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Govt’s generic medicine push faces first hurdle from MPs
Defence production top priority, says Parrikar
No increase in prices of essential drugs, says govt
Enact anti-torture Bill: Ashwani to Rajnath
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In first week, Parliament passes 3 Bills
CAG report blames Rlys for Kumbh stampede
AMU VC warns of communal unrest over BJP-backed event on campus
BJP, Shiv Sena begin talks on coalition govt
Don’t push Sanskrit in mid-session: SC to govt
Unable to sell overseas hotels, Sahara tells SC
M’rashtra youth who joined IS returns home
Gogoi refuses permission for Modi meet in sports stadium
Hearing begins in Gulberg massacre case
Burdwan blast: NIA gets 7-day custody of accused
Shah lauds Modi govt’s feats
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Govt’s generic medicine push faces first hurdle from MPs
New Delhi, November 28 What was till now a loosely kept secret in the government circles today became open when Health Minister JP Nadda admitted in the Lok Sabha that MPs were uncomfortable with the idea of Central government dispensaries (where they are entitled to subsidised treatment) supplying generic medicines. “We have experienced a sort of aversion to the use of generic medicines which are cheaper than branded versions. The government wants to promote the use and production of generic medicines but first we need to create an environment conducive for such use. Only yesterday, a question came regarding the supply of generic medicines in the dispensaries run under the Central Government Health Scheme but many of our MP friends took the suggestion otherwise,” Nadda told the Lok Sabha today acknowledging the predicament of the government often accused of not doing enough to promote generic use of drugs. Most generic medicines are several times cheaper than branded versions, a matter debated during the Lok Sabha’s question hour today. Sources in Health Ministry said their attempt to expand the list of generic medicines supplied through CGHS dispensaries was being resisted by many MPs. Nadda for his part admitted that the government would run a campaign across the country to promote the use of generic medicines besides encouraging local units to produce top line antibiotics to which antimicrobial resistance has been reported in recent years. The Health Minister said the incidence of antimicrobial resistance to drugs was on the rise and rational use of drugs necessary to prevent the same. He was, however, silent on the fate of the National Antibiotic Policy, drafted in 2010 after the emergence of a superbug in India. “We have through the IMA asked doctors to encourage rational use of drugs and prescribe generic medicines. Irrational use of drugs is a huge challenge,” Nadda said not making any commitments on whether the Antibiotic Policy will become a legal document. His thrust was to promote rational use of drugs through awareness camps among people and capacity building of doctors. Since the superbug phenomenon emerged in India, six fourth generation antibiotics were put in a new schedule called H1 under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. These drugs can’t be disbursed without prescription while the rest can be.
The government has asked those travelling to India from Ebola-affected countries to carry a certificate stating that there is no evidence of the deadly virus in their body fluids. In case people having been discharged after being treated do not have the certificate, they have been advised not to travel to India for a period of 90 days from their discharge, Health Minister JP Nadda told the Lok Sabha on Friday. PTI
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Winter session of parliament Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 28 Answering supplementaries for the first time during Question Hour today, recently appointed Minister of Defence said the government had initiated steps to reduce expenditure on arms import and increase exports instead. The government in 2012-13 spent Rs 30,370.80 crore on arms imports followed by Rs 38,202.66 crore in 2013-14, making India the world’s top arms imported contributing 12 per cent of the arms import globally. Parrikar fielded queries well after being cornered by Konda Vishweshwar Reddy of the TRS who dissected Government data to ask what part of indigenous procurement claimed by the Government was made of imported components. “I agree with my friend’s statement that figures hide more than they reveal. That is the basic principle of statistics,” Defence Minister said adding that in equipment manufactured in India, in most cases there is 50 per cent indigenization or at the most 90 pc. “There is 100 per cent indigenisasation in a very few items,” the minister admitted while assuring the House that the government’s priority was indigenous procurement in the categories of “buy Indian” or at least “buy and make Indian”.
Agusta probe at advanced stage
Parrikar on Friday informed the Lok Sabha that the probe into the now-scrapped Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland deal was at an advanced stage
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No increase in prices of essential drugs, says govt
New Delhi, November 28 Replying to queries in the Rajya Sabha, Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar said on the contrary, prices of 44 drugs and 108 formulations had come down during the period. While some Opposition members suggested that prices of certain drugs used in the treatment of tuberculosis, AIDS, diabetes and heart ailments were on the rise following the de-control policy, the minister said the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) had capped the maximum retail price of 108 non-scheduled single ingredient drug formulations related to treatment for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
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Enact anti-torture Bill: Ashwani to Rajnath
New Delhi, November 28 In a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Kumar said the need to have the Prevention of Torture Bill 2010 approved by Parliament was important to prevent torture of people in custody. Kumar was chairman of the Select Committee which was formed in 2010 to look at various aspects concerning the law, which India is obliged to draft to fulfil its international obligation as signatory to the UN Convention against Torture. “The provisions of the Bill were discussed threadbare in the Parliamentary Select Committee and approved unanimously by the members present and voting. This Bill seeks to validate our claim that India is irrevocably committed to the protection of human rights of its citizens and its passage is necessary for ensuring a civilised administration of our criminal justice system and the relevant international conventions to which India is a signatory,” Kumar said in his letter. The Bill aims to provide punishment for torture inflicted by public servants or any person inflicting torture with the consent or acquiescence of any public servant and for matters connected therewith. He said the law deserved foremost priority in the government’s legislative business. The said Bill is not listed in the government agenda for the ongoing Winter Session.
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In first week, Parliament passes 3 Bills
New Delhi, November 28 Three of these Bills now have the approval of both Houses while one Bill was withdrawn, says the Institute for Policy Research Studies (PRS) in a compilation of the work done by parliamentarians this week. In all, of the 37 Bills listed in the agenda for the session, work on 33 is left. Both Houses extensively discussed the need to expedite the process of bringing back black money stashed abroad. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley replied to the debate and gave an account of the steps taken by the government. Stating that they were not satisfied by the minister’s answer, several Opposition parties walked out of Parliament. According to the PRS, in terms of productivity, the Lok Sabha worked for 86 per cent of its scheduled time till Thursday and the Rajya Sabha 81 per cent. The first day of sitting of Parliament was adjourned after obituary notices were read. Both Houses worked overtime to make up for the time lost. Lok Sabha sat for over seven hours on two days, while Rajya Sabha sat for over eight hours on one day.
Well begun
The Lok Sabha worked for 86% of its scheduled time till Thursday and the Rajya Sabha 81%
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CAG report blames Rlys for Kumbh stampede
New Delhi, November 28 “There was no Railway Disaster Management Plan for Kumbh Mela,” the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said in its latest report tabled in Parliament today. During “shahi snan” when the state government expected about 3.05 crore pilgrims to visit the mela and 4.10 lakh passengers to utilise trains, a major stampede took place at platform No. 6 of Allahabad station that resulted in loss of 37 lives and injuries to 48. The CAG, while reviewing the arrangements, observed the lack of proper coordination with the state administration by railways. “Railway administration failed to establish proper coordination with the state government authorities for crowd management at station,” the report said. — PTI
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AMU VC warns of communal unrest over BJP-backed event on campus
New Delhi, November 28 While HRD Minister Smriti Irani said she had received no letter from AMU Vice-Chancellor to this effect, VC Zameeruddin Shah said he had written to her warning against “communal conflagration” and “student unrest” in case pro-BJP factions celebrated the birthday of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh on the campus on December 1. The Vice-Chancellor said he had not named any outfit in his letter and only mentioned that there were many political parties on the fringe and they should be controlled to prevent communal trouble in Aligarh. Certain factions associated with the ABVP in Aligarh have announced plans to mark the birthday of Mahendra Pratap, who they say was the principal donor of land for the university. This faction feels the Raja has not received his due. Asked what the ministry had to say on the situation, Irani said she could only comment once she read the letter. “I have not seen any such letter yet,” she said. The AMU Vice-Chancellor, meanwhile, has said the institution has always acknowledged that the Raja leased 3.04 acres to the AMU in 1929 at a rate of Rs 2 per year. “We value this freedom fighter but there were other donors as well and the main campus came up on the land procured from the British and was originally with the Aligarh cantonment,” the Vice-Chancellor said.
Donor's birth anniversary
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BJP, Shiv Sena begin talks on coalition govt
Mumbai, November 28 Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who has been tasked by the BJP leadership to talk to the Shiv Sena, went for a meeting with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshree this evening. “We are meeting with today with an open mind. The Shiv Sena is our natural ally. We have been allies in the past and are still together at the Centre,” Pradhan told reporters before leaving for the Thackeray residence. Earlier in the day, Pradhan met with senior state BJP leaders.
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Don’t push Sanskrit in mid-session: SC to govt
New Delhi, November 28 A Bench comprising Justices Anil Dave and Kurian Joseph said thrusting a new language on students towards the fag end of the current academic session would put undue pressure on them. Appearing for the Centre, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi sought to justify the decision to re-introduce Sanskrit from December 1, contending that the three-year agreement signed with Germany for teaching the language in Classes VI to VIII in KVs had expired in September. The Narendra Modi government did not go for agreement renewal as under the Constitution only notified Indian languages could be taught in schools as a third language, the AG said. Rohatgi also pleaded that a large number of students had already accepted the change as they would be taught only the basics of Sanskrit this year and as such it would not be a burden. Unconvinced, the Bench said the students perhaps had fallen in line under pressure from teachers. At this, the AG sought a week’s time for consulting the government. The Bench was hearing a PIL challenging Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smiriti Irani’s order replacing German with Sanskrit. Last week, the SC had issued notice to the Centre seeking its response to the petition. The petition has been filed by parents of about 20 affected students. There are about 1,000 KVs, also known as central schools, in the country and the order has impacted about 70,000 students.
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Unable to sell overseas hotels, Sahara tells SC
New Delhi, November 28 The group had tried to sell the hotels as part of the efforts to mobilise Rs 10,000 crore, the bail amount stipulated by the SC for the release of Sahara chief Subrata Roy. The Sahara chief has been lodged in Tihar Jail here since March 4 for the non-refund of about Rs 25,000 crore to depositors as directed by the apex court. The amount was to be returned to over 30 million small investors who had put their money in a debenture issue floated by two Sahara companies. Appearing for Sahara, senior advocate S Ganesh also submitted proposals for the sale of some properties within the country. A Bench headed by Justice TS Thakur asked market regulator Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to give its views on Sahara’s proposals by December 2. Ganesh pleaded with the Bench for the release of his client as he had been in jail for 11 months, despite the fact that under the contempt of court the maximum punishment for non-compliance of the court directive for returning the funds was only six months. Unconvinced, the Bench said Sahara was not making any serious effort except producing papers pertaining to proposed deals for the sale of properties. At one time, the group had claimed that it had assets worth Rs 1.8 lakh crore, but was unable to mobilise the bail amount for the past one year. “This is something which is difficult to understand...Your client seems to have become comfortable in jail,” it said.
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M’rashtra youth who joined IS returns home
Mumbai, November 28 The youth, Arif Majeed, 22, was brought to Mumbai from Turkey by a team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Sources said Majeed had called his family sometime last month and expressed his desire to return home. The NIA, which was in touch with the family ever since Majeed and three of his friends left for Iraq, advised him to travel to Turkey where he surrendered to the authorities there. Sources said Majeed was in Mosul, a stronghold of the IS, though it is not clear whether he was involved in any fighting in that country. Following diplomatic efforts between the Indian and Turkish governments, Majeed was handed over to the NIA team by the authorities in Turkey, sources said. Shortly after his return home this morning, Majeed’s parents were called to the offices of the NIA in the city, the police here said. No other details were available. In his complaint with the police, Majeed’s father stated that he had left for Baghdad with three of his friends for a tour of religious places in that country. Subsequently, they broke away from the tour group and joined IS. A letter left behind by the engineering student said he wanted to leave his family as “they were living in sin”. Majeed also criticised his family for watching television and for not being religious enough. According to the information available with the police, Majeed and his companions were taken to Fallujah before he was moved to Mosul. The names of the other three youth have been given as Fahad Sheikh, Aman Tandel and Shaheen Tanki.
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Gogoi refuses permission for Modi meet in sports stadium
Guwahati, November 28 In a statement here today, the Chief Minister asked the Sports Department not to accord permission to any political party/organisation/individual to hold any “non-sporting” activity in the main stadium area of Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium. Expressing his displeasure at the Sports and Youth Welfare Department for throwing open the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium for “non-sporting” activity, Gogoi strictly directed the department not to allow non-sporting activities in the main stadium in future. “The Department has to ensure that the playground is in good condition and it should not allow non-sporting activity that might cause damage to the play ground. This directive has to be strictly adhered to at any cost,” he said. — PTI
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Hearing begins in Gulberg massacre case
Ahmedabad, November 28 After delay in completing the hearing since 2005, Judge PB Desai has started the hearing on a day-to-day basis following the apex court’s recent orders to complete the trial in three months. The hearing of the Gulberg society case, in which former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri and 68 others were killed, has remained incomplete due to frequent transfers of the investigating officers and objections raised by the main complainant Zakia Jafri, the wife of the deceased MP, and her mentor Teesta Setalvad, general secretary of Citizens for Justice and Peace
(CJP).
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Burdwan blast: NIA gets 7-day custody of accused
Kolkata, November 28 The accused, belonging to the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), were allegedly planning to assassinate Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Opposition leader Khaleda Zia and others in the country. Their conspiracy was being hatched at a house at Khagragarh in Burdwan. The court also rejected the plea for repatriation of the accused to Dhaka, saying the NIA need to further interrogate them. The special investigating team of Bangladesh, which is in the city, had sought their repatriation to Dhaka. The CBI has also sought custody of the Khagragarh accused to probe the involvement of Trinamool Congress leaders in the incident.
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Shah lauds Modi govt’s feats
New Delhi, November 28 In a statement issued on the completion of the six months of the BJP government, Shah said he was sure that when the government would enumerate its achievements after 60 months, the list would be longer. He said the government had taken measures for controlling price rise and eradicating corruption. — TNS
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New Delhi, November 28
New Delhi, November 28
