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Believe it or not, Covid-19 has triggered a spike in the demand for Health Insurance covers. Especially since the virus is known to affect the fit and healthy too. On this episode of Portfolio Podcasts, BusinessLine's T R Vivek and Aarti Krishnan give us a few insights into the various aspects surrounding the ideal health insurance scheme.

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A glacier broke off in Joshimath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Sunday, causing a massive flood in the Dhauli Ganga river.

More than 150 labourers working at the Rishi Ganga power project may have been directly affected.

PM Narendra Modi reviewed the situation in Uttarakhand following floods caused by a glacier burst at Joshimath in Chamoli district and took stock of the rescue and relief work underway. 

India's tally of COVID-19 cases rose to   1,08,26,363 with 12,059 new infections being reported in a day, while the daily deaths fell below 100 for the third time this month.

The death toll increased to 1,54,996 with 78 daily new fatalities, the lowest recorded after nine months.

The RBI plans to provide retail investors online access to the government securities (G-Sec) market — both primary and secondary — directly through the Reserve Bank (‘Retail Direct’).

RBI says this will broaden the investor base and provide retail investors with enhanced access to the G-Sec market.

Per the plan, retail investors will be allowed to open Gilt Accounts with the RBI.

Surabhi, from the BusinessLine's Mumbai Bureau, tells us more.

ccording to a new study, smokers are more vulnerable to Covid 19.

The study was conducted by King's College London and published in the journal Thorax. It examined the data from March to April which included 2.4 million people.

Out of these, 11 per cent of people were smokers. In a study in the medical journal-Thorax, The data analysis of the Zoe Covid Symptom Study app used by Dr. Brigitte Gomperts, a professor of pulmonary medicine, said that “Our model replicates the upper part of the airways, which is the first place the virus hits.”This is the part that produces mucus to trap viruses, bacteria and toxins. And it contains cells with finger-like projections that beat that mucus up and out of the body,” she added.

India is ready to supply various weapons systems, including missiles and electronic warfare systems, to countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.

"India is ready to supply various types of Missile systems, Light Combat Aircrafts/Helicopters, Multi-Purpose Light Transport aircraft, Warship and Patrol Vessels, Artillery Gun systems, Tanks, Radars, Military Vehicles, Electronic Warfare Systems and other weapons systems to IOR countries," he said at the event which was organised at the sidelines of the Aero India-2021.

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On February 1, 2021, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, announced a tax holiday for aircraft leasing companies along with tax exemption for aircraft lease rentals paid to foreign lessors operating out of the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in GIFT City, Ahmedabad. But was this a wise move?

BusinessLine's Ashwini Phadnis tells us more.

With the Central government continuing with its strategy to hike customs duties in the latest Budget in a bid to boost domestic manufacturing, consumer durables and footwear companies said they are re-looking at their supply chains to step up focus on sourcing of components or parts domestically.

The government has decided to hike customs duty on compressors to 15 per cent from the earlier 12.5 per cent.

But is this a wise move?

BusinessLine's Meenakshi Ambwani Verma explains.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/customs-duty-hikes-companies-to-look-at-rejigging-sourcing-structures/article33736457.ece

Thomas K Thomas, the Chief of Bureau - Mumbai, BusinessLine, tells us what the Union Budget offers the corporate sector as well as its likely impact

How will Budget 2021 impact the Central Government's Atmanirbhar Bharat Scheme? What other policies would see the light of day?

Richa Mishra, Chief of Bureau - Delhi, BusinessLine, tells us more.

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Parvatha Vardhini C, Head, Research Bureau, BusinessLine gives a brief overview of the changes on the personal finance front from the Union Budget 2021-2022.