Da january 2013
Read More...
Conversion of KVs into Residential Schools
There is no proposal under consideration of this Ministry to convert the Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) of the country into residential vidyalayas.
The KVs are opened mainly to cater to the educational needs of the wards of transferable Central Government Employees, including Defence personnel, by providing a common programme of education. Since the KVs are opened at locations where such employees are posted, there does not appear to be any need to open residential KVs.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Dr. Shashi Tharoor in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Source:pib
Direct Transfer of Cash for Subsidies
The process for implementing the direct transfer of cash subsidy on PDS Kerosene has been initiated in 11 identified states/UTs. The Department of Food and Public Distribution proposes to implement direct transfer of food subsidy to the Targeted Public Distribution System beneficiaries in 6 Union Territories on a pilot basis. With regard to fertilizers, the Government has not asked the State Governments to prepare for direct transfer of cash for fertilizer subsidy to the poor through banks by 01.01.2013.
The concerned Central Ministries have set up Implementation Committees on Direct Cash Transfer for sorting out the issues of hassle free transfer of cash to the beneficiaries with due consultation with State Governments.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Finance, Shri Namo Narain Meena in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
Source:pib
Promotion of Research
The National Curriculum Framework – 2005 brought out by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) focuses on inquiry based constructivist pedagogy. This document empowers teachers to create situations, where children may enquire, discover, investigate, research and construct their knowledge.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) advocates pedagogical practices which allow children to respond to a situation in a non-traditional way encouraging their spirit of experimentation. The Schools are also expected to assign multidisciplinary projects to groups of students to be done during school hours to promote the spirit of enquiry and investigation.
The University Grant Commission (UGC) is implementing the following schemes to promote research in the higher educational institutions: - (i) Universities with Potential for Excellence (UPE) (ii) Centre with Potential for Excellence in Particular Area (CPEPA) (iii) College with Potential for Excellence (CPE) (iv) Major Research Projects/Minor Research Project (MRP) (v) Special Assistance Programme (SAP) (vi) Basic Scientific Research (BSR) and (vii) Research Fellowships.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Dr. Shashi Tharoor in Lok Sabha today.
Source;pib
Amount and age limit of Widow Pension enhanced
The Centre has informed that assistance under Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) has been increased from Rs 200 to Rs 300 per month from 1st of October this year. Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Rural Development Shri Lal Chand Kataria said, the upper age limit has also been revised to 79 years from the existing 59 years and hence IGNWPS now is applicable for widow in the age group of 40-79 years and belonging to household living below poverty line as per the criteria prescribed by the Government of India. He said, the amount of Central assistance under pension schemes are revised from time to time depending upon availability of resources. Shri Kataria said that States have been recommended to contribute at least an equal amount from their own resources.
Source:pib
Deaths During Clinical Trials
Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 contains enabling provisions for regulating and ensuring quality, safety and efficacy of drugs. The Act, therefore, contains inherent enabling powers for regulating the clinical trials. Accordingly, under the inherent plenary powers vested in the Act, necessary rules, procedures and guidelines have been framed under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. Regulatory provisions for clinical trials in the country are prescribed under Rule-122DA, 122DAA, 122E and Schedule-Y to the Drug and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. The said Rules also provide specific Application Form and relevant documents required for seeking permission to conduct clinical trials in India. Schedule Y also mandates the clinical trial to be conducted as per Good Clinical Practices (GCP) Guidelines issued by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). Clinical trials can be initiated only after the approval of CDSCO and respective Ethics Committee. In all trials, a freely given informed written consent is required to be obtained from the persons participating in the study trial. The Serious Adverse Events (SAEs) of deaths may occur during clinical trials due to various reasons. These deaths could be due to life-threatening diseases like cancer, cardio-vascular conditions like congestive heart failure / stroke and other serious diseases. They could also be due to the side-effects of the drugs or their administration to critically or terminally ill patients. Such deaths are investigated to arrive at the causal relationship, if any. As per available data, the number of Serious Adverse Events of deaths in clinical trials reported during 2011 were 438. But SAEs of death due to clinical trials were 16.
Out of 438 deaths approximately 55% are in clinical trials conducted by foreign Pharmaceutical companies and rest are in clinical trials conducted by Clinical Research Organizations (CROs), domestic pharma Companies etc.
The following concrete steps have been taken to strengthen the approval procedures, monitoring mechanism for clinical trials as well to ensure that safety, rights and well-being of clinical trial subjects are protected:
(1) 12 New Drug Advisory Committees (NDAC) consisting of leading experts from the government medical colleges, institutes from all over the country have been constituted to advise CDSCO in matters related to approval of clinical trials and new drugs.
(2) Applications of Investigational New Drugs (IND) ; i.e, New Drug Substances which have never earlier been used in human beings, are evaluated by the IND committee, chaired by the Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research.
(3) Registration of clinical trial in ICMR registry at www.ctri.in has been made mandatory since 15.6.2009.
(4) Every approval / permission for conducting clinical trials now includes a condition that in case of study related injury or death, applicant will provide complete medical care as well as compensation for the injury or death and statement to this effect would be incorporated in the informed consent form.
(5) Guidelines for conducting inspection of Clinical Trial sites and sponsor /Clinical Research Organizations (CROs) have been prepared and posted on CDSCO website.
(6) Draft rules have been notified to provide for the following:
(i) Medical treatment and financial compensation to the trial subjects in case of trial related injury or death;
(ii) Procedure for payment of financial compensation;
(iii) Enhancement of responsibilities of Ethics Committee (EC), Sponsor & Investigator to ensure that financial compensation as well as medical care is provided to the trial subjects who suffer trial related injury or deaths and such information is provided to the Drugs Controller General (India) [DCG(I)].
(iv) Amendment of the format for obtaining informed consent of trial subjects to include the details of address, occupation, annual income of the subject so as to have information regarding socio-economic status of the trial subjects.
(7) Draft rules have been notified to incorporate Rules to have authority for clinical trials inspections by CDSCO and to take administrative actions like restriction on investigators/ sponsors / CROs from conducting future clinical trials in case of non-compliance.
(8) Draft rules have been notified to incorporate Rules and Schedule Y-1 specifying requirements and guidelines for registration of Ethics Committee.
This information was given by Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
Source:pib
BN/HB/AS
EWS Quota in Schools
All Army Schools are being run by the local military authority as a welfare measure for educating children of Army personnel. These Schools do not distinguish between wards of Army personnel on the basis of parental status.
A case for exemption of Army Schools from the ambit of Right to Education Act has been received from Army HQ and the same is under consideration of the Government.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to ShriDharmendraYadav and others in Lok Sabha today.
Source:pib
Medical Entrance Test
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to various Under Graduate (UG) and Post Graduate (PG) medical courses is mandatory in respect of medical colleges falling under the ambit of Medical Council of India (MCI) as per amendments made in MCI’s regulations which are binding in nature.
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has been identified as the agency for conducting NEET for UG and National Board of Examinations (NBE) for PG medical courses.
NBE is conducting NEET-PG during 23.11.2012 to 06.12.2012 on-line at 33 cities across the country while CBSE will conduct NEET-UG on 05.05.2013 in paper pencil mode at 83 cities in India and 2 cities abroad as multiple choice questions based tests. NEET-UG is also being conducted in six regional languages, viz. Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu and Assamese in addition to Hindi and English.
This information was given by Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
Source:pib
Aadhar card doesn't have date of birth
NAGPUR: The unique identification number (UID), renamed as Aadhar, was supposed to be one of the documents to eliminate submission of multiple papers for identification but due to absence of date of birth on Aadhar, people may find it difficult to access government and non-government services assuming it to be a sole document.
Aadhar is an initiative of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI) of the government to create a unique ID for every Indian resident but people are being asked for additional documents as age proof.
The government has assured that Aadhar will help individual to access services like banking, mobile phone connections and other services.
"All assurances gave an impression that by using Aadhar card one will not need to carry multiple documents for availing service benefits and limitations of other cards issued earlier will be done away with. But it is not true," says Avinash Prabhune, a consumer rights activist.
Prabhune says Aadhar cards do not mention date of birth although documentary evidence was submitted at the time of enrolment. The cards indicate only year of birth, therefore this card is not helping as age proof in banks and other places.
However, Aadhar is acceptable by the railways and MSRTC. Central Railway public relations officer (PRO) P D Patil said Aadhar card is acceptable for providing concession in fares to senior citizens.
"Even MSRTC is accepting Aadhar as a document to provide concession in fare. We calculate the age based on the year mentioned on the card," an ST official said.
However, even if railways and MSRTC accept Aadhar, banks have been demanding additional documents. "As per the RBI guidelines we have been introducing the central banking system ( CBS) which needs other documents too. A new account cannot be opened only on the basis of Aadhar. We demand pan card as age proof," said branch manager of a nationalized bank, seeking anonymity.
Till now more than Rs 2,000 crores have been spent on the UID scheme and 23 crore residents have been enrolled so far but none of these cards bear the date of birth.
"Recording birth date on Aadhar card could sort out problems. I strongly support the scheme as after its integration with other systems, it may be possible that UID data will be shared but till that time multiple papers will be required for vital transactions," says Vinayak Prabhune, a retired government official.
Prabhune wrote to UIAI officials twice to mention the date of birth on Aadhar cards but they did not reply. He says as a large population does not known their date of birth, only year is recorded but it should be mentioned on the cards of those who know their date of birth.
Source:TOI
Measures Taken for Care of Senior Citizens
The Central Government has enacted the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 in December, 2007 which, inter-alia, makes maintenance of parents/ senior citizens by children/ relatives obligatory and justiciable through Tribunals; provides for revocation of transfer of property by senior citizens in case of negligence by children/ relatives; penal provisions for abandonment of senior citizens; medical facilities for senior citizens; and protection of life and property of senior citizens. The Act is required to be brought into force by individual State Governments. The Government of NCT of Delhi has already brought the Act into force and taken all necessary measures for its effective implementation.
The Government of India has also announced the National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) in January 1999 which envisages State`s support to ensure financial and food security, healthcare, shelter and other needs of older persons to improve the quality of their lives. In congruence with the NPOP, 1999, the Government of NCT of Delhi has also formulated its own Policy for Senior Citizens to address the concerns of senior citizens.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing a Central Sector Scheme of Integrated Programme for Older Persons (IPOP) under which financial assistance is provided to State Governments, Panchayati Raj Institutions/ Urban Local Bodies and Non-Government Organisations, etc. for running and maintaining of old age homes, day care centres, mobile medicare units, etc.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely, “National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE)” to improve health services for the elderly. The programme has been taken up in 100 selected districts of 21 States and 8 Regional Geriatric Institutes across the country on cost sharing basis with the participating States at the ratio of 80:20 (excluding the expenditure on 8 regional Medical Institutes).
The Ministry of Rural Development is administering the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) under which Central assistance is given towards pension @ Rs.200/ per month to persons above 60 years and @ Rs.500/- per month to persons above 80 years belonging to a household below poverty line, which is expected to be supplemented by at least an equal contribution by the States. The amount of pension including Central assistance and Government of NCT of Delhi contribution under the Scheme is Rs.1000/- per month to beneficiaries between 60-69 years of age and @ Rs.1500/- per month to beneficiaries aged 70 years and above. The Government of NCT of Delhi also provides additional assistance of Rs.500/- per month to senior citizens belonging to SC/ST/Minority communities. The assistance is remitted quarterly to their bank account through ECS.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory to State Governments in March 2008 to ensure that life and property of senior citizens is fully protected.
Besides, various facilities and benefits such as income tax concession, air and rail fare concession, etc. are also provided to senior citizens by the Central Government.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has informed that a proposal in this regard has been received and accordingly, the Government of NCT of Delhi has been requested to examine the proposal for issue of necessary instructions to the concerned Departments of NCT of Delhi.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri P. Balram Naik in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
Source:pib
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
