-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The government is reviewing the tax-free medical reimbursement limit, currently fixed at Rs 15,000 a year, besides looking at making it more attractive for individuals to buy medical insurance policies. Sources said both the issues are being looked at ahead of the Budget with some indicating that there is a possibility that the limit on tax-free medical reimbursement from employers may be raised to Rs 25,000...

-The Hindu Jaipur: Opposing the proposed insurance-based model of health care for those covered under the National Food Security Act, civil society groups have asked Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to reconsider the decision as this would mean compromising and sidelining the immensely successful free medicines and free diagnostics schemes already operational in the State. "Given the complex socio-economic dynamics of the population, complete non-adherence to standard treatment protocols by the doctors,...

-PTI Mumbai: Seasonal spurt in vegetable prices next month could partly reverse the benefits of low global oil prices reducing inflation and increasing disposable incomes, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) warned on Tuesday. "The sharp reduction in oil prices as well as in inflation is likely to increase personal disposable incomes and improve domestic demand conditions in the year ahead," the central bank said in its monetary policy document. Inflation, excluding food...

-Business Standard Currently, the Department of Agriculture runs two crop insurance schemes, one of which is weather-based The Centre is devising an insurance product for farmers that will guarantee to make good their loss in income from natural calamities for at least seven years. For crops with minimum support prices (MSPs), the loss in income will be based on the MSP; for others, it will be calculated based on the average market...

-The Hindustan Times The government has chosen the Ordinance route to put into force several legislative Bills over the past months. Many of these are expected to be tabled in Parliament in the upcoming budget session. HT explains four of them. What is an ordinance? As per Article 123 of the Constitution, when Parliament is not in session, the President has the power to promulgate an Ordinance - which has the same force...