Yearly Archives: 2017

Features of GST

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Goods and Services Tax (GST) is intended to bring transparency and accountability in business transactions along with the ease of doing business and rationalization in tax rates and will not pave the way for financialization of the country.

The foremost benefit of GST is to remove hurdles in inter-State transactions resulting in the setting up of a common market. This make ‘one nation, one tax and one market’ true in the country.Further, in case of inter-State supply, only integrated tax is to be levied while in intra-State supplies, central tax and State tax or Union territory tax is to be levied. Thus, the plethora of taxes being levied by the Centre and the States in the erstwhile regime has been replaced by simpler and more efficient taxation system.

GST will promote business and development by making the taxation structure easy and by eliminating the numerous taxes. The GST laws have been framed in such a manner that a multitude of taxes have been replaced by one tax. The details of the taxes subsumed under GST are as under.

(A) Taxes related to Centre:

i. Central Excise duty
ii. Duties of Excise (Medicinal and Toilet Preparations)
iii. Additional Duties of Excise (Goods of Special Importance)
iv. Additional Duties of Excise (Textiles and Textile Products)
v. Additional Duties of Customs (commonly known as CVD)
vi. Special Additional Duty of Customs (SAD)
vii. Service Tax
viii. Central Surcharges and Cesses so far as they relate to supply of goods or services.
(B) Taxes related to State

i. State VAT
ii. Central Sales Tax
iii. Luxury Tax
iv. Octroi and Entry Tax (all forms)
v. Entertainment and Amusement Tax (except when levied by the local bodies)
vi. Taxes on advertisements
vii. Purchase Tax
viii. Taxes on lotteries, betting and gambling
ix. State Surcharges and Cesses so far as they relate to supply of goods or services.
GST will improve productivity and easiness of business as the entire nation has been converted into a single market by removal of hurdles to inter-State trade. Further, uniform tax rates along with reduction in the cascading effect of taxation and increased input tax credit utilization in GST would immensely benefit the nation. There is automation of all major business processes viz., registration, payment of tax, return filing, etc.

This was stated by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Finance in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft

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An Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) has been signed in October 2007 between the Governments of India and the Russian Federation for Joint Development and production of Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA).

The project is planned to be executed in two phases (i) Preliminary Design (PD) Phase; and (ii) Detailed Design & Development Phase (called R & D Phase). The PD stage contract was signed in December, 2010. The work commenced in February 2011 and completed in June, 2013.

An amount of Rs.1535.45 Crore has been spent as on 31st March 2017.

Planned expenditure has been recommended in the IGA. Any future expenditure under R&D Contract will be known once the Commercial negotiation Committee (CNC) submits its recommendations to the Government.

This information was given by Minister of state for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri Baijayant Jay Panda in Lok Sabha today.

DREAMers at greater risk for mental health distress

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Immigrants who came to the United States illegally as small children and who meet the requirements of the Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, more commonly known as DREAMers, are at risk for mental health distress, according to a new study from researchers at Rice University.

Picture of U.S. and Mexico”DREAMers Living in the United States: A Contextual Perspective and Clinical Implications” will appear in an upcoming edition of the American Journal of Psychiatry. This article presents a clinical perspective that emphasizes how living in the country without proper documentation affects mental health as a result of facing constant institutional and societal exclusion.

To study the prevalence of mental health distress among Mexican immigrants living illegally in high-risk areas (places that have strong opposition and punitive actions against immigrants living here illegally), the researchers surveyed nearly 260 people. To be eligible for the survey, the participants had to confirm that they were residing in the U.S. without proper documentation.

Among participants, respondents aged 18-25 were the most likely to exhibit psychological distress (63 percent). Also, more than 90 percent of all respondents cited the loss of their home, social status, family and symbolic self as reasons for mental health distress.

Luz Garcini, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Psychology at Rice and the study’s lead author, said that DREAMers in particular are at risk for psychological distress and diminished quality of life as a result of the many complex stressors they face. They often experience these stressors over an extended period, under harsh living conditions and without access to adequate mental health services.

“DREAMers are often marginalized and discriminated against, and as a result they may become isolated from the larger educational and work communities,” Garcini said. “Many also experience separation from deported family members, and they do not have the option of traveling internationally to visit them. Finally, they live in constant fear of deportation and experience a sense of voicelessness, invisibility and limited opportunities, due to their conflicting undocumented status.”

Garicini hopes that the study will inform the development of interventions and advocacy efforts for this at-risk immigrant subgroup.

“Debates on programs and policies pertaining to DREAMers are complex and multifaceted, and differences of opinion and divisions on policy options are long-standing,” she said. “However, as clinicians, we may contribute by devising solutions grounded in evidence and developing alternatives designed to facilitate access to culturally and contextually sensitive mental health services for these at-risk youths, which is critical to protecting their mental health and their basic human rights.”

Researchers crack the smile, describing 3 types by muscle movement

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The smile may be the most common and flexible expression, used to reveal some emotions, cover others and manage social interactions that have kept communities secure and organized for millennia.

But how do we tell one kind of smile from another?

“When distinguishing among smiles, both scientists and laypeople have tended to focus on true and false smiles. The belief is that if you smile when you’re not happy, the smile is false,” says Paula Niedenthal, a psychology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “But people smile in many different circumstances and during many emotional states. So asserting that only smiles that result from states of happiness are ‘true’ smiles limits our understanding of this important facial expression.”

Niedenthal and colleagues from Cardiff University and the University of Glasgow published a set of experiments that seek to expand our understanding of the human smile this week in the journal Psychological Science, showing three distinct, reliably recognized expressions — smiles of reward, affiliation and dominance — and describing the facial muscle combinations that make them.

Each smile hinges on an anatomical feature known as the zygomaticus major, straps of facial muscle below the cheekbones that pull up the corners of the mouth. But it’s not the only muscle at work.

Participants in the study looked at thousands of computer-generated expressions with random combinations of facial muscles activated — with one exception.

“We varied everything that could be varied in an expression, but our stimuli included some action from the smile muscle, the zygomaticus,” says Magdalena Rychlowska, a postdoctoral researcher at Cardiff. “We asked participants to tell us when they see a reward or affiliative or a dominance smile, and when the expression is not a smile.”

The researchers turned their participant-sorted smiles back on two more sets of observers, checking recognition and social messages until they had recipes for each smile.

For example, a reward smile — “probably the most intuitive,” Niedenthal says, “the kind of smile you would use with a baby, so he will smile back or do things you like” — is a symmetrical hoist of zygomaticus muscles plus a dash of eyebrow lift and some sharp lip pulling.

Affiliative smiles — used to communicate tolerance, acknowledgment, or a bond, and show that you’re not a threat — come with a similar symmetrical upturn to the mouth, but spread wider and thinner with pressed lips and no exposed teeth.

Dominance smiles are used to signify status and manage social hierarchies. They dispense with the symmetry, pairing a bit of lopsided sneer with the raised brows and lifted cheeks typically associated with expressing enjoyment.

“This facial expression has evolved to solve basic tasks of human living in social groups: Thanks, I like this. Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you. Hey, I’m in charge here,” Niedenthal says. “There are so many words people use to describe different smiles, but we see them as describing subtypes of a reward situation or an affiliative situation or a situation of negotiating hierarchy and having disdain for someone else.”

With precise physical descriptions of smile types, researchers can better classify subtypes and study the use and effects of smiles in pivotal human interactions.

“We now know which movements we should look for when we describe smiles from real life,” says Rychlowska. “We can treat smiles as a set of mathematical parameters, create models of people using different types of smiles, and use them in new studies.”

Rychlowska and collaborators are already digging into the way affiliative and dominance smiles can shift the outcome of games and negotiations. Niedenthal is working with surgeons who repair and reconstruct facial bones and muscles.

“They may have to make choices that will affect a patient’s expression for the rest of their life,” Niedenthal says. “It’s useful for them to know how different kinds of smiles are used in the world, and which muscles are involved in making them.”

Better definitions of smile types should also help people navigate intercultural communication. Previous research has shown Niedenthal that while the types of smiles used vary from country to country, there is plenty of variation in how often they are used.

“Americans smile so much that people from other countries are taught to smile more when they interact with us,” she says. “The problem is, they’re almost always taught one kind of smile, and that can cause confusion. “Simply teaching people about the existence of different types of ‘true’ smiles can help people pay more attention and avoid some of those misunderstandings.”

Sleep or sex? How the fruit fly decides

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Choosing between sex or sleep presents a behavioral quandary for many species, including the fruit fly. A multi-institution team has found that, in Drosophila at least, males and females deal with these competing imperatives in fundamentally different ways, they report July 28 in the journal Nature Communications.

“An organism can only do one thing at a time,” said corresponding author Michael Nitabach, professor of cellular and molecular physiology and professor of genetics at Yale. “What we have discovered is a neuronal connection that regulates the interplay between courtship and sleep.”

Nitabach — in collaboration with scientists from Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Southeast University in China, and University of San Diego — investigated neuronal activity involved in both behaviors and found that sleep-deprived males showed little interest in courtship while a lack of shut-eye had no effect on the mating behavior of females. Sexually aroused males got little sleep, while aroused females slept more.

The male flies’ behavior is easily explained as an adaptive behavior, say the scientists: Falling asleep during sex is not a good way to pass on your genes. But, they wondered, why are females still receptive to male advances when sleepy?

It could be that females can’t afford to pass up an eligible suitor no matter how tired they are, Nitabach said.

“It appears that whichever behavior has the highest biological drive suppresses the other behavior,” he said.

In addition to identifying this sex-specific behavior, the collaborative team also revealed underlying functional connections between the distinct neural centers that mediate sex and sleep.

Nitabach said humans could possibly have a similar mechanism for adjudicating when the drives for sleep and sex collide.

Sports Minister Vijay Goel interacts with Indian Football Team for FIFA U-17 World Cup

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Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel here today visited Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to meet the practicing Indian Football Team for FIFA U-17 World Cup to be held in India in October this year.

The Minister interacted with each probable of the team, their coach and other support staff to have the firsthand knowledge about their preparations and facilities provided to them. Later talking to media the Minister said the team has been given a lot of exposure during its trips to different countries such as Spain, Portugal, Germany, Russia, Dubai and Brazil etc. He said that team has also played a lot of international friendly matches with clubs and countries in the run up to the world cup. Shri Goel said currently the team is preparing for a 4 Nation Tournament in Mexico in August, 2017 where India, Mexico, Columbia and Chile will participate. He said this will be a good opportunity for the Indian team to hone their skills further before the World Cup.

Shri Vijay Goel expressed the hope that with their enthusiasm and rigorous training, the team members will bring glory to the country. He said that the Indian eleven will prove the dark horse in the Championship. Wishing best of luck to the team members, the Minister said entire country is looking forward for their best foot forward and success. He said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has time and again emphasized on promotion of Sports culture in the country. Shri Goel said under the dynamic leadership of Shri Narendra Modi the government has initiated Mission XI Million to connect schools across the country with football. The promotion of Sports and upcoming World Cup will inspire students and youth in the country to play football in a big way.

Controlling Chronic Anaemia in Women

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According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS)–IV (2015-16), the prevalence of anemia among women aged 15 to 49 years is 53%. In order to prevent anaemia among women and children, National Iron Plus Initiative (NIPI) has been launched in 2013, a flagship scheme under the National Health Mission based on the life-cycle approach, under which iron-folic acid supplementation is provided to the vulnerable age groups. It includes Pregnant and lactating women and Women in reproductive age (WRA) group.

Measures taken by Government to ensure optimum nutritional requirements for women are:

• Universal screening of pregnant women for anaemia is a part of ante-natal care and all pregnant women are to be provided iron and folic acid tablets during their ante-natal and post natal visits through the existing network of sub-centers and primary health centres and other health facilities as well as through outreach activities at Village Health & Nutrition Days (VHNDs) and also through the ASHAs. After the first trimester of pregnancy, every pregnant woman during ANC is to be given iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets for six months, and six months post-partum. Pregnant women, who are found to be clinically anaemic, are to be given double the dose of IFA.

• Government of India has given directions to the States for identification and tracking of severely anaemic cases at all the sub centres and PHCs for their timely management.

• Health and nutrition education to promote dietary diversification, inclusion of iron foliate rich food as well as food items that promote iron absorption.

• To address anaemia due to worm infestation, deworming of pregnant women is done after first trimester preferably in second trimester of pregnancy.

• To tackle the problem of anemia due to malaria particularly in pregnant women and children, Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) and Insecticide Treated Bed Nets (ITBNs) are being distributed in endemic areas.

The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Sh Faggan Singh Kulaste stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.

Increase in Costs of Healthcare Services

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As per the Publication titled “Health in India – NSS 71st Round” (January-June 2014) brought out by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), the average total medical and other related non-medical expenditure per hospitalisation in rural and urban areas are Rs.16,956/- and Rs.26,455/- respectively and average total medical expenditure for non-hospitalized treatment per ailing person in rural and urban areas are Rs.509/- and Rs.639/- respectively. While as per the estimates published in “Morbidity and Healthcare and the condition of the aged” (60th Round January-June, 2004) the average medical expenditure incurred per hospitalised case in rural and urban areas were Rs.5,695/- and Rs.8,851/- respectively and the Average medical expenditure for non-hospitalised treatment per ailing person in rural and urban areas were Rs. 257/- and Rs.306/- respectively.

As per the National Health Accounts estimates for India, 2013-14, the out of pocket expenditure is 64.2% of total health expenditure.

Public health and hospitals being a State subject, the primary responsibility of providing accessible, affordable and quality healthcare lies with respective State Governments.

Under National Health Mission to reduce out of pocket expenditure on healthcare, support is being provided to States/UTs for strengthening of their healthcare system based on the requirements posed by them in their Programme Implementation Plans.

In order to provide affordable health care services to the people of the country, especially the poor, the Government of India has taken several steps which inter-alia includes:

· Implementation of National Health Mission Free Drugs and Free Diagnostic initiative to provide essential drugs and diagnostics free of cost in public health facilities.
· Implementation of Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK), Rashtriya Bal SwasthyaKaryakaram (RBSK), RashtriyaKishorSwasthyaKaryakaram (RKSK) and implementation of other Nationalprogrammeslike Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), National Leprosy Eradication Programme(NLEP), National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) etc. where free treatment is provided to patients of Tuberculosis(TB), HIV/AIDS, Vector Borne, Leprosy diseases etc.
· Decision to transform Sub-Health Centres/PHCsto Health and Wellness Centres to provide comprehensive primary care, to undertake promotive and health promotion activities.
· Screening and Management of 5 common NCDs of hypertension, diabetes, and cancers of oral, cervix and breast.
· Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme for free dialysis services to the poor in district hospitals.
· Making available tertiary health care services in the public sector through strengthening of hospitals, establishment of AIIMS institutions in the States and up-gradation of existing Government medical colleges across the country.
· Making available quality generic medicines at affordable prices to all, under ‘Jan Aushadhi Scheme’, in collaboration with the State Governments.
· RashtriyaSwasthyaBimaYojana (RSBY) which provides for smart card based cashless health insurance on family floater basis.

The National Health Policy, 2017 provides for increasing public expenditure on health to 2.5% of GDP in a time bound manner by 2025.
The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Smt Anupriya Patel stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.

Providing of Facilities for Tourists at Temples, Monuments and Tourist Spots

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Ministry of Tourism has undertaken various measures/initiatives to provide facilitation and make tourist places accessible to the differently abled and to provide safety and security to tourists as per following details:

I. 24×7 Toll Free Multi-Lingual Tourist Info-Helpline in 12 Languages to provide support service in terms of information and guidance to tourists.

II. All the infrastructure developed under the Schemes of Swadesh Darshan and National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) are designed barrier free to provide easy accessibility to differently abled tourists. All State Governments/Union Territory Administrations are required to submit an undertaking along with the proposal before sanctioning of project certifying that barrier free environment for differently abled tourists has been incorporated in the design of the built-up areas of the project.

III. Ministry of Tourism, under its voluntary scheme guidelines for classification/re-classification of operational hotels, has made it mandatory for hotels to earmark at least one room with suitable furniture and customized washroom facilities, ramp with anti-slip floors, wheel chair to be available on a complimentary basis in hotels of all categories, designated parking places etc. for the differently abled.

IV. Transport Operators Association has been advised to provide adequate facility in the tourist cars/buses for differently-abled tourists.

V. Handing over Welcome Cards to foreign tourists on arrival to provide useful tips.

VI. Some State Governments/Union Territory Administrations have deployed Tourist Police, in one form or the other.

VII. Launching of Code of Conduct for adoption by the Indian Travel and Tourism Industry for Safe and Honourable Tourism with the objective to encourage undertaking of tourism activities with respect to basic rights like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation of both tourists and local residents, in particular women and children.

VIII. Advisories are issued from time to time to various State Governments and UT Administrations to ensure safety and security of the tourist.

Providing facilities at Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai, Ganesh Tekdi in Nagpur falls under jurisdiction of the State Government. Various tourist amenities are provided by Archeological Survey of India and State Archeology at the forts falling under their jurisdiction. In respect of Maharashtra, Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned an amount of Rs.82.17 Crore for the development of Sindhudurg Coastal Circuit under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme during the year 2015-16.

This information was given by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (Independent Charge) in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

Learn & Earn Scheme

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The scheme “Seekho aur Kamao (Learn and Earn)” is a placement linked skill development scheme, implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs through selected Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) all over the country. The Government is encouraging the youth from the minority communities to take up employment based skills training and the Ministry has extended the scheme across the country. So far, the Ministry has sanctioned Rs. 460.10 crore to cover 2,17,454 number of minority youth under the scheme.

This information was given by Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Minister of State (IC) for Minority Affairs, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, today.

Criteria for Passports

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An application for issue of a passport under the Passports Act, 1967 may be made to a Passport Issuing Authority for which the applicant must fulfill the following criteria:

(i) that the applicant is a citizen of India;

(ii) that the applicant has not been, at any time during the period of five years immediately preceding the date of his application, been convicted by a court in India for any offence involving moral turpitude and sentenced in respect thereof to imprisonment for not less than two years;

(iii) that proceedings in respect of an offence alleged to have been committed by the applicant are not pending before a criminal court in India;

(iv) that a warrant or summons for the appearance, or a warrant for the arrest, of the applicant has not been issued by a court under any law for the time being in force or that an order prohibiting the departure from India of the applicant has not been made by any such court; and

(v) that the applicant has never applied for/ or been granted political asylum by any foreign country.

The pre-printed portion of the passport is in both Hindi and English languages. The personal details of individuals in the passport are presently printed in the English language only. It has been decided to print personal details of individuals in passports both in Hindi and English languages.

The total number of Regional Passport Offices in the country is 38 including two at Ahmedabad and Surat in Gujarat.

The Government has implemented with effect from 24 June, 2017 a new scheme under which senior citizens of the age of 60 years and above and minor children upto the age of eight years would be given a discount of 10 per cent on the applicable passport fee on fresh application for passports.

The Government has opened 14 Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) since May 2014 which includes all the States in the North East of India. Two more PSK at Siliguri in West Bengal and at Sholapur in Maharashtra are scheduled to be inaugurated shortly to take the total number of PSK in the country to 93.

The Ministry of External Affairs in association with the Department of Posts has decided to open Passport Offices at the Head Post Offices (HPO) in the country called ‘Post Office Passport Seva Kendra’ (POPSK). The Government has announced the opening of 235 POPSK in two phases – 86 in Phase-I and 149 in Phase-II. 55 POPSK out of the 86 announced in Phase-I are functional as on 21 July, 2017. With the addition of 235 POPSK, the total number of Passport Seva Kendras including POPSK to have been set-up since May 2014 would be 251.

There will be 93 PSK and 235 POPSK after the operationalization of all the PSK and POPSK announced in Phases I and II. There will be 328 Passport Seva Kendras in the country. The Government thereafter intends to open POPSK in the HPO in the country in such a manner that there is a Passport Seva Kendra available within a radius of 50 km of every HPO.

This information was given by Shri Gen. (Dr.) V.K. Singh (Retd), the Minister of State for External Affairs, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, today.

Innovation Level

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The Department of Science & Technology has launched a new programme ‘National Initiative for Developing & Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI)’ last year which covers the entire value chain of innovations starting from idea to commercialization.

To promote innovation focused start-ups some of the key initiatives taken by the government are:

1. National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog is implementing Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) for promoting Incubators and Tinkering Labs.

2. Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) have joined hands to promote Research Parks in the country.

3. Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in association with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has set up a Rs.10,000 crore Fund to invest in Venture Capital Funds to promote innovations and start-ups.

4. Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Industries has a programme to setup incubators in the Agriculture sector, under the ASPIRE (‘A Scheme For Promoting Innovation, Rural Industry & Entrepreneurship’) programme.

5. Department of Bio-Technology has a programme to promote incubators in the Bio-tech sector under the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) programme.

6. MHRD has also launched a Smart India Hackathon for involving Engineering students to provide solutions to problems faced by Government Departments.

In short there is a concerted effort by the government to promote innovation for addressing the problems and challenges faced by the country.

This information was given by Minister of State for Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences Shri Y.S.Chowdary in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

Benefits of Research

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Government has taken numerous steps to ensure that the benefits of research by various scientific institutions and universities in the country reach to common man and also for commercialization of developed technology:

• The Department of Science & Technology (DST) has launched many programs for well-being of the common man across the country, particularly those living in rural areas and the under-privileged sections of society such as Long Term Core Support through Technological Advancement for Rural Areas (TARA) scheme, Technological Intervention for Addressing Societal Needs (TIASN), Technology Application for Livelihood Improvement of Scheduled Caste Population (TALIM-SC), Technology Intervention Programme for Disabled & Elderly Population, People & Protected Programme for Tribal Communities living around Protected Areas to address livelihoods and conservation issues. Besides, Women Technology Parks are created, wherein academia and field based S&T agencies/organizations identify local challenges and address these through appropriate S&T interventions. Department has also established Technology Business Incubators in 113 scientific institutions and universities to help commercialization of Technologies and innovations. DST is also implementing bilateral collaborative industrial R&D programs with several countries,which have participation from industry, enterprises, academia and R&D institutions from both sides, to develop prototypes, products or processes with commercial potential.

• In addition, the Ministry, through the Technology Development Board (TDB), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) and other extramural programmes also supports commercialization of developed technology.

• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) operated project activities under ‘CSIR-800’ program areaiming at bringing in desired S&T interventions for improving quality of life of common people at base of the economic pyramid. The efforts include, a food processing unit set up at CSIR-Centre for High Altitude Biology (CSIR-CeHAB) in the remote tribal region of Lahaul and Spiti;Empowering the selected Women self-help groups in Manipur;Training and skill development techniques to terracotta pottery rural artisans across various states; Arsenic removal technology and de-floridation plants & variety of other water purification plants for community/ domestic use in Rural Areas for common people; Popularizing mushroom technology through transfer and training to benefit rural women in North East Sates; Medicinal & Aromatic plants (MAPs) and other related technologies for rural development in Jammu & Kashmir region and Western Himalayan region. CSIR has also started Samadhan Kendra, a Rural Information Technology centre to provide details about the agriculture.

• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) also supports R & D programs with a provision for financial assistance of up to 50% of the project cost for the projects that involve partnership with industry / civil society. Various renewable energy systems supported by them such as biogas plants, solar lights, solar dryers, etc. have reached the remotest part of the country and are being used by people for their energy needs.

Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), DST through Patent Facilitating Cell (PFC) has been regularly organizing training programmes for scientists and industrial sectors in collaboration with Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), Manesar, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Technology Development Board (TDB), New Delhi. PFC-TIFAC is also implementing Women Scientist Scheme (WOS-C popularly known as KIRAN-IPR)revamped by Government in 2015. PFC-TIFAC is also conducting one day workshops with special focus on patents.

The Government has taken several steps for protection of Intellectual property and announced the National IPR Policy on May 12, 2016 (Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry as the Nodal Ministry). The policy in total has 203 action points. Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) has been created to implement the objectives of the National IPR Policy. New Commercial Courts have been created and also in order to strengthen the enforcement mechanism, various training programs on enforcement of IPRs for police officials have been organized.India’s first ever Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) has been established in association with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in PSCST, Punjab to take forward commercialization of IPs.

Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), DST is working to improve IPR output of national research laboratories, universities, technology institutions and other researchers by encouraging and facilitating the acquisition of Intellectual Property Rights by them.

CSIR adopted a centralized operation for its IPR protection with its Innovation Protection Unit (IPU). IPU protects intellectual property rights at national and international level for the results of important R&D carried out in the various CSIR Laboratories and schemes.

This information was given by Minister of State for Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences Shri Y.S.Chowdary in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

Smart Stations

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A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been entered into between Ministry of Railways (MoR) and Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) for integrated planning of railway stations in the cities included in the ‘SMART Cities’ and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme. This would lead to an integrated public transit hub around the railway stations and encourage Transit Oriented Development.

An MoU between Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) and National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (NBCC) has been signed on 30.06.2017. In the first phase, Ten stations viz. Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Delhi Sarai Rohilla (Delhi), Nellore (Andhra Pradesh), Madgaon (Goa), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Gomtinagar (Uttar Pradesh), Kota (Rajasthan), Thane New (Maharashtra), Ernakulam Junction (Kerala) and Puducherry (U.T.) have been identified for redevelopment as a part of ‘SMART Cities’ scheme. Ambala Cantt Railway Station is not identified for redevelopment in the first phase. A study has been conducted by French Railway (SNCF) for Ambala station redevelopment and the final reports have been submitted by them. The findings of the report have been incorporated while preparing the bid documents for Ambala station redevelopment, for the 2nd phase.

As station redevelopment projects are complex in nature and require detailed techno-economic feasibility studies, no time frame can be set for their completion.

The cost of station redevelopment is to be met by leveraging commercial development of vacant land/air space in and around the station. Therefore, railway funds are not required for station redevelopment projects. Such projects shall generally be cost neutral to Railways.

This Press Release is based on the information given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Rajen Gohain in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on 26.07.2017 (Wednesday).

Speed of Trains

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With a view to increasing speed of trains in Indian Railways, ‘Mission Raftaar’ was announced in the Railway Budget 2016-17.

The mission envisages a target of doubling of average speed of freight trains and increasing the average speed of all non-suburban passenger trains by 25 kmph in the next 5 years.

Action Plan for improving mobility and increasing average speed includes removal of speed restrictions, construction of road over bridges (ROBs) and road under bridges (RUBs), right powering of trains, introduction of twin-pipe in wagons, replacement of conventional trains by Main Line Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) trains and Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) trains. In addition, two projects for raising of speed to 160/200 kmph on existing corridors of New Delhi-Mumbai route (including Vadodara-Ahmedabad) covering 1483 route km and New Delhi-Howrah route (including Kanpur-Lucknow) covering 1525 route kms have been included in the Pink Book of 2017-18.

Improvement in speed, as and when realised on a sustained basis, can improve the running time and its impact on punctual running of trains will be indirect through additional recovery time that can be provided. It is not possible to assess/quantify such effects at this stage.

Most of the activities in the action plan are ongoing activities. The estimated cost of two projects viz. for raising of speed to 160/200 kmph on existing corridors of New Delhi-Mumbai route (including Vadodara-Ahmedabad) and New Delhi-Howrah route (including Kanpur-Lucknow) is ₹ 18,163 crore.

This Press Release is based on the information given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Rajen Gohain in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on 26.07.2017 (Wednesday).

NEET Exam

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The provisions for age limit and number of attempts were decided in consultation with Medical Council of India (MCI) and Central board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Accordingly, these were included in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Bulletin 2017 prepared and issued by CBSE. It was further clarified that the three attempts will be counted from 2017 onwards. The Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of Rai Sabyasachi and anr Vs. Union of India and Ors in WP (C) 99 of 2017 ordered to remove the age limit restriction for NEET-2017. The matter was further heard by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India dt. 10.07.2017 and decided that as far as the present year is concerned, nothing survives to be adjudicated in the Writ petitions and they are accordingly, disposed off.

In National Eligibility and Entrance Test- Under Graduate (NEET-UG), from the year 2017, three attempts have been fixed. In Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main too, there are three attempts.

Section 10D of Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 prescribes conducting of a uniform entrance examination namely National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to all medical educational institutions at undergraduate and post-graduate level.
The private medical educational institutions have a management quota which is decided by way of signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the respective State and the Institution. Admission to management quote is also through NEET and common counselling.

This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Shri Upendra Kushwaha today in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question.

Web application for free legal services to prisoners

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As per information provided by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Department of Justice, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has developed and launched a web application in New Delhi on 29.6.2017 for legal services to under trial prisoners/convicts. The web application facilitates to know the unrepresented under trial prisoners, and the Legal Services Institutions can provide them free legal services. The under trial prisoners or their relatives can also send their request to the Legal Services Institutions for getting free legal aid.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in a written reply to question by Adv. Joice George in the Lok Sabha today.

PM expresses grief on demise of Professor Yash Pal

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The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has expressed grief on the demise of Indian scientist and educationist Professor Yash Pal.

” Pained by Professor Yash Pal’s demise. We have lost a brilliant scientist & academician who made a lasting contribution to Indian education.

Interacted with Professor Yash Pal extensively on many occasions including the National Children’s Science Congress in Gujarat in 2009.” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister also shared some pictures of him with Professor Yash Pal from National Children’s Science Congress 2009.

Profile of President Shri Ram Nath Kovind

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A lawyer, veteran political representative and long-time advocate of egalitarianism and integrity in Indian public life and society, Shri Ram Nath Kovind was born on October 1, 1945, in Paraunkh, near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. His parents were Shri Maiku Lal and Smt Kalawati.

Before assuming charge of the office of the 14th President of India on July 25, 2017, Shri Kovind served as the 36th Governor of the state of Bihar from August 16, 2015, to June 20, 2017.

Educational and Professional Background

Shri Kovind completed his school education in Kanpur and obtained the degrees of B.Com and L.L.B. from Kanpur University. In 1971, he enrolled as an Advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi.

Shri Kovind was Union Government Advocate in the Delhi High Court from 1977 to 1979 and Union Government Standing Counsel in the Supreme Court from 1980 to 1993. He became Advocate-on-Record of the Supreme Court of India in 1978. He practised at the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court for 16 years till 1993.

Parliamentary and Public Life

Shri Kovind was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh in April 1994. He served for two consecutive terms of six years each till March 2006. Shri Kovind served on various Parliamentary Committees like Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes/Tribes; Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs; Parliamentary Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas; Parliamentary Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment; and Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice. He was Chairman of the Rajya Sabha House Committee.

Shri Kovind also served as Member of the Board of Management of the Dr B.R Ambedkar University, Lucknow, and Member of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata. He was part of the Indian delegation at the United Nations and addressed the United Nations General Assembly in October 2002.

Positions Held

2015-17: Governor of Bihar

1994-2006: Member of the Rajya Sabha, representing the state of Uttar Pradesh

1971-75 and 1981: General Secretary, Akhil Bharatiya Koli Samaj

1977-79: Union Government Advocate at the Delhi High Court

1982-84: Union Government Junior Counsel in the Supreme Court

Personal Details

Shri Kovind married Smt Savita Kovind on May 30, 1974. They have a son, Shri Prashant Kumar, and a daughter, Miss Swati. An avid reader, the President has keen interest in reading books on politics and social change, law and history, and religion.

During his long public career, Shri Kovind has travelled widely across the country. He has also visited Thailand, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland, France, the United Kingdom and the United States in his capacity as a Member of Parliament.

Dragonfly brains predict the path of their prey

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New research from Australia and Sweden has shown how a dragonfly’s brain anticipates the movement of its prey, enabling it to hunt successfully. This knowledge could lead to innovations in fields such as robot vision.

An article published today in the journal eLife by researchers at the University of Adelaide and Lund University has offered more insights into the complexity of brain processing in dragonflies than has previously been understood.

“Until now, the international research community has primarily considered the capabilities of mammals, such as humans, for investigating how animals can predict where a moving object will be in the near future,” says project partner Dr Steven Wiederman from the University of Adelaide’s Adelaide Medical School.

“Understandably, mammals in many ways are more complex organisms than insects, but with each discovery we’re finding that dragonflies have keen visual and neural processes that could be ideal for translating into technological advances,” he says.

The Swedish-Australian collaboration resulted in the discovery of brain cells (neurons) in the dragonfly Hemicordulia that enables them to predictively pursue and catch their flying prey. These neurons make it possible to focus on a small object that moves over a complex background, similarly to how humans can track and catch a ball, even when that ball is moving against the backdrop of a cheering crowd.

Professor David O’Carroll, Professor of Biology at Lund University, says: “The dragonfly neurons can make a selection of a single target from the mass of visual information that the brain receives, such as the motion of another insect, and then predict its direction and future location. The dragonfly, like humans, makes this assessment based on the path along which the object moves.

“In other words, the dragonfly does something very similar to what we do when we track a ball in motion. Despite major differences in the complexity of the brain, evolution has led to the insect using its brain for advanced visual processes that are usually only considered in mammals.”

University of Adelaide PhD student Joseph Fabian and other team members were able to record target-detecting neurons in the dragonfly brain. These neurons increased their responses in a small ‘focus’ area just in front of the location of a moving object being tracked. If the object then disappeared from the field of vision, the focus spread forward over time, allowing the brain to predict where the target was most likely to reappear. The neuronal prediction was based on the previous path along which the prey had flown.

“This is an exciting discovery, and it aids our understanding of how single neurons make advanced predictions based on past history,” Dr Wiederman says.

“Our team is convinced that these results will have practical applications, especially in the development of artificial control and vision systems, such as self-steering vehicles and bionic vision.”