Approx. 80% of occupiers in India prioritize physical offices, expressing the

Approx. 80% of occupiers in India prioritize physical offices, expressing the desire to bring employees back to the office – CBRE’s India Future of Office Survey 2021

88% of survey respondents believe business conditions are currently improving in India

 

CBRE South Asia Pvt. Ltd, India’s leading real estate consulting firm, today announced the findings of its ‘India Future of Office Survey 2021’- conducted between September and November this year. CBRE reached out to close to 100 occupiers, with a combined employee base of over 100,000 in India. This included both global and domestic corporates from key sectors including technology, BFSI, engineering & manufacturing, infrastructure, real estate & logistics, research, consulting & analytics, and pharmaceuticals/healthcare.

The survey observed that with the importance of physical offices intact, the need for workplace flexibility and safety would drive new behaviors across occupiers, developers, and investors. Senior business leaders have expressed a strong desire to bring employees back to the office with about 80% of them prioritizing physical offices; but several of them are also willing to offer a greater degree of flexibility and choice. The survey highlighted that about 58% of respondents in India plan to implement policies allowing office-based working with the option of working from home.

 

Post the second wave, occupiers are striving to encourage employees to come back to offices with their safety and well-being at the forefront of their ‘return to work’ plans. The survey highlighted three areas that require tech enhancement to facilitate return to work - admin, FM services and amenities, along with space tracking.

 

Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO - India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE said, “In CBRE’s view, despite an increased adoption of hybrid working during the pandemic, a wider adoption in the long-run seems unlikely. Even with the adoption of hybrid work, most companies expect employees to work in the office most of the time. This new shift in working patterns should be considered amidst occupiers’ intent to expand portfolios in India over the next two years.

 

We thus believe the adoption of hybrid working practices would have only a limited downside impact on future office demand in the medium to long term, particularly as space planning is undertaken based on long-term peak occupancy rates.”

 

Ram Chandnani, Managing Director, Advisory & Transactions Services, CBRE India said, “The current pandemic is accelerating changes in performance, expectations and role of the workplace. Successful and targeted strategies can envision a practically implementable ‘Future of Work Concept’, effectively leveraging potential changes in work styles and corresponding opportunities to rebalance the workplace.

 

Majority of the respondents were clear on the importance of the physical office across our India, APAC, and larger global markets. While the relevance of physical space is here to stay, the focus of business must be on the evolving purpose of office spaces.”

 

It is clear that despite so much focus on hybrid work during the pandemic, future real estate strategies would not favor a fully remote or in-office workforce. Rather, strategies are expected to support choices, end-user experiences and actions that allow employees to integrate life and work.

 

“The nature of the workplace has completely evolved over the past two years. The adoption of hybrid work is likely to require companies to enhance their workplace strategies to deliver seamless and engaging experiences. The successful adoption of hybrid work within a company would require defining where work can be accomplished, what work requires in-person collaboration to accomplish and who benefits most from spending time in the office.”, added Ram Chandnani.

 

Another key CRE area identified by the survey is the growing importance of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). Nearly 60% of respondents to CBRE’s 2021 Global Investor Intentions Survey Report stated they have already adopted ESG criteria as part of their investment strategies.

 

Key Future Office Trends

Hybrid working:

• Business leaders have a strong desire to bring employees back to the office but at the same time are willing to offer a greater degree of flexibility and choice.
• Several organizations are currently conducting pilot studies into the feasibility of hybrid working before they commit to large-scale implementation.
• Most companies would offer frequent or infrequent hybrid working options to mainly 25% of the workforce in India in the long run.
• CBRE cites that clear guidelines should govern hybrid work eligibility and approvals. Going forward, this governance would be more stringent in India as compared to other APAC regions.

Portfolio growth and agility:

• Physical office is still a requirement for most employees. Hence, most occupiers intend to expand portfolios over the next two years.
• New ‘core+flex’ strategies are emerging amidst portfolio expansion and hybrid working.
• Increased use of flexible spaces and consolidation are top short-term portfolio strategies.
• As the flexible space industry continues to evolve to meet occupier requirements, a broader offering, ranging from on-demand meeting space to customized private suites, is becoming available.

Workplace strategies:

• Workplace strategies are being fundamentally reset to allow for a more hybrid workforce by adding collaborative and tech-enhanced spaces.

• About half of the respondents would increase their staff-to-desk-sharing ratios in the next two years.
• Targeted mobility and activity-based working would be top seating preferences.
• The financial obligations, compliance, employee engagement and liability considerations of a hybrid work program must be weighed.

The future role of the office

• The advent of hybrid working would change the future role of the office as a center for employee collaboration.
• The future role of the office is evolving to ensure the safety, wellness, productivity and engagement of a more distributed workforce.
• The workplace would be more effective for employee engagement, collaboration and team productivity.
• Health & wellness and safety continue to be key priorities for occupiers in India as a majority of the respondents would be implementing more touchless technologies as well as HVAC solutions.

Pernod Ricard India Is Investing INR 50+ Crores In

 Pernod Ricard India Is Investing INR 50+ Crores In Healthcare For COVID-19 Support And Beyond

Amid the brutal second wave of COVID-19, Pernod Ricard India is rapidly scaling up its support to augment the government’s efforts to provide affected citizens with timely access to quality healthcare. Pernod Ricard India has earmarked INR 50 crores in healthcare for COVID-19 support and beyond, since the beginning of the pandemic. More than 18 crores have already been deployed since March 2020. Till date, PRI has supported the strengthening of critical care support infrastructure in public hospitals, with 100+ Intensive Care Ventilators, 105 HFNC (High Flow Nasal Cannulas) 140 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds, 35 Multi Para Monitors, along with preventive healthcare support for personal & public hygiene with sanitizers, and masks across 17 states for Frontline COVID warriors like the Punjab Police Personnel, Indian Navy & Air Force (CSD), State Health Departments and Truck Drivers.

Mr. Thibault Cuny, Managing Director, Pernod Ricard India, and CEO, Pernod Ricard South Asia, said “The second wave of COVID-19 has impacted India in an inconceivable way, making it important for people across the community to come together. We are battling a situation we have never seen before and we salute the efforts our frontline workers, doctors, medical professions have shown. Pernod Ricard India has in the past risen to the needs of the nation, and we are committed to support the immediate emergency services needed to combat the crisis. We hope that our contribution will help our people in these challenging time as we explore other significant mediums to support our country.”

The Oxygen Crisis of 2021 has affected millions of citizens, and PRI has further stepped its efforts by helping set up (Pressure Swing Adsorption) PSA units in large multi-specialty government hospitals. 8 PSA unit are being set up in hospitals; 5 in Uttar Pradesh, 1 at PGIMS Rohtak, 1 at Nashik, and 1 donated through the French government.

Pernod Ricard India has also supported setting up isolation wards, +350 Oxygen concentrators through the state health departments along with BIPAP machines and HFNCs across the country ensuring that more and more people get access to care when needed.

Since the first COVID-19 wave, 14 Mobile health Vans, 4 Ambulances have been serving the affected during these crisis times, taking care of primary healthcare needs of 2,81,700 community members. Over the next 3 years, the Mobile health Vans, ambulances will continue to reach out to more than 600 villages a year, providing access to quality healthcare and free medicines to those who have emerged victorious in their fight against the virus but still have residual effects and augment the vaccination efforts in rural India.

 “The battle with COVID-19 is a challenging one, particularly for rural India, and that’s where the healthcare system will need the maximum support. Over the next 3 years, the Mobile Health Vans, ambulances will continue to reach out to more than 600 villages each year, providing doorstep access to quality primary healthcare, free medicines and accurate information to the rural poor; especially the women, children, elderly, persons with disabilities and those who may have emerged victorious in their fight against the virus but will need long term recovery support. The vans will also aid the local healthcare centers in scaling up the community vaccination efforts in rural India,” said further Mr. Thibault Cuny, Managing Director, Pernod Ricard India, and CEO, Pernod Ricard South Asia.

What is 3D Printing and How Does It help

                         What is 3D Printing and How Does It Help Healthcare? 

Each person’s body is unique — 3D printing really shines in healthcare applications by enabling customized solutions. Whether it is a cast printed from a 3D scan of a child’s forearm, new tissue to repair an injury or entirely new organs manufactured with embedded vascular structure, researchers are creating new applications for 3D printing in healthcare at a lightning pace.

3D Printing, or additive manufacturing, is the process of taking a computer-designed 3D model and manufacturing it into a three-dimensional model by fusing material together. There are many different types of 3D printing, which use a variety of base materials: plastics, metals, even human cells. By building up the material, typically in layers, you can produce highly complex shapes and designs not possible in traditional manufacturing.

Because of the ability to individualize 3D printing in healthcare, surgeons can perform practice sessions on duplicate copies of patient’s organs to improve success rates. On the nanoscale, doctors can perform more precisely targeted drug delivery.

                    HOW HEALTHCARE IS USING 3D PRINTING GLOBALLY

3D printing in healthcare is a growing subsector. Some uses have reached global application, but many are still in the research phase. 3D printing of prosthetics, for example, has enabled more affordable custom prosthetic manufacturing in lower-income communities around the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic has reemphasized the need for open-source medical supply designs that can be shared globally, and 3D printed locally. Engineers have made personal protective equipment, ventilator supplies and manual tools to help our healthcare providers stay safe and effective as they fight the spread of the disease.

The adoption of 3D printing has a huge scope in India’s healthcare sector. Despite its introduction into the Indian market more than 25 years ago, the adoption rate has been quite slow. However, the market is gradually beginning to realise the advantages of 3D printing and additive manufacturing. 

Actionable steps are being taken to enhance emerging technologies like blockchain and 3D printing, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), all of which contribute to the efficiency of health care delivery. With these emerging technologies implemented, both the cost and way we treat certain ailments may begin to change.

                        THE FUTURE OF 3D PRINTING IN HEALTHCARE

Some of the research mentioned above can transform the way we treat organ failure. The idea of using a person’s own cells to 3D print new organs to reduce rejection rates like those seen in organ transplants, is intriguing.

As a new technology, improving consistency and reliability in 3D printing is hugely important as it moves into life-sustaining applications. We call a misplaced blob of plastic a print failure, but that would not be acceptable on the cellular level. Ideally, to improve the consistency and in-situ quality control of the 3D printing processes, especially for custom applications would enable greater expansion into medical fields.

Bengaluru continues to be one of the leading drives of

 Bengaluru continues to be one of the leading drives of office space leasing in India: JLL

 ·         During H1 2020, Bengaluru remained the strongest market for office leasing; witnessed an overall absorption of approx. 7.5 million sq. ft.

·         The city is likely to witness new supply of at least 4 malls between 2021 and 2022 with over 2.55 million sq ft

·         E-commerce, BFSI and pharma / healthcare are contributing to nearly 50% of the overall absorption

·         The city has remained a landlord favorable office market for several years now.

·         CBD & ORR (Z1-Z3) are the most preferred micro markets for occupiers & have shown strong resilience even during the pandemic year

 

The uncertain economic scenario has forced corporate finance heads to look at real estate assets as a source of funds so that the businesses can reduce the debt. Amidst the current unprecedented economic situation, Bengaluru continues to be one of the leading drives of leasing in India, according to JLL.

The IT hub of India, Bengaluru witnessed largest ever influx of FDI in commercial real estate market as marquee foreign real estate funds reportedly invested approximately USD 4 billion to increase their portfolio of core assets, reflecting the underlying resilience of the market.

“Bengaluru continues to dominate office leasing market with an overall net absorption of ~7.5 million sq ft in 2020. The overall vacancy level of sub-10% has helped this segment weather the 2020 challenges. While the vacancy is likely to rise to 13-14% in the coming year, interestingly, the new demand led by large e-commerce companies, BFSI & healthcare sector occupiers has also witnessed a sharp rise with a number of large occupiers evaluating additional growth and consolidation”, said Rahul Arora, Managing Director (Bengaluru), JLL India.

“The city has remained a landlord favorable office market for several years, with slowdown in construction & lack of funding, this trend is expected to continue”, he added.

Bengaluru continues to remain strongest market for office leasing

While H1 2020 witnessed a countrywide slowdown in leasing activity owing to the pandemic and nationwide lockdowns, Bengaluru continued to remain the strongest market for office leasing and witnessed an overall absorption of approximately 7.5 million sq ft. While, approximately 11 million sq ft was expected to be added, just 9 million sq ft was completed in during the year as developer focused on pre-committed spaces and went slow on the speculative space. Many small to mid-sized occupiers terminated spaces within the CBD & SBD markets which led to an increase in the overall vacancy

Bengaluru has remained a landlord favourable office market for almost 5 years now, overall vacancy level of sub 10% helped this segment weather the 2020 challenges. The vacancy levels are expected to rise to 14%. Markets such as ORR (Z1-Z3) and SBD City continued to be the most preferred micro markets for occupiers, markets such as Whitefield, North Bengaluru (N2) and West Bengaluru continued to witness increase in vacancy levels or stagnation of rentals with limited occupier interests. The headline rentals across the city remained stable with developers offering softer commercial terms such as extended rent-free periods.

Demand drivers in Bengaluru continued to be e-commerce, BFSI and Pharma / Healthcare companies contributing to nearly 50% of the overall absorption.

Bengaluru has fast turned into a land of opportunities owing to the growth of Auto and ancillary, warehousing, EV and Aerospace Sector

Post pandemic industrial enquiries flowing into the state has significantly increased. Across – Auto and ancillary, EV and Aerospace Sector. Bengaluru absorption has been predominantly been led by E-commerce warehousing and 3PL players, this trend will further continue over the years owing to growth of e-commerce penetration with the growing importance of city warehousing to meet the last mile logistics demand.

Simplilearn and Caltech CTME Launch

Simplilearn and Caltech CTME Launch 

Full Stack Web Development Post Graduate Program

·         Global learners access a comprehensive program in Full Stack Web Development  

● Exclusive membership Caltech CTME Circle network for graduates 

● Recognition for top three performers

Simplilearn, world's number one online bootcamp for digital economy skills training, today announced its collaboration with Caltech CTME (Caltech’s Center for Technology and Management Education), to offer a specialized online Post Graduate Program in Full Stack Web Development. The new certification program extends Caltech CTME’s open-enrollment offerings in software engineering, such as DevOps and cloud computing. 

The online Post Graduate Program in Full Stack Web Development brings together the academic excellence of CTME, the professional education function of Caltech, with Simplilearn's award-winning Blended Learning delivery model. The Blended Learning environment combines live online classes, self-paced learning, labs and projects, extensive peer-interaction, and 24/7 access to Teaching Assistants (TA's).  Masterclasses are taught by Caltech CTME instructors who have extensive real-world experience in coding and web-based architectures.

Along with a comprehensive curriculum covering the core concepts and the latest industry best practices, the program also provides Capstone Projects in four web-centric specialities: e-commerce, food delivery, entertainment, and healthcare. This blended learning approach ensures that the program participants receive an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals and abundant opportunities for hands-on practice and learning. The learners can also get access to white papers and network with a peer group of global professionals. 

Speaking on the launch of the program, Anand Narayanan, Chief Product Officer, Simplilearn said, “As businesses move online and experience the benefits of digitization, it translates into the need for the developers of these digital solutions. There is a growing demand for full-stack developers who possess the knowledge of both back-end and front-end software, and all related technologies. With the ubiquity of the need for this job role and the breadth of technologies that are in high demand, the career prospects for Full Stack Web Developers are strong. It is also essential that full-stack developers keep up with new methodologies and changing technologies through constant upskilling. By introducing the PGP Full Stack Web Development program in collaboration with Caltech CTME, we, at Simplilearn, aim to create a work-ready workforce by equipping our learners with industry-specific skills for their development projects."  

"The world may seem like it is on pause as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, but technology is still advancing, and the skills gap between talent and job requirements is widening. This program offers a comprehensive curriculum and provides an opportunity for career growth in the Full Stack domain," said Dr. Rick Hefner, Program Director, CTME. "We are happy to extend our software engineering courses through Simplilearn, so aspiring software developers across the globe have an opportunity to take a certificate program from Caltech."

On completion of the course, learners will receive a joint industry-recognized certificate from Caltech CTME and Simplilearn. The top three performers in each cohort will receive a special acknowledgment. Graduates of the program will be granted eligibility for 25 CEUs (Continued Education Units) that can be applied to professional qualifications and employer development requirements. Other benefits include CTME Circle Membership and enrolment in Simplilearn's JobAssist job placement service.

Independence day Quote

“It has been an unprecedented medical crisis, the number of COVID-19 cases recorded worldwide has passed the 18 million mark and understandably, there is great amount of fear and anxiety. Yet, we must be hopeful, as scientists are working against the clock at an indescribable pace, to develop a vaccine. India is at the forefront of this effort with several companies having made excellent progress and I am optimistic that within a year, we will have a vaccine.

However, an equally great concern is that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, respiratory ailments etc.  pose a bigger threat to the future of humanity and account for close to 80 per cent of global mortality.  Bearing this hard reality in mind, it is very important that patients battling chronic diseases do not neglect their health any longer on account of the pandemic and seek timely medical attention. Further, a delay could also lead to emergencies on account of uncontrolled progression of NCDs, choking the medical ecosystem in our country.

Overcoming this crisis and a resolute determination to be free from NCDs must be our collective goal on Independence Day 2020. Just as we are combatting COVID-19, similarly, a war against NCDs must be an equally important imperative for India as the prevalence of these diseases is becoming younger.  

According to the World Economic Forum, by 2030, the global economic impact would be over $30 trillion and India’s share in it could be around $ 3.8 trillion, unless remedial action is taken up rightaway to mitigate the loss of lives due to NCDs. A silent crisis for the country, NCDs can lead to serious socioeconomic consequences and an adverse impact on the GDP.

While 2020 will be known for the crushing impact of the pandemic, yet the second decade of the 21^st century ushered in game changing advances in healthcare fueled by Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Robotics, 3D Printing, and many such developments, which will all be transformational in the journey of healing. In addition, healthcare in post pandemic world will be defined by enhanced accessibility and convenience, as care models will move along with the individual and be accessible, whenever and wherever they need it. I look forward to the future of healthcare, which would be free of boundaries of any kind.”

Ganga Hospital teaches live

Ganga Hospital teaches live microsurgery using Microsoft Teams

Hand and Microsurgery Operative Course goes virtual on Microsoft Teams with attendees from across the world

COVID-19 has altered the way we work, learn and live. As frontline responders in the global health crisis, healthcare institutions have swiftly adopted collaborative tools and cloud-based solutions to ensure continuity in providing quality healthcare and regular learning for the medical fraternity.

With face-to-face teaching suspended during the enforced closure, Ganga Medical Centre & Hospital in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, was exploring ways to continue conducting their Hand and Microsurgery Operative Course. Leveraging the power of Microsoft Teams, the hospital conducted its annual learning conference on July 11 and 12 with more than 550 surgeons from 27 countries in attendance.

Ganga Hand and Microsurgery Operative course is an annual conference that covers discussion between the operating faculty and the delegates on aspects of hand surgery from a minor trigger finger to reattachment of a totally amputated finger. This year the course included examples of congenital hand problems, brachial plexus injuries, nerve injuries, wrist injuries and arthritis. The course is regularly attended by plastic surgeons and orthopaedic surgeons dealing with trauma and having special interest in hand surgery.

An on-ground videographer provided the live feed from specialized audio and video equipment installed in the four operating theatres. The live feeds were sent over Microsoft Teams and broadcast using Microsoft Stream to a global audience extending from Australia to Argentina. During the two days, live surgeries by five leading surgeons were conducted in parallel with live voiceover added to the feed to explain nuances of surgical skills and techniques.

“COVID-19 brought physical conferences to a halt, with no one being sure of the resumption of previous normalcy.  Adapting to change is important to grow.  At Ganga, we wondered if we could still do the popular annual live hand operative course.  Instead of telecasting to our own auditorium, Microsoft Teams enabled us to telecast it to the world.  Around 20 hours of surgical demonstration was possible every day and we were able to demonstrate 21 procedures. Microsoft Teams’ high definition streaming was flawless, enabling surgeons view structures less than a mm in size, even better than being at Coimbatore.  We were impressed by the capability of the product and the passion of the support team at Quadra, who really helped us to reach out,” said Dr. S Raja Sabapathy, Chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery, Ganga Medical Centre & Hospital.

“Every crisis offers new learnings. Covid-19 is no different. This global crisis has made remote working, remote healthcare and remote learning the new normal. It is inspiring to see how our technology is helping healthcare institutions, doctors and hospital staff collaborate seamlessly to deliver top-notch services to patients and provide real time-learning even amid such difficult situations. Microsoft India is honored to enable remote healthcare, consultancy and telemedicine for many healthcare institutions. We are delighted to partner with Ganga Hospital in this unique project of a live interactive surgery to audiences across the world,” said Samik Roy, Country Head, Modern Work, Microsoft India.

“This is a fine example of how technology can rise to the occasion and solve real life problems. Our expertise as a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, together with our track record of 16 years of winning global partner of the year awards at Microsoft Inspire, including the 2020 Inspire Partner of the Year Award in the Modern Work category, has helped us architect a solution with Microsoft Teams. We could not just replicate but bettered a real-life meeting experience for a conference that showcased very intricate and complex microsurgery procedures. We delivered high-quality video that could enable this experience as well as real-time audio for live Q&A for a rich viewing experience. To ensure a holistic experience for the doctors, our team rose to the occasion and delivered a seamless support experience across 20 hours of live surgery,” said Prashanth Subramanian, Co-Founder & Director, Quadra Systems.  

Healthcare institutions are reimagining the ways they treat their patients and help medical professionals learn new skills, irrespective of location. At Microsoft, we are committed to working with our partners in empowering every person and every organization to achieve more.

Swasth, a Tele-health Network, launched to

Swasth, a Tele-health Network, launched to
provide free Corona care

Digital Healthcare Push to Empower 1.3 Billion People with Equal Access

●     100+ private and not-for-profit entities join hand to frame tech response to national crisis

●     India’s first big push towards mass adoption of digital healthcare as a citizen empowering platform

●     Swath platform facilitates seamless and remote interaction between registered medical practitioners and patients

●     App-based consultation service in Hindi, English and Gujarati to begin with, and will be expanded to 25 Indian languages

A coalition of over 100 healthcare specialists have come together to launch Swasth, a nationwide telemedicine platform for Corona care, which digitally connects Indians to the best doctors and wellness providers. Swasth is a swift response promoted by the country’s health and technology leaders to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to leverage telemedicine as a national priority in the current stressed times. The mobile app-based service leverages India’s technology prowess to deliver equal and affordable healthcare to 1.3 billion people, cutting across geographical and income divides.

This indigenous digital healthcare system is being launched at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged traditional service providers.

Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, a part of the Swasth Governing Council, said, “Swasth has brought together the best of resources in the country to provide free healthcare to bring quick relief during the crisis. Swasth will work to further public health goals and work in coordination with the Medical Council, public health organizations, and the private sector to expand quality healthcare access to the masses. I firmly believe that this crisis is a great opportunity to re-invent healthcare delivery in India.”

Swasth facilitates seamless, remote interaction between registered medical practitioners and patients through multiple modes of video and telephony. Swasth deploys AI based triaging to determine the care required, culminating in a digitally signed prescription and treatment advice.

Along with the free consultations, Swasth will also provide services like home quarantine assistance, diagnostics, pharmacies, hospital bed discovery and booking assistance at a subsidized cost.

All doctors on the Swasth platform are duly verified and undergo specially designed training programs on tele-consultation and COVID-19 clinical protocols.  Swasth is in full compliance with the industry-accepted cybersecurity norms for healthcare platforms. It uses a defense-in-depth approach to ensure that data is securely transmitted, stored, managed and accessed. Currently, the app supports consultation in Hindi, English and Gujarati and will be expanded to 25 Indian languages.

Swasth is the country’s first big push towards mass adoption of digital healthcare as a citizen empowering platform.

Dr Nachiket Mor, a member of the Governing Council, added, “Swasth is a unique non-profit coalition of members from multiple sections of the Indian healthcare ecosystem, including individual doctors, small and large hospitals, diagnostic labs, pharmacies, telemedicine platforms, insurance companies, and healthcare-technology companies, who have joined hands with the goal of creating affordable healthcare for all Indians in every nook and corner of the country, so that they can immediately get the care that they need for this crisis, as well as for all their other healthcare needs. Swasth will do this by making it easy for patients to smoothly access the services they need from its members, and will also enable each of its members to provide a wide range of high quality services to their patients, by giving them access to protocols, technologies, and platforms that are best in class, completely interoperable, and fully compliant with the latest guidelines.”

Dr NK Jairam, a key member of the project team, said, “As we move on with the current Corona pandemic and with social distancing being one of the key remedies to eradicate it, telemedicine is going to be an integral part of the healthcare system. Tele- consultation has been offered by doctors since the early 2000s, however, it has gained rapid momentum because of the current situation. With Swasth, telemedicine will gain a boost which will empower patients to make quick decisions and also teach them self-care.”

Abheek Singhi, Senior Partner at BCG, and member of the project team for this initiative, said,  "Swasth is a consortium of 70+ organizations and 200+ volunteers with a common goal of building a comprehensive COVID care platform in the short term and of leveraging technology to transform primary healthcare delivery in the medium term. This is the first time such a coalition like this has come together. BCG is privileged to be partnering with this alliance"

Swasth is created by a not-for-profit consortium of different players across healthcare providers, telehealth platforms, entrepreneurs, technology experts and doctors. Swasth received a grant of INR 10 crore ($1.3 million) from the ACT Grants, an umbrella platform of entrepreneurs and investors backing start-ups fighting the pandemic.

Mahindra launches customised vehicle ownership

Mahindra launches customised vehicle ownership schemes for
Covid caretakers

• Special finance schemes for wide range of frontline caretakers & essential service providers such as Healthcare/Pharma staff, Policemen, Government Employees, Journalists and Media Professionals amongst others
• 
  
• Offers a bouquet of attractive discounts that go upto Rs. 66,500* and a host of special finance schemes on all its vehicles

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, part of the USD 20.7 billion Mahindra Group, has pledged its support to the frontline Covid caretakers and essential service providers, who are providing unparalleled support during this ongoing Covid pandemic, by offering a host of affordable finance schemes on all its vehicles.

As an industry first, the company has rolled out its offers to an entire range of essential service providers that includes Journalists/Media Professionals, Railway/Airline Staff and others, beyond Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics, Government Officials and Policemen. 

Speaking about the finance schemes for the frontline caretakers, Veejay Nakra, CEO – Automotive Division, M&M Ltd. said, “Just like anywhere else in the world, India’s frontline and essential service providers are doing commendable work in their respective fields and working tirelessly to keep us safe during these challenging times. We would like to thank them in our own way by offering these customized finance schemes that will ease the process of owning a Mahindra vehicle.”

Mr. Nakra further added, “We are happy to extend special offers to an entire gamut of frontline caretakers and essential service providers such as Healthcare/Pharma staff, Policemen, Media, Government employees & Medicine/Vegetable/Milk suppliers.”  

The total benefits for Covid caretakers go upto Rs 66,500. Mahindra is empowering the Covid caretakers by working with various financial institutions to offer host of finance schemes**. A few of these include: 

-          Own now and Pay in 2021

-          Upto 8 years of funding

-          Upto 100% on road funding

-          90 days moratorium

-          Own BS VI Pick Up by paying EMI equivalent to BS IV Pick Up

-          50% processing fee waiver for Doctors

The schemes are offered through various financial institutions and customers will have to get in touch with nearest dealers to avail of these unique offers.

#Mahindra4CovidCaretakers @MahindraRise @Mahindra_Auto

RAJASTHAN GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTING MEASURES

RAJASTHAN GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTING MEASURES 

TO BRING THE ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK

Apart from undertaking stringent measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus and to ensure the welfare of those grappling with the crisis at the ground-level, the Government of Rajasthan has announced few impactful measures to steer the state out of the economic juggernaut that the proliferation of COVID 19 and the subsequent lockdown is likely to bring in.

While the Government of Rajasthan, led by Mr. Ashok Gehlot had imposed total curfew in Bhilwara municipal area and a state-wide complete lockdown days before the nation-wide lockdown was imposed by the centre, its economic implications on the State had been critical. With demand plummeting and with lesser availability of labour force, it will take at least 3 months for the industry to recoil to normalcy.

Speaking on the economic impact, the Government had stated that, while the revenue is almost nil, expenditure has multiplied exponentially. The realized revenue between March 10 and March 31, 2020 is roughly Rs 3500 crore less than the revenue in the same period a year earlier, ie. 2019. Also, between 1st and 7th April, the revenue collected is Rs 300 crore less than the revenue collected between April 1 and April 7th, 2019. The collection of commercial tax, excise and other taxes which normally take place in the last week of March, has also been severely impacted due to the lock down. In terms of expenditure, over Rs 2600 Crore has been spent on PPE equipment, ventilators, an increase in the number of testing of patients and in other welfare measures such as the distribution of wheat through PDS’s, etc among 5 crore people. While 5Kg of wheat is provided by the central Government, the state Government is also distributing another 5Kg for free, to the needy. Apart from this, social security pensions have also been increased.

Besides, a special group has also been set up under the chairmanship of the former finance secretary who is currently an advisor to the Chief Minister. This said group is working on specific activities that are to be taken up to minimize the economic impact of COVID 19, once the lockdown is lifted in a phase-wise manner.

Further, the Chief Minister has written letters to the Prime Minister, demanding the release of grants from the PM Cares fund, deferment of loan payments sans interest and several other measures to meet the state's financial requirements in these times of slowdown. The CM has also requested for a Rs 1 lakh crore package to be given to all states, basic criteria such as the size of the population and the number of COVID 19 positive cases in the concerned State. As per the calculation, Rajasthan's share in the package is approximately around Rs 5,000 crore. Additionally, the Chief Minister has also requested the centre to allocate the state share in central taxes for the month of April at the beginning of the month. In the normal course, the share is given at the month-end.

To tackle the impending financial insolvency, the Government has also requested to escalate the state's borrowing limit by two percent and to expeditiously release pending GST compensations. The Rajasthan Government has already announced the partial suspension of gross salaries across four key segments (70 percent, 60 percent, 50 percent, and 30 percent) from the level of the chief minister to employees, except for those in medical and healthcare services, police constables, class IV employees, and contractual workers, for the month of March.

The Government has also deployed a number of measures to help the farming community. For example, a 21-day advance payment has been given to the farm labourers so that they can purchase essential items and food, in the midst of lockdown and social distancing.

Also, since harvesting of crops starts in Kota from 15th March onward and in the rest of the state, from April 1 onward, procurement from Kota will start from 16th April, while for other districts, registration will start from 16th April.  In order to stagger the crowd and to reduce the transportation distance, the Government has doubled the number of collection centres. Earlier Mandis were the regular collection centres, now, 400 GSS (Gram Seva Samiti) have been roped in and many more mandis. It has also requested the center to increase the limit of 25% of procurement for MSPs to 50%, so that farmers and the needy are benefitted and also those who are living in the quarantine camps, including the destitute. The administration is putting in all possible efforts to ensure that none of the State’s residents face any problems in gaining access to essential items. The State Government has asked the centre to make FCI food stocks available for all as the warehouses are currently full to the brim.

Inspite of the lockdown and sealed borders, the transportation, and supply of essential commodities has been consistent across the State. In order to ensure this, the Government had earlier issued a revolutionary order wherein it granted automatic permission to all already permitted industries to operate without the need for any separate permission, with strict instructions to take all precautionary measures against the spread of COVID 19. There are around 200 such continuous industries, including manufacturers of food, drugs, Ayush drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, coal and minerals, and hygiene products as well as the industries that are providing raw material to these industries, among others. Rajasthan also supplies raw materials and other supplies to many other states.