New Delhi, September 7
Representatives of medical students' associations from India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Malaysia under the aegis of International Federation of Medical Students Associations would be meeting in the national Capital tomorrow to discuss the much-required reforms in medical education system of the country.

Organised by the Medical Students Association of India (MSAI), the inaugural edition of annual event would result in a Delhi Declaration, the suggested draft of the new medical education policy.

Besides, the India International Medical Conclave (September 8, 9) with its focus on three important areas--leadership, entrepreneurship and being an excellent physician--would have eminent speakers, such as lyricist, poet and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar who would share his ideas on youth leadership and empowerment on the first day while Padmashri cardiologist Dr. KK Aggarwal would take up "leadership through spirituality".

"This is the first time those being taught, i.e. medical students as main stakeholders, are coming together with other stakeholders at a platform to discuss what and how they should be taught so that they are at par with their global peers," said Pratap A Naidu, executive president of MSAI.

"Some of the skills that need to be incorporated into medical education include communication skills, clinical skills, and information system and data management. There is a dire need for medical students to be formally trained into these if we are to produce better doctors. Besides, the norms for opening new medical colleges like minimum land area, etc., should be relaxed. For example, in cities, high-rise buildings can offer required floor space," said Dr. Narendra Saini, general secretary of Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Director of Delhi Academy of Medical Sciences Dr. Sumer K Sethi said, "We need to graduate from blackboard-and-chalk pedagogy. India has made significant progress in information technology and this should be leveraged on for medical education too."

MSAI is organising this conclave in association with IMA, Change Giver Mission, one of the leading NGOs working towards major transformations, and American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin.

New Delhi, September 7
The Food Security Programme launched by the Union government is an important step towards empowering women as the benefit is percolated down through Aadhar-based bank account of the eldest female member of the family, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said.

She exhorted women to get enrolled for Aadhar number as over 98 per cent population of Delhi has already been enrolled. The Chief Minister said this while inaugurating a Legal Awareness Camp at R.K. Puram where thousands of women from minorities and weaker sections turned up to interact with the two seniormost advocates. The camp was organised by the Delhi Commission for Women with a view to bringing awareness among women of their rights and other issues such as security, safety and empowerment.

Dikshit said the Centre and the state government has enacted many laws for the empowerment, welfare, uplift and safety and security of women. Therefore, it is essential to have proper knowledge of the provisions of the law in order to approach the relevant authorities. The city government had commissioned Women in Distress Helpline '181' after the brutal incident of December 16, 2012. It also facilitated in setting up of five fast track courts and amendments in the IPC. 

New Delhi, September 7
The BJP women wing has demanded tickets to the assembly election for woman candidate of each district of Delhi though that will still be less than 33 per cent reservation given to women in the assembly as well as municipal corporations.

BJP women wing president Sudha Sharma said that she had submitted a proposal before the party high command demanding one woman candidate from each district, thus there will be a total of 14 women contestants. There are 14 districts in Delhi and each district has five assembly constituencies.

She said, "We are not strict about 33 per cent reservation. We insist that candidate should have the winning potential and at least one woman candidate should be fielded from one constituency in each district," said Sushma Swaraj, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, who was the last woman MLA of the BJP in Delhi.

In the last election, the party had decided to give tickets to five women candidates, but only three were given tickets at last. Of them, not a single woman could win the seat.

The BJP already has 24 sitting MLAs. They may all be given tickets. The party will decide the constituencies for women from the remaining 46 vacant seats.

Sources say more than a hundred women have asked for the tickets. However, the high command has directed that only three applications from each constituency will be submitted and the candidates should be popular with the voters. 

New Delhi, September 7
A day after the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha, representatives who had spearheaded the vendors' movement today met Union Minister of Housing and Poverty Alleviation Dr Girija Vyas, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Kumari Selja and former Union Minister Ajay Maken to express their gratitude amidst celebrations.

They reached under the banner of the National Hawkers Federation (NHF) and the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) at their residences and greeted them with crackers, sweets and flowers.

Hailing the passage of the Bill, they also thanked the UPA government for fulfilling its promises made to them.

"Since 2000, we have been demanding the bill for the protection of the livelihood of hawkers. Finally, we have it and now they can hope for a better life," said Shafiq Ahmed and NHF's general secretary Shaktiman Ghose.

"We are happy that Parliament has passed it. It would be the first progressive central legislation the country has ever legislated in favour of street vendors," NASVI national coordinator Arbind Singh.

The Bill, which has several provisions to protect the livelihood, social security and human rights of more than 10 million urban street vendors across India, has gone through years of struggle.

NASVI programme manager Ranjit Abhigyan said, "The root of the proposed legislation lies in the street vendors' agitation, the Supreme Court verdict and the diligence of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) which felt and recognised the merits of NASVI advocacy for the central law in favour of street vendors."