India Show Begins at Lahore

Over 400 exhibitors will be participating
“India Show” being organized by Government of India from 11-13 February, 2012, showcases the best of the Indian industry, cuisine and culture. Over 400 exhibitors will be participating in this Show which is intended to increase future trade opportunities, B2B meetings and direct buyer-seller interaction.

The objective of India Show Exhibition is to raise awareness of Indian products in Pakistan. Hon’ble Commerce Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Makhdoom Amin Fahim, will inaugurate the India Show on 11th February, 2012 at 10.30 A.M. in Lahore Expo Centre. Mr. Anand Sharma, Hon’ble Commerce, Industry and Textile Minister will preside over the closing ceremony of the ‘India Show’ on 13th February 2012. High powered Indian CEOs delegation led by Mr. R.V. Kanoria, President, FICCI is accompanying the Minister to Lahore for this show. 

More than 50 prominent Indian companies will exhibit their products spread around 110 stalls in Hall No. 2 of Lahore Expo Centre. Products will range from manufacturing services, chemicals, engineering, textiles & apparels, consumer durables, gems & jewellery cosmetics, handicrafts, auto components, healthcare etc. Three hours in each of the days will remain open for general visitors while morning hours will remain dedicated to business visitors. B2B meetings during the days of the exhibition are being organized by TDAP in collaboration with Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Onetime permission has been granted by Government of Pakistan to exhibit Indian goods and services beyond the normal import of goods from India being allowed as per ‘Positive List’ and counter sale of products. The Indian CEOs delegation will comprise of more than 100 business delegates from wide cross section of Indian corporate sector will have business meetings at Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. 

The realization that trade could play a major role in improving overall relations has seen many encouraging developments taking place in the recent past. Year 2011 witnessed breakthrough developments in India-Pakistan bilateral relations. The positive atmosphere being created by both India and Pakistan to improve human lives by enhancing trade and commerce has been welcomed by business community in both countries. In this context, ‘India Show’ presents an opportunity to project the various trade and cultural opportunities that exists between the two countries. This ‘India Show’ provides a platform for the business entrepreneurs to enhance their interactions that will lead to our mutual quest for forging new paths of friendship and partnership on both sides.(PIB)  ****
12-February-2012 15:13 IST 

Naxal menace:A biggest internal security challenge

Naxal menace will be fought 
with a people centric approach, says Jairam

The Union Minister for Rural Development, Shri Jairam Ramesh lighting the lamp to inaugurate the All India Editors Conference on Social Sector Issues, at Puducherry on February 10, 2012. The Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and Prime Minister’s Office, Shri V. Narayanasamy, the Lt. Governor of Puducherry, Shri Iqbal Singh, the Chief Minister of Puducherry, Shri. N. Rangaswamy and the Principal Director General (M&C), Press Information Bureau, Smt. Neelam Kapur are also seen.  PIB photo   10-February-2012

Naxal menace will be fought with a people centric approach, says Jairam
Union Minister for Rural Development Shri Jairam Ramesh has said that the government is working on a multi pronged people centric strategy to deal with Maoist violence in the country. Inaugurating the All India Editors' conference on Social Sector issues here this evening, he said, only police centric response to deal with the biggest internal security challenge is not going to succeed. He said, the Maoist menace can be taken head on by addressing the developmental concerns of the tribals, besides increasing the intensity of political activity. Giving the example of Junglemahal area in West Bengal, where intense political activity has forced the Maoists to take a back seat, the Minister said, people-centric welfare measures and better and sensitive administrative mechanisms are other necessary ways to deal with the naxal challenge, besides resorting to security measures through police and para-military forces. Dwelling in detail on the problems in dealing with Naxal violence, which has taken deep roots in 78 districts of the country, Shri Ramesh said, failure of politics and development were the reasons for the upsurge in violence. He said the centre will be redesigning and restructuring the rural development programmes and will make them more sensitive to the needs of the common man and particularly the tribal community. The Minister said, he is working on the institutionalization of the Concurrent Evaluation Network through the NGOs and research institutes at the Central and State level to get the regular feedback about the implementation of rural development schemes on the ground level. He said, the Ministry has already decided to open all rural schemes to CAG audit to bring about greater accountability and transparency. The Minister said, he is also planning to give more flexibility to the state governments and his target is that by 2017, the states will prioritize about 50 percent of all the rural schemes spending, besides enhancing the importance of neglected sectors like drinking water supply and sanitation.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's office, Shri V.Narayansamy said, a foolproof mechanism must be evolved to check the leakages in the implementation of the central schemes by the State governments. Asking the media to provide valuable suggestions in this regard, he said, the role of the fourth state should not only be confined to criticizing the government, but they should also highlight the positive achievements. Lamenting over the siphoning of funds meant for schemes like health, education and sanitation by the vested interests, the Minister urged the regional media to play a pro-active role in exposing the corrupt.

In his address, the Lt Governor of Puducherry Dr Iqbal Singh said, media makes democracy to function in its true spirit by informing the citizens about the developments in society. He said, editorial independence to pursue public interests is an essential facet for the press to lend credible voice for creating informed citizens.

The Chief Minister of Puducherry Shri N.Rangaswamy highlighted the various developmental measures initiated in the state for the welfare of the people. He expressed hope that the two-day deliberations will focus upon constructive schemes and decisions on social infrastructure facilities in a full-fledged manner.

In her address, the Principal D.G of Press Information Bureau, Ms Neelam Kapur said, the conference on Social Sector issues will provide an important opportunity to the representatives of the small and medium newspapers to interact with the policy makers. She said, the UPA government is implementing a large number of social sector programmes spanning various Ministries, which should be highlighted by the media so that the common man can reap their benefits.{PIB} 10-February-2012 20:09 IST
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All India Editors Conference at Puducherry

The Principal Director General (M&C), Press Information Bureau, Smt. Neelam Kapur addressing the All India Editors Conference on Social Sector Issues, at Puducherry on February 10, 2012. The Union Minister for Rural Development, Shri Jairam Ramesh, the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and Prime Minister’s Office, Shri V. Narayanasamy, the Lt. Governor of Puducherry, Shri Iqbal Singh, the Chief Minister of Puducherry, Shri N. Rangaswamy and other dignitaries are also seen. {PIB photo}10-February-2012

Govt.order bound to have nationwide implications

Govt.order sets at rest all issues on free treatment for poor  by pvt hospitals Says lawyer Ashok Agarwal 

The  Central  Government on 09.02.2012 has filed its Order dated 02.02.2012 in  the Hon’ble Delhi High Court informing the Hon’ble Court that after the Hon’ble Supreme Court has affirmed on 01.09.2011 the directions passed by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court on 22.03.2007 in Social Jurist vs GNCT of Delhi, the Government of India has taken a policy decision on the basis of judgment passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court that all the six hospitals which have been provided land by Land & Development Officer must strictly follow the policy of providing treatment free of cost to 25% OPD and 10% IPD patients. It has also informed that the Government of India has further incorporated the aforesaid conditions mentioned in the Para 3(i) to (xviii) above as a part of the terms and conditions of lease/allotment.

“Though the Govt Order relates to six hospitals of Delhi, namely, (1) Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, (2) Mool Chand Khairati Hospital, (3) St. Stephen’s Hospital, (4) Veeranwali International Hospital/ PRIMUS ORTHO, (5) R.B.Seth Jassa Ram Hospital and (6) Vimhans, but it will certainly have nationwide implications as the same lays down a national policy in principle for all private hospitals all over the country to whom public lands have been allotted on concessional rates,” says Lawyer and Social Activist Ashok Agarwal who has been fighting for the rights of the poor for the last more than 4 decades.

Social Jurist, A Civil Rights Group way back in 2002 through Advocate Ashok Agarwal had filed a PIL in Delhi High Court highlighting the fact that the private hospitals on public land allotted to them on concessional rates have not been complying with the allotment conditions regarding providing free medical treatment to the poor to the extent of 25% IPD and 40% OPD and the Government has failed to take any action against these erring hospitals.  Delhi High Court following the recommendations of Justice Qureshi Committee which were accepted by the Government , directed by judgment dated 22.03.2007 all the private hospitals on public land allotted to them on concessional rates to provide totally free of cost treatment to economically weaker section (EWS) patients to the extent of 10% IPD and 25% OPD.  At present, as many as 43 private hospitals have been identified which are covered by the judgment of the Hon’ble High Court which has in total nearly 800 free-beds for the poor.  These 43 hospitals do not include Apollo Hospital which alone has 200 free beds for the poor. (10.02.2012)

Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign

Shri F. Vanlalawma, the President Village Council Association Sangau RD Block, inaugurates the Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign, at Sangau Village in Lawngtlai Distt. Mizoram on February 07, 2012.    {PIB photo}   09-February-2012

Remembering Ramkinkar Baij

The Union Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Culture, Kum. Selja going round after inaugurating an exhaustive retrospective of Ramkinkar Baij, curated by sculptor K.S Radhakrishnan, in New Delhi on February 08, 2012. The Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri Jawhar Sircar and other dignitaries are also seen.  

PIB photo      

08-February-2012

Australian Medical Students Visit CMC

They were very impressed by the medical facilities of CMC

Ludhiana, 7th February, 2012 (Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria) 

Photo: Mr Nick and Mr Matt  with Dr HS Bedi – the Head of Cardio Vascular & Thoracic Surgery at CMC

2 medical students from the prestigious  Sydney Medical School of the University of Sydney visited the Christian Medical College & Hospital , Ludhiana. They are Mr Nicholas Malouf   and Mr Matthew Watson. They were in CMC from 23rd Jan to 8th Feb 2012.
They have been in CMC & H from as part of an educational and cultural tour. They were very impressed by the medical facilities of CMC and also the warmth and friendliness of the people of the region. They attended various sessions in Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery, General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery and the Betty Cowan Research wing. Both are sons of doctors – Nick’s father is one of the senior most vascular surgeons in Sydney and Matt’s father is a Prof of Medicine in Sydney University. They felt that the departments here were truly amazing and on par with the West, and were quite impressed with the high level of medical education here.
Both felt that India was fascinating and vibrant country from the food to the scenic beauty. Their visit to the Harmandar Sahib was stunning and they felt a sense of peace and harmony there . However it was the hospitality and friendliness of the people that they will cherish the most . They look forward to coming back to Punjab and CMC.
Dr SM Bhatti – Principal of CMC – told that CMC was much in demand as a learning centre for young doctors from abroad. All candidates come via the Medical Council of India (MCI).
Dr Abraham G Thomas – Director of CMC & H – said that with the excellent infrastructure and dedicated doctors who were second to none in the world – CMC was a role model for ideal patient care and research in India.