News Analysis India

Tag: Prime Minister

  • SII writes to PMO to allow manufacturing, stockpiling of non-COVID vaccines during trial

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, Serum Institute of India, has written to the Prime Minister’s Office proposing reforms in the existing drug regulatory system, including allowing manufacturing and stockpiling of non-COVID vaccines while undergoing clinical trial.

    In the letter, Prakash Kumar Singh, the Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs at the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) referred to the Health Ministry’s May 18, 2020, gazette notification, saying it allowed manufacturing and stockpiling of COVID-19 vaccine under clinical trial for marketing authorization for sale or distribution.

    “Because of this rule, it became possible for us to manufacture and stockpile the COVID-19 vaccine during the clinical trial and we could make the vaccine available in such a short span of time to protect millions of lives,” he said in the letter dated March 2.

    By the end of 2020, SII has already produced around 50 million dosages of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine ‘Covishield’, even while it awaited the Drugs Controller General of India’s (DCGI) nod for emergency use of its vaccine in the country.

    It got the nod in early January this year.

    “In view of the successful result of this provision for COVID-19 vaccine, this provision should also be implemented for non-COVID-19 vaccines,” Singh said.

    In the letter to the PMO, he also sought permission to use the remaining quantities of batches of COVID and non-COVID vaccines for commercial purpose which have been used in a clinical trial.

    In this context, he said the Health Ministry had issued draft rules dated April 12, 2018, to allow the remaining quantities of batches of vaccines which have been used in a clinical trial for commercial use after the grant of permission in Form 46 (now it is Form CT-23) and manufacturing licence in Form 28D.

    “However, this draft rule has not been implemented till now. This draft rule should be implemented shortly to avoid wastage of life-saving vaccines,” Singh pointed out.

    Singh also sought implementation of recommendations of a high-powered inter-ministerial committee for reforming the Drug Regulatory Systems in India.

    The letter stated that on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a high-powered inter-ministerial committee for reforming the Drug Regulatory Systems in India was constituted on May 11 last year under the chairmanship of then officer on special duty Rajesh Bhushan, who is presently the union health secretary.

    “A series of meetings of this committee was held starting May 2020. Recommendations of this inter-ministerial committee should be implemented immediately in line with the ease of doing business” he said.

    Singh’s letter highlighted a few other points also related to regulatory reforms and said, “We are putting forward the following points with relation to necessary regulatory reforms in the existing Drug Regulatory system for your kind reference and intervention, which will take the vaccine industry of our country to new heights in the world.”

    Singh also lauded the prime minister’s vision mentioning, “It is a matter of great pride for all of us that because of our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision about the regulatory reforms, the vaccine industry of our country is growing very fast and under his global leadership, our country has proved that we are the world leader in vaccine sector.”

  • Kat demands intervention of PM on e-commerce and GST issue

    The Confederation of All India Traders (CAT) has demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene on the issue of e-commerce and GST. CAT says that the Prime Minister should intervene to get the e-commerce business out of the clutches of crooked practices of foreign companies.

    CAT National Vice President Amar Parvani, State Executive President Vikram Singhdev said that earlier it was said that merchants would be required to upload their sales details on the GST portal only once and after that the portal would automatically take all other actions. Merchants will only have to deposit tax and submit returns.

    But now GST has been made the most complex tax system. He said that while amending the GST rules, the authorities have been given arbitrary powers such that traders without hearing have been empowered to issue show cause notices and get them done. Even though the GST Council has amended the GST rules several hundred times.

  • Panel evaluating marriageable age of girls submits recommendations to Centre

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The panel appointed to evaluate the marriageable age of girls has sent its recommendations to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Women and Child Development Ministry, sources said on Tuesday.

    The sources said the panel has made strong recommendations towards increasing the age of marriage of girls.

    An official said the WCD Ministry is looking into the recommendations made by the committee.

    Addressing the nation on the occasion of India’s 74th Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government is deliberating on what should be the minimum age for marriage of women.

    “We have set up a committee to reconsider the minimum age for marriage of our daughters. We will take appropriate decisions after the committee submits its report,” he had said.

    Presently, the minimum age for marriage of women is 18 years.

    Early last year, the 10-member task force was set up under the chairmanship of Jaya Jaitly and it was to suggest suitable legislations or amendments in existing laws to support its recommendations; and also work out a detailed rollout plan with timelines to implement these recommendations.

    The task force was to submit its report by July 31 but sources said the recommendations were submitted recently.

    The committee was tasked with examining the correlation of age of marriage and motherhood with health, medical well-being and nutritional status of mother and neonate/infant/child, during pregnancy, birth and thereafter, key parameters like Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), Total Fertility Rate (TFR), Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB), Child Sex Ratio (CSR) etc.

    and any other relevant points pertaining to health and nutrition in this context.

  • India under PM Modi has fought most successful battle against coronavirus in the world: Amit Shah 

    By PTI
    BHADRAVATHI: India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fought the most successful battle against coronavirus in the world, and with the beginning of the vaccination drive, the country has taken the fight against the pandemic to a final stage,Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday.

    “The whole world for about a year has been fighting against corona, many people have lost lives. This was probably one of the toughest fights that humanity has fought, using knowledge, innovations and mutual cooperation,” Shah said.

    Speaking after laying the foundation stone of a new battalion campus of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) here, he said he was happy to state that India under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership has fought the most successful battle against COVID-19 in the world.

    Noting that during the initial days of the outbreak, some experts had expressed worry about a few countries, including India, on how they will manage with a huge population and not so prepared heath infrastructure, Shah said there was only lab in the country that could underake testing for the infection.

    “Today we have more than 2,000,” he said. The main difference in the fight that India fought against the virus compared to the rest of the world is that the entire population of the country fought it with unity, he said, as he claimed that India has less fatality rate and high recovery rate.

    “Today with two vaccines produced in the country, we have taken the fight against corona to the final stage,” he said, even as he defended the decision to administer the vaccine to frontline warriors, and hit out those spreading misinformation on it.

    Earlier, Shah laid the foundation stone of a new battalion campus of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) near Bhadravathi in Shivamogga district in the presence of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, among others.

    The Karnataka government has provided a 50.29-acre land for the headquarters of the 97th battalion of the RAF, the blue dungaree wearing special anti-riots wing of the Central Reserve Police Force.

    The campus will have a hospital, a Kendriya Vidyalaya, family quarters for troops, administrative building, family welfare centre, sports facilities including a stadium and swimming pool.

    A total of 1,270 troops of the newly raised 97th RAF battalion, including 106 women personnel, will be based here, officials said.

    The battalion will have jurisdiction over a number of districts in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and Puducherry for deployment by Centre to deal with any communal incidents, protests, riots or events that involve huge congregations, they said.

    Shah thanked Yediyurappa for taking the initiative and giving the land for a new battalion campus of RAF that is coming up at a cost of Rs 230 crore.

    He assured the people of Bhadravathi that the central school and the stadiums that will come up will be designed in such a way that local people can also use the facilities.

  • The Governor paid floral tributes at the portrait of former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary

    Governor Ms. Anusuiya Uike paid floral tributes at her portrait on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji at Raj Bhavan. The Governor said that during the prime ministership of Shri Vajpayeeji, I had the opportunity to be nominated as a Rajya Sabha Member and as a Rajya Sabha MP spoke on many important issues in the House and also made many trips abroad. The lessons they teach matter a lot in my life. Every word uttered as his blessing encouraged me.

    Shri Vajpayee embodied other important schemes like Swarnim Chaturbhuj Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana during his prime ministership, which strengthened the infrastructure of our country. He did important work for the strengthening of rural and agricultural sector, National Agricultural Policy-2000 was declared during his time, through which important works were done for upgrading the standard of living of farmers and rural infrastructure was also strengthened. His idea was to welfare the last person of the society. As a result of this thinking, Antyodaya Anna Yojana was introduced during his reign, which provided food grains to the families coming below the poverty line at affordable rates. Shri Vajpayee ji created the state of Chhattisgarh and it is the result of his developmental attitude that today the state of Chhattisgarh is moving rapidly towards development. He was also a powerful orator, writer and poet, whose poetry written is touching and inspiring. By repeating these lines written by him, I again salute them –

  • Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe may announce his resignation due to health problems

    Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe may resign from his post due to ill health

    Japan ‘s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may announce his resignation due to health issues. This information has been given by the local media at a time when Abe is scheduled to address a press conference on Friday.

    According to Reuters, Abe has decided to resign because his illness has become serious and he worries that it will trouble the country’s leadership. Let us know that there has been speculation for many weeks about the health of the Prime Minister.

  • Article :- It is possible if Modi is there A total of 47 thousand ventilators available in the country in the last 70 years Purchase of 50,000 ventilators from PM Cares Fund

    On the board of the (PMNRF)Prime Minister National Relief Fund – the Prime Minister, the President of the Congress Party, are representatives of private industries. On the board of PM Cares: Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Home Minister, Defense Minister – all are officials.

    Who will audit PM Cares?

    The Modi government appointed M / s SARC & Associates as the auditor of PMNRF at the end of the financial year 2017-18. The Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund is being audited from the year 2018-19. It will also audit PM Cares.

    Let us tell you that the opposition has been constantly raising questions about the PM Cares Fund. There is a continuous demand for its audit from the Congress. The fund was also challenged in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court rejected a petition challenging the constitutional validity of the formation of the PM Cares Fund to deal with epidemics such as the corona virus.

    Where was PM Cares Fund’s money used?

    In the midst of the growing infection of the corona virus, the PM Cares fund was created. On the call of PM Modi, the country’s special to the common people donated fiercely. The Prime Minister’s Office has informed that Rs 3100 crore has been allocated from this fund for the fight against Corona.

    Regarding the use of PM Cares Fund, in this report it was revealed that Rs 2,000 crore 50,000 Made in India ventilators were given. One thousand crore rupees was given for the welfare of the migrants. Hundred crore rupees were given to make the vaccine. There were first 47,000 ventilators in the country. 50,000 ventilators came into the country from PM Cares.

    The special thing is that the Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF) was formed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, although its managing committee has always included the President of the Congress Party. When the PMNRF Fund was created, which people were included in its managing committee.

    1) Prime Minister

    2) President of National Congress Party of India.

    3) Deputy Prime Minister.

    4) Finance Minister.

    5) A representative of Tata Trustees.

    6) Representative of industry and commerce to be elected by FICCI.

    However, from time to time, new members have been added to it. In 1985, there came a time when the responsibility of managing this fund was handed over to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister was also empowered to make him the Secretary of the Fund to whom he would have the right to operate the bank accounts of the Fund. That is, this fund started to be fully run by PMNRF. It is to be noted that this decision was taken when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister in charge of this fund.

    Now, let’s talk about Kakru-Vishwakrishwas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set up the Kakru-Presidents Fund to make public contributions to fight the Corona epidemic. The donations under this will be used to provide relief to people affected by the corona virus. Other members of this fund include Defense Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister. Apart from this, people doing good work in science, health, law and public sectors have also been appointed as its members. With the formation of this fund, famous celebrities as well as common people have made their contributions in lakhs.

     However, a question arises again and again that despite the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, why was the PM Cares Fund started? A magazine has claimed that the Prime Minister of the PM is more democratic than the National Relief Fund. Therefore, it would also not be wrong to say that the PMNRF -Vishwashtram is more transparent than the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. There is also a provision for the establishment of an advisory board in PM Care Fund which can house medical professionals and healthcare professionals, academics, economists and lawyers. Politics also started with the Kakru-Nations. While the Congress is not telling it as transparent, the BJP says that the Congress is unhappy with it because there is no place for the Congress President in it.

    TAG : – Defence Minister, Finance Minister, Home minister, PM Cares Fund, PMNRF, Prime Minister, Prime Minister National Relief Fund, Tata Trustees, Ventilators

  • Where have you got your knowledge on Hinduism, PM asks Cong

    Launching a stinging attack against the Congress for questioning his knowledge on Hinduism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday used the dynast-worker analogy to ask the opposition party where it got its expertise on the religion.

    Addressing an election rally in this Rajasthan town, the prime minister said in a sarcastic jibe that he was a small “kaamdar” (worker) who never claimed to have full knowledge of Hinduism but the “naamdar” (dynast) has the right to speak.

    Modi has often referred to Congress president Rahul Gandhi as “naamdar”.

    He also brought up India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and first president Rajendra Prasad.

    Nehru objected to Prasad’s visit for the consecration of Somnath temple, which was destroyed by foreign invaders and renovated by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the prime minister told the gathering ahead of elections in the state on December 7.

    The country, he said, was celebrating Prasad’s birth anniversary.

    The Congress, Modi alleged, has become a university for spreading lies. People who lie more get new posts in the party, he said.

    Rahul Gandhi, he asserted, has great capacity for speaking lies.

    “The Congress’ dreams have been crushed in all states. This will happen in Rajasthan also,” he said.

    The opposition party thinks it can come to power because of the trend in Rajasthan of alternate parties forming government but this will be proved wrong in the upcoming state elections, Modi declared.

  • 50% ATMs in India may shut down by March: CATMi

    Nearly 50 per cent of the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) may be shut down by March 2019 due to unviability of operations, hitting hard both urban and rural population, the Confederation of ATM Industry (CATMi) warned on Wednesday.

    Currently, India has approximately 2,38,000 ATMs, of which around 1,13,000 ATMs including 1,00,000 off-site and more than 15,000 white label ATMs are expected to down their shutters, said a CATMi spokesperson.

    “This would severely impact millions of beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana who withdraw subsidies in the form of cash through ATMs, besides urban centres, resulting in snaky queues and chaos akin to post-demonetisation,” said the spokesperson.

    He said the CATMi step is forced on account of recent regulatory guidelines for ATMs hardware and software upgrades, recent mandates on cash management standards and the Cassette Swap method of loading cash.

    The measure will also result in huge job losses in the industry that would be detrimental to financial services in the economy as a whole.

  • PM Modi arrives in Maldives to attend President-elect Solih’s inauguration

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.

    This is Modi’s first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

    “I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development,” Modi said in a series of tweets ahead of the visit.

    He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.

    “We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives,” the prime minister said.

    Modi also congratulated Solih on his victory in the recent elections and wished him “the very best for his tenure”.

    “India and the Maldives share a strong partnership rooted in history, strong bonds between our peoples, and their shared aspiration for peace and prosperity. My Government’s vision of inclusive development ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas’ extends to all our neighbours too,” he said.

    Modi also said he will convey to Solih his wish to work with the new Maldives government in different areas to boost bilateral ties.

    Solih, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s candidate who surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23, had extended the invitation during a phone call by Modi.

    The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

    India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.

    Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.