on 21-Jan-2021 (Thu)

A disease may occur in a country at a regular annual rate, which makes it endemic.

If there is a sudden rise in the number of cases in a specific month, we say that there is an epidemic.

As the disease continues to rise and spread to other countries, it becomes a pandemic.

Thus the terminology is related to both the number of cases and its geographical distribution.

The government also asked it to respond to about 14 detailed questions with regard to changes made in the privacy policy within seven days. These include questions such as exact categories of data that WhatsApp collects from Indian users, details of permissions sought and their utility, if it does profiling of Indian users on the basis of app usage, difference between privacy policy of the application in India and in other countries, if WhatsApp shares data with other apps, whether WhatsApp captures info about other applications running on the mobile phone device of the user and on which server is the data of Indian users transmitted and hosted.

The government expressed concern over the way in which Indian users have been made subject to these changes. “By not providing Indian users with the ability to opt-out of this data sharing with other Facebook companies, WhatsApp is treating users with an ‘all-or-nothing’ approach…[this] takes away any meaningful choice from Indian users,” it added.

WhatsApp, for whom India is among the biggest markets with over 400 million users

WhatsApp, it said, was built on a simple idea: what you share with your friends and family stays between you, while stressing that users’ personal conversations are end-to-end encrypted so that neither WhatsApp nor Facebook can see these private messages.

“It’s why we don’t keep logs of who everyone’s messaging or calling. We also can’t see your shared location and we don’t share your contacts with Facebook,” it said, adding that with the recent update, this will not change. Instead, the update will include new options people will have to message a business on WhatsApp, and provides further transparency about how the platform collects and uses data.

Production in India, the world’s second-largest sugar-producing country,

Production in India, the world’s second-largest sugar-producing country, had been recorded at 108.9 lakh tonnes till January 15 of the 2019-20 marketing year (October-September).

Sugar production in U.P., the country’s leading sugar- producing State

Automakers around the world are shutting assembly lines because of a global shortage of semiconductors that in some cases has been exacerbated by the Trump administration's actions against key Chinese chip factories, industry officials said

The RBI is expected to set out proposals in a discussion paper next week, recommending that bigger shadow banks maintain a statutory liquidity ratio, the sources said.

The RBI could also suggest large non-banks be required to maintain a cash reserve ratio. For banks this ratio is 3%,reduced from 4% in a measure the central bank imposed that is to be reversed after March 31.

The move could be a huge cash drain for the sector which is currently free from maintaining these reserve ratios, allowing them to lend to sub-prime lenders as well.

There are nearly 10,000 shadow banks in India but just over two dozen are thought to be large enough to pose systemic risks,sources said.

What is sum insured?

What is sum assured?

Vaccination, inoculation procedures are usually not covered by health insurers

Many general insurance companies offer vaccination cover only as part of maternity benefits under the hospitalisation policy. Vaccination expenses for the new-born, up to a limit, typically ₹10,000, is covered under the policy.

Vaccinations for children has become universal only recently in India and it’s been quite an achievement to get rid of small pox, whooping cough, polio and that ilk of heart-rending childhood afflictions.

In the same breath, let us see an often-forgotten perk in your hospitalisation policies. Once in block of a certain number of claim free years, your insurance company will pay for your preventive health check. There is an upper limit, usually pegged to your sum assured, and it will defray your expenses partially at least. Availing this too will not affect your no-claim bonus.

While Goods and Services Tax (GST) apply on most products since its introduction in 2017, oil products and natural gas has been kept out of its preview. Excise duty, which accrues to the centre, and VAT that goes to the state government, are levied on their sale.

“The high GST rate of 18 % on online food delivery service providers and ineligibility of credit of such GST charged to the restaurants have an adverse impact on the growth of the sector. A reduction in GST rates will keep food costs affordable and create more jobs in the sector while furthering the government’s initiatives,” he said.

Customers taking food delivery at their home or office are paying 13% higher price on the same food and beverages compared to customers who are walking down to restaurants as the dine-in tax rate is 5%, they claimed.

He said that his top priority is to assure depositors that their money is safe and that the bank has enough liquidity to pay back the depositors.

Lakshmi Vilas Bank has ₹ 20,000 crore in deposits and ₹ 17,000 crore in advances.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Manoharan said that he was confident of the timely merger of the bank with DBS Bank India before the December 16 deadline.

He said that his top priority is to assure depositors that their money is safe and that the bank has enough liquidity to pay back the depositors.

Lakshmi Vilas Bank has ₹ 20,000 crore in deposits and ₹ 17,000 crore in advances.

RBI will issue the final merger draft on November 20.

The Reserve Bank has proposed merging Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) with DBS Bank India Ltd. (DBIL).

As part of the proposal, DBIL, the wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based DBS Bank, will inject ₹2,500 crore into the merged entity to support its financial position.

In Arogya Sanjeevani, the policyholder can opt for half-yearly, quarterly or monthly payment of premium and also automate the payments using the auto-debit or ECS mode

The standardised health insurance policy — Arogya Sanjeevani — was designed by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority with many interesting features. Every general insurance or health insurance company is mandated to offer it from April 1, 2020.

If Arogya Sanjeevani proves popular, insurers may well begin offering instalment options on other health policies

If Arogya Sanjeevani proves popular, insurers may well begin offering instalment options on other health policies

As easy as 1,2,3…or 12 monthly instalments, if you wish. We are talking about the possible future of your health insurance premiums, where you may opt to pay in instalments through the year.

Grace period

There is a grace period of 15 days for paying the instalment premium. The caveat, however, is that during the period between due date of premium and actual receipt of premium by the insurance company, you will be uncovered.

But the good thing is that, even if you have used your grace period to the fullest, your benefits of waiting period for pre-existing conditions, and specific waiting period for treatment of specified conditions are fully protected. Neither will there be any interest charges if the instalment premium is not paid on the due date.

However, if you fail to pay within the grace period, your policy will lapse and, along with it, any accrued benefits such as waiting period or cumulative bonuses. Your choice will be only to start another hospitalisation policy, afresh.

Grace period

There is a grace period of 15 days for paying the instalment premium. The caveat, however, is that during the period between due date of premium and actual receipt of premium by the insurance company, you will be uncovered.