New Delhi. Cannabis or 'bhang' can cause psychosis, increase heart rate and BP and also harm brain of the fetus if taken during pregnancy. Celebrate Holi without bhang said Dr K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India.

The acute side-effects caused by cannabis or 'bhang' are mainly related to psyche and cognition and to circulation. Euphoria, anxiety, changes in sensory perception, impairment of memory and psychomotor performance are common effects after a dose is taken, that exceeds an individually variable threshold.

Cannabis consumption may increase heart rate and change blood pressure, which may have serious consequences in people with heart disease. Effects of chronic use may be induction of psychosis and development of dependency to the drug. The effects on cognitive abilities seem to be reversible after abstinence, except possibly in very heavy users.

Cannabis exposure in utero may have negative consequences on brain development of the fetus with subtle impairment of cognitive abilities in later life. Consequences of cannabis smoking may be similar to those of tobacco smoking and should be avoided.  Cannabis use in young people has more detrimental effects than use by adults.

Some facts

New Delhi. Holi is a festival of love and joy and should be used as a medium of communication to remove the mental dirt and clean the mind said Dr K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India. He said that holi festival should not end up with quarrels, violence or eve teasing,

New Delhi. Balloons used by children during Holi can be dangerous and can cause blunt eye injury or even head injury. There can be bleeding in the eyes, lens subluxation, macular edema or retinal detachment. These can lead to loss of vision or even loss of the eye, said Dr K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India.

Most synthetic colours are harmful to the eyes or skin. Home-made floral colours are always better. Chemical colours may contain heavy metals like lead which is harmful to the eyes and skin. Other health hazards due to the exposure to heavy metals include skin allergies, dermatitis, drying and chapping of the skin, skin cancer, rhinitis, asthma and pneumonia.

 What to do: Chemicals that goes in the eye may cause mild allergy or even severe chemical burn in the eye. A patient may present with allergic conjunctivitis, chemical burn, corneal abrasion or blunt eye injury. Most colours used during Holi usually cause mild redness and irritation lasting for upto 48 hours. If clarity of vision is affected, it’s an emergency. The particles in colour powders (shining mica particles in ‘gulal’) can cause damage to the cornea. Corneal abrasion is an emergency and one should immediately consult the eye doctor or ophthalmologist.

First aid: Splash a lot of tap water if any colour enters the eye. If there is vision loss, corneal abrasions, rush to the eye doctor.

New Delhi. The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s statement prior to his departure to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:  He said, “I am leaving today on a bilateral visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. My visit carries special significance. I am conscious of the fact that this will be only the third visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia. I, therefore, have a vast agenda for discussions with the Saudi leadership.

My visit reflects the strong mutual desire of both countries to reinvigorate our relations, as manifested in His Majesty King Abdullah’s historic visit to India in 2006 as the Chief Guest of our Republic Day celebrations. The Delhi Declaration that we signed on that occasion constitutes a valuable blueprint for our cooperation in the future.

The Gulf region is an area of vital importance for India’s security and prosperity. India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have enjoyed special relations based on several millennia of civilisational and cultural linkages and people to people exchanges. The Kingdom is India’s largest and most reliable supplier of our energy needs from the region. Saudi Arabia is home to an Indian community numbering about 1.8 million. As many as 165000 Indian pilgrims perform the Haj annually. Our trade and investment linkages have grown though they remain much below the potential of our two economies, and must be broad based.

I will have the honour of holding talks with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on how can we promote greater stability and security in the region, and impart a strategic character to our relations beyond the traditional areas of our cooperation. There is great scope for opening new frontiers of cooperation in the areas of security, defence, science and technology, space, human resources development and knowledge-based industries. I believe India and Saudi Arabia have much to gain by cooperating with each other in combatting extremism and terrorism. I expect to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and other regional issues of mutual interest.

During my visit I look forward to addressing the distinguished members of the Majlis Al-Shura. A business delegation of CEOs is accompanying me, and I will address the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry. In addition, I will meet members of the Indian community.”

New Delhi.President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan today called the Prime Minister to express his condolences on the loss of Indian lives and injuries sustained by many others in the terrorist attack in Kabul on 26 February 2010. President Karzai promised a full investigation into the attack. The Prime Minister conveyed India’s outrage at the incident. While thanking the Government of Afghanistan for the assistance being given, the Prime Minister requested President Karzai to ensure full security for Indian nationals in Afghanistan. The two leaders agreed to stay in touch with each other.

New Delhi. Use natural herbal colors or it can cause serious health hazards said Dr. K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India. Other way is to use chandan ka tika. The deeper meaning behind the festival is to remove internal dirt from the body by spreading love and affection.

Chemical colours, bhang and the indiscriminate use of alcohol, all can lead to health hazards.

An earlier report from the AIIMS has shown that green/bluish-green colours are associated with higher incidence of ocular toxicity.

In fact most “pleasing to eye” colours available in the market are toxic and could cause serious disorders.

Malachite green is extensively used in Holi and can cause severe eye irritation with epithelial defect upon exposure, though it usually does not penetrate through the cornea.

Apart, presence of cheap inorganic chemicals like mica, acids, alkalis, pieces of glass, not only induce skin disorders like abrasion, irritation or itching but can also impair vision, cause respiratory problems and also cancer.

The alkaline base of these colours can cause injuries, the severity of which depends upon the area of contact and the degree of penetration.

Broadly there are three categories of colours available in the market — pastes, dry powders and water colours. The hazard increases when these are mixed with oil and applied to the skin.

Most inorganic dry colours or gulals have two components — a colorant which may be toxic and a base, which could be asbestos or silica, both of which are capable of causing health hazards. While silica dries as well as chaps the skin, asbestos that is a known human carcinogen, can result in cancer.

New Delhi. The Vice President Shri M. Hamid Ansari has strongly condemned the dastardly terrorist attack in Kabul today which killed and injured many persons including Indian citizens.

He expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the Indian citizens killed and injured in the attack. The Vice President said that the entire nation mourns their death and values their services and contribution to the nation. He reaffirmed the national resolve to continue the fight against terrorism which he characterised as "a scourge afflicting humanity".

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has condemned the bomb blasts in Kabul. In a statement the Prime Minister said: “I am deeply saddened and grieved at the loss of lives of Indian nationals in the bomb attack in Kabul , which has also claimed the lives of several innocent Afghan civilians. I condemn in the strongest possible terms this senseless act of violence and barbarism which strikes at the core of everything a civilized society holds dear. The Indians who have lost their lives were on a mission of goodwill and friendship, helping to construct the peaceful, democratic Afghanistan that our Afghan friends desire. I convey my heartfelt condolences to their families and near and dear ones, and assure them that we stand with them in this hour of grief, and will render all possible support to them.”

New Delhi. Farmers from every State/Union Territory in India are converging in New Delhi but this time there is a difference! They are being felicitated for their exemplary work in the field of agriculture in a function being held tomorrow in New Delhi by Agriculture Minister, Shri Sharad Pawar. These are 101 enterprising men and women farmers from remote parts of the country, who by sheer dint of their innovation and hard work have been more than inspirational for others. The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation has documented their success stories in shape of a Coffee Table titled “Harvest of Hope”. This book also is being released in a gathering where focus of attention is going to be the true life characters from this compilation.

From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and beyond, this book maps more than a hundred success stories of small and marginal farmers who have transformed their lives by adopting new and green technologies in cultivation. Struggling initially against a plethora of problems such as small holdings and increase in the cost of inputs, or battling ills such as widowhood and natural calamities of Tsunami proportions, these turnaround tales are simply stirring.

As one turns the pages of this book, one comes face-to-face with the hitherto nameless force that nurtures our land. One realizes just how laborious these growers really are, and just how extraordinary their will to improve is, even when all odds appear to be stacked against them. One marvels too at the native intelligence, common sense and innovative spirit of the salt of the earth, often handicapped by poverty and lack of formal education.

The key to the reinvention of lives towards a rosier future has been, without exception, the acquisition of new and technical knowledge without forsaking traditional wisdom, and an innate ability for intelligent adaptation, given constraints such as weather and location. Here the farmers have taken advantage of the various Central and State government initiatives and tailored the same intelligently to their geographical location. Certain non-governmental organisations, especially in states like Sikkim and Orissa have also been very helpful in providing help. These farmers have adopted unique cropping practises raising output in dramatic percentages. Some of these farmers have also joined together in collectively selling their harvest at the best possible rates by cutting out greedy middlemen.

Drip irrigation, use of neem based pesticides, organic farming and vermi- composting, are just a few of the cost saving measures that also protect the earth, yet improve both quality and quantity of produce. The frugal farmer is wearing a green hat today, in keeping with global concerns about depletion of natural resources and the poisoning of Mother Earth. He is economising not only in water, but chemical fertilizers today, in order that our children stay healthy and never go hungry. For instance, the cotton farmer, plagued by insects that devour the bolls of standing cotton, is reducing chemical pesticides yet tackling the problem by building bird perches on his fields to attract birds that feed on the insects.

The path-breaking interventions covered by the true life stories in this book are not limited merely to crops, but cover the entire gamut of rural vocations. Those with very small holdings have learnt to grow mushrooms or flowers for export such as the oriental lily {lilium}. Others explore avenues as diverse as poultry and fish farming, floriculture and fruit orchards, oilseeds and pulses, and cotton and ayurvedic herb cultivation. One farmer, with the courage for breaking new grounds in Himachal Pradesh has taken to the exotic subject of the cultivation of freshwater pearls.

In keeping with the demands generated by a liberalised economy and a palate hungry for new tastes, farmers are pandering to adventurous urban taste- buds by cultivating new crops like passion fruit, broccoli and strawberries. They have vastly benefited by thus thinking out-of–the–box. Indeed, changes in eating habits have generated new livelihoods for the farmer.

Struck by calamity when all seems lost, such as when the Tsunami ravaged the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, it is perhaps ironical that from such terrible circumstances spawns the hope for a better tomorrow. As time has proved, the morrow has indeed been hopeful, for with State assistance, many Tsunami affected farmers have learnt to restructure their lives and homes and are today more secure than even before the disaster struck. Perhaps more than others, the title of this book is to tailor made for them.

Nor are these rural folk stingy in the sharing of this good fortune. Once practically subsisting below the poverty line, the bounties reaped after acquiring the benefits of new technology, are shared generously with the rest of the village, resulting in the benefit of the greater good and establishment of a once impoverished man into a pillar of society and strength.

New Delhi. Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Narayanasamy has said that Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is responsible for those monuments which have been declared as of national importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 and there are 13 such monuments under the jurisdiction of ASI in Ladakh Region of Jammu and Kashmir State. In addition to this, a number of Buddhist monasteries, including stupas, cave, temples, sites and rock carvings and engravings had been identified in Leh, Nobra and Zanskar regions of archaeological and artistic importance.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today he said, The Archaeological Survey of India has no information on vanishing of unprotected sites in Ladakh region. The conservation, preservation, and maintenance of monuments declared as of national importance by way of structural repairs are undertaken on need basis as per the established archaeological norms.

New Delhi. The security arrangements for the ongoing Mahakumbh have been ensured by the State Government of Uttarakhand. However, the Central Government has provided all assistance required by the State Government in this regard. The security forces deployed at the Mahakumbh are adequate and equipped to prevent any terrorist attack.

The logistic arrangements for the Mahakumbh viz., sanitation, lodging etc. are made by the State Government of Uttarakhand as per the projected requirements for this event and appear to be sufficient.

This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shri Mullappally Ramachandran in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

New Delhi. Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic HINI Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur SA, Lyon, France.

The quality of indigenous vaccine for Pandemic Influenza A HINI (swine flu) are assessed by the Drug Controller General of India for which the Indian companies are presently undertaking clinical trials.

On completion of these assessments the vaccine would be licensed by Drug Controller General. The expected time when these indigenous vaccines are likely to be available is April/May 2010.

This information was given by Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in written reply to a question raised in Rajya Sabha today.

New Delhi. In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Smt. Justice Sabina, Additional Judge of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, to be a Judge of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office.

Dogri, the language spoken by the dogras living in J & K and elsewhere is a living and vibrant language. As part of mainstream Indian regional languages, Dogri too is now contributing significantly to Indian literature.

The Dogri folk music and world-famous Basohli miniature paintings constitute proud cultural heritage of India. Besides, Dogras’ daring military deeds form a stirring chapter of Indian history. Not only their rich art and cultural heritage, their mother-tongue, Dogri is also flourishing and enriching Indian literature. The record of making rapid strides in its literature especially during the last six decades is noteworthy. During the reign of Maharaja Ranbir Singh (1857-1885), Dogri was the official language of the Jammu and Kashmir State and afterwards Urdu became the official language and medium of instruction.

In the past, Dogri alphabet were called “Ganamat” and later modified to “Namey Akkhar” during regime of Ranbir Singh. On recommendation of an official committee, Devnagari script for Dogri was adopted in 1955 and it was incorporated in the State Constitution in 1957.

Jammu and Kashmir has the unique distinction of having its own State Constitution which says that the official language of the State shall be Urdu but English shall unless the Legislature by law otherwise provides shall be used for all official purposes. Kashmiri, Dogri, Gojri, Balti (Pali), Dardi, Punjabi, Pahari, Ladakhi and Gojri are the regional languages included in the Sixth Schedule of the State Constitution. This sensitive and strategic northern most State is multi-ethnic and multi-lingual where all sections and languages are provided adequate opportunities for growth and development.

Living Language

The Kashmiri language was included in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution in 1950 but Dogri was left out on the plea that only one language from a State could be taken. After substantial literary progress and long drawn struggle, Dogri too has been accorded constitutional status from December 22, 2003, thus giving it due status in the Indian Constitution which has opened up new windows of opportunities and also posed some challenges for its rapid advances.

Dogri Sanstha, a voluntary literary organisation, set up in 1944 in Jammu, has done pioneering work for promotion and popularisation of Dogri language. A boost was given to this language when Dinu Bhai Pant wrote a humorous Dogri booklet “ Guttalun” (Titillations) in 1945 which kindled public interest and touched high popularity graph among readership.

Sustained Progress

The Sanstha, in a way brought about renaissance when a number of writers of other languages switched over to Dogri literary works. The books in Dogri began to be authored on various themes and in different genres. A momentum was created by the Dogri Sanstha and some other non-governmental organisations stepped in to facilitate literary momentum.

The Jammu and Kashmir State established in 1950s the Academy of Art, Culture and Languages for preservation and promotion of its literary and cultural heritage. Doordarshan too is contributing their mite in projection and popularisation of this language.

The Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi recognised Dogri language in 1969 and started giving annual awards to Dogri writers and poets for their creditable contribution to Dogri language and its literature. It has given a much needed boost to Dogri by including it in its publications and organising various seminars and workshops.

The Dogri Sanstha has demanded introduction of Dogri, like Kashmiri compulsorily at the primary level. The necessary ground work for it has been done with suitable books and syllabus already prepared by experts. Dogri is being taught in some Degree colleges and University of Jammu. Research work is also in brisk progress.

This language has distinction of having 6-volume Dogri-Dogri , Hindi-Dogri dictionaries and also having collection of Dogri folk tales. A Style Book has also come up in collaboration between experts of Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore and the Dogri Sanstha to serve as guide for writers and poets. Dogri has creditably done some monumental works like translation into Dogri of Bhagwat Gita, Tagore’s famous works as also Prem Chand’s “Godaan” and now this trend is get accelerated. Like other Indian languages, Dogri is assimilating new words, adopting new trends and themes.

Today Dogri language, like most of other regional languages, is faced with many challenges and difficulties. The globalization which is gobbling all things, small and local, including languages and cultures. To tackle the problem one must realize that globalization derives its strength and sustenance from ever-evolving and growing tools of Media and Information Technology.

The inclusion of Dogri in Indian Constitution has opened up numerous possibilities for its speedy and sustained growth through usage of Information and Communication Technology.

Dogri: IT-Savy

The Government realizing the importance of developing Information Technology tools in regional languages to enable them to cope up with the requirements of the future, The Department of Information Technology has initiated a scheme of producing software tools in all Indian Languages included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. Pursuing this scheme, recently, Department of Information Technology, Government of India and C-DAC have released a set of software programmes and tools in Dogri for public usage and made these available, free of cost. These nine software packages cover a wide range of computer and internet usage for opening new vistas of growth and development.Dogri language is growing at a fast pace and making its solid contribution to Indian literature.

New Delhi. A stone in the kidney passage of less than 5mm should not be treated as it will invariably pass in the next four weeks, as per the new kidney stone international guidelines, said Dr. K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India.

A stone between 5 to 10 mm has only 20% chances of passing spontaneously. A stone of more than 10mm invariably require a non-medical intervention.

Dr. Aggarwal said that new avenues in stone management include a trial by drugs, which help in expulsion of the stone by relaxing the smooth muscle. The drugs used are Nifedipine (calcium channel blocker), alpha-blockers and steroids.

Uptil now it was thought that the best investigation for renal stone is intravenous pyelography. But now it has been prove beyond doubt that when a patient presents with kidney pain and a renal stone is suspected the undisputed investigation of choice is unenhanced CT scan of the abdomen. As per the guidelines, open removal of stones is no more recommended. Lithotripsy, PCNL and ureteroscopy have practically taken over from the open surgical procedures.

North India is considered a stone belt, with maximum cases of kidney stones in India.

New Delhi. The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed agreement for US$ 60.3 million loan for first tranche under ADB’s multitranche financing facility (MFF) for Assam Power Sector Enhancement Investment Program at Guwahati, Assam, today. ADB will provide 200 million USD to Govt. of India in three trenches of 60.3 USD million, 89.7 million USD and 50 million. ADB's Multi-tranche Financing Facility (MFF) towards the cost of the Assam Power Sector Enhancement Investment Program over the period 2009 to 2014 is in line with Govt. of India’s mission of “Power for all by 2012” to provide electricity to all households at an affordable price by 2012 as per Electricity Act 2003.

Govt. of India will provide the amount as 90% Grant: 10% Loan to Govt. of Assam. Counterpart fund amounting to 114.6 M USD equivalent will be provided by Govt. of Assam.

The project under the facility includes installation of 3 Nos. 220/132 KV sub stations, 11 Nos. 132/33 KV sub stations)resulting in addition of 1254 MVA in AEGCL Grid , Addition of 607 Ckt km transmission lines, Upgradation of Ground wire to OPGW, Augmentation of 18 existing s/s, Construction of 27 Nos. 33/11 KV, addition of 477 km of 33 KV net work and 368 km of 11KV network, Conversion of LT distribution system to HVDS/LT less system and installation of 65 km of Aerial Bunched Conductor (ABC) cables.

The ADB’s facility will improve Assam’s Transmission and distribution infrastructure including reducing system losses and improve quality and reach of power supply

As part of the function, a capacity building workshop was also organized for the benefit of the Implementing Agencies of the North Eastern States including Sikkim. A brief review of the ongoing externally aided project from these states was also made as part of the function.

The loan agreement signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Hun Kim Country Director, Mr. Shighilo Muramoto, Mr. J Srinivasan, Ms V.S Rekha on behalf of ADB and Ms Anuradha Thakur (Director, Ministry of Finance) GOI, Mr. S. Jerath Principal Secretary (Power) Electricity Dept, Mr. A.K. Bhutani, Secretary GDD & Finance (ADB project) Mr. A.K. Sachan, Chairman, ASEB on behalf of Govt. of Assam.

New Delhi. Data received from States reveal that about 277.81 lakh ha wheat has been sown compared to last year’s coverage of 275.89 lakh ha. Thus 1.92 lakh ha more area has been covered till 12.2.2010. Higher area coverage of wheat is reported in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Less coverage has been reported in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

About 32.35 lakh ha of rice has been sown/transplanted compared to last year’s coverage of 32.52 lakh ha. Thus 0.17 lakh ha less area has been covered till 12.2.2010. Rice area has been diverted for pulses crops in Andhra Pradesh. However, rice area is expected to reach last year’s area coverage as sowing/transplanting is still going on. Oilseeds have been sown in less area as compared to last year, by 4.80 lakh hectare.

There is a significant increase of about 8 lakh ha area under pulses. Overall crop condition is reported normal and most of the pulses crops are in vegetable to pod formation stages and the kharif season arhar is reported in flowering to harvesting stages. The highest area coverage during the current year is in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, followed by Andhra Pradesh.

India is an agriculture-based economy, where 43% of its people remain employed in agricultural and allied activities. Agriculture along with other related fields like forestry and logging provides employment to 60% of India’s population. Agriculture accounts for almost 19% of the Gross Domestic Product and 9% of the total exports. India’s agro-climatic conditions and rich natural resource base sets prelude for doing very good on agriculture front. Today, India has become the world’s largest producer across a range of commodities, like coconut, mango, banana, milk & dairy products, cashew nuts, pulses, ginger, turmeric and black pepper. It is also the second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugar, cotton, fruits and vegetables. India needs to leverage the production capability for economic gains and being self sufficient to meet the domestic consumption.

With a view to promoting agriculture in the country and to fetch remunerative returns to the farming community in a sustained manner, the concept of the Agri Export Zones (AEZs) was floated. AEZs are to be identified by the State Governments evolving a comprehensive package of services provided by all State Government agencies, State agriculture universities and all institutions and agencies of the Union Government for intensive delivery in these Zones. Corporate sector with proven credentials are encouraged to sponsor new zone or to takeover already notified AEZs or part of such zones for boosting agri-exports. Services would be managed and coordinated by State Government/corporate sector and would include provision of pre/post harvest treatment and operations, plant protection, processing, packaging, storage and related research & development etc. According to the government’s agri-trade promotion body, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has been nominated as the Nodal Agency to coordinate the efforts on the part of Central Government negotiations.

The entire effort of AEZ focuses on the cluster approach of identifying the potential products, the geographical region in which these products are grown and adopting an end-to-end approach of integrating the entire process right from the stage of production till it reaches the market. There would also be a need to identify/enlist difficulties/ problems encountered at each stage. These difficulties could be procedural in nature or may relate to a particular quality standard. Agri Export Zones can yield benefits like strengthening of backward linkages with a market oriented approach; product acceptability and its competitiveness abroad as well as in the domestic market; value addition to basic agricultural produce; bring down cost of production through economy of scale; better price for agricultural produce; improvement in product quality & packaging; promote trade-related research and development; and increase employment opportunities

Once the project proposal of a State has been approved by the Committee, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is signed between APEDA (on behalf of the Government) and the State Government for providing possible assistance at each stage of the project. The responsibilities of the State government are defined in the MoU. To enable the Agri Export Zone achieve the objectives of the concept and to make the projects viable, it is necessary that the Central and State Governments work closely with each other. This would imply certain pro-active steps to be taken by the States with regard to identification of a State Government institutions/agency which will be responsible for implementation and coordination of the entire activity; single window problem solving desks should be created in the offices promoting zonal approach to agriculture exports; adequate availability of infrastructure, inputs, electricity, etc. and redeployment of extension officers in the Export Zones who would interact regularly with APEDA and organise training/activity on a regular basis with a definite action programme.

Other potential crops that can be tapped where India has a geographical and resource advantages are tea, coffee, spices and cotton. India is the world’s second-largest producer of cotton. The focus on this crop can bring a rise of 10 per cent to about 32 million bales (one bale is equal to 170 kg) in the 2009-10 season (October-September), provided it gets high support price and more sowing of high-yielding Bt seeds. India’s coffee output is pegged at 3.1 lakh tonne in 2009-2010, 4.4 per cent higher compared to 2008-09, according to the post-blossom estimates released by the Coffee Board. India is likely to climb up in the ranking list of world top 10 coffee-producing countries if the actual output in 2009-10 matches estimates.

Another area which AEZ can act as a catalyst of growth is food producing industry. The food processing sector, which contributes 9 per cent to the GDP, is presently growing at 13.5 per cent against 6.5 per cent in 2003–04, and is going to be an important driver of the Indian economy. This generates huge employment and helps in getting better price for the generic good and services. APEDA and Export Inspection Council (EIC) are providing necessary technical inputs and financial assistance through its schemes for Infrastructure Development Scheme for Quality Development to boost agri export. Market Development and the Scheme for Research & Development have been making efforts to expand flower exports. As a result of these measures; the exports of flowers have increased from Rs.4875 lakh during 2007-08 to Rs.6563 lakh during 2008-09 (up to February 09).

Centre and State forging an alliance to boost agricultural export is now showing good results despite the global recession still lingering on. The country’s farm product export in value terms has surged about 40% to over Rs.80,600 crore in the last three years, with food grains, oil meals and fruits and vegetables witnessing maximum demand overseas. India’s agri-export turnover is expected to double in the next five years, according to APEDA, Agri-export turnover is set to rise from US $ 9 billion to nearly US $ 18 billion by 2014. At present, around 70 percent of the country’s agricultural and processed food exports are to developing countries in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and South America. With the growing population resources imbalances and growing need for food and livelihood security, initiative like AEZ is a time honored investment.

New Delhi. An Indian delegation led by the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Hon’ble Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad called on the Health Minister of Bangladesh, H.E. Prof. A.F.M. Ruhal Haque for bilateral discussion on health related issues in Dhaka today. Discussions were carried out in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. Both the leaders recounted the very successful recent visit of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India. The discussions between the two Ministers touched upon the entire gamut of health and family welfare matters of mutual concern and interest.

It was felt that, considering that the two countries have similar health related issues, a Memorandum of Understanding covering health related issues on which there can be mutual sharing of expertise, knowledge and information will be signed. Both the sides agreed that there is a need to ensure better cooperation for the containment of cross border transmission of communicable diseases. It was decided that, not only India and Bangladesh, but also Pakistan and Afghanistan would try and have common immunization days to ensure that the population on both side of the border are adequately covered. The Indian Minister offered to help Bangladesh in developing super specialty skills by tying up with centres of excellence in India. The Indian Minister informed hid Bangladeshi counterpart of the various steps initiated by his Ministry since the time of his taking over charge. The Bangladesh side was keen to learn from the expertise gained by India on curbing of influenza pandemic. Mr. Azad offered experts from Bangladesh to visit the testing centres developed by India. The introduction of a new curriculum for rural medical practitioners in India also evoked interest.

The Indian Health Minister invited Prof. Haque to India to take the discussion forward. This was accepted by Prof. Haque.

New Delhi. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has identified 35 districts for focused Rural Business Hubs (RBH) intervention in consultation with State Governments. Services of repeated organizations have been enlisted in Gateway Agencies for supporting Panchayats in identification of potential RBHs and their development.

Rural Business Hub is a participatory development model for the rural areas of the country that is built on the platform of 4 P, i.e. Public-Private-Panchayat-Partnership. The RBH initiative is aimed at moving from mere livelihood support to promoting rural prosperity, increasing rural non-farm incomes and augmenting rural employment. So far 26 district RBH workshops have been organized and champion products have also been identified. In addition, financial assistance to 49 projects throughout the country has been extended for establishment of RBH.

The Rural Business Hubs scheme has been started in 2007 to spread the benefits of India’s rapid economic development to the rural areas through Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).

New Delhi. The Minister of Industry and Minerals of the Republic of Iraq Mr. Fawzi F. Hariri has offered more supply of crude oil to Indian refineries stating that Iraq is ramping up its current crude oil production capacity substantially in next few years. Speaking during a meeting with Shri Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas here today, Mr. Hariri invited Indian companies to invest in the refining sector in Iraq with assured supply of crude oil. He also said that long term crude oil supply arrangement could be made for Indian refineries. Iraq is one of the major crude oil supplier to India.

Shri Murli Deora offered the utilization of upcoming crude oil storage facility in India by Iraq. The visiting Minister expressed keen interest in the proposal as the crude oil could be conveniently supplied to various importing centers from the Indian locations.

Shri Deora also proposed utilization of the services of leading engineering and consultancy firm, Engineers India Limited (EIL) by the Government of Iraq in developing oil sector infrastructure. He informed that most of the Indian refineries have been built by EIL in addition to the infrastructure in upstream and downstream sectors of the country. Presently, EIL is implementing among others a major Greenfield refinery project at Bhatinda, Punjab which is progressing quite well. Mr. Hariri invited Shri Deora to visit Iraq for taking forward the cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector.

New Delhi. The Government today approved the new Air Services Agreement (ASA) between India and Nepal.

Keeping in view the recent developments in the civil aviation sector, and with a view to modernize and update the existing ASA based on the ICAO template, an agreed text of a new ASA between the two countries was initialled on 9th September, 2009 when air services talks were held between both sides.

Both the countries shall now be entitled to designate any number of airlines for operation of mutually agreed services for which the respective country shall grant appropriate authorization and permission. Both countries have agreed to the following revised capacity entitlements: -

 The designated airlines of each side shall be permitted to exercise beyond fifth freedom traffic rights to/from the three points, other than the points in the SAARC region, specified in the Route I of Section I and Section II of the Route Schedule. However, the designated airlines of both sides may exercise beyond fifth freedom traffic rights to/from points other than the points in the SAARC Region, on not more than seven flights per week in each direction to/from each point.

 

The designated airlines of each Party shall be entitled to operate any number of all-cargo services between each other’s territory with any type of aircraft with full 3rd, 4th and 5th freedom traffic rights. Such all-cargo services may also be operated under co-operative marketing arrangements such as code sharing, blocked space etc.

New Delhi. Being an Indian today is considered as a risk factor for heart disease. International studies have shown that an Indian doctor settled in US is 17 times more prone to get a heart attack than an American doctor settled in America, said Dr. K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India and Editor eMedinewS.

Indian also get the disease at an earlier age. One should take lessons from the sudden deaths of prominent people like Vinod Mehra, Dewang Mehta, Amzad Khan, Sanjiv Kumar. They all died with massive heart attack within hours of the onset of symptoms while they were young and at the peak of their career. Saif Ali Khan also suffered a similar coronary attack but could be revived because of the modern gadgets and drugs available. Coronary artery disease in people less than 45 years of age is quite common in the country and needs aggressive management. Their first degree relatives should also be evaluated to prevent future heart disease in them.

Children whose fathers had suffered a heart attack before the age of 55 or mothers before the age of 65 should also be subjected to vigorous investigations to rule out underlying heart disease. In men less than 45 years of age and all pre menopausal women, one should look for possible heart blockages if they have associated risk factors. it is ironical that women who are normally protected from getting a heart attack are getting it today because of a continued faulty lifestyle. Heart attack in women is more serious, severe and fatal. Deaths due to heart disease in women outgrow all the combined deaths due to all cancers in women in the country today.

Younger patients with heart blockages have more abnormal atherogenic lipid profile, higher prevalence of smoking and more frequent single vessel coronary blockage disease. In a data of 1000 patients undergoing angiography, it was shown that 84% of patients undergoing angiography were males. Only 16% women underwent angiography. Amongst those who underwent angiography diabetes was present in 47% men, 52% women;

hypertension in 71% of patients (male & female equal); abnormal lipid profile in 94% women and 85% men; family history of heart disease in 30% women and 19% men; and one more family member having heart blockage was present in 63% women and 54% men. Only 10% of patients were smokers and 6% of them were younger than 45 years of age.

The risk factors for Indians are different from that of the West. Dr. Enas Ea from Florida has shown that Asian Indians all over the world have the highest rate of heart blockages despite the fact that nearly 50% of them are vegetarians. The disease in them not only occurs earlier, but also takes a more malignant course. The classical risk factors like smoking, blood pressure and diabetes are present in less number than in their Western counterparts. The main risk factors in Indians are high triglycerides, low HDL and good cholesterol, high insulin levels, apple-shaped abdominal obesity and high Lp (A) cholesterol levels.

Many studies have shown that the relations of heart patients also demonstrate metabolic blood abnormalities. Children from 5 to 18 years of age group of young parents of less than 45 years of age with coronary blockages, showed relatives significant cholesterol, sugar, blood pressure and insulin level abnormalities in the relatives. The levels were significantly higher as compared to controls. Aggressive modification of lifestyle, therefore, should begin in adolescents in view of malignant nature of coronary blockages in this population.

Coronary blockages also follow different incidence patterns in different areas in the country. Kerala has one of the highest incidences. In north, it is highly prevalent in Punjabi Bhatia family. Dr. R Gupta from Jaipur has shown high prevalence of abdominal obesity, blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome in Punjabi Bhatia community. Asian Indian women also have a higher rate of coronary blockages than other ethnic groups, despite similar conventional risk factors. Bhalodkar and coauthors from New York have shown that Asian Indian women have smaller particle size of good cholesterol and high levels of triglyceride.

New Delhi. A form of heart failure that is too often overlooked is on the rise and it‘s just as deadly as the better–known variety. The standard description of heart failure is that the heart progressively loses its ability to pump blood. But there‘s another form of the disease where the heart‘s blood–pumping ability remains near normal, said Dr. K K Aggarwal President, Heart Care Foundation of India and Editor eMedinewS.

In this condition, the heart muscle becomes thickened making the inside chamber of the heart smaller. The heart is thus unable to relax to accommodate the blood it needs to pump out. As there is no room for the heart to relax, the blood backs up into the lungs.

This kind of aberration isn‘t picked up by standard measurements in echocardiography of "ejection fraction"- the percentage of blood in the heart that goes out with every beat. This heart failure is called "heart failure with normal ejection fractions or with normal LV functions". Nearly one–third of heart–failure patients will have normal ejection fraction. However, the death rate for this kind of heart failure matches that of patients with the more common form of heart failure with low ejection fraction and with more than 20% of all the patients dying within a year.

For patients, the symptoms of both types of heart failure are the same: Shortness of breath, difficulty exercising, and fluid retention in the body. Doctors cannot make a diagnosis on the basis of symptoms or routine examinations. A tissue Doppler echocardiogram is needed to see the heart pumping, its ejection fraction and diastolic relaxing functions of the heart. Advances have been made against systolic heart failure, in which the ejection fraction falls below normal but not much has been done about diastolic heart failure.

The systematic development of forestry education and training in India is, perhaps, one of the oldest in the world. After the appointment of Dr. Dietrich Brandis, as the first inspector General of Forests of India, there was steady progress towards scientific management of forests. Dr. Brandis recognized the need for qualified and well trained personnel for forestry Management and administration in the country and took steps for their recruitment and training. By 1870, the foundation of a forest department was well laid and a regular forests service came into existence.

Background

Initially from 1867 till 1926, the officers of the Imperial Forest Service were trained in France, Germany and United Kingdom. In India, this training began in 1878. A small Central Forest School at Dehradun was established by the then North-Western Province for training of Forest Range Officers (FROs), which was later taken over by the Government during 1884. Realizing the increasing demand of trained personnel, a proposal was made during 1891 for starting a Provincial Forest Service (PFS). After its establishment in 1906, the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun, started one year course recruitment to PFS. Later in 1912, a separate two years’ course was started for training science graduates for appointment to the PFS. During 1926 training for Imperial Forest Service commenced at Indian Forest College (IFC), Dehradun and the course for PFS was abolished.

After the promulgation of the Government of India Act of 1935, the subject of ‘forest’ was transferred to the provinces and princely states and the Imperial Forest Service was replaced by the Superior Forest Service (SFS). The level of training was upgraded in 1940 and it was kept similar to the imperial Forest Service Officers, with an all India outlook to manage these national assets. The course was termed as the Superior Forest Service course which offered a Diploma in “Associate of India Forests College (AIFC)”. In order to cope up with increasing demand from the states for training the SFS officers, three SFS Colleges were established at Burnihat, Coimbatore and Dehradun during the period from 1976 to 1981.

In order to maintain high standards in forestry administration and management and to provide senior personnel to man all posts carrying higher duties and responsibilities, the Indian Forest Service (IFS) was created on 1st July 1966, as an All India Service under the All Indian Services Act, 1951. The Government, upgraded the IFC to the level of a national academy in May 1987. It is known as Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehradun.

The cadre of Forest Range Officers (FROs) was evolved out of the need to have a link between IFS officers at the higher administrative level and the lower subordinate filed staff. To meet the high demand for rangers, nine Forest Rangers Colleges (FRCs) were established from 1912 to 1982. Over the years, the cadre of FROs emerged as one of the most important executive functionaries in the State Forests Department (SFDs).Over the years the Central Government run Ranger colleges were gradually closed and handed over to the respective State Governments where they were located except the one at Kurseong which is still with the Central Government.

The Forestry Personnel’s Training is guided, overall by the National Training Policy, 1996 through a three tier approach to include all administrative levels from the lowest to the highest level that “Interface” with the public at large. The salient recommendations of the policy include identification of organizational training needs through in-house exercises, participatory training programme, action based training methods which are custom made, interaction among faculty, visits, in-service training at the cutting-edge levels, up-gradation of knowledge and skill of the trainers, need based overseas training.

The training of the Forestry Personnel is organised in such a way that, they get initial i.e. “Induction” training as well as refresher trainings - “In-service trainings”. These trainings are mostly handled by the Government for the top three levels of Forestry Personnel i.e. Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officers, State Forest Service (SFS) Officers and Range Forest Officers (RFOs). For the Balance of the Forestry Personnel i.e. Deputy Rangers, Forester and Forest Guards, the Induction as well as In-service trainings are taken care of by respective State/UT Governments.

Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy at Dehradun is mandated to conduct Professional training courses for IFS officers. The State Forest Service (SFS) for which recruitment is made by respective States is the second front line service of forest administration in the States. Mandate for imparting induction training to the SFS officers is given to the Directorate of Forests Education (DFE), Dehradun to maintain uniform standards of training in the country. These SFS trainings are imparted by DFE through its three SFS colleges at Burnihat, Dehradun and Coimbatore. The training of the Range Forest Officers is also conducted by DFE utilising the SFS College’s infrastructure as well as at Eastern Forest Rangers College (EFRC), Kurseong.

The inductions as well as in-service training of the frontline staff (deputy range officers, forester and forest guards) are the responsibility of the State/UTs concerned. There are 63 State Training Institutes /Colleges/Schools in the entire country.

As an attempt to improve the training infrastructure and training methodologies in the country, the project titled “Capacity Development for Forest Management and Training of Personal” is to be implemented in a project mode. The thrust of the project will be to strengthen the infrastructure of the Forestry Training School of State Forest departments and to strengthen the training modules of the frontline forestry personnel trainings.

The Academy is again in the process of renovation with advanced scientific and technological developments. Based on the findings of the study and input of national and regional level meetings a concept paper was revised to incorporate the comments of the Planning Commission. The concept is funding, through Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), to the External DoNER Agencies. The Ministry is in the advance stages of starting a Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) funded project for the sector.

The “Capacity Building in Forestry Sector” scheme will cover the whole gamut of the Forestry Sector Training needs and attempts to address the HRD needs at all levels of the forestry administration. This will be in addition to the components “Training of Personnel of other services” and “Training of other stakeholders”. It aims to acquaint the members of the civil society and the non-forestry service who have an interface with the forestry sector, to the realities, needs and challenges of the forestry & wildlife sector.

New Delhi. Teen-agers who have two or fewer family meals weekly are twice as likely to smoke and drink as teens eating five such dinners a week, according to a study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia, said Dr. K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India and Editor eMedinewS. Eating together always provides a grounding for family members.

A national study of kids between 3 and 12 has shown that more meal time at home is the single strongest predictor of better achievement scores, ahead of time studying or in church. Researchers has shown a strong link between eating at least five dinners a week with a parent and children who are less likely to use drugs and develop good eating habits.

Best meals are enjoyed at home with the television off and that children should be encouraged to chat, not badgered to eat broccoli or explain poor grades.

Panchayati Raj Institutions in India are the backbone of our democracy. To promote a decentralized, participative & holistic planning process for the local elected bodies and make then more meaningful a number of initiatives have been taken by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

The Backward Region Grant Fund

This Scheme promotes decentralized, participative & holistic planning process, as an essential condition for getting BRGF grant. It bridges the critical gaps in development and builds capacity of PRIs & official functionaries. The evaluation study done recently shows that BRGF is extremely useful in meeting the local needs and PRIs and States have acquired good experience in planning and implementing the Scheme. Out of the plan outlay of Rs.4670 Cr. for 2009-10 for BRGF, Rs. 3240 Cr has already been released to States by 31st December 2009.

e-Governance Project

e-PRI is identified as one of the Mission Mode Projects (MMPs) under NeGP. It proposes to provide a whole range of IT related services such as Decentralized Database & Planning, PRI Budgeting & Accounting, Implementation & monitoring of Central and State sector schemes, Citizen-centric Services, Unique codes to Panchayats and Individuals, Essential GIS based applications, On-line Self-learning medium for elected representatives and official functionaries. e-PRI has the potential to revolutionize PRIs as the symbol of modernity & efficiency and induce mass ICT culture.

e-PRI envisages providing computing facilities along with connectivity to all the 2.36 lac Panchayats at a tentative cost of Rs. 4500 cr. over 3 years. Panchayats being the basic unit for planning and implementation of Cenral/States programmes & schemes, e-PRI would, in a way, be the umbrella MMP. Government would, therefore, give high priority to e-PRI under NeGP. Information and Service Needs Assessment, Business Process Engineering and Detailed Budget Reports for 27 States has already been done and the Project is ready for roll out.

The President in her Address to the Parliament on 4.6.09 had mentioned the intent to provide fifty percent reservation for women in Panchayats as women suffer multiple deprivations of class, caste and gender and enhancing reservation in Panchayats will lead to more women entering the public sphere.

Accordingly, on 27.08.2009, the Cabinet approved the proposal to amend Articles 243 D to provide 50% reservation for women in seats and also offices of Chairpersons in all 3 tiers of Panchayats. Minister of Panchayati Raj introduced the Constitutional (One Hundred and Tenth) Amendment Bill, 2009 in the Lok Sabha on 26.11.2009.

Presently, out of approx 28.18 Lakhs elected representatives of Panchayats, 36.87% are women. With the proposed Constitutional Amendment, the number of elected women representatives is expected to rise to more than 14 lakhs.

Panchayats are the grassroot democratic institutions and need to be further empowered through effective devolution of functions, finances and functionaries (3Fs) following the principles of subsidiarity and centrality of Panchayats. This would also ensure convergence of plethora of schemes and pooling of resources through holistic planning by Panchayats. Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Incentive Scheme, which aims at incentivising States to devolve 3Fs to Panchayats and Panchayats to be more transparent and accountable, would be given higher allocation based on a devolution index.

50 years of Panchayati Raj was commemorated on 2nd Oct.09. Given the criticality of Gram Sabhas in self-governance and transparent and accountable functioning of the Gram Panchayats. 2.10.2009 to 2.10.2010 is being observed as ‘Year of the Gram Sabha’. Apart from making all efforts to ensure effective functioning of the Gram Sabhas, following action are being taken; legal, policy and programme changes required for empowering the Panchayats particularly the Gram Sabhas; building systems & processes for ensuring greater efficiency, transparency & accountability of the Panchayats, and launching mass awareness of and specific activities by the Gram Sabhas & Panchayats.

The current justice delivery system is perceived as expensive, time-consuming, procedure-ridden, technical and difficult to comprehend, which prevents the poor from approaching the legal system with their grievances. To mitigate such hardships, the Ministry has proposed a Nyaya Panchayats Bill. The Nyaya Panchayats will ensure participatory and people-oriented system of justice with greater scope for mediation, conciliation and compromise. Being closer to the people geographically and psychologically, the Nyaya Panchayats would be the ideal forum to save time, trouble and expenses of parties and witnesses. It would also reduce the workload of judiciary.

Panchayat Mahila Shakti Abhiyan

It is a scheme for the Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) to build their confidence and capacity so that they get over the institutional, societal and political constraints that prevent them from active participation in rural local self government. 22 States have formed the Core Committee and organized the State Level Sammelans. 9 State Support Centres have been established under the scheme. (Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Kerala, West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Island). 11 States have been conducted training sensitization programme under the scheme. (Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Kerala, Assam, Andaman & Nicobar Island and Sikkim)

47 Divisional Level Sammelans have been organized in 11 States. (Chhattisgarh, Goa, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Manipur, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Island). State Level Association of EWRs/EYRs has been formed in the States of Goa and Sikkim.

The RBH scheme has been started in 2007, to spread the benefits of India’s rapid economic development to the rural areas through the medium of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). RBH is a participatory development model for the rural areas of the country that is built on the platform of 4 P, i.e. Public-Private-Panchayat-Partnership. The RBH initiative is aimed at moving from mere livelihood support to promoting rural prosperity, increasing rural non-farm incomes and augmenting rural employment.

35 districts have been identified for focused RBH intervention in consultation with State Governments. Services of reputed organizations have been enlisted as Gateway Agencies for supporting Panchayats in identification of potential RBHs and their development. Financial assistance to 49 projects has been extended for establishment of RBH. Also,RBH is being evaluated for possible upscaling in the future.