Punjab National Bank MD & CEO Mallikarjuna Rao Reaction to Measures Announced by RBI

"Today RBI's decision has been very bold in terms of addressing current challenges faced by the economy. All the measures taken, whether Repo rate reduction, CRR cut, TLTRO, moratorium on repayments, infusion of liquidity, etc have been unprecedented and in right context.

The 3 month moratorium on all term loan installments along with deferment of interest on working capital will help mitigate the debt servicing burden due to covid 19 disruption and prevent transmission of financial stress among  various sectors of the economy.

Total liquidity injection of RS 3.74 lakh crore through TLTRO, CRR & MSF will address the liquidity stress in view of highly volatile financial markets. Considering the potential stress, the last tranche of 0.625 percent of CCB has also been deferred to Sept' 30 2020.

However challenges remain in terms of transmitting these measures to customers amid social distancing. Effective digital and electronic delivery to the last mile will remain the key issue."

Attached is the image of MD & CEO Of Punjab National Bank- Sh CH. S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao for your reference.  Request you to kindly use the same in your esteemed publication.

FGII Introduces An Exclusive Coronavirus Group Insurance Product in Indian Market

Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited (FGII), the general insurance arm of the joint venture between retail giant Future Group and global insurer Generali, announced the launch of an exclusive Coronavirus group insurance product.The policy will provide a lump sum benefit in case the insured is diagnosed or quarantined for a suspected sign and symptoms/or infection of COVID-19. Amid the contagious pandemic, the product offers cover for everyone from an infant who is 1 day old to a senior citizen upto 75 years of age.

It is afiled group health insurance product as defined by IRDAI guidelines.

Dr.Shreeraj Deshpande, Chief Operating Officer, Future Generali India Insurance said, “It is very important for all of us to come together and protect the citizens against this virus infection. We have designed our corona virus group insurance product in such a way that it will offer maximum help to the affected. If the policyholder is diagnosed with COVID-19 infection and is confirmed by a medical practitioner along with government/ a WHO-approved lab then a lump sum benefit of 100% of Sum Insured would be paid. To provide maximum benefit to our customers, no past medical history or travel record is required while purchasing our product.”

A lump sum benefit of 50% of sum insured will be paid, if the policyholder is required to be quarantined at a Government/Government approved hospital for at least 14 days for a suspected COVID-19 infection. An additional benefit of 10% of the sum insured will be paid to quarantined persons towards incidental expenses.

About Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited

Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited is a joint venture between Future Group – the game changers in Retail Trade in India and Generali – a 189 years old global insurance group featuring among the world’s 60 largest companies*. The Company was incorporated in September 2007 with the objective of providing retail, commercial, personal and rural insurance solutions to individuals and corporates to help them manage and mitigate risks.

Future Generali India has been aptly benefitting from the global Insurance expertise in diverse classes of products of Generali Group and the Indian retail game-changer Future Group. Having firmly established its credentials in this segment and effectively leveraging on the skill set of both its JV partners, Future Generali India has evolved to become a Total Insurance Solutions Company.

*As per Fortune Global 500 Ranking (2017)

*Future Generali India Insurance is certified ‘Great Place to Work’ (December 2019-November 2020)

About Generali Group

Generali is an independent, Italian insurance Group, with a strong international presence. Established in 1831, it is one of the largest global insurance providers present in over 60 countries with total premium income exceeding €68 billion in 2017. With nearly 71,000 employees in the world and 57 million customers, the Group has a leading position in Western Europe and an increasingly significant presence in Central and Eastern Europe as wellas in Asia.

IPRS Announces "Emergency Relief Package" from COVID-19 Crisis to Its Members

The creative community has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis. Creators whose earnings arise from individual projects, have been left reeling from this unprecedented crisis which has now been compounded by an equally unprecedented lock down aimed at keeping all Indian citizens indoors and safe. The lockdown has a significant human cost in terms of lost earnings and the consequent inability of many creative community members to sustain themselves and their families during the next three weeks.

The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd (“IPRS”) is mindful of the stark concerns faced by its author and music composer members and as a responsible copyright society mandated by the Government of India is determined to do its bit to help its members across the country.

Accordingly, IPRS has declared an Emergency Relief Package to support its members, who are facing significant financial pressure during the Corona pandemic. The money will be paid to around 3150 author and music composer members across various geographies, to meet their basic needs for the next three weeks as we battle the virus.

Mr. Javed Akhtar, Chairman of the IPRS said, “It is our duty to support the call made by our Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi for society to support each other through this 21-day lock down period. IPRS is what it is because of all its members. In these challenging and trying times, IPRS as a custodian of its creator members, stands shoulder to shoulder with all its members. This payment by IPRS is our contribution for the time being to help our creator members tide over this period of the 21-day lock down to be able to purchase basic necessities”.

Mr. Rakesh Nigam, CEO of the IPRS said, “It is in times like these that bodies like IPRS can provide much needed help and succor to its members. I am glad that we can contribute in this fashion to our members. I want to convey our Chairman Javed Saab’s message to all our members, that IPRS is there for them in this time of crisis.”

IPRS will be reaching out to its members to facilitate disbursement of the relief amounts on an immediate basis.

QuEST Global Puts a Strong Business Continuity Plan in Action with 80% of its India Workforce Working from Home

QuEST Global, a global product engineering and lifecycle services company, today said that it has worked with its customers to enable upwards of 80% of its employees across seven cities in India to work from home. The company is continuing to work closely with its customers and government authorities to enable work from home for the remaining employees who are safely staying back at their homes.

The company said that currently only critical personnel from IT and admin teams, who need to arrange workstations for remaining employees, are commuting to office with special approvals from the authorities. QuEST implemented these measures to ensure the safety of its employees and ensure business continuity in the wake of the nationwide lockdown due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The Global Crisis Management team at QuEST has been monitoring the situation daily and has been taking all appropriate decisions including ensuring physical, facility and IT security and creating a safe work environment for its employees.

As a trusted thinking partner to its customers, QuEST has been taking decisive and proactive measures to address the challenges faced by its customers to continue their operations without any impact. The company has been closely working with its customers and stakeholders to understand their needs and take necessary actions to ensure business continuity. This includes getting swift approvals to provide remote high-end computing power to its employees working from home without compromising on data security norms.

Commenting on the ongoing situation and company’s preparedness to tackle the situation, Ajit Prabhu, Chairman & CEO, QuEST Global said, “In such difficult times, we believe that the well-being of our employees is foremost. At the same time, we are also ensuring that the integrity of our global operations is maintained so that customer deliverables remain unaffected. We are continuously evaluating the situation and working hard to enable all our employees to work from home. I would like to thank our customers for extending their support.”

“Over the past two decades, we have strived to be a trusted thinking partner to our customers, whom they can count on in both challenging and prosperous times. We will not waver from that goal and will always stay committed to our stakeholders. We will overcome this together as we have done in the past,” Ajit added.

About QuEST Global

For more than 20 years, QuEST Global has aimed to be a trusted global product engineering and lifecycle services partner to many of the worlds’ most recognized companies in the Aero Engines, Hi-Tech, Aerospace & Defense, Transportation (Auto and Rail), Power and Industrial, Oil & Gas and Medical Devices industries. With a global presence in 15 countries, 67 global delivery centers, and 12,800+ personnel, QuEST Global believes that it is at the forefront of the convergence of the mechanical, electronics, software and digital engineering innovations to engineer solutions for a safer, cleaner world. QuEST Global’s deep domain knowledge and digital expertise aim to help its clients accelerate product development and innovation cycles, create alternate revenue streams, enhance consumer experience and make manufacturing processes and operations more efficient.

Emirates Ground Crews Give An Emotional Send-Off to Last Flights Back to Dubai from London Heathrow

Emirates ground crews around the world have bid farewell to their last operating flights back to Dubai. EK 005 to London Heathrow, which departed at 1605hrs on 24 March was the last flight to take off from Dubai. EK 262 from Sao Paulo, which landed at 2235hrs (local time) was the last flight to arrive on 25 March into Dubai.

Emirates’ outstation airport teams from 39 stations including Prague, Newark, Seoul, London Stansted, and Zurich devotedly sent off their last passenger flights, maintaining social distancing rules, before the suspension took effect. Over the next weeks, Emirates’ operational teams will focus on preparing for service resumption.

As per UAE government directives to protect communities against the spread of COVID-19, Emirates has temporarily suspended all passenger flights from 25 March 2020. The airline will resume passenger services as soon as it is possible to do so. In the meantime, Emirates is still busy deploying its fleet of Boeing 777 freighters, bolstering international air cargo links for the transport of vital goods, including medical supplies and food, around the world.

About Emirates

Emirates’ 34 years in India have been defined by progressive investment, partnership and growth. In October 1985, Emirates launched flights from its Dubai hub to Delhi and Mumbai which formed the base of its initial route network. Since then, Emirates has grown its India operations to serve a total of nine destinations across India – Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram – with 170 weekly flights. The Emirates Group currently employs more than 13,700 Indian nationals globally, most of them in high-skilled employment. Globally, the airline flies to 157 destinations in 83 countries and territories.

Syncordis Partners with International Bank for Temenos-Based Transformation

Syncordis S.A., a leading Temenos banking software specialist and a subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro Infotech Ltd. (LTI) has been selected as the partner for a strategic Temenos T24 Transact engagement by Standard Chartered Bank as the bank transforms and upgrades its wealth platform. This prestigious win further consolidates Syncordis’ enviable reputation as a global, pure-play, one-stop partner for Temenos clients.

As part of this engagement, Syncordis will reimplement Temenos T24 Transact and integrate it with Standard Chartered’s Temenos WealthSuite, Insight and DataSource applications as well as other systems. The implementation will be accelerated by Syncordis’ regulated SaaS solution and LTI’s global system integration services. The benefits of this functionally rich, regulated SaaS solution include automated functional processes, customized, ergonomic and user-friendly menus and dashboards, predefined standard products with an exhaustive set of properties, as well as streamlined life cycle events.

Guillaume Desjonqueres, Chief Executive Officer, Syncordis said “Our Temenos expertise and project accelerators such as our SaaS solution make us the right partner for this transformational engagement. This is one of the largest engagements for Temenos WealthSuite in Asia Pacific and we bring a proven track and complementary services from LTI to it.”

Leveraging on Syncordis’ own regulated SaaS solution, Temenos’ Implementation Methodology (TIM) and a process-led “adopt” model to contain the scope, Syncordis is well-equipped to deliver the project alongside the client. The successful reimplementation will rely on standards to reduce customization and make Standard Chartered’s WealthSuite platform easier to manage and upgrade.

Amazon Prime Video Makes a Selection of Kids and Family Content Available Free to Watch on Prime Video for Amazon Customers

Amazon Prime Video Prime offers incredible value with unlimited streaming of the latest and exclusive movies, TV shows, stand-up comedy, Amazon Originals, ad free music listening through Amazon Prime Music, free fast delivery on India’s largest selection of products, early access to top deals, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, all available only for ₹129 a month

This week, Amazon Prime Video has made a selection of kids and family content available free to watch on Prime Video for all Amazon customers; including Just add Magic, The Dangerous Book for Boys, Wishenpoof, If you give a Mouse a Cookie, and many more. To access the free kids and family content on Prime Video, families without Prime memberships can log in from their Amazon account, and watch the free movies and TV shows on www.primevideo.com or through the Prime Video app which is free to download on compatible smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV, game consoles and Chromecast. You can find the full selection of titles available for free in India here.

This week will also mark the exclusive India digital debut of Parasite, the film that created history by winning the most awards at the Oscars 2020, on 27th March.  Directed and written by Bong Joon Ho, the film follows the lives of a poor family, the Kims as they con their way into becoming the servants of a rich family, the Parks. But their easy life gets complicated when their deception is threatened with exposure. Prime Members can enjoy the Award winning Korean Film in Korean with English subtitles, as well as with Hindi dubs exclusively on Prime Video India.

Fashion enthusiasts across the world can now celebrate as Amazon Prime Video brings the much-awaited unscripted Amazon Original Series Making The Cut S1. The American reality television series will be hosted by none other than supermodel Heidi Klum and Fashion consultant Tim Gunn; where they will test the design and business skills of 12 designers as the compete for the coveted prize. Prime members can watch this high fashion fight to the finish starting 27th March.

Prime members can stream some of the latest Indian blockbusters, including Tamil crime thriller Mafia: Chapter 1 starring celebrated superstars Arun Vijay and Priya Bhavani Shankar; Punjabi action film Ik Sandhu Hunda starring Gippy Grewal, Neha Sharma; mystery thriller Madha (Telugu) starring Trishna Mukherjee, Rahul Venkat and Gashmeer Mahajani, Pooja Sawant, Mohan Agashestarrer Bonus, shortly after their theatrical release. Additionally, catch the popular Malyalam comedy Gauthamante Radham starring our Amazon Original Series The Family Man’s starrer Neeraj Madhav, in the lead starting.

HIGHLIGHTS

Parasite

Ki-taek`s family of four is close, but unemployed. With a bleak future ahead of them, the son Ki-woo is recommended for a well-paid tutoring job, spawning hopes of regular income. Carrying the expectations of his family on his shoulders, Ki-woo heads to the Park family home for an interview with Mr. Park, the owner of a global IT firm. It is at this house that Ki-woo meets Yeon-kyo, the beautiful young lady of the house. However, behind this meeting, an unstoppable string of mishaps lies in wait.

Making the Cut S1

In this first season of Making the Cut, Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn take 12 established designers around the world from New York to Paris to Tokyo, as they compete to become the next global fashion brand. Each week, winning looks will be available to buy on Amazon in the Making the Cut store, and the last designer standing will receive one million dollars to invest in their brand.

Mafia: Chapter 1 (Tamil)

Directed and written by Karthick Naren, Mafia is a story of Aryan who is a narcotics officer entitled with making the city a drug free zone. One day, people very close to Aryan get murdered one by one. He feels that this might be the work of the mastermind who is behind the entire distribution network.

Madha (Telugu)

Madha is an intriguing psychological thriller with a lot of mystery and suspense. It is a story of a proof-reader named Nisha (Trishna Mukherjee) who begins dating a cinematographer called Arjun (Venkat Rahul), unknowing of his devious plans for her.

Gauthamante Radham (Malayalam)

The Neeraj Madhav starrer, Gauthamante Radham revolves around revolves around Gauthamam and his journey of getting a driving license and, for the first time in the family, a car of his own. The film follows three stages of Gauthaman’s (Neeraj) life panning in on what a family’s first car means to them. It highlights the emotional attachment they feel for the vehicle.

Ik Sandhu Hunda Si (Punjabi)

To fight the corruption in Punjab university, senior student Sandhu announces his candidacy as Grewal for the election.

Bonus (Marathi)

Aditya runs his family business and he follows a vegan diet. His dream is to take business to another level and wants his workers to be paid well. But his grandfather opposes his decision of paying bonus to his workers and challenges him to live their life for a month.

Selfie With Bajrangi (FVOD)

The first season of Bajrangi revolves around the day to day problems of Ankush and how he overcomes those with his friend Bajrangi's help.

Inspector Chingum (FVOD)

Chingum, the Police in-charge of Shantiwood Police station has a strong South Indian accent. His misadventures leads the character to become comical yet very action oriented. Chingum dreams of a “Zero Crime City”. Chingum is accompanied by Hera, Pheri, Khabrilal, Chatur, Dosa Anna & Bozo. A vicious villian No Baal who secretly owns a Crime University but Chingum always defeats him.

Just Add Magic (FVOD)

(For children ages 6-11) - Kelly Quinn and her two BFF's, Darbie and Hannah, stumble upon her grandmother's mysterious cookbook in the attic and discover some far from ordinary recipes. When the Shut'em Up Shortcake silences Kelly's pesky little brother and the Healing Hazelnut Tart heals Darbie's ankle, the girls discover they have the power of magic.

The Dangerous Book for Boys (FVOD)

The McKenna family must cope with the passing of its much-loved patriarch, Patrick. Hope appears in the form of a book called The Dangerous Book for Boys that Patrick created for his three sons. It becomes a how-to guide that inspires fantasies in his youngest son, Wyatt, enabling him to reconnect with his father and learn lessons that help him navigate real life.

If you give a Mouse a Cookie (FVOD)

In the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie series, based on the beloved books by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond, we get to know Mouse, Pig, Moose, Dog and Cat and their favorite humans. When Mouse and friends get together, one thing always leads to another in the most unexpected ways. You just never know where things will end up, but you can be sure that IF Mouse and Friends go on an adventure together, THEN they will just have to have fun the whole time.

Wishenpoof! (FVOD)

Bianca is just like any other little girl, except for one teensy little thing. Bianca has Wish Magic, so she can make wishes come true. Whether she's at home in Wish World, at the Willow Tree with her fairy friends, or at school with her non-fairy friends, Bianca and her hilarious teddy bear sidekick Bob navigate day-to-day problems with a little help from Bianca's mom and of course, wish magic!

Sherazade The Untold Stories (FVOD)

Sherazade: The Untold Stories tells the true story of the classic Arabian Nights tales. One powerful female character, Sherazade, was the real hero of the famous stories. Without her, Aladdin, Ali Baba and Sinbad could not have had their adventures.

Zendesk Announces Partnership with Tata Consultancy Services

Zendesk, Inc. has announced a strategic alliance with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to provide world-class, enterprise grade CRM solutions for large Enterprises. The partnership combines Zendesk’s powerful support, sales and engagement software solutions together with TCS’ deep contextual knowledge and experience in digital transformation. Together, Zendesk and TCS will collaborate and more efficiently solve companies’ increasingly complex technological requirements and provide powerful CRM custom solutions and integrations.

“We are thrilled to join hands with TCS, this partnership will meld TCS’ deep expertise in technology with Zendesk’s CRM product portfolio and equip businesses to connect, serve and engage with their new-age customers across demographics. In India, we can observe an urgency to make enterprise CRM more adaptable and user-friendly to cater to the diverse user base. Accounting for the scope that this need presents, the recent GlobalData report has estimated that India’s overall spending on CRM is set to reach about $2.3bn by the year 2023. The timing for this partnership could not have been better to serve our local customers,” said KT Prasad, Country Sales Director, Zendesk India

“We are excited to work with TCS to better support the needs of enterprise companies,” said Ricardo Moreno, Vice President of Worldwide Partners, Zendesk. “With the combination of TCS’ long-standing history of providing information technology (IT) services, consulting and business solutions to many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journey and our service-first CRM offerings, we look forward to helping companies foster a transparent, responsive and empowered customer experience."

In 2020, it is predicted that customer experience will surpass both price and quality of product as a brand's key differentiator. As part of this alliance, global companies will benefit from TCS’ technology expertise and Zendesk’s support, sales, and engagement software to meet customers’ rapidly evolving demands and transform their experience. This includes:

Alignment between TCS' industry leading consulting, implementation and optimization services with Zendesk's CRM product portfolio.
Access to TCS' deep expertise across industries including financial services, manufacturing, retail, and more.

“TCS leverages its domain knowledge and deep customer relationships to contextualize its comprehensive suite of CRM/CX offerings to create bespoke solutions that provide a superior customer experience and create competitive differentiation,” said Akhilesh Tiwari, Global Head, Enterprise Application Services at TCS. “Our partnership with Zendesk brings together the best capabilities of both organizations to help businesses fast-track their digital transformation journeys.”

Today’s partnership announcement with TCS comes on the heels of Zendesk’s recent Support Suite, Sales Suite and Sunshine announcements. These service-first CRM solutions enable service and sales teams to instantly connect with their customers and have natural conversations across all touchpoints. 

The Private Industry is Also Doing its Bit to Help India Fight the COVID-19 Situation!

During this COVID-19 pandemic when the entire world is facing serious crisis and our country India is also on the verge of the same, Government of India in support of the 1.3 billion population is taking serious measures to curtail the deadly virus. While the Government yesterday announced a package of 15,000 crore rupees to fight the pandemic, private organisations such as Reliance and Vedanta have also stood up to help India fight the situation.

Meanwhile the budding private sector of India is also trying to contribute to the community by doing it’s bit.

Hong Kong based logistic gaint; Lalamove is currently planning to support the delivery of essentials in the cities that they operate in and are currently under lockdown. They have reached out to various businesses involved in food, groceries, pharmacies, etc., offering their support in helping them deliver their goods to the people in need.

Another tech-based logistics company 72 Networks has availed a Corona Specific Medical Insurance policy for all our employees in the event of any casualty to cover their financial burden. In case of any casualty (Corona specific), the medical insurance company will bear the total cost of the test & treatment and a payment of 1000 Rs will be given to the infected person during his time of quarantine on a daily basis so that he can meet his daily requirements (as a part of policy).

Apart from the Logistics sector; Edtech platforms like Edubrisk are also rising up to the occasion to help solve the educational crisis in the country. They are running free learning sessions for teachers/institutions so that they can take online classes for their students. Also, they are providing free demo entries for students who need to finish their courses on their platform.

Another reputed institute in the country for skilled-based courses i.e The Academy of Pastry & Culinary Arts is taking classes on Zoom for their students and are also doing a Insta Live/Facebook Live session daily for the normal crowd and are teaching them home friendly recipes so that they are occupied in this time of lockdown. These recipes are taught by world renowned and award winning chefs.

The dating/gaming industry is also not far behind as during this time of lockdown, dating apps like Gleeden are providing alternatives for individuals to spend their time at home doing something that they find pleasurable. The platform has registered a hike of over 70% on its platform during this period. The gaming platforms are also not far behind and are giving lucrative offers to woo the customers. Falling the suit, Fantasy & Online gaming platforms like the Baazi Games have also witnessed a hike of 8-10% on its online poker platform; PokerBaazi. These platforms are proving to be very handy in order to divert the attention of the masses locked at their homes.

Another important sector Fintech; whose importance is only going to increase with the coming time as due to the lockdown less and less people will venture out of their homes and the facility to avail handy loans from your homes or through your mobile phones is going to garner traffic soon. Shubh Loans; a fintech lending company (NBFC) is also fully prepared for the future challenges and is more than willing it play its bit in supporting the Government of India and its people. They are also encouraging their employees to work & stay at home and support the Government’s initiative fully. Apart from this they have also provided comprehensive medical insurance plans that include coverage for parents which will prove to be extremely valuable at times like these.

vHealth by Aetna Begins 30 Days Free Virtual Doctor Consultantion During Covid-19 Pandemic for General Public

People willing to do a virtual doctor consultation can call 1800 103 7093 (toll-free) to speak to a vHealth expert or give a missed call at 90290 96186 for online registration

vHealth by Aetna (www.vHealth.io) has announced a special initiative of providing free access to its virtual doctor consultation service, until 15th April, to help ensure people haveaccess to health care during the COVID-19 outbreak. vHealth provides professional and confidential medical consultationsby telephone and video for people across the country.

The announcement comes at a time when governments and healthcare authorities, around the globe, are recommending social distancing, in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. Without having to travel to a clinic or hospital, people can speak to a doctor about any aspect of their health, such as the management of chronic conditions, treatment of minor illnesses, advice on alternate treatment options, interpretation of diagnostic reports and guidance on staying healthy.

The service will not only help people who are concerned about visiting a hospital or a clinic at the moment, but it will also help the elderly and patients with ongoing health conditions to manage their health needs from home, thereby potentially reducing the risk  of catching infections

The free vHealth virtual doctor consultation service will be available for 30 days from the date of registration. People who register for the service can also utilise the benefit for up to four family members. To register for a virtual health consultation call the toll-free number 1800 103 7093 or give a missed call at 9029096186 to register online. The medical consultation service is available from Monday to Saturday from 8AM to 8PM, except national holidays.

Talking about the initiative, Dr Sneh Khemka, President of Population Health, Aetna Internationalcommented, “As the nation’s top leaders are urging people to stay at home and even avoid going to the hospitals unless in an extreme emergency, virtual consultation can be a single, trusted point of contact, for all their medical concernsfor many in the country. As a primary health care service provider, we feel there is a need for us to step up and support the community at large.”

vHealth by Aetna, India offers a broad suite of health services and solutions that is focused on preventative and primary care to behavioural health and wellness counselling. Its ecosystem includes a sizable team of in-house physicians and dieticians in addition to a physical provider network for hospitals, diagnostics, pathology, dental and pharmacies. Currently, vHealth is serving over 3million members in India and has a Net Promoter score of +65.

JK Tyre's Leadership Team Takes Voluntary Pay-Cut Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

JK Tyre, pioneers of Radial technology in India, has diversified and multinational presence.

Tyre Industry has been passing through difficult times owing to unprecedented slow down and disruption in supply chain. This has been aggravated by the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. It is anticipated that the situation may worsen further.

Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd, said, “Presently we are witnessing unprecedented difficult times, with both sales and profitability getting impacted due to Corona virus. The TEAM JK TYRE is putting together its might to emerge as winners in this challenging situation. In response and acting in a show of solidarity in this critical time, it has come forward for a reduction in their salaries.”

He further said, ”Chairman and Whole time Directors of JK Tyre have taken a voluntary cut in their salary of 25% and other senior management personnel have also taken a voluntary reduction in their salary by 15- 20%.   Pay cut also applies to its global operations.”

The company has also taken extensive steps to ensure safety and welfare of its employees and their families.

Organizations Should Follow a Five-Phase Approach for Resilient Business

A five-phase strategic and systematic approach to strengthen the resilience of organizations’ current business models is key to business continuity during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Gartner, Inc.

“Companies tend to have traditional business continuity strategies and plans that focus on the continuity of the resources and processes but omit the business model,” said Daniel Sun, research vice president at Gartner. “However, the business model itself can be a threat to continuity of operations in external events, such as the global outbreak of COVID-19.”

CIOs can play a key role in the process of raising current business model resilience to ensure ongoing operations, since digital technologies and capabilities can influence every aspect of business models.

Phase 1 — Define the business model: Facing the contingency of COVID-19 outbreaks, companies should first focus on their core customers that are essential to their continuity of operations, and then refer to a process of defining their current business models by asking questions focused on their customers, value propositions, capabilities and financial models.

Although CIOs do not normally lead the process of defining business models, they should proactively engage with senior business leaders to run through 10 key questions regarding current business models. This is foundational for CIOs to actively participate in modifying current business models.

Phase 2 — Identify uncertainties: This step can be carried out through a strength, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT) analysis, or by brainstorming. Given the wide range of uncertainties and threats, this step can benefit from a heterogeneous group of participants with diverse backgrounds and interests, particularly where IT is normally involved. Companies should focus on the risks that the uncertainty poses to the components of the business model.

“CIOs should participate in, or coordinate, the brainstorming sessions to identify any uncertainties from COVID-19 outbreaks,” said Mr. Sun. “CIOs can share some of IT’s potential uncertainties and threats, such as issues with IT infrastructure, applications and software systems.”

Phase 3 — Assess the impact: Multidisciplinary members should form a project team to assess, or even quantify, the impact of the identified uncertainties. CIOs can provide the potential impacts from an IT perspective.

Phase 4 — Design changes: At this point in the process, the emphasis is to develop tentative strategies rather than estimate their feasibility. Selecting and executing changes will follow in the next phase. CIOs and IT should leverage digital technologies and capabilities to facilitate the designed changes.

Phase 5 — Execute changes: The decision on which changes to execute is principally a decision for senior leadership teams. The strategies for changes defined in Phase 4 provide essential input for this decision process. Senior leadership teams should select the strategies they feel most compelling to implement, which is often based on both economic calculations and intuition.

“Once senior leadership teams select the business and IT change initiatives, CIOs should apply an agile approach in executing the initiatives. For example, they can form an agile (product) team of multidisciplinary team members, enabling the alignment between business and IT and ensuring delivery speed and quality,” said Mr. Sun. “In crises such as the COVID-19 outbreak, agility, speed and quality are crucial for enabling the continuity of operations.”

Gartner clients can learn more in the report “React to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak via Raising Business Model Resilience.” Additional analysis on the actions CIOs and IT leaders should take to remain resilient during coronavirus business disruptions is available in the Gartner webinar “How Your Business Can Respond to Coronavirus (COVID-19).” 

Learn more about how to lead organizations through the disruption of coronavirus in the Gartner coronavirus resource center, a collection of complimentary Gartner research and webinars to help organizations respond, manage and prepare for the rapid spread and global impact of COVID-19.

*Apart from exercise and meditation it is work that adds a meditative quality to our life, if we let it.

LISAA School of Design Resumes Classes in Google Meet

LISAA has been one of the first institutes to resume classes online. The goal is to not let the students' precious time be wasted.

"Today we are conducting the training sessions for teachers on how wto use 'Google Meet' to conduct classes," explains Avi Keswani, Founder & Director, LISAA School of Design

"Classes resume to normal from tomorrow, except that they will be held online," informs Avi.

How it works is a recording of the class is uploaded on Google Drive right after the class gets over. This is not only to maintain documentation but also to ensure that students who have failed to attend the class for some reason have access to the recording.

Students at home shall also be constructively engaged through this attempt instead of idling around/ worrying incessantly.

"Since we are uncertain when the normal functioning of the college shall resume, its imperative that we take an initiative to resume learning for students. This is the time to be self-conscientious and realise that excellent leadership lies in not doesnt looking at the govt for  support but also proactively taking measures to aid in whatever way we can," adds Avi

AT this point the goal of LISAA is to ensure that the students' academic year does not get wasted and that they are able to impart the learning outcomes they set out for at the onset of this semester.

"We are not sure how BCU exam dates or LISAA Jury dates shall be impacted but we are determined to perform to the best of our abilities," says a hopeful Avi


Importance of Staying Engaged with Work at this Time!!

*Working from home can be rather stressful at times.

* Sometimes the quarantine itself can lead to stress. As we self isolate ourselves, seeing the faces we are used to seeing regularly at work and in classes can destress us a lot. Hence  suggest using these connecting platforms to keep things moving at a normal pace.

* Also sharing each others calendars can help with organising  meetings accordingly.
* Extremely important to stay engaged especially at this time.

* In these stressful times, work can prove to be  something which not only keeps us engaged but gives us the fulfillment that one gets after a productive day!

Singapore Airlines will be Cutting 96% of the Capacity to End-April, Covid-19 Outbreak

Singapore Airlines (“SIA” or the “Company”) will be cutting 96% of the capacity that had been originally scheduled up to end-April, given the further tightening of border controls around the world over the last week to stem the Covid-19 outbreak.

This will result in the grounding of around 138 SIA and SilkAir aircraft, out of a total fleet of 147, amid the greatest challenge that the SIA Group has faced in its existence.

The Group’s low-cost unit Scoot will also suspend most of its network, resulting in the grounding of 47 of its fleet of 49 aircraft.

The SIA Group diversified its network and set up Scoot to spread its risks and cater to a wide range of passenger and market segments. However, without a domestic segment, the Group’s airlines become more vulnerable when international markets increasingly restrict the free movement of people or ban air travel altogether.

It is unclear when the SIA Group can begin to resume normal services, given the uncertainty as to when the stringent border controls will be lifted.

The resultant collapse in the demand for air travel has led to a significant decline in SIA’s passenger revenues.

The Company is actively taking steps to build up its liquidity, and to reduce capital expenditure and operating costs. As mentioned on 17 March 2020, SIA will continue to aggressively pursue all measures to address the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the Company. These include:

ongoing discussions with aircraft manufacturers to defer upcoming aircraft deliveries. If agreed, this will consequently defer payment for those aircraft deliveries;

salary cuts for the SIA Group’s management with the Company’s Directors also agreeing to a cut in their fees, and a voluntary no-pay leave scheme up to certain management positions. Given the worsening situation, the unions have been engaged on the additional cost-cutting measures that are needed and more steps will be taken imminently; and

over the last few days, the SIA Group has drawn on its lines of credits to meet its immediate cash flow requirements. The SIA Group is engaging in discussions with several financial institutions for its future funding requirements.

The Company continues to explore measures to shore up its liquidity during this unprecedented disruption to global air travel. The Company will release further details when such measures have been firmed up.

Edelweiss General Insurance Health Policy Covers “Treatment For COVID-19”

The Coronavirus infection has impacted thousands of people worldwide. For those impacted, the stress goes beyond health and involves high medical costs, loss of pay (in some case) and associated financial stress.

It is important for people to be aware that if they have a regular health Insurance plan from any insurer paying for medical costs either through a cashless facility or reimbursement, all illnesses including Covid-19 are covered.

Further in view of serious challenges by this pandemic for customers, Edelweiss General Insurance has taken the following steps for its customers:

1.    As mentioned above, the Edelweiss Health Insurance policy covers COVID-19. However, we have decided to cover hospitalization for not only those who have a confirmed diagnosis but also those who have been quarantined in specific facilities identified by the government. The coverage amount is up to the sum insured under the policy

2.    Further for quarantined patients, the health policy ensures coverage for the entire period of quarantine with upto 100% of the claim amount being paid against quarantine and detection charges

In case any patient is in a remote location and is unable to reach the hospital during the quarantine period, Edelweiss Health Insurance will support domiciliary hospitalisation for the patient. Patients can visit any nearby hospital for immediate treatment and expenses will be reimbursed. In case of cashless benefits, patients are requested to visit EGI’s Network hospital with their TPA card for any medical assistance
To be able to support customers in this extraordinary situation, EGI has sought and received approval from IRDAI, allowing waiver of the initial waiting period of 30 days post policy inception, for the first time, for COVID-19 virus coverage. This approval will be applicable, both for Edelweiss Health Insurance and Edelweiss Group Health Insurance policies, till such time that the virus is declared as abated by the Government and/ or WHO.

Edelweiss General insurance also has an innovative and modular product structure with our Group Total Protect, under which we can customize solutions to provide cover against a wide range of illnesses including pandemics and vector borne diseases, at affordable costs. Any employer or other existing groups can customize this for their employees, customers or members using the following features:

Selection of Sum Insured
Reimbursement of costs (upto the sum insured) incurred in India or worldwide (depending on the cover selected) towards diagnostic testing, pharmacy and consultation for the illnesses including expenses incurred towards Corona virus treatments
Fixed amount of Hospital Daily Cash which could be used to cover their expenses from day one up to a maximum of 30 days.

In the context of Covid-19, this policy can take care of hospitalization expenses of the insured along with incidental expenses which are not usually covered under a policy. And all this coverage comes at a very affordable cost. This product is a great way for small businesses and start-ups to provide the much-needed basic accident and health cover to their employees.

A benefit package providing Rs. 25,000/- of Accident cover, Rs. 2000 per day of hospitalization up to a maximum of 15 days and out-patient expenses of Rs. 10,000/- can be purchased anywhere between Rs.50/- and Rs.100/- per person per year. The benefits and amounts can be customized to the specific needs of the group.

Speaking on the development, Shanai Ghosh, CEO, Edelweiss General Insurance, said, “I urge people to be aware of risks and stay safe in this current environment. Hygiene and social distancing are first lines of defence for everybody to safeguard themselves from COVID-19. In an unfortunate situation of being detected and testing positive, or suspected and quarantined in a facility specified by the government, we have ensured that at least the cost burden is eased for our customers. And with our Group Total Protect policy, we can provide basic accident and health cover for a variety of infectious diseases including Coronavirus at an affordable cost.”

Edelweiss General insurance has one of the most innovative products in the health segment, offering unique services like zero deposit admissions, zero-minute discharges and emergency assistance services. This is in line with the Company’s emphasis on being accessible and relevant to customers aligned to their evolving needs. 

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Recognized for its Safety Practices By Government of Karnataka

Toyota Kirloskar Motor was recently awarded by Department of Factories & Boilers, Industrial Safety & Health, Government of Karnataka for its ‘Outstanding Performance in Best Safe Practices’ in 2019 at the recently concluded 49th National Safety Day celebrations in Bangalore.  The award recognizes relentless efforts of TKM in creating an inclusive safety environment for its customers, employees and society altogether through their impactful initiatives. Toyota Kirloskar Motor team received the award from Honorable Minister for Labour & Sugar, Mr. A Shivaram Hebbar, Govt. of Karnataka.

Safety is one of the high priority areas and TKM has adopted a holistic safety approach – “safety first culture” with employees not only in the plant but across our value chain, Manufacturing Safe Cars, Developing Safe Drivers & Building Safer Environment. This belief, along with the company’s collaborative outreach has driven TKM to create advancements and innovations in safety. Besides, in-lieu with its vision 2025 “Grow India and Grow with India”, the company has committed all its concerted efforts to contribute for the enrichment of quality of life of society in areas of  Safety, Technology and Quality by its strong Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Expressing his delight on receiving the award, Mr. Raju B Ketkale, Deputy Managing Director, Manufacturing, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “Toyota remains committed as a safety leader and will continue its safety journey to become the most admired company by offering best-in-class safety technology through its products and promoting right safety culture in our work places as well as in the society through our various safety related initiatives.”

“We are continuously striving to be a safety role model in the industry, taking safety to the next level by thoroughly eliminating accidents both inside and outside the workplace. It is an honor to achieve this award recognizing TKM’s immense efforts and responsible contribution to build a safer ecosystem for the society, bringing an impactful difference in the lives of the people. We will continue to spread awareness and inculcate best practices among the society”, he added.

Additionally, Dr. Kowshik Kupatira, Chief Medical Officer, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, was also awarded the Second Prize in Best Factory Medical Officer category for his outstanding contribution in the field of Occupational Health for the state of Karnataka. This recognition came from the Department of Factories and Boilers, Industrial safety & health Government of Karnataka, Dr. Kupatira’s invaluable contributions in the field of occupational health and wellness programs towards TKM employees and community members earned him the coveted honors.

The National Safety Day an initiative by National Safety Council is widely celebrated by Industries, Trade Unions, Government Departments, Enforcing Agencies, NGOs and Institutions with an aim to spread the message of performing activities safely without meeting with accidents. Department of Factories and Boilers, Government of Karnataka conduct various competitions to recognize outstanding efforts put towards enhancing safety & Health in the industry.

Toyota’s relentless efforts to champion the cause of Road Safety

In pursuance of its deep-rooted safety mission, Toyota Kirloskar Motor has been consistently engaged in Road Safety initiatives, spreading awareness about the safety culture through an integrated approach involving various stakeholders to enhance the safety mindset.

* TKM has continually focused on creating safest working environment, practices and on building a strong culture of safety first. A lot of emphasis has been laid on process improvements, work related trainings and building safe habits like always following stop-look-go at intersections, use of seat beat while driving and using company transportation etc
* Employees and Driver Training: Toyota conducts internal awareness programs on road safety sharing insights tips etc. motivating them to be more aware of road safety challenges and be responsible road users
* Business Partners: As part of Team Toyota Activity (TTA), Toyota collaborates with Business Partners to educate and sensitize school children, teachers, parents and school bus drivers on responsible road safety habits, to create a safer traffic environment for all. Toyota has set up Safety Model Schools and Toyota Driving Schools in different part of the country to promising impactful results
* Customers: As safety crusaders, Toyota has introduced global level safety features in advance before it was made mandatory by Indian regulations. The company has set a benchmark for safety in the industry for being the first manufacturer in standardizing dual SRS airbags, Antilock Braking System (ABS) with EBD across all models and all grades.  Toyota conducts Safety Awareness for the customers to bring in a positive behavioral change and drive the message of Road Safety.

TKM’s CSR initiatives: As part of its CSR interventions, Toyota engages with school children through multiple mediums encouraging them to be road safety ambassadors. TKM also encourages its employees to voluntarily contribute to the cause of Road Safety by building basic road safety requirements and installing: Sign Boards, Solar Blinkers, Cat Eye Reflectors, Convex Mirrors at turns etc. at prime locations to avoid road-related risks as a preventive measure and enable good road infrastructure.

Toyota will further continue its various CSR interventions from a longer-term perspective and development of socio-economic stature of the society, touching many more lives to make a difference in each one’s well-being.