<ul><li>Buying a house is becoming more and more expensive, as the metro cities are becoming crowded. </li><li>ANAROCK, a property consultancy firm, shared the list of top 10 most expensive location in India to buy a house. </li><li>The most expensive place to buy a house is Mumbai's Tardeo where a square foot of land can foot a bill of ₹56,200. </li></ul>The financial capital of India is also home to the country’s most priciest homes and pin codes. South Mumbai's Tardeo was declared most most expensive luxury residential location, which costs an enormous ₹ 56,200 per sq. ft. according to a property consultant ANAROCK. It means an average home in Mumbai’s costliest district only start at around ₹ 6.6 crore. Tardeo has three things going for it -- connectivity, connectivity and connectivity. This commercial and residential locality of the rich and the famous, is easily accessible to three key forms of transport — Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai Central Railway Station and bus stands. Mumbai also snagged the second and third most hyper-expensive luxury housing locations are also in Mumbai. Worli and Mahalaxmi, with per square feet prices at INR 41,500 and INR 40,000 per sq. ft. respectively. And they are also heavily in demand. These two localities recorded an aggregate supply of over 9,600 units since 2013. “Even as India’s middle-class grapples with the prospect of an uncertain future in their careers and financial ability – the main drivers of housing demand – the rise of India’s super-rich continues unabated,” said Anuj Puri, chairman of ANAROCK Property Consultants. The next two super expensive areas are from Chennai and not Delhi as expected. Nungambakkan and Egmore are beyond the reach of most common people, as their per square feet prices are between ₹15000 to ₹20,000 . Anna Nagar also made it to the seventh position. Two of Delhi’s localities like Karol Bagh and Golf Course Road made it to the list however, and so did Kolkata’s Alipore area, along with Pune’s Koregaon Park. It is not surprising to see the growth in expensive homes as the rich increasing in number. According to a Credit Suisse report, there were an estimated 3.42 lakh Dollar-millionaires in India as on mid-2018 who collectively held around $6 trillion. It is forecast that 5.26 lakh Indian dollar millionaires’ wealth will be around $8.8 trillion by 2023. Market fluctuations make very little difference to the personal net worth of these individuals, indicating that they are not beaten by the slowdown like everyone else. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/ashok-leyland-joins-the-club-of-no-production-days-as-its-august-sales-fall-by-50/articleshow/71047551.cms">Ashok Leyland joins the club of ‘No Production Days’ as its August sales fall by 50%</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/We-spoke-to-the-top-recruiters-in-the-booming-cannabis-business-Here-are-their-3-best-tips-for-landing-your-dream-job-in-the-industry-/articleshow/71001356.cms">Want a job? Baroda and Ahmedabad are hiring the most while Mumbai has stagnated</a>

Get ready to shell out ₹56,000 per square foot if you want to stay in Mumbai’s Tardeo area

<ul><li>The Lok Sabha passed the Code on Wages Bill, 2019 on Tuesday, paving the way for labour reform. </li><li>The move will benefit 500 million workers across the country. </li><li>The overtime wage will be twice the normal wages, if the bill goes through. </li><li>The <keyword id="85252" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Minimum-wages">minimum wages</keyword> will be set by the government according to skills and difficulty of tasks.</li></ul>The Lok Sabha passed the Code on Wages Bill, 2019 on Tuesday, paving the way for labour reform. The bill was introduced to extend provisions of <keyword id="562632" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="minimum-wage">minimum wage</keyword> and timely payments to all employees — railways, mines and others. The Minister of State for Labour and Employment said that the bill will ensure ‘Right to Sustenance’ regardless of the wage bracket, across verticals. The move will benefit 500 million workers across the country. “This Bill provides for monthly wage holders to get their salary on time and all sections of society which were outside the ambit of the minimum wages will now get the right to minimum wages,” <keyword id="258592" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Santosh-Kumar-Gangwar">Santosh Kumar Gangwar</keyword>, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lok-sabha-passes-wage-code-bill-to-ensure-minimum-wage-for-workers/article28761226.ece"> said</a> in the Parliament. The bill will revoke the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976. What amendments would the bill entail? The bill will formulate laws to increase <a href="https://www.prsindia.org/billtrack/code-wages-2019">provision of minimum wages</a> to employees across sectors. As of now, the Minimum Wages Act and Payment of Wages Act is applicable to workers below a certain wage bracket. This will also help workers of unorganised sectors, receive timely payments. As per the amendment, the minimum wage for farmers shall be revised every two years while the wages should be revised every four years for other workers. What are the provisions for minimum wages of employees? The minimum wages will be set by the government according to skills and difficulty of tasks. The employers will not be able to set wages which are less than the base that will be set by the government. How will it work? The government will set a ‘floor wage,’ according to the employee’s standard of living. And the minimum wage shall be higher than the floor wage value, set by the central government. How will it affect overtime policy and bonuses? The government will define the minimum number of hours that will constitute a normal working day. And if the employees work more than that, they will be given overtime wages — which is at least twice of the normal wage. The bill does not have provisions for bonuses like travel allowance and others. What will be the mode of payment of salaries and wage period? The employers can pay their employees either daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly via cheque, currency notes, bank transfer or digital payment modes. How can it benefit female employees? The bill will provide equal wages to both men and women for similar type of work. Employees will be hired on the basis of skill, effort, experience. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/markets/budget-2019-cues-one-third-of-national-income-goes-to-labour/articleshow/70040122.cms">In India, money is making money while the worker is left with a third-- explaining the gaping income inequality in the world’s fastest growing economy</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-economic-survey-2019-recommends-uniformity-in-minimum-wages/articleshow/70070881.cms">India has nearly 2,000 different minimum wages and the latest Economic Survey has called for ‘uniformity’— an idea corporates won’t like</a>

Wage Code Bill can help 500 million Indians. Here’s all you need to know about it

New Delhi, Nov 19 () Battling the surge in coronavirus cases in Delhi on a war-footing, the AAP government on Thursday announced sweeping measures including a steep Rs 2,000 fine for not wearing masks, reservation of 80 per cent ICU beds in private hospitals, doubling testing centres in every district and postponement of non-critical surgeries at health facilities. Private hospitals have also been directed to increase the percentage of non-ICU COVID-19 beds from 50 per cent to 60 per cent. The government will increase the number of RT-PCR test to 27,000 a day in the national capital and MBBS students and interns will be engaged to tackle the COVID-19 situation. Addressing an online media briefing, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the fine for not wearing masks has been raised from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000. The hard line by the AAP government comes days after Kejriwal repeatedly appealed to Delhiites to wear masks amid a surge in coronavirus cases. He announced the slew of measures after meeting Lt Governor Anil Baijal and apprising him about the decisions taken by <keyword id="3162571" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Aam-Aadmi-Party">the Aam Aadmi Party</keyword> government. He also appealed to political , social and religious organisations to distribute masks among people saying masks very much reduce the chances of coronavirus infection. Arrangements are being made for over 1,400 ICU beds, including 663 in Delhi government hospitals and 750 at a central government facility, Kejriwal said, adding around 7,500 normal and 446 ICU beds are currently available for COVID-19 patients in Delhi. "From today we have implemented the decision to reserve 80 percent ICU beds in all private hospitals for COVID-19 patients. It will increase ICU bed availability by 300-400 for coronavirus patients in Delhi hospitals." The percentage of normal, non-ICU beds reserved in private hospitals for corona patients, are being increased from 50 per cent to 60 per cent till the peak of the pandemic is there, he said. Hospitals have also been asked to postpone non-critical planned surgeries for the time being, he added. The national capital has witnessed a spurt in coronavirus cases since October 28, when the daily rise breached the 5,000-mark for the first time, and it crossed the 8,000-mark on November 11. On Wednesday, the infection tally in Delhi rose to over 5 lakh with 7,486 fresh cases reported, while 131 new fatalities, the highest single-day death count till date, took the toll to 7,943. According to Kejriwal, he received assurance of cooperation from various political parties at an all-party meeting on the COVID-19 situation in Delhi. He said that he urged them to distribute face masks to save people from the infection. After the meeting, ruling AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the Delhi government will increase the number of <keyword id="3652596" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="RTPCR">RTPCR</keyword> tests conducted daily from around 18,000 to 27,000 and the chief minister will also meet market associations if any decision is taken on shutting down markets. Bharadwaj said he suggested that market associations should be given a chance to present their views and take precautionary measures to check the spread of the virus. Kejriwal also appealed to the people not to celebrate Chhath puja at ponds and other water bodies, saying it could cause a widespread infection. "Even if one COVID-19 infected person enters the water during Chhath Puja, all others might get infected by the virus," he said, adding his government is being forced to restrict Chhath Puja celebrations at river banks, ponds and other public places due to the threat of the infection. Lauded doctors and government employees for COVID-19 management in Delhi, he said, "I want to thank all the doctors and employees of the government for their hard work and a well thought out COVID-19 management that was seen not even in advanced countries and big cities." There were reports and videos of COVID-19 patients lying outside hospitals due to unavailability of beds in New York, Sweden, France and Italy. However, our doctors and medical staff did a remarkabale work even as number of cases reached upto 8500 last week, he said. "We need to boost the morale of our doctors and nurses and pat them on their backs for their commendable service." Meanwhile, the Delhi government directed all district magistrates to take steps to double the number of testing centres in their respective districts immediately. The order issued by the Delhi health department also said that manpower required for the new testing centres "may be hired from open market, if required". It has been observed that the number of COVID-19 cases are increasing in Delhi and "to ensure early detection and subsequent isolation of the COVID-19 infected patients, it is felt necessary to enhance the COVID-19 testing capacity", the order said. Authorities in the city have allowed all coronavirus facilities of the government here to engage MBBS students in fourth and fifth years, interns and others to assist doctors on duty at a fixed honorarium. Meanwhile, the number of available ICU beds equipped with ventilators is shrinking fast at several hospitals here, with zero vacancy at nearly 60 facilities. According to the online Corona dashboard of the Delhi government at 12:30 pm on Thursday, only 131 COVID-19 ICU beds were available out of 1,362 such beds at various facilities here. There was no vacancy at <keyword id="1093121" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajiv-Gandhi-Super-Speciality-hospital">Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital</keyword> (<keyword id="9195256" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="RGSSH">RGSSH</keyword>), Max hospital's facilities at Saket, Patparganj and Shalimar Bagh, Batra hospital, Fortis hospital's facilities at Shalimar Bagh and Vasant Kunj and Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, and Venkateshwara Hospital in Dwarka, among others, as per the data. The RGSSH, a dedicated coronavirus facility under the Delhi government, has 200 ICU beds with ventilators, all occupied, while at <keyword id="9269627" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-lnjp-hospital">the LNJP Hospital</keyword>, another dedicated facility, only seven such beds were available out of 200 at 12:30 pm. On Wednesday, the Centre said that the Railways will be providing coaches with 800 beds. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Wednesday reverted to the earlier cap of 50 guests at marriage functions instead of 200 allowed through its October 31 order.

80% ICU beds in all private hospitals for COVID-19 patients in Delhi

BJP candidate list for Maharashtra State elections 2019

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">LiliumLilium's concept for flying taxis.</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Lilium, the German flying taxi startup, completed the first maiden flight for its prototype vertical take-off and landing electric jet.</li><li>Lilium has raised $100 million, last year applied for regulatory approval in Europe and the US, and hired its first CFO.</li><li>Flying taxis sound crazy, but chief commercial officer Remo Gerber says they might make more economic sense than ride-hailing firms like Uber.</li><li>Gerber thinks Lilium could offer $70 air taxi rides in Europe by 2025, but first it needs to solve issues around infrastructure and proving its aircraft are safe for humans.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></li></ul>The next big <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="transportation">transportation</keyword> wave after on-demand taxis, scooters, and shared bikes might be the flying car.German startup Lilium is among a crop of startups working on flying taxis - electric, on-demand aircraft that transport you around or between cities for the price of a long taxi ride.If Remo Gerber, chief commercial officer of Lilium, has his way, you could be paying $70 for a space in a five-seater jet-powered electric aircraft to fly between London and Manchester by 2025.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lillium-jet-may-be-the-future-of-urban-transportation-2018-2?r=US&amp;IR=T">This electric jet can take off vertically and travel almost 190 miles per hour - and it's already being prototyped</a>"We're planning to sell you the tickets for your ride," Gerber told Business Insider. "You download the app, you book it ten minutes in advance if you're nearby, or perhaps for the next day... it'll be a very user-friendly experience. Our full intention is to be a full operator, rather than selling the aircraft to private individuals."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">LiliumLilium's concept for landing and take-off stations.</div></div></div>Elements of the model might sound familiar, even if the idea of a flying taxi still sounds insane. Gerber is a former executive at Gett, Israel's rival to Uber. He and others in this space are essentially working to recreate the on-demand model for taxis, but with electric aircraft. Lilium and its competitors still face significant technical and regulatory hurdles - more on that later.<h2>How do you make money from expensive, flying taxis?</h2>Uber's business model is undergoing a brutal test in the public markets. That business model, sceptics say, has been largely driven by Uber undercutting the established taxi market by offering cheap cab rides subsidised by the huge amounts of capital it raised.And like Uber, Lilium is venture-backed. It has raised from China's Tencent, Skype founder Niklas Zennstrom's Atomico, and Obvious Ventures, the venture capital backer set up by Twitter cofounder Ev Williams. The company has raised $101 million to date. Will Lilium replicate Uber's model to achieve air taxi dominance?Gerber says no. "Some of the ride-hailing plays ultimately subsidised rides in order to gain dominant positions, but we will [have] a positive revenue markup," he said. "It will not just be a negative type of business model. It will be completely different, but still entirely affordable."Gerber argues that Lilium, once operational, will work quite differently to Uber. You will be able to order an air taxi via app but, unlike an UberX, that air taxi won't come to you. You'll have to congregate with your fellow passengers at a dedicated station. It's a smaller scale model of how aeroplanes work and, the company claims, safer than more efficient than doing the equivalent journey in a helicopter."You don't think about it as the sharing economy when you get into the plane and go on holiday," Gerber said. "It'll be very comfortable, but people will still be sharing. And that's what will make it affordable, compared to the fully individualised experience of riding in a taxi. And also it'll be fully electric."If Lilium fills its five-seater aircraft with passengers paying $70 each, it nets $350 for a single ride. Much more than the average cab fare.Another difference is that Lilium will need to hire trained pilots - pricier than cab drivers - and it plans to manufacture and maintain its own fleet of aircraft. It also has to make sure that aircraft can take off and land vertically, that it can really run on jet power and batteries, reduce noise, and create the infrastructure in cities for these vehicles to take off, land, and charge. That seems like a lot of additional expense."Don't forget that aircraft have a longer lifetime," Gerber said. A <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travel-truths/oldest-passenger-plane-still-in-service/">jet can remain in service for around 25 years</a>, experts say. "They don't degrade as quickly, so the aircraft will last much longer." He added that the firm will work on autonomous technology for the long-term, potentially reducing the need for lots of human pilots for its aircraft.<h2>Lilium's maiden flight was a success</h2>The economics of flying taxis remain academic until Lilium can prove it can fly its aircraft safely with human passengers and a pilot, receives approval from the US and European aviation authorities, and makes headway on the infrastructure required to make electric aircraft work.The firm filed for regulatory approval on both continents in 2018. Gerber won't say much on progress except to say "we are in the process."He and others at Lilium envisage take-off and landing pads being introduced at existing urban transport hubs like railway stations, and thinks it's better to create an open ecosystem that works for multiple flying taxi companies. It feels like a long way off but, Gerber says, cities are proactively approving Lilium because they see it as an environmentally friendly alternative to building roads or railway lines.Lilium is celebrating one tangible milestone: it got its first five-seater prototype aircraft off the ground for the first time at its headquarters at a private airport near Munich.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">LiliumThe Lilium Jet.</div></div></div>The prototype, called the Lilium Jet, comprises a central, oval-shaped body designed to hold five passengers. There are two front wings, and two rear wings, with 12 flaps. These flaps carry a total of 36 electric jet engines, and variously tilt from a vertical to horizontal position depending on whether the craft is taking off or airborne. Off-the-shelf batteries sit in the body, beneath the main cabin.This maiden flight on May 4 involved a simple vertical take-off, hover, and land, a spokesman told Business Insider. It lasted around one minute, with the aircraft and its systems performing "exactly as expected." Lilium has done further test flights and eventually hopes to show it can travel a distance and speed of 300km (190 miles) in an hour.This is a little different from rivals like Uber, which plan to offer aircraft to fly shorter distances of around 60 miles on a single charge. Lilium envisages being able to fly people from London to Manchester, something it says is achievable because of its jet engine setup.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">UberA concept for an Uber flying taxi. The ride-hailing giant is working with four different manufacturers on its flying taxi prototypes.</div></div></div>A spokesman told Business Insider: "This prototype is our first full-weight, full-size prototype. It brings together a wide range of sophisticated technology and is much more mature, and complex, than our previous prototypes. It's in a form that is ready for certification meaning it has all the safety systems, redundancies, and high-specification parts required for eventual passenger flight, except of course a cabin."So while our previous prototype proved the concept of transition flight, we're taking it to a whole new level here, with a much more mature product."It's an impressive achievement, given Lilium raised a fraction of the funding of competitors such as Uber. Boeing, one of the partners building electric aircraft for Uber, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/23/boeing-takes-step-in-developing-uber-air--with-successful-test-flight.html">likewise achieved its first successful test flight</a> in January.Progression against that kind of competition is expensive and it is almost certain that Lilium will need to raise new funds. The firm hired its first CFO, Christopher Delbrück, in November.Gerber won't share any news on a future raise, but said: "Of course we will always look at making sure the firm is sufficiently capitalised. And we're recognised by the investor community in terms of unique technology the company is producing. Morgan Stanley put the 2040 market size at $1.5 trillion. People recognise the potential, it's almost like the first car." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/smart-glasses-review-focals-north-alexa-2019-4">I tried $600 smart glasses and learned why they haven't replaced smartphones yet</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

This futuristic flying taxi startup took a giant leap towards making $70 rides a reality within 6 years

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">ED JONES/AFP/Getty ImagesA taxi waits for customers as pedestrians make their way past the central railway station in Pyongyang on July 10, 2016.</div></div></div><ul><li>On-demand taxis are gaining traction in North Korea.</li><li>This popularity is driven by the country's growing consumer class.</li><li>In turn, taxis have become highly lucrative and being a driver is one of the country's most sought after jobs.</li></ul> On-demand taxis are gaining popularity among wealthier customers across North Korea.According to <a href="http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk01500&amp;num=14929">Daily NK</a>, a Seoul-based news site staffed by North Korean defector journalists, customers can summon North Korean taxis with a phone call, and one should arrive within 10 minutes no matter the time, day or night."Wealthier individuals in the city like to summon a taxi right to their doorstep on special occasions like holidays and birthdays, which then take them to their favorite restaurant, for example," a source in Pyongsong told Daily NK.Customers pay a base price of $1 to $2. The rate is three times more than a standard cab and far more than what the average North Korean worker earning <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/business-21424127">$4 a day</a> can afford.Plus, some "call taxi" drivers only accept US dollars and Chinese yuan.Given their high cost and need for foreign currency, the best explanation for the popularity of "call taxis" amongst locals is for North Korea's <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-advertising/north-koreas-mad-men-try-out-pitches-to-new-consumer-class-idUSKCN0Y81A2">"consumer class"</a> to be growing.<h2>North Korea's taxi market is highly lucrative</h2>The potential income from taxis is significant in North Korea, and the competition between companies is fierce.In previous years, both private and government drivers hired part-time <a href="http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk01500&amp;num=14802">'shepherds'</a> who would go out and find customers for them.These shepherds could earn up to $50 a day by working for a driver, indicating drivers are earning many times that amount. Even drivers for state-run taxi companies get to keep all their earning beyond a daily fee.Given the ability to earn foreign currency while doing a relatively comfortable job, being a taxi driver has quickly become one of North Korea's most <a href="https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/06/14/Taxi-driver-becoming-popular-job-in-North-Korea/5301465924079/">popular</a> jobs.Potential workers are even paying bribes to secure a driver job, according to <a href="http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20160615001070">Radio Free Asia</a>.<h2>A number of North Korean businesses have launched taxi services</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/File photoTaxis are parked outside a department store in central Pyongyang, North Korea May 4, 2016.</div></div></div>The market for taxis has grown so large in North Korea that several businesses aimed at middle class and wealthy North Koreans have diversified into the market.In <a href="http://koreabizwire.com/delivery-and-call-taxi-services-now-available-in-north-korea/17957">2014</a>, The Daedong River Passenger Transport Company launched its own service asking residents to call '186' for a taxi.In 2015, state airline Air Koryo launched a <a href="https://www.nknews.org/2015/09/north-korean-national-airline-introduces-new-domestic-taxi-service/">taxi service</a> with cars, minivans, and SUVs.And the following year the Mirim Horse Riding Club, which offers gambling and charges locals a hefty <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-gambling-horseracing/jockeying-for-cash-north-korea-allows-racetrack-gambling-as-sanctions-bite-idUSKBN1CL0UG">$10</a> to use its luxury facilities, <a href="https://www.nknews.org/2016/11/north-koreas-mirim-horse-riding-club-launches-taxi-service">launched</a> its own taxi service."It seems like everyone's doing it," Rowan Beard, a tour guide from the Young Pioneer Tours company, told <a href="https://www.nknews.org/2016/11/north-koreas-mirim-horse-riding-club-launches-taxi-service">NK News</a> at the time. "Mirim have a good brand name and represent a finer class of Koreans."The $35 million Masikryong Ski Resort also has its own taxi company. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-iphone-apps-list-review-hq-trivia-ikea-monument-valley-2017-2017-12">Here are the best iPhone apps of 2017</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Affluent North Koreans are using Uber-like taxis on demand

<ul class="summary-list"><li>New York state has two confirmed coronavirus cases, one of which is believed to be a case of community spread, meaning the patient didn't travel to China or knowingly interact with anyone who was infected. </li><li>Many New York City commuters have raised concerns about the spread of the virus through its public transit system, which is used by an estimated <a href="http://web.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffsubway.htm">5.7 million on an average weekday</a>. </li><li>The MTA announced today that it would be taking precautionary measures against a possible coronavirus outbreak by doing a deep clean of its subway systems and public transit vehicles.</li><li>The MTA will sanitize its trains, cars, and buses and frequently used surfaces in its subway systems, like turnstiles and handrails, daily.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>With <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-second-coronavirus-case-attorney-law-firm-grand-central-2020-3">two reported coronavirus cases in New York state</a>, public institutions are bracing for a possible outbreak, particularly in New York City, which is the country's most densely populated city with over 27,000 people per square mile.New York's public transit system, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), announced it would be doing a deep clean of all of its subway systems and public transit vehicles - and New Yorkers say it's about time. "It's sad that it takes an epidemic for the stations to be regularly cleaned," one New Yorker <a href="https://twitter.com/senorita_badass/status/1234934300207964161">quipped</a> on Twitter. Many New York City commuters have raised concerns about the spread of the novel virus through its public transit system, which is used by an estimated <a href="http://web.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffsubway.htm">5.7 million on an average weekday in 2016,</a> according to the MTA. A second case was reported on March 3, and appears to be a case of community spread, which means the patient didn't travel to China or knowingly interact with anyone who was infected. The transportation agency's chairman and CEO, Patrick J. Foye, announced that the MTA "substantially increased the frequency and intensity of efforts to clean and disinfect our system" in the wake of the two reported coronavirus cases in New York state. Foye detailed the MTA's new agency-wide disinfecting protocols for its systems, which include New York City Transit, MTA Bus, Access-A-Ride, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North.The transportation agency announced that frequently touched surfaces in its subway stations, like turnstiles, ticket vending machines, and handrails will also be disinfected on a daily basis. Meanwhile, the MTA's "full fleet" of public transit vehicles, trains, cars, and buses, would be sanitized every 72 hours. As of this morning, New York City Transit had disinfected 427 stations and 1905 railway cars. According to Foye, the transportation agency was on track to clean all 5700 of its buses within 72 hours. New York City Transit also urged commuters to take basic steps to protect themselves and others from a possible coronavirus infection, including washing their hands and covering their mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing. Foye also noted that the MTA will be using CDC-approved disinfectants and is working with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state and federal health agencies in bracing for the novel coronavirus. "We want New Yorkers to know that we're doing everything possible to keep our customers safe," Foye said, according to a press release. "Your safety is our highest priority and as such, we're going above and beyond recommendations from health experts to disinfect the system."However, many New York city commuters were astonished at the announcement, claiming that New York's public transit systems should be regularly cleaned "even without the threat of the coronavirus." The New York MTA is the largest public transit system in the United States - and some believe it is the dirtiest as well. The New York subways serve an annual<a href="http://web.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffsubway.htm"> 1.757 billion riders</a>, which presents numerous operational challenges.The New York City Transport Workers Union once <a href="https://www.insider.com/union-workers-reveal-nyc-subways-darkest-dirtiest-corners-2019-10">launched a competition</a> to find the most disgusting subway photo, in which users submitted vile photos of everything from mounds of trash to feces on platform walls. The competition was started in October 2019 to raise awareness about subways budget cuts that have <a href="https://pix11.com/2019/10/21/nyc-transit-union-launches-trash-train-contest/">led to a shortage of cleaners.</a> A New York Times column revealed that it takes a single <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-subway-cars-cleaned-by-hand-2018-4">MTA worker three-and-a-half hours to clean the interior of a subway car, and is done so every eight to 10 weeks</a>. As the MTA steps up its sanitation protocols to brace for COVID-19, which the disease is now being called, it remains unclear if the agency will be hiring more cleaners to keep up with the demand of its new disinfection schedules. "We're able to handle the cleaning schedule with our current staff, and we'll make further decisions based on need," a spokesperson for the MTA told Business Insider. The US has reported more than 120 cases of the virus with<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-virus-everything-we-know-deadly-2019-ncov-wuhan-spread-2020-1"> nine reported deaths in the country</a>. New York's first case was a Manhattan woman who had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-state-confirms-first-coronavirus-case-2020-3/?r=AU&amp;IR=T">recently traveled to Iran</a>. New York's Gov. Cuomo said that the spread of the coronavirus was "inevitable" and that "most people who get infected won't even know they have it."The New York state health department will be partnering to expand testing capacity for the virus and set a goal of conducting 1,000 tests per day. But with the current capacity is still limited, Cuomo urged hospitals to be conservative with their testing.Read More: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-second-coronavirus-case-attorney-law-firm-grand-central-2020-3">New York's second coronavirus case - a 50-year-old male attorney - works at a law firm near Grand Central Terminal. Here's what we've learned about the patient.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-virus-everything-we-know-deadly-2019-ncov-wuhan-spread-2020-1">Coronavirus live updates: Nearly 93,000 people have been infected and more than 3,100 have died. The US has reported 9 deaths. Here's everything we know.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-coronavirus-has-pandemic-potential-says-who-2020-2">The coronavirus has pandemic 'potential' as it spreads in South Korea, Italy, and Iran, according to WHO</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-will-coronavirus-outbreak-end-2020-2">One key indicator will tell us when the coronavirus outbreak is winding down - but we're not seeing it yet</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-covid19-day-by-day-symptoms-patients-2020-2">A day-by-day breakdown of coronavirus symptoms shows how the disease, COVID-19, goes from bad to worse</a>

NYC is bracing for the coronavirus impact by doing cleaning its subway systems daily. New Yorkers are asking why this isn't done normally.

After <keyword id="6354630" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mark-Zuckerberg">Mark Zuckerberg</keyword> and Satya Nadella, India witnessed yet another top global firm CEO Sundar Pichai of <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword>, reach out to media, developers, entrepreneurs and marketers in the country. 
 
In his first visit to India – in fact one of his first overseas trip – after he took over as the CEO of Google in August this year, Sundar Pichai along with other key executives shared the vision for Indian users and how technology can positively impact lives. 
 
The focus of the company particularly is on making Internet accessible for the next generation of users, who won’t be English speakers. 
 
“India is one of the largest growth markets for the search giant Google globally,” said Chennai-born Pichai while delivering the keynote at the Google for India event in New Delhi. Recognizing the potential of the market here, he made several announcements in support of PM Narendra Modis Digital India Campaign, that you can’t miss: 
 
Women from 3,00,000 villages across India will have access to internet in 3 years: 
 
Pichai said that Google's rural internet programme will move from pilot (where it provided web access to women in a village and apparently, everyone benefitted) to full scale programme in 300,000 villages in India. The company will help women from three lakh villages across India to get online in three years. Google has infact also shared a video on this initiative titled "Internet Saathi". 
 
Focus on investing in India more and developing new products: 
 
Google will invest heavily in not just enabling Internet access in the country but also in making sure that great products are developed in India. 
 "It makes a lot of sense to invest in India as what we build here will have global usage," he said giving examples of products such as MapMaker, <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="YouTube">Youtube</keyword> offline, streamline search etc, which were developed for India and are now widely used globally. 
 
New campus, more hirings in India: 
 "We will build new campus, ramp up engineering presence in Hyderabad to make products for India; and increase hiring in <keyword id="6354321" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bengaluru">Bengaluru</keyword>, Pichai said. The company is also launching a programme to train 2 million developers on its <keyword id="6355645" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="android">Android</keyword> platform over the next three years through a partnership with the National Skill development Corporation of India. 
 
WIFI connectivity to 100 railway stations: 
 
Earlier this year Google announced a project to connect 400 Railway stations in the country through Wi-Fi along with RailTel. Pichai said that the project is on track and the first 100 stations will be connected by the end of 2016 and Google is currently running a pilot at the Mumbai Central station which is expected to go live by January next year. 
 
India to have more android users than US 
 
Pichai revealed that in 2016 India will have more Android users than the United States, Google's home market. 
<h4>
	Project Loon will come to India. </h4>
Project Loon which was announced a couple of years ago will come to India, said Pichai. It is a project Google is working on to bring low cost connectivity to the world. "We are exploring ways of bringing project loon to India, especially rural areas," said Pichai. 
 
(Image credits: BCCL)

Key takeaways from Google India CEO Sundar Pichai's keynote at #GoogleForIndia event today

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Modi Government is about to complete one year in office and one year is a significant time for understanding the intent and to some extent the performance of any government. <keyword id="2403978" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="The-Modi-government">The Modi government</keyword> had won the election on the plank of development and its promise to bring ‘acche din’. The article tries to trace some of the promises that were made and the performance of the government during the previous year under various broad themes. 
 
Economy- The government has been helped by what a prominent editor termed ‘acche sitare’, ‘good luck’. It is no doubt true that fall in commodity prices in general and crude oil, in particular, helped the government reign in the <keyword id="6365485" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="fiscal-deficit">fiscal deficit</keyword> and give it headway to make fiscal policies for the country. The fiscal deficit target for 2015-16 has been the pegged by the budget to 3.9%. While this is little above than recommendations of the Fourteenth <keyword id="74136" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="finance-commission">Finance Commission</keyword> ( which recommended it to be 3.6 percent of the <keyword id="35050" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="gdp">GDP</keyword>), the government has understandably batted for growth. The government still is slowly but surely moving towards the limit set by FRBM (Fiscal Responsibility and Budgetary Management) Act, 2003 that pegged the target at a maximum level of 3% of the GDP. The government has also tried to help the <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> gain momentum by enabling legislation for reforms. These included trying to go in for a major reform in the indirect taxation regime as well as accepting the recommendations of Fourteenth <keyword id="25455" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="finance">Finance</keyword> Commission in respect to revenue sharing with states. It was ostensibly done to ensure a spirit of ‘cooperative federalism’ between states and center, as well as greater financial devolution to states. The figure now stands at 42% of the total revenue collection up from the earlier 32%. Also, the year saw growth forecasts been revised for India by a number of International Bodies and agencies. The IMF revised its forecasts to 7.5 % In 2015 in its WEO April 2015 forecast. It was up from the 6.4 projected for 2015 in the WEO April 2014 forecast. Similarly, the Asian Development Bank in its Asian Development Outlook 2015, indicated a bettering economy with less than 5 percent core <keyword id="22195" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Inflation">inflation</keyword>. They also alluded to the new monetary policy framework according to which RBI, India's central bank is to play the role of price stabilization primarily while being mindful of growth. With the policy framework in place, the central bank will be maintaining the inflation target of 4±2 % from FY 2016 onwards. Thus with an overall bettering situation a total score of 7.5 out of 10. 
 
Foreign Engagement and Defence- Foreign engagement was by far the area where the most vigorous activity and keen intent were observed. The sphere saw initiatives undertaken by the PM himself to make India more noticeable as well as more integrated with the International sphere. It included among many things, trips to foreign countries both in the neighbourhood as well as to countries like Germany, France, Australia, US, Canada and most recently beginning May 14, 2015 his trip to China. The engagement also saw a large number of foreign dignitaries coming to India from across the world. The engagement also saw bilateral agreements as well as plans to invest in India's development by countries and companies abroad, most notably by Japan, US and China. Also, steps to resolve contentious issues have been undertaken pertaining to the border areas with neighbours. It includes the recently passed Bangladesh Land Accord Bill that envisages transferring enclaves and demarcation of the boundary along the present porous borders. Also, in the broad sphere of defence the decision to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets is a welcome step. More such acquisitions will have to be made since these 36 planes would add just two squadrons to thirty-five squadrons that IAF has. It is below an authorized strength of forty-two which will be down to twenty- five by 2022. It means we must speed up the process of defense acquisitions since there is urgent need to upgrade and modernize the armed forces and security apparatus in India. Overall a score of 8.5 out of 10 foreign engagement and 7.5 out of 10 on defence. 
 
 
Agriculture- Here the government has not been able to do that well, and it is understandable because there has been erratic weather accentuated by some mismanagement by the government. The sector is critical as most people are dependent on it for employment. Added to the weather were the issues of land acquisition and urea availability to farmers. Land Acquisition Bill though being blocked by the opposition on the farmer rights plank is linked directly to the development of clusters and employment of youth for especially rural areas. The focus of the government seems to be the development of irrigation facilities under its Pradhanmantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana. A fund was proposed to be set up for marginalized farmers with a corpus of Rs. 25000 crores in NABARD. An overall score of 6.5 on 10. 
 
Industrial policy and power- Industrial policy saw a continuity from the previous regime. The National Manufacturing Policy (NMP) was hailed by the 'Make in India' as the 'most comprehensive and significant policy initiative of the government'. The 'Make in India' is an initiative that is critically dependent on other factors. These include availability of land, ease of doing business as well as removal of inverse duty structures that make imports of finished products cheaper than finished products. Apart from this labour policies that favour flexibility in hiring and firing are also seen to be the main bottlenecks. While the government has taken some steps to rectify, these bottlenecks outcomes are yet to be seen. Similarly, the <keyword id="44528" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="FDI">FDI</keyword> policy has seen incremental reforms with the opening up of <keyword id="35450" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="insurance">insurance</keyword> and defence sectors further to 49% from the earlier limit of 26%. Both these are positive steps for the economy. Greater structural changes could have been undertaken in these spheres especially with the mandate, but nonetheless significant work is been done. In the power sector, much has been achieved. It included the successful auction of the coal mines, which is slated to rope in a massive 15 lakh crore over the 30-year timeframe if all the mines are auctioned and are working at optimum output. Apart from this coal production was at an all-time high as well as the government seems on track to meet the power requirements of the country. Overall a score of 6.5 for industries and a score of 8 for power out of 10. 
 
Education- The countries' education system can broadly be classified under two broad areas- higher education and school education. There are several schemes that are operational under these. The government in the past one-year has come up with several new initiatives including the Beti-Bachao Beti Padhao Abhiyan, Swachh Vidyalaya and GIS Mapping of schools and has opened several new institutions. However, the fact remains that despite all government’s initiatives most people if given a choice, prefer private schooling since it gives their children a competitive edge later on in their careers. The governments of the past have failed in this and correcting this anomaly will take time. Also, in respect to higher education the government seems keen to have holistic development with several new AIIMS, IIM and IIT like institutions being opened in states that have a paucity of these. What remains to seen is how quality and not just quantity is pursued within these institutions while ensuring regional development. An overall score of 6.5 on 10. 
 
Infrastructure- The primary focus of the government in this sphere is up-gradation of existing and quick development of new infrastructure. The first can be observed in the push for railway up-gradation and improvement in customer service. The second can be observed more in the highways sector with the minister setting himself a target of 30 km a day by 2017. In March this year 11 km of roads were being laid. The broad ambit of infrastructure covers the development of roads, highways, ports, airport, waterways, canals, and railways. It is too early to judge the government's progress on the same however the fact that there is clearance for projects worth close to Rs. 6 lakh Crore across 10 key sectors. It shows intent on the part of government for infrastructure development. Overall a score of 7.5 on 10. 
 
Social Schemes- The social schemes of the government have been particularly impressive. These include the <keyword id="2494045" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="jan-dhan">Jan Dhan</keyword> Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jivan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Atal Pension Yojana and many other social missions like the <keyword id="6562839" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Swacch-Bharat-Mission">Swacch Bharat Mission</keyword> and the Clean Ganga Mission. For the Jan Dhan Yojana already around 12.5 crore accounts have been opened along with a capital infusion of Rs 10,500 crore into the system. The three recently launched social security schemes (namely the (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana ) and Atal Pension Yojana) have got nearly 6.5 crore subscriptions. It is because (PMJJBY) scheme offers Rs. 2 lakh cover for a mere 330 Rs. Per year (provided bank account holders are from age 18-50). Under the (PMSBY), renewable one-year accident cum disability cover of Rs. 2 lakh is provided for Rs.12 premium every year. The Atal Pension Yojana is aimed at those people who work in the unorganised sector and do not fall under the ambit of regular pension. The scheme offers pension under various brackets depending on the contribution made over a period. The scheme is for people in the age bracket 18-40 years. The social focus of the government is also evident from the fact the government has continued with previous schemes and linked them with technology for targeted interventions. The JAM (Jan Dhan Account, Aadhaar Cards and Mobiles) number Trinity as mentioned in the budget speech is an example of the same. The government seems to have a social focus for benefit to poor. An overall score of 8 on 10. 
 
Urbanization and Urban development- The urbanization and urban development received an increased thrust under the 100 Smart City project. The thrust of the present government is not only on up gradation of brownfield cities but also development of new greenfield cities. Traditionally, India has been slow to urbanize, and at present 32 percent of people reside in urban areas. However, the quality of urban life has seen a precipitous decline in the past few decades. The government's smart city initiative is a step aimed at understanding and absorbing the migration of people from rural to urban areas. However, the implementation of the project holds the key. Success in greenfield development is critically linked to land acquisition. Also, will the 'smart cities' improve liveability for the ever-burgeoning population remains to be seen? The project is ambitious in scope and the past year has seen some activity with the launch of the GIFT city in Gujarat and work on cities of DMIDC. An overall score of 6.5 on 10. 
 
Health and Environment- Health along with education have been two areas where successive governments have faltered. The system in India needs a drastic overhaul and increased spending by the government. Also there is a severe shortage of trained personnel in the sector. Add to this the decrepit facilities in rural areas that forces one to look at ways and means to better delivery. The activity in the health ministry was seen to be rather subdued. However, the taxation on cigarettes ensures that a majority of population reconsiders decision to buy cigarettes. The quality of air and the general pollution levels in Indian cities pose serious health issues for all residents. Disease patterns are also changing and this calls for a comprehensive approach to healthcare access and delivery. Not much has been done in this regard. An overall score of 6 on 10. 
 
<keyword id="107737" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Entrepreneurship">Entrepreneurship</keyword> and Employment- For the first time a separate ministry for entrepreneurship has seen the light of the day. This fact along with the fact that skilling are the main thrust areas of the ministry make it clear that the government is in sync with the present ground reality. A million people will enter the workforce every month over the next decade. So it becomes imperative that India produces jobs for its burgeoning workforce. That will not just come from formal and informal sector but will require a thrust for entrepreneurship. Similarly, thrust for skilling is imperative. Further, a draft policy on skill development and entrepreneurship has already been made and put out for public consultation. Though much remains to be seen in terms of its impact the direction and intent, in this case, seems to be spot on. An overall score of 7.5 on 10. 
 
Overall, in assessing the performance, the government seems to have taken cognizance of the major challenges facing India in multiple spheres and taken requisite steps. It seems to be headed in the right direction. It augurs well for India in the medium to long term. Much will depend on the speed of legislation, decision-making and implementation over the next four years. 
 
(Dr. Amit Kapoor is President and CEO of India Council on Competitiveness and Honorary Chairman of Institute for Competitiveness, India. He tweets @kautiliya and can be contacted at <a href="mailto:amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in">amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in</a>. The article is co-authored with Sankalp Sharma who is Senior Researcher at Institute for Competitiveness)

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