Sri Lanka seeks two-year extension from UNHRC

Sri Lanka seeks two-year extension from UNHRC to deliver war probe Sri Lanka has sought an extension of two more years from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to probe into the alleged war crimes that were committed during the three-decade long civil war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). In October 2015, the UNHRC had given Sri Lanka 18 months to launch a proper probe into the crimes committed during the war with LTTE. The foreign ministry of Sri Lanka however, is seeking an extension in the timeline for the fulfilment of its commitment at the International body’s 34th session. Key Highlights
• According to the data collected by the United Nations, around 40000 civilians were killed by Sri Lankan security forces during former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime, which brought an end to the long conflict after defeating LTTE in 2009.
• Sri Lanka’s proposition for an extension follows UNHRC’s criticism of the country’s slow progress in addressing its wartime past.
• In fact, earlier this month, the international body repeated its call for a hybrid court of international and local judges to investigate the allegations of human rights violations during the civil conflict.
• The demand was rejected by Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe who called it impractical. South Korean President Park Geun-hye removed from office India, Belgium signed Protocol amending Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and Protocol While Sri Lanka’s main party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has demanded for more time from the UN to meet all obligations, the party’s rival groups oppose the demand saying that the TNA has excluded the opinion of the majority of Tamils and even after one and half years, the government has not made any progress in its investigation.

Lok Sabha passed Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill,

Lok Sabha passed Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016 The Lok Sabha on 10 March 2017 passed the Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016. The Bill seeks to establish a legal framework to consolidate the existing laws relating to admiralty jurisdiction of courts, admiralty proceedings on maritime claims, arrest of vessels and related issues. The intended legislation also repeals the following five obsolete British statues on admiralty jurisdiction in civil matters. i. The Admiralty Court Act, 1840 ii. The Admiralty Court Act, 1861 iii. The Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890 iv. The Colonial Courts of Admiralty (India) Act, 1891 v. The provisions of the Letters Patent, 1865 The repealing of five admiralty statutes is in line with the government's commitment to do away with archaic laws which are hindering efficient governance. Highlights of Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016
• The bill confers admiralty jurisdiction on High Courts located in coastal States of India and this jurisdiction extends up to territorial waters.
• The jurisdiction is extendable, by a Central Government notification, up to exclusive economic zone or any other maritime zone of India or islands constituting part of the territory of India.
• It applies to every vessel irrespective of place of residence or domicile of the owner.
• Inland vessels and vessels under construction are excluded from its application, but the Central Government is empowered to make it applicable to these vessels also by a notification if necessary.
• It does not apply to warships and naval auxiliary and vessels used for non-commercial purposes.
• The jurisdiction is for adjudicating on a set of maritime claims listed in the bill.
• In order to ensure security against a maritime claim, a vessel can be arrested in certain circumstances.
• The liability in respect of selected maritime claims on a vessel passes on to its new owners by way of maritime liens subject to a stipulated time limit.
• In respect of aspects on which provisions are not laid down in the bill, the Civil Procedure Code, 1908 is applicable.

Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail honoured with Saraswati Samman

Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail honoured with Saraswati Samman 2016 Prominent Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail was on 9 March 2017 selected for the Saraswati Samman 2016 for his novel Hawthan. The 74-year-old writer's novel, published in 2009, was shortlisted from 22 books written in as many languages. The selection for the award was made by a jury presided by the 29th Chief Justice of India (CJI) AS Anand. Who is Mahabaleshwar Sail?
• Mahabaleshwar Sail is Goa-based renowned bi-lingual writer. So far, he wrote 4 Marathi dramas and 7 Konkani novels.
• Sail also written 5 short stories and a novel in Marathi.
• The novel 'Hawthan' is a well-researched work of fiction. The book presents the cultural map of the traditional potter community of Goa. Mohan Bhagwat awarded honorary Doctor of Science degree About Saraswati Samman
• It is named after Goddess Saraswati, Indian goddess of learning. The award was instituted in 1991 by the KK Birla Foundation. • The award consists of 15 lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque.
• The inaugural award was given to Harivanshrai Bachchan for his four volume autobiography - Kya Bhooloon Kya Yaad Karoon, Needa Ka Nirman Phir, Basere Se Door and Dashdwar Se Sopan Tak.
• The Saraswati Samman for 2015 was given to Padma Sachdev for her autobiography titled Chitt-Chete, which was written in Dogri language.

Union Government launched Stage II of India’s HCFC Phase Out Management Plan

Union Government launched Stage II of India’s HCFC Phase Out Management Plan The Union Government launched the Stage II of India’s HCFC Phase Out Management Plan (HPMP) for the 2017-23 period. The plan was launched by the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Independent Charge) Anil Madhav Dave in March 2017 in New Delhi. Features of HPMP II
• It seeks to phase out the use of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and harmful ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
• It also promotes the usage of non-ozone depleting and low global warming potential technologies.
• Under the HPMP-II, India secured USD 44.1 million from the Multilateral Fund for Implementation of Montreal Protocol of the United Nations for phasing out 8,190 MT of HCFC consumption from 2017 to 2023.
• The plan will cover more than 400 enterprises, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the foam manufacturing sector.
• And, 6 large air-conditioning manufacturing enterprises will be supported for conversion to non-HCFC technologies from HCFCs.
• The plan will promote energy efficiency, adoption of green building norms and cold chain development with non-HCFC alternatives.
• The plan gives adequate attention to synergize the Refrigeration and Servicing (RAC) servicing sector trainings under the Skill India Mission. As per the plan, nearly 16,000 service technicians will be trained under HPMP-II.
• The plan is expected to result in net direct CO2-equivalent emission reductions of about 8.5 million metric tonnes annually from 2023. Background
• The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion including HCFCs.
• Under the Montreal Protocol, various initiatives to phase out Hydrochlorofluorcarbons (HCFCs) were taken up with an aim to complete phase out by 2030 of these chemicals.
• At present, HCFCs are used in various sectors like refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) and polyurethane foam manufacturing. • As a signatory to the Montreal Protocol, The HPMP Stage-I has been already implemented in the country, which has successfully met all the ODS phase-out targets

Lok Sabha passed Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016

Lok Sabha passed Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016 The Lok Sabha on 10 March 2017 passed the Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016. The Bill seeks to establish a legal framework to consolidate the existing laws relating to admiralty jurisdiction of courts, admiralty proceedings on maritime claims, arrest of vessels and related issues. The intended legislation also repeals the following five obsolete British statues on admiralty jurisdiction in civil matters. i. The Admiralty Court Act, 1840 ii. The Admiralty Court Act, 1861 iii. The Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890 iv. The Colonial Courts of Admiralty (India) Act, 1891 v. The provisions of the Letters Patent, 1865 The repealing of five admiralty statutes is in line with the government's commitment to do away with archaic laws which are hindering efficient governance. Highlights of Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016
• The bill confers admiralty jurisdiction on High Courts located in coastal States of India and this jurisdiction extends up to territorial waters.
• The jurisdiction is extendable, by a Central Government notification, up to exclusive economic zone or any other maritime zone of India or islands constituting part of the territory of India.
• It applies to every vessel irrespective of place of residence or domicile of the owner.
• Inland vessels and vessels under construction are excluded from its application, but the Central Government is empowered to make it applicable to these vessels also by a notification if necessary.
• It does not apply to warships and naval auxiliary and vessels used for non-commercial purposes.
• The jurisdiction is for adjudicating on a set of maritime claims listed in the bill.
• In order to ensure security against a maritime claim, a vessel can be arrested in certain circumstances.
• The liability in respect of selected maritime claims on a vessel passes on to its new owners by way of maritime liens subject to a stipulated time limit.
• In respect of aspects on which provisions are not laid down in the bill, the Civil Procedure Code, 1908 is applicable.

India successfully test-fired BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile

India successfully test-fired BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile India on 11 March 2017 successfully test-fired the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile. The purpose of the test was to validate the capabilities of the missile. Features of BrahMos Missile
• It is the first supersonic cruise missile system known to be in service.
• The missile is capable of carrying a conventional as well as nuclear warhead of 300 kilograms.
• The BrahMos is a multi-stage missile having a solid propellant in the first stage and the ramjet liquid propellant in the second stage.
• It can be launched from land, sea, sub-seas and air.
• It operates on ‘Fire and Forget Principle’ by adopting varieties of flights on its way to the target.
• It approaches the enemy target with a top speed of Mach 2.8, which is about three times faster than the US subsonic Tomahawk Cruise Missile System.
• The missile has been developed by the BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.
• It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroeyenia and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). • The missile derives its name from the names of two rivers, namely the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.
• While the navy and army versions of the missile were inducted in 2005 and 2007 respectively, the air version is still in the testing stage.

Sashastra Seema Bal signed MoU with NSDC & NSDF for skill development

Sashastra Seema Bal signed MoU with NSDC & NSDF for skill development The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the National Skill Development Fund (NSDF) for execution of skill development programmes. The MoU was signed on 10 March 2017 in the presence of Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi. During the event, Kiren Rijiju launched an an android based and in-house developed mobile application “MySSB”. Features of the MoU
• Under the MoU, the SSB will be able to provide gainful employment to the retiring and retired personnel of SSB.
• It will help the personnel in resettlement through the generation of second career option. • The MoU will establish a framework under which the dependents of SSB personnel as well as locals, school dropouts, victims and potential victims of human trafficking will also be benefited directly in the area or the region where SSB is deployed.
• Under the MoU, skill development training programmes will be organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
• Sectors like apparel, food processing, beauty and wellness, automotive, security and sports will be given emphasis for the said programme. Features of MySSB app
• The mobile application will cater to the general requirements and information of force personnel.
• It facilitates accessibility to details of salary and allowance, general provident fund (GPF) subscription, service particulars including posting profiles and annual performance assessment report (APAR). About Sashastra Seema Bal
• The Special Service Bureau (now Sashastra Seema Bal) was conceived in November 1962 and eventually created in March 1963.
• It was established with the sole objective of achieving ‘total security preparedness’ in the remote border areas for performing a ‘stay-behind’ role in the event of a war.
• Presently, SSB has been deployed with its mandate to guard 1751 kilometers of Indo-Nepal and 699 kilometers of Indo-Bhutan borders. • The force is also active in Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for anti-Naxal operations (ANO) duties.

Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail honoured with Saraswati Samman

Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail honoured with Saraswati Samman 2016 Prominent Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail was on 9 March 2017 selected for the Saraswati Samman 2016 for his novel Hawthan. The 74-year-old writer's novel, published in 2009, was shortlisted from 22 books written in as many languages. The selection for the award was made by a jury presided by the 29th Chief Justice of India (CJI) AS Anand. Who is Mahabaleshwar Sail?
• Mahabaleshwar Sail is Goa-based renowned bi-lingual writer. So far, he wrote 4 Marathi dramas and 7 Konkani novels.
• Sail also written 5 short stories and a novel in Marathi.
• The novel 'Hawthan' is a well-researched work of fiction. The book presents the cultural map of the traditional potter community of Goa. Mohan Bhagwat awarded honorary Doctor of Science degree About Saraswati Samman
• It is named after Goddess Saraswati, Indian goddess of learning. The award was instituted in 1991 by the KK Birla Foundation. • The award consists of 15 lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque.
• The inaugural award was given to Harivanshrai Bachchan for his four volume autobiography - Kya Bhooloon Kya Yaad Karoon, Needa Ka Nirman Phir, Basere Se Door and Dashdwar Se Sopan Tak.
• The Saraswati Samman for 2015 was given to Padma Sachdev for her autobiography titled Chitt-Chete, which was written in Dogri language.

India successfully test-fired BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile

India successfully test-fired BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile India on 11 March 2017 successfully test-fired the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile. The purpose of the test was to validate the capabilities of the missile. Features of BrahMos Missile
• It is the first supersonic cruise missile system known to be in service.
• The missile is capable of carrying a conventional as well as nuclear warhead of 300 kilograms.
• The BrahMos is a multi-stage missile having a solid propellant in the first stage and the ramjet liquid propellant in the second stage.
• It can be launched from land, sea, sub-seas and air.
• It operates on ‘Fire and Forget Principle’ by adopting varieties of flights on its way to the target.
• It approaches the enemy target with a top speed of Mach 2.8, which is about three times faster than the US subsonic Tomahawk Cruise Missile System.
• The missile has been developed by the BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.
• It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroeyenia and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). • The missile derives its name from the names of two rivers, namely the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.
• While the navy and army versions of the missile were inducted in 2005 and 2007 respectively, the air version is still in the testing stage.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye removed from office South Korea’s Constitutional Court

South Korean President Park Geun-hye removed from office South Korea’s Constitutional Court on 10 March 2017 voted unanimously to remove the country’s President, Park Geun-hye, from office. With the impeachment, Park becomes the first South Korean President to be removed from office. As per the law of the country, Park’s successor must be elected within 60 days. At present, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn is serving as the acting President of the country. Reasons behind the impeachment
• Park was accused of colluding with a friend, Choi Soon-il, who allegedly pressured companies to donate money in return for government favours.
• After the allegations, she was suspended from official duties in December 2016. However, both Park and her friend denied the accusations.
• By far the biggest corporate head on the block in the scandal is Samsung chief and heir to its USD 316 billion empire, Jay Y Lee.
• Up to USD 50 million from Samsung was allegedly paid into entities overseen by Choi in return for help cementing Lee’s control of Samsung.
• Lee has been in a jail since February 2017. About Park Geun-hye
• Born on 2 February 1952, Park Geun-hye served as the 11th President of South Korea. She was the first woman to be elected as President of the country. She is also the first president to be impeached.
• She was the first female president of a Northeast Asian nation and the first female elected as head of state in East Asia.
• Prior to her presidency, she served as the chairwoman of the conservative Grand National Party (now Saenuri Party) from 2004 to 2006 and from 2011 to 2012.
• In 2013 and 2014, she was ranked 11th on the Forbes list of the world's 100 most powerful women and the most powerful woman in East Asia.
• In 2014, she was ranked 46th on the Forbes list of the world's most powerful people.
• On 9 December 2016, she was impeached by the National Assembly on charges related to influence peddling by a top aide. The impeachment was upheld by the Constitutional Court on 10 March 2017, ending her presidency and forcing her out of office.

Odisha Government launches 181 helpline for distressed women

Odisha Government launches 181 helpline for distressed women Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on 8 March 2017 launched a helpline number 181 for women in distress on the occasion of International Women's Day 2017. This toll free helpline number will be available for 24 hours in all the 30 districts of the state.The helpline will extend prompt response to women affected by violence.  It will provide information about women-related government schemes and programmes and a range of other services. Women of Odisha
• Around 50 lakh women have been able to raise their socio-economic condition by becoming part of the women self help groups in Odisha. • More than 25 lakh women have also been benefited by about Rs 1100 crore by availing incentive through Mamata Yojana, a pregnancy related welfare scheme of the state government.
• Odisha government has instituted 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and government jobs to encourage their better participation.
• Odisha's Biju Kanya Ratna and Mission Shakti have also been instrumental for welfare of women and girls in the state. Background The Union Government launched the 181 helpline number in 2013 after the brutal gang-rape of Nirbhaya in December 2012 and asked all states to start the helpline. Besides, 1091 helpline number by the police and 10920 helpline number by the State Commission for Women were also launched.

INS Tillanchang commissioned at Karwar

INS Tillanchang commissioned at Karwar INS Tillanchang, a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) was commissioned into the Indian Navy, at Karwar on 9 March 2017. It was commissioned by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.    INS Tillanchang is the third ship of four follow-on WJFAC built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Kolkata. The ship has been indigenously designed and built and is an upgrade from the Chetlat class of Fast Attack Craft that the Indian Navy possesses. The first two ships of the class, INS Tihayu and INS Tarmugli, were commissioned in 2016 and are based at Visakhapatnam. During the speed trail, INS Tillanchang was able to achieve the fastest speeds among all WJFACs. INS Tillanchang
• INS Tillanchang is about 50m long.
• It is powered by three water jet propulsion system, which gives it speeds of over 35 knots.
• The ship is armed with 30-mm main gun and a number of light, medium and heavy machine guns to undertake operations at sea. World’s oldest serving aircraft carrier INS Viraat retires
• Manned by 50 personnel, at present, the ship is commanded by Commander Adit Patnaik.
• Tillanchang is an ideal platform for a number of missions like Coastal and Off-shore Surveillance, Law Enforcement, EEZ Control as well as non-military missions such as Humanitarian, Search and Rescue Assistance and Disaster Relief.
• INS Tillanchang will be based at Karwar under the operational control of the Flag Officer Commanding, Karnataka Naval Area.

Commonwealth trade meet begins in the UK

Commonwealth trade meet begins in the UK The inaugural commonwealth summit focused on stimulating trade within the group kicked off in London on 9 March 2017. The two-day summit, which was planned before last year’s Brexit referendum has gained new significance following the result, especially since Britain is pushing for trade deals beyond European Union borders.  Key Highlights • The event will involve a series of roundtable discussions between ministers from over 30 countries and chief executives. • It would be followed by a ministerial roundtable, which is hoped to kick start work towards strengthening trade within the commonwealth block before the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit, which is scheduled to be held in the UK in 2018. • The Commonwealth Heads of Government summit is expected to bring together leaders as well as over 2000 businesses from across the commonwealth nations.
• The leadership of the commonwealth nations is targeting to increase the intra-Commonwealth trade to $1 trillion by 2020, from the existing $750 billion. The organisers of the trade summit are hopeful that the event would result in a commonwealth agreement that would not only recognise the benefits of trade within the block but would also provide a framework for potential trade initiatives between the groupings that would be achievable in the next few years. India at the summit
• The Commerce Secretary, Rita A Teotia is the Indian representative at the event.
• She took part in the panel discussion held on 9 March on the ease of doing business and creating an export economy.
• India along with the UK is one of the few commonwealth nations that have established good trade relations with countries across the globe. Other commonwealth nations are mostly regionally focused.
• Hence, India is considered to be well placed when it comes to taking a lead role in driving forward the growth of the commonwealth bloc.
• The summit would also provide India with the opportunity to discuss trade with long-standing partners like Africa and also with smaller island states.

India-Israel Relationship: What Next?

India-Israel Relationship: What Next? The relationship between India and Israel has been steadily strengthening since the two countries established diplomatic relations in1992. Former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao’s foresight that laid the foundation of the Indo-Israeli partnership deserves tribute for this development. The back-channel security talks existed before the normalization of bilateral relations between India and Israel. Afterward, in recent years, India has been more willing to establish a mutually beneficial bilateral relationship with Israel which includes liaising on countering the terrorism and deepening military ties. The Shift in Policy after 2014 Post 2014, with NDA government’s rise to power in 2014, Israel seems to have gained greater priority over other West Asian countries in India’s diplomatic agenda. This very clear that India and Israel have been deepening their ties in counterterrorism, defense, science and technology, space exploration, agriculture, and several other areas. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s close ties with Israel which can be traced to the period when he was the chief minister of Gujarat when Israel emerged as a key player in helping Gujarat achieve impressive economic growth. On 29 January, India and Israel marked 25 years of diplomatic ties. By keeping this in view, the two countries have planned a series of events which include the exchange of prime ministerial visits before the close of the anniversary year in January 2018. Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be visiting Israel in June this year. It would be the first- ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel. The first meeting between Modi and Netanyahu happened in September 2014 in the backdrop of the UN General Assembly session in New York. It turned out to be the first meeting between prime ministers of the two countries in a decade. President’s Visits Indian President Pranab Mukherjee visited Israel in October 2015 which was the first visit by an Indian president to Israel. Normally, the Indian president’s foreign visits do not attract much attention. But Pranab Mukherjee’s visits of Palestine, Jordan, and Israel were seen as a precursor to the much-expected visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in June. Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj also made her visit to Israel in January 2016. Her visit was part of the continuation of the effort by New Delhi not only to strengthen India’s relationship with Israel, but also to make it more public. India’s Shift on Palestine Issue In past, important visits made by top Indian leaders to Israel were combined with Palestine in a single tour. The visits of External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Union Home Minister L. K. Advani in 2000, and S. M. Krishna’s visit as an external affairs minister in 2012 were all described as regional visits because the ministers held meetings with both Israeli and Palestinian government during their tour. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Israel in November 2014 which was a landmark visit in the sense that it was confined to Israel only. Indian government’s omission of the Palestinian Authority from Home Minister’s visit was seen as an Indian government’s intent to shift the tradition of collaborating high-level official visits to Israel with visits to Jordan and Palestine. Now, at this time, the Indian government has decided to do away with the previous era’s tradition with Israel. Earlier, India always put restrictions on rapprochement with Israel, based on progress in the Israel-Palestine dispute. Evidence of India’s shift on Palestine issue can be found in the recent actions of the India government, one of them is India’s abstention during a UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) vote criticizing Israel’s “alleged war crimes” in Gaza last year. The vote in UNHRC was on the basis of a report by the UNHRC, which concluded that both Israel and Palestinian armed forces may have committed war crimes during the 50-day Gaza war that killed about 1,500 people. India was among the five countries that abstained voting. The other countries who abstained were Macedonia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Paraguay. The US, Israel’s biggest ally, voted against the resolution. Deals between India and Israel At present, Israel is one of India’s top defence partners with India. India has been importing unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance, surface-to-air missile systems, and radars and anti-tank missiles from Israel between 1992 and 2016. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) which analyses global defence sales, India has been the world’s biggest importer of major arms from 2012 through 2016. India’s arms imports account for 13% of the global total. The SIPRI data also shows that the last five years, defence trade between India and Israel has averaged more than $1billion annually. India is also seeking to buy a medium-range surface-to-air missile defence system from Israel. This deal would be worth of $2.5 billion. Apart from Defence, counter-terrorism constitutes the most high profile part of the India-Israel relationship. The relationship also constitutes food security, energy, water, agriculture and academia, education and health. Impacts
1. Indo-Israel strong relationship would directly impact the Indo-US relation which is seen as a new formed axis between India, Israel and the U.S.
2. It would also impact India’s long fought war against terrorism. It will help India to corner Pakistan in international State.
3. Strong bilateral relationship might boost India’s defence strategy.
4. India is also expecting to get a support from Israel in UNSE permanent membership.
5. It would also give India a special recognition in other international front like NATO, ASEAN, BRICS etc. 6. Farmers of India will benefit from Israeli expertise in drip irrigation. Many Start-ups in Hyderabad and Bangalore see Israeli agricultural firms as role models. Challenges India has historically supported the independence cause of Palestinian state. Some experts have argued that a solo visit could seriously jeopardize India’s traditional stance. Till now, India has managed to preserve a pragmatic balancing act between regional players in the West Asian region. It would be difficult for India to ignore its crucial energy ties with Iran and the Gulf states. And one could also wonder that whether Indian Prime Minister’s solo visit would be able to achieve new tangible results. Another challenge in front of India is New Delhi’s bid for permanent membership in the UN Security Council. India requires a firm endorsement of its candidature from the Arab countries. Those Arab countries form a large group in the UN General Assembly and they might not like to see India distancing itself from the Palestinian cause. Conclusion Israeli diplomats and politicians have been very candid about Israel’s close friendship with India. This favourable public reference to Israel makes present Indian government different from its predecessors in dealing with Israel. Positive signs appear with these developments between Israel and India. It is also visible in India’s discernible shift in Israel policy. Given this, it can be anticipated that India will succeed in delinking Indo-Israeli relations from domestic and international political concerns, and India’s relations with the Arab world.

Donald Tusk re-elected as President of European Council

Donald Tusk re-elected as President of European Council Donald Tusk on 9 March 2017 was appointed to a second term as President of the European Council, one of the European Union’s governing bodies. Tusk won the elections despite objections from the government of his own country, Poland. Poland had argued that the decision should be delayed because of its displeasure with Tusk. However, Poland was overruled by leaders of the 27 other European Union member countries as they gathered for their spring summit meeting. It is the first time that such a decision was made without unanimity since the position was created in 2009. Who is Donald Tusk?
• Born on 22 April 1957, Donald Franciszek Tusk is a Polish politician and historian.
• He has been serving as the President of the European Council since 1 December 2014.
• Before that, he served as the Prime Minister of Poland from 2007 to 2014. He was the first Prime Minister to be re-elected since the fall of Communism in Poland.
• He is also a co-founder and chairman of the Civic Platform (Platforma Obywatelska) party. About European Council
• The European Council is the institution of the European Union (EU). • It is charged with defining the EU's overall political direction and priorities.
• The Council comprises the heads of state or government of the member states, along with the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.
• It was established as an informal summit in 1975. However, it was formalised as an institution in 2009 upon the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon.

Centre to Launch Pilot Project on Ornamental Fisheries

Centre to Launch Pilot Project on Ornamental Fisheries The Department of Animal Husbandry along with Dairying and Fisheries and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare would be launching a pilot scheme for the development of ornamental fisheries with a total outlay of Rs 61.89 crore. The scheme would mainly focus on creating an environment that would enable sustainable development of Ornamental Fisheries for the socio-economic development of the people attached to the activity as well as for exports.  Following are the major objectives of the project: • To promote ornamental fish culture in India through cluster-based approach.
• To expand ornamental fisheries trade and export earnings
• To create employment opportunities for the rural & peri-urban population
• To use modern technology and innovation to make ornamental fisheries a thriving activity. Odisha Government launches 181 helpline for distressed women The pilot project would be implemented in eight states at first, which include Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. It would be implemented by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) through the Fisheries departments of the states. Overall, ornamental fisheries, which is counted as a sub-sector of the fisheries sector dealing with breeding and rearing of coloured fish of both freshwater and marine water has the potential for tremendous growth in India. Though it does not directly contribute to India’s food and nutritional security, it helps generate livelihood and income for the rural and peri-urban population, especially for women and the unemployed youth who take it up as a part-time activity. Besides this, the major attraction in the sector is the low production cost backed by high returns within a short span of time and the ever-growing demand in both Indian and International markets. Currently, there are about 400 species of marine ornamental fishes and 375 freshwater ornamental varieties in India. Manish Sisodia presents Delhi state Budget 2017-18

भारत में दवाओं के मूल्य पर नियंत्रण

भारत में दवाओं के मूल्य पर नियंत्रण भारतीय संविधान में स्वास्थ्य के अधिकार का उल्लेख नहीं किया गया है लेकिन स्वास्थ्य मानव जीवन का सबसे महत्वपूर्ण पहलू बना हुआ है. भारत के सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने अनुच्छेद 21 जो, "जीवन के अधिकार" की बात कहता है, के दायरे पर दिए अपने एक फैसले में कहा है कि यह "अच्छे स्वास्थ्य के अधिकार" को कवर करता है. हाल के वर्षों में सरकार ने भारत में दवाओं और चिकित्सीय औजारों के मूल्य नियंत्रण के लिए कई कदम उठाएं हैं ताकि सभी को किफायती दरों पर चिकित्सीय लाभ दिए जा सकें. यहां हम, भारत में दवा के मूल्य नियंत्रण के इतिहास के बारे में, दवाओं की कीमतों को कम करने के लिए सरकार द्वारा हाल में उठाए गए कदमों और लोगों एवं उद्योग पर इसके प्रभावों को संक्षेप में प्रस्तुत कर रहे हैं. भारत में दवा के मूल्यों के नियंत्रण का संक्षिप्त इतिहास दवा मूल्य नियंत्रण आदेश (डीपीसीओ) आवश्यक वस्तु अधिनियम, 1955 की धारा 3 के तहत जारी किया गया है. इसका उद्देश्य यह सुनिश्चित करना है कि किफायती दरों पर अनिवार्य दवाएं सभी को उपलब्ध हों. पहली बार, दवा मूल्य नियंत्रण आदेश 1962 में हुए भारत–चीन युद्ध के बाद जारी किए गए थे क्योंकि दवा कंपनियों ने मुनाफाखोरी शुरु कर दी थी और जनता के हित में दवा के मूल्यों पर लगाम लगाना अनिवार्य हो गया था. प्रत्येक बीतते वर्षों के साथ इसमें पांच बार संशोधन किया गया है. दवा मूल्य नियंत्रण आदेश (डीपीसीओ) 1995 की भारत में शुरुआत की गई और इसमें 74 बल्क ड्रग्स और उनके सूत्र को कवर किया गया था. इसके नतीजे उम्मीद के अनुसार नहीं मिले क्योंकि कई दवाओं के उत्पादकों ने अपनी विनिर्माण इकाई दूसरे देशों में स्थांतरित कर दी. नतीजा यह हुआ कि उत्पादकों के बाहर चले जाने से आधे उत्पाद का उत्पादन बंद हो गया. किसी चीज का भारतीय उत्पादन काफी महत्वपूर्ण हो गया था क्योंकि पेनिसिलिन का उत्पादन चीन में स्थांतरित कर दिया गया था. वर्ष 1997 में सरकार ने राष्ट्रीय औषधि मूल्य निर्धारण प्राधिकरण (एनपीपीए) बनाया, इसे डीपीसीओ के प्रावधानों को लागू करने, फार्मा उत्पादों के मूल्यों का निर्धारण/संशोधन करने और नियंत्रित एवं अनियंत्रित दवाओं के मूल्यों की निगरानी करने का काम दिया गया था. राष्ट्रीय औषधि मूल्य निर्धारण नीति– 2012 की स्थापना 07.12.2012 को की गई थी. एनपीपीपी– 2012 की मुख्य विशेषताएं हैं– दवाओं के मूल्यों का विनियमन राष्ट्रीय अनिवार्य दवा सूची (एनएलईएम)– 2011 के तहत निर्धारित दवाओं की अनिवार्यता के आधार पर करना, सिर्फ सूत्रीकरण के मूल्यों का विनियमन और बाजार– आधारित मूल्य निर्धारण (एमबीपी) के जरिए सूत्रीकरण का अधिकतम मूल्य निर्धारित करना. डीपीसीओ की नई नीति 2013 में बनाई गई. डीपीसीओ 2013 में भारत के अनिवार्य दवाओं की राष्ट्रीय सूची (एनएलईएम) में बढ़ोतरी की गई और इसके दायरे को 74 दवाओं से बढ़ाकर 799 दवाओं का कर दिया गया. इसकी शुरुआत के बाद से कोई नया निवेश नहीं देखा गया है. गैर– नियंत्रित उत्पादों की तरफ रुख देखा गया है. नतीजतन, डीपीसीओ 2013  की सूची में नई दवाओं और आश्रित ब्रांडों एवं नई दवाओं का औसत गैर–डीपीसीओ 2013 सूची की तुलना में कम हो गया है. वर्ष 2015 में स्वास्थ्य मंत्रालय ने नई एनएलईएम 2015  सूची में 376 दवाओं को शामिल करने के लिए अनिवार्य दवाओं की राष्ट्रीय सूची (एनएलईएम), 2011 में संशोधन किया था. नई सूची बनाने के लिए कुल 106 दवाओं को शामिल किया गया और  70 दवाओं को सूची से बाहर निकाल दिया गया. भारत में दवाओं के मूल्य पर नियंत्रण हेतु सरकार द्वारा उठाए गए कदम 1. दवाओं की कीमतों में कमी सितंबर 2016 में दवा मूल्य नियामक नेशनल फार्मास्युटिकल प्राइसिंग अथॉरिटी (एनपीपीए) ने करीब 33 अनिवार्य दवाओं का मूल्य कम कर दिया, जिसकी वजह से उनके खुदरा मूल्यों  30-50% तक की कमी हो गई. इन दवाओं में शामिल थीं– एंटीबायोटिक्स और अल्सरेटिव कोलाइटिस, सामान्य सर्दी– जुकाम में इस्तेमाल किए जाने वाले एंटी– एलर्जिक, गठिया, गैस्ट्रो–एसोफेगल रिफल्क्स रोग (गर्ड), सोरैसिस और तपेदिक के इलाज में इस्तेमाल की जाने वाली दवाएं. इस कदम का उद्देश्य नई दवाओं को दायरे में लाने के लिए मूल्य विनियमन के दायरे में विस्तार कर गंभीर बीमारियों के लिए इस्तेमाल की जाने वाली सामान्य दवाओं के मूल्यों में कमी करना था. इससे पहले (एनपीपीए) ने 14 सितंबर 2016 को आयोजित अपनी  36वीं बैठक में एक अधिसूचना जारी की जिसमें 18 और दवाओं का अधिकतम मूल्य दिया गया था. एनएलईएम, 2015 में अब मूल्य नियंत्रण के तहत कुल 467 दवाएं आती हैं. " सरकार फिलहाल अनिवार्य दवाओं का मूल्य विशेष चिकित्सा खंड की सभी दवाओं जिनकी बिक्री 1 फीसदी से अधिक है के सामान्य औसत के आधार पर निर्धारित करती है. एनपीपीए ने एक और अधिसूचना जारी की है जिसके अनुसार दवा (मूल्य नियंत्रण) संशोधन आदेश, 2016 की अनुसूची–। के 55 अनुसूचित दवाओं का अधिकतम मूल्य और डीपीसीओ, 2013 के तहत 29 दवाओं का खुदरा मूल्य एनपीपीए निर्धारित/ संशोधित करता है. संबंधित अधिसूचना/आदेश 23.12.2016 को जारी किया गया था. वैसी दवाएं जो मूल्य निर्धारण के तहत नहीं आतीं, निर्माताओं को उनकी खुदरा कीमतों में सालाना 10 फीसदी की अधिकतम बढ़ोतरी करने की अनुमति है. अनिवार्य दवाओं के मूल्य की गणना विशेष चिकित्सा खंड की सभी दवाओं जिनकी बिक्री 1 फीसदी से अधिक है के सामान्य औसत के आधार पर की जाती है. घरेलू सामान्य दवा निर्माताओं के दबाव के बावजूद एनपीपीए चरणबद्ध तरीके से एनएलईएम की कीमतों में लगातार कमी और संशोधन कर रहा है. अब तक एनपीपीए ने 799 दवाओं में से 330 के मूल्य में संशोधन कर दिया है. 2. कोरोनरी स्टेंट की कीमतों में कमी जुलाई 2016 में स्वास्थ्य एवं परिवार कल्याण मंत्रालय ने अनिवार्य दवाओं की राष्ट्रीय सूची, 2015 (एनएलईएम, 2015) में कोरोनरी स्टेंट को शामिल कर लिया. इसके बाद 21 दिसंबर 2016 को औषधि विभाग ने दवा मूल्य नियंत्रण आदेश, 2013 की अनुसूची । में कोरोनरी स्टेंट को 31वें स्थान पर शामिल किया. इस समावेशन ने इसे दवा मूल्य नियंत्रण आदेश 2013 में परिभाषित "अनुसूचित दवा" का दर्जा दे दिया. 13 फरवरी 2017 को नेशनल फार्मास्युटिकल प्राइसिंग अथॉरिटी (एनपीपीए) ने एक आदेश जारी किया जिसने कोरोनरी स्टेंट के मौजूदा बाजार मूल्यों को 40 फीसदी तक कम कर दिया. इसने जुलाई 2016 में अनिवार्य दवाओं की राष्ट्रीय सूची में इन्हें शामिल किए जाने से शुरु हुई बहस को समाप्त कर दिया. अधिसूचना ने स्टेंट को दो प्रकार की श्रेणी में रखा है. एक है बेर मेटल स्टेंट (बीएमएस) और दूसरा है ड्रग– इल्युटिंग स्टेंट. स्टेंट एक ट्यूब के आकार का उपकरण होता है. इसे अवरुद्ध रक्त वाहिका में डाला जाता है जो अवरोध को, कभी– कभी भौतिक साधनों द्वारा लेकिन अक्सर धीमी दर पर दी जाने वाली दवाओं के जरिए, दूर करने में मदद करता है. बेर मेटल स्टेंट का प्राइस कैप 7,260रु. है और ड्रग इल्युटिंग स्टेंट का 29,600/–रु. यह प्राइस कैप मौजूदा कीमतों, 25,000-रु. से लेकर 1,50,000 रु. के बीच  में है, के मुकाबले 40 फीसदी कम है. उद्योग जगत के सूत्रों का कहना है कि स्टेंट उत्पादों का 35 फीसदी स्पेक्ट्रम के नीचले स्तर पर उपलब्ध है. अधिसूचना स्टेंट के ब्रांडेड या बिना ब्रांड के होने, स्थानीय या विदेश में बने होने पर कोई बात नहीं कहता. लेकिन अधिसूचना में यह स्पष्ट कर दिया गया है कि काफी समय से देश में इसे बेचा जा रहा था लेकिन अब कोई भी स्टेंट 29,600 रु./– से अधिक की कीमत पर नहीं बेचा जा सकता हालांकि इसमें वैट, स्थानीय करों आदि को जोड़ने की गुंजाइश है. अधिसूचना में यह बात स्पष्ट रूप से कही गई है कि एक स्टेंट अस्पताल द्वारा लगाया जाता है और आमतौर पर उत्पाद का बिल उसे बेचने वाले लोगों की बजाय संस्थानों द्वारा प्रस्तुत किया जाएगा. अधिसूचना में यह भी कहा गया है नर्सिंग होम्स, अस्पताल और हृदय संबंधी प्रक्रियाओं को करने वाले क्लिनिकों, जो कोरोनरी स्टेंट का प्रयोग करते हैं, उन्हें अधिकतम मूल्य सीमा का अनुपालन करना होगा. उद्योग पर प्रभाव उद्योग के अनुमानों के अनुसार भारत में दवा का कुल बाजार करीब 50 मिलियन डॉलर का है. भविष्य में इसके कई गुना अधिक बढ़ने की संभावना है क्योंकि भारतीय आबादी में मधुमेह और उच्च रक्तचाप की समस्या काफी अधिक है. कोरोनरी स्टेंट को मूल्य नियंत्रण के तहत लाने के फायदे और नुकसान का विश्लेषण करने वाली प्रमुख समिति ने पिछले वर्ष सरकार को भेजी अपनी रिपोर्ट में भारत में कोरोनरी आर्टरी डिजिज (सीएडी) के काफी अधिक होने की बात का उल्लेख किया था और उसे "प्रमुख सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य समस्या" बताया था. इसलिए सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य के लिए स्टेंट को "अनिवार्य", मूल्य नियंत्रण सिद्धांत की मुख्य कसौटी, बताया गया है. उद्योग स्टेंट को प्राइस कैप में लाने से खुश नहीं है. कई भविष्यवाणियों में यह दावा किया गया है कि मरीजों को उद्योग में होने वाले नवीनतम तकनीकी प्रगति से वंचित किया जा रहा है. लेकिन कई स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ताओं ने इस कदम का स्वागत किया है. कार्यकर्ताओं ने कहा है कि वे जनता के हितों में संतुलन बनाने के लिए डीपीसीओ के अनुच्छेद 19 के प्रयोग का समर्थन करते हैं. लोगों पर प्रभाव कुछ शोधों के अनुसार चिकित्सा खर्च एक व्यक्ति की आमदनी का लगभग 60 फीसदी हिस्सा ले लेते हैं. यह भारत में स्वास्थ्य की दुखद कहानी और क्यों लोग स्वास्थ्य, भोजन और आवास के पैमाने पर खरे  नहीं उतरते, को बयां करता है.भारत अपेक्षाकृत एक गरीब देश है. इसलिए जीवन–रक्षक दवाओं और चिकित्सा उपकणों के मूल्यों में कमी हमेशा भारत के लोगों के बीच स्वागत योग्य कदम माना जाएगा.