The move to expand the health insurance scheme's coverage comes at a time when several hospitals have complained of delays in reimbursement related to the procedures performed under the scheme.
The Centre is considering a proposal on increasing coverage under the Ayushman Bharat scheme to Rs 10 lakh from the current Rs 5 lakh.
'Our priority remains brownfield expansion, and in the next few years, we plan to increase our capacity to around 6,000 beds.'
Hotel rooms, usually in the range of Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 a night during the peak season, are now available for Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000 a night.
The travel and tourism sector's contribution to global gross domestic product will return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024, according to a new report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday. This recovery is driven by a considerable increase in worldwide demand, coinciding with more available flights, better international openness, and increased interest and investment in natural and cultural attractions.
India has been a tea sipping society. But the aromatic wave of coffee culture is wafting across it.
With rising incomes, education, and health awareness in India, especially in the big cities, droves of people are saying no to sugar.
India's fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector witnessed growth in rural consumption in volume terms outpace urban consumption for the first time in five quarters, in the January-March period. According to a report from consumer intelligence firm NIQ, rural consumption grew at a rate of 7.6 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in Q1CY24, overtaking that in urban areas which stood at 5.7 per cent.
MDH Spices has denied allegations that its products have traces of cancer-causing agent ethylene oxide (ETO), calling them "untrue" and "lacking any substantiating evidence." "Amid speculations doing rounds that there is presence of ETO in our products, we clarify and state unequivocally that these claims are untrue and lack any substantiating evidence," a statement released by the company said.
Consumer goods firms and auto companies are witnessing an upturn in rural demand, which had been lagging for most of FY24. Expectations of a bumper rabi crop harvest have helped turn the tide. The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) Monetary Policy Committee kept the repo rate unchanged last week, noting that as rural demand catches up, consumption is expected to support economic growth in 2024-25.
Battling the virus, enduring separation from loved ones, and working extended hours became part of the job.
As March draws to a close, two consecutive long weekend opportunities - Holi and Good Friday - are driving up hotel occupancy and airfares across major routes. According to travel platform Cleartrip, hotel bookings have seen a 3.5 times spike for the Holi weekend, while a 3.7 times spike has been visible in the Good Friday weekend.
Enquiries indicate it belongs to an industrialist with links to a prominent cricketer.
Given the gap between budgetary allocation and use, a parliamentary standing committee has asked the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (Ayush) to take steps to prevent underutilisation of funds under the National Ayush Mission (NAM) scheme. According to the data, the ministry was allocated Rs 1,200 crore for the mission in the Budgetary Estimate (BE) for FY24. The Revised Estimate (RE) for the year fell to Rs 815 crore, of which Rs 589 crore, or 74 per cent, has been spent till January.
As Ayodhya readies itself for the glittering, much-awaited consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir on January 22, and as millions of pilgrims and devotees pour into the holy city for the momentous event, companies are rushing to do their bit and be a part of the mega celebrations. Some are offering a part of their profits as donations, telcos are beefing up the number of cellular towers to ensure better connectivity, and there are those distributing jalebis and food platters.
Most Indian chief executives are optimistic about the economy and believe it would improve in the coming 12 months, said a survey by consulting and auditing firm PwC on Tuesday. The company's 27th annual global survey polled 4,702 chief executive officers (CEOs) in 105 countries and territories, including 79 in India, from October 2 to November 10, 2023. As many as 86 per cent of CEOs in India - 30 per cent higher than a year ago - are confident that the economy would improve.
A notification of the revised Schedule M rules by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has elicited mixed responses from the pharma sector and industry observers. While the industry has welcomed the revision of rules, several analysts said that implementation and compliance can become a challenge for smaller pharmaceutical companies. The Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules specifies the good manufacturing practices (GMPs), which aim to ensure quality of drugs made in the country.
Global hospitality major IHG Hotels and Resorts saw its business surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2023 on the back of "unprecedented growth" in the tourism industry, a senior company official said. The UK-headquartered company, which operates Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza and luxury brands like Intercontinental and Six Senses in India, launched its premium lifestyle brand voco in January this year, with the first property set up at Jim Corbett in North India. The group, in total, signed 15 new deals in 2023.
Larger hospitals are not worried about a spike in cases, as they are now accustomed to converting ICUs and general wards into negative pressure zones or isolation rooms. For smaller hospitals, the task is tedious.
'Indian single malts have a very specific character.' 'They are sweet when you take a frontal palette approach and change significantly with the addition of water.'