real-time collaboration and machine intelligence to bring people together and help them work smarter and safer.

The agreement will provide a platform for both companies to tap growth opportunities in India, which ranks amongst the fastest growing economies and has the second highest number of internet users in the world. Airtel serves over 2,500 large businesses and over 500,000 SMBs and technology startups across India.

Apollo Hospitals in collaboration with Bajaj Finserv launches ‘Health EMI card’

Apollo Hospitals Group in collaboration with Bajaj Finserv has launched a “Health EMI Card” to enable easy EMI financing for healthcare. It would enable to convert the medical expense into no cost EMIs that can be repaid over a period of 12 months. The card offers a credit limit of up to Rs 4 lakh and covers nearly 600 procedures for patients, according to Rajeev Jain, managing director of Bajaj Finance Limited.

The cards would be accepted across all Apollo Hospitals in the country. It also features a personal accident insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh. The cards are digitised and customers can have it available once they download the wallet app. The card would also cover the entire family.

India’s first e-waste clinic in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

The country’s first e-waste clinic is being opened in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh . It will enable segregation, processing and disposal of waste from both household and commercial units. The clinic is jointly setting up by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Electronic waste will be collected door-to-door or could be deposited directly at the e-waste clinic. The CPCB will provide technical support to the clinic. The e-waste clinic has been prepared in junk low floor bus. The bus is decorated with e-waste material from outside and inside.

A TV has been also installed in it, in which documentary films on the subject of environmental damage caused by e-waste will be shown. The e-waste clinic is being started on the basis of a three-month pilot project. If this project is successful, e-waste clinics will be established at other places in the country.

Mumbai malls, shops, eateries to remain open round the clock

The Maharashtra Cabinet approved its ‘Mumbai 24 hours‘ policy allowing malls, multiplexes and shops to remain open round-the-clock in the city from 27th January, as stated by Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray. He also said keeping shops, malls and eateries open in the night was not mandatory.

In the first phase, shops, eateries and theatres in malls and mill compounds situated in non-residential areas like Bandra-Kurla Complex and Nariman Point will be allowed to remain open. Excise rules have not been touched and pubs and bars will close as usual at 1.30am.

Among the likely early-birds joining the late-night bandwagon are: the Oberoi Mall and The Hub in Goregaon, Growel 101 in Kandivali, R-City Mall in Ghatkopar, Atria Mall in Worli, Phoenix Market City in Kurla, High Street Phoenix in Lower Parel, CitiMall in Andheri, and many even have multiplexes within their premises, besides security and parking.

In another decision, cabinet has made the film “Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior” tax-free in the state. The film is based on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s trusted lieutenant Tanaji Malusare who had played a pivotal role in capturing the Sinhagad Fort. The movie that released on 10th January has already grossed over 150 crore rupees.

Tamil Nadu: CM lays foundation for DLF DownTown in Chennai

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami laid foundation in Chennai for the construction of DLF DownTown, a joint venture of the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) and DLF, for housing information technology (IT) firms under one roof.

At an investment of Rs 5,000 crore, the IT complex with all modern facilities would come up on 27.04 acres of land in Taramani. The project is expected to provide direct employment for 70,000 people.

Many new projects like Phase II of the Chennai Metro, widening of OMR Road with by-passes at Kelambakkam and Thiruporur and flyovers at key junctions at a total cost of Rs 1,150 crore are being taken up.

Home Credit partners with HDFC Ergo and Bajaj Allianz Life

Home Credit India has acquired a corporate agency license to provide health life insurance and has partnered with HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company for health insurance and will provide cover in case of an illness or injury. The expenses covered under the policy include in-patient hospitalisation, pre- and post-hospitalisation, domiciliary expenses, day-care procedures as well as cover for newborn baby.

Home Credit India will also offer a savings plan of Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company which has life cover benefit along with tax-free guaranteed returns. While health insurance will provide coverage for medical expenses, life insurance will provide benefits and financial protection to Home Credit India customers.

13th Weld India Exhibition to be held in Mumbai from February 6

The 13th Weld India Exhibition being organised in association with the International Institute of Welding (IIW) in Mumbai from February 6 to 9 will highlight India’s potential to become a $5 trillion economy. The event will have the theme of ‘Advanced welding technology and quality systems for developing economies‘ and is expected to have participants from around 22 countries.

IIW was working on closing the gap of the skilled manpower needed in the country to meet the objective of making India a $5 trillion economy, under the guidance of the Union Ministry of Skill Development, along with the support of National Skill Development Corporation and private industries.

Election Body organises 1st memorial lecture to honour Sukumar Sen

As a tribute to India’s first Chief Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen, the Election Commission of India organised the first memorial lecture in Delhi on Thursday. Sukumar Sen had served as the first Chief Election Commissioner of India from March 21, 1950, till 19th December 1958. The memorial lecture was addressed by former President of India Pranab Mukherjee.

The lecture was attended by Mr Sen’s family along with invitees from the national political parties, members of the academia, civil society organisations, senior civil servants and international delegates. The event commenced by the welcome speech of Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa while Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra concluded the event.

During his service, he held several important posts, including as Chief Secretary of West Bengal (1947-1950). He conducted the first two Lok Sabha elections of India held in 1952 and 1957 simultaneously with the Legislative Assembly Elections based on universal adult franchise under challenging circumstances and little precedence to guide him.

22 children selected for ICCW National Bravery Award 2019

Twenty-two children, including 10 girls and 12 boys from 12 different states of India, have been selected for the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) National Bravery Awards, 2019. Out of which one award has been given posthumously.

15-year-old Master Adithya K, from Keral has be conferred with Bharat Award for saving more than 40 lives when a bus they were travelling caught fire in Nepal in May 2019. The only recipient to recieve the award posthumously is Muhhamed Muhsin EC, who has honoured with the Abhimanyu award. He was a Kerala resident.

The two awardees from J&K were Sartaj Mohidin Mughal and Mudasir Ashraf, they both had won the bravery award. Mughal saved his family during live shelling from Pakistan. Mughal lives at the Line of Control (LoC) while Mudasir helped IAF and rescue personnel during the IAF chopper crash in Budgam in February 2019. A 13-year-old Alaika saved her family after their car met with an accident.

The ICCW Markandeya Award was given to 10 yr old Rakhi from Uttarakhand, who saved her 4 yr old brother from a leopard. The ICCW Dhruva Award has been given to 16 yr old, Purnima Giri and 15 yr old, Sabita Giri from Odisha who saved 12 persons from drowning a river when a boat sank into the water full with wild crocodiles. ICCW Prahalada Award has been given to 10 yr old, Srimati Badra for helping her friend who lost her right leg in a train accident.

The other recipients are Assam’s Kamal Krishna Das; Chhattisgarh’s Kanti Paikra and Bharneshwari Nirmalkar; Karnataka’s Aarti Kiran Shet and Venkatesh; Maharashtra’s Zen Sadavarte and Akash Machindra Khillare; Lourembam Yaikhomba Mangang from Manipur; Everbloom K Nongrum from Meghalaya; Lalliansanga, Carolyn Malsawmtluangi and Vanlalhriatrenga from Mizoram.