Govt. releases Rs. 9,367 crore to drought-hit States under MGNREGA
The government has released Rs. 9,367 crore to drought-hit States under MGNREGA in 2016-17, the Parliament was informed on Friday.
The government has also relaxed norms under MGNREGA to provide additional employment of 50 days per household over and above the 100 days in areas affected by natural calamities during 2015-16, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
“During 2015-16 and 2016-17 (so far), Rs. 18,715.01 crore and Rs. 9,367.19 crore have been released, respectively, to the drought-hit States under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA),” Mr. Singh said.
The Minister added that the State government is primarily responsible for taking necessary relief measures in the event of natural calamities.
Govt taking steps to set up funds to promote pharma sector
The government is taking a number of initiatives to help pharma firms upgrade technology and promote drug discovery and innovation in the country.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals is formulating a Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme to support the pharma industry (medium enterprises only) “to upgrade their regulatory technology compliance from Schedule M of the Dugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 to WHO-GMP norms by facilitating low interest loans”, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar said in a reply to the Rajya Sabha.
Compliance to World Health Organization-GMP (good manufacturing practices) norms is necessary to enter export markets in most countries, he added.
“The Department of Pharmaceuticals is also formulating a Venture Capital Fund Scheme to promote drug discovery and pharma innovation in the country,” Mr. Kumar said.
MCA completes consultation for norms on revival of sick companies
The MInistry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has completed public consultation for rules pertaining to revival and rehabilitation of sick firms under the companies law.
“The rules related to revival and rehabilitation of sick companies have been examined in the Ministry and public consultations has also been completed,” Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.
He further said: “Notification of these rules is dependent on establishment of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), & NCLAT (National Company Law Appellate Tribunal) and commencement of the sick industrial (Special Provision) Repeal Act, 2003.”
NCLT, proposed under the Companies Act, 2013, would replace the Company Law Board.
‘No TSP has entered into partnership with Chinese firms”
No telecom operator has entered into partnership with Chinese companies in the communications sector although some foreign firms, including Chinese, have supplied mobile and broadband equipment to them, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Friday, adding that foreign firms, including Chinese, supply mobile handsets and set top boxes.
“However, as per information available with Department of Telecommunications, none of telecom service providers (TSPs) have entered into partnership with Chinese companies in the communication sector,” Mr. Prasad said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
However, the Minister said, Huawei Telecommunications (India) has been given security clearance by Ministry of Home Affairs to set up a unit for electronics/telecom hardware and support services at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
He said TSPs are allowed to deploy telecom equipment in their network based on their techno-commercial considerations subject to compliance of terms and conditions of license.
“Accordingly, some foreign companies including Chinese companies have entered into communications sector and have supplied mobile and broadband equipment to TSPs,” he added.
Increase in myopia cases among school children
Studies conducted on school going children in Delhi have shown an increase in prevalence of myopia due to decrease in outdoor activities and use of laptops and video games, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.
“Studies conducted in school going children in Delhi schools have shown an increase in the prevalence of myopia of 5.7 per cent over a period of 15 years. This is expected to be lower in rural areas,” Health Minister J.P. Nadda said in a written reply.
Mr. Nadda said that this increase is particularly due to life style changes such as decrease in outdoor activities and increase in activities including seeing objects at a close distance like using laptops, computers, video games and longer reading hours.
He said that various steps have been taken under the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Rastriya Bal Swasthy Karyakarama to protect children.
Replying to another question, Mr. Nadda said that a quarter of world’s neonatal deaths and 15 per cent of maternal deaths are recorded in India.
“As per UN Inter Agency Estimates, India contributes to 27 percent of global neonatal deaths and 15 per cent of the maternal deaths,” he said adding that the government recognises the fact that the health of the mother has an important bearing on the health of the child.
CBEC unit investigated 12 major undervaluation cases in FY16
Directorate General of Valuation in the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) investigated 12 major undervaluation cases involving a total duty amount of Rs. 135.70 crore in the last fiscal, the Parliament was informed.
“In the year 2015-16, the department has investigated 12 major undervaluation cases (wherein duty involved is more than Rs. 1 crore) involving a total duty amount of about Rs. 135.70 crore,” Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.
Cases of undervaluation or over-valuation of imports are booked on intelligence inputs received, Mr. Sinha added.
Also, the Risk Management System (RMS) interdicts imports consignments on the basis of risk parameters.
The Minister said the government has already initiated investigations as per prevalent laws wherever over-valuation or undervaluation has been noticed.
Replying to a separate query, Mr. Sinha said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered or investigated eight cases relating to chit-fund companies and Ponzi schemes in many parts of the country till April 30, 2016.
On a separate question, the Minister informed the Lower House that India has tax treaties (bilateral or multilateral) with 137 countries/offshore jurisdictions.
Over 90 jurisdiction, including several no-tax or low-tax offshore jurisdiction have expressed their commitment for putting in place the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), he added.
14 incidents of ragging reported in medical colleges in 2015-16
A total of 14 incidents of ragging have been reported in various medical colleges of the country in 2015-16 while there have been two deaths due to such incidents, the Lok Sabha was informed.
“Number of cases reported or received by the Medical Council of India (MCI) for ragging during the last three years are 23 in 2013-14, 21 in 2014-15 and 14 in 2015-16. Two cases of death have also been reported,” Health Minister J.P. Nadda said in a written reply.
The MCI with the approval of the government notified the Medical Council of India (Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges/Institutions) Regulations 2009 to curb the menace of ragging in medical colleges, he said.
“MCI has requested (through a circular) all the medical colleges to provide information before starting the fresh batch (2015-16) of admissions w.r.t anti-ragging committee compositions, number of incidences of ragging reported and action taken, number of FIRs lodged and punishment awarded.
“It had also asked to include specific information on anti-ragging in admission brochures, prospectus and booklets.
“MCI has also forwarded the format of the poster and hoardings provided by the University Grants Commission to be placed in different parts of the colleges in front of the administration building and each hostel of the institute,” Mr. Nadda said.
Centre to set up Integrated Health Information Platform
The Health Ministry is working towards setting up of Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) to enable creation of interoperable health records which can be made available and accessible throughout the country, the Lok Sabha was informed.
The government is also in the process of setting up of National e-Health Authority to enforce privacy and security measures for electronic health data and to regulate storage and exchange of electronic health records.
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda in a written reply told the Lok Sabha that in line with the overall objective of digitising healthcare, the government has worked out a detailed project report for health mission mode project under digital India programme focusing on key pillars...
“...such as hospital information system, electronic health record facilitated with health information exchange, online delivery of services, citizen portal, online monitoring systems for services and others” he said.
“Health Ministry is working towards setting up of IHIP to enable creation of interoperable health record which can be made available and accessible nationwide,” Mr. Nadda said.
“Health Ministry is also in the process of setting up of National e-Health Authority as a statutory body for promotion and adoption of e-health standards, to enforce privacy and security measures for electronic health data and to regulate storage and exchange of electronic health records,” he said.
“Standards of Electronic Health Record has been notified by Health Ministry in 2013 so as uniformity and standardisation could be ensured amongst different e-health systems,” Mr. Nadda said.
Polio only disease to be eradicated in last 3 years in India
The only disease to be eradicated in the last three years in India is polio, the government informed.
“In the last three years, only disease to be eradicated from India was Polio, in 2014,” Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda said, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
He said the government has noted that there has been recurrence of existing diseases and emergence of new ones like Drug Resistant Tuberculosis, Leprosy, Influenza A (H1N1), Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) and Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD).
Mr. Nadda, however, said there has been no recurrence of any diseases which was eradicated in India.
Replying to another question, he said that regulatory norms for organic foods have not been finalised as yet.
“The draft standards for alcoholic beverages were approved by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in its meeting held on September 4, 2015 and have been notified to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Technical Barriers to Trade and WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary members countries on October 29, 2016 and December 1, 2015, respectively,” he said.
