SHRI D.R. MEHTA REAPPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF SEBI

    The Government of India has reappointed Shri D.R. Mehta as Chairman of Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for a period of two years with effect from 21st February, 2000. Shri Mehta was to complete his five-year tenure as SEBI Chairman on the 20th February, 2000.

 

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PLASTINDIA 2000 INAUGURATED BY CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS MINISTER

   PLASTINDIA 2000 the Asia-Pacific regions largest exhibition of Plastic producers and manufacturers was inaugurated here today by the Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Suresh Prabhu.

    The exhibition which is held every three years is being held for the fourth time.

    In his inaugural address, Shri Prabhu said the plastic industry should strive for new technology and new innovations to further step up the already spectacular growth figures of the industry. The industry, he said, has grown by about 300% over the last decade. The Minister noted that there is tremendous scope for exports and also an increasing demand for plastics and plastic products domestically. Shri Prabhu offered the Government’s help to the industry so that it grows without hurdles.

    The Minister also urged plastics manufacturers to do more to dispel the impression that all plastics are harmful to the environment. He commended the industry for setting up the Indian centre for plastics in the environment, to study these issues.

    Finally, the Minister invited the plastics industry to take part in INDIACHEM 2000 which is being held in October this year. One of the organisers of the INDIACHEM 2000 is the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.

    1045 exhibitors including 225 from 24 foreign countries are participating at PLASTINDIA 2000. About Rs.400 crore of business is expected to be generated. For the first time international buyers and sellers meet is also being organised. Compared to international standards India’s per capita consumption of plastics is very small. India consumes 2.4 kg. of plastics per capita per year, while the international figure is 16 kg. per capita per year.

 

 

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UZBEK MINISTER OF HEALTH CALLED ON UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE

    Uzbekistan delegation led by Mr. F.G.Nazirov, Health Minister, has called on the Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Shri N.T. Shanmugam, here today and discussed about area of mutual co-operation between India and Uzbekistan.

    India has offered credit line to Uzbek which can be used for importing medicines from India. Indian companies will be competent to take up any pharmaceutical project if financial tie-up arrangement with either Indian financial institutions or international financial institutions is made.

    The Union Health Minister has assured his counterpart of Uzbek that India’s on-going projects will not be stopped and more such projects will be established in future. If the problem of convertibility of currency is resolved Indian pharmaceutical companies having joint ventures in Uzbekistan will revive their operation. The problem of repatriation of money back to the country and exchange related issues have caused reduction in the business operation of Indian companies. The Minister said that Indian Council for Medical Research will be asked to be in touch with the National Academy of Uzbekistan for undertaking joint medical research projects with Uzbek. There is scope for barter arrangements for marketing the medical disposable products among the two countries mutually.

    India has expressed its offer of providing training facilities in India for Uzbek doctors and drug inspectors. India also assured supply of quality drugs and of expanding their joint pharmaceutical business. India has recognised medical colleges of Uzbek and Indian students are permitted to study medicines in Uzbek.

    Uzbek Health Minister has said that more than 250 Indian medicines have been registered in Uzbek. Next to Russia and Germany Indian medicines are registered in high numbers in Uzbek. He has invited his Indian counterpart to visit his country to make the study about the health-care system of his country. He has also said that President of his country will be visiting India soon.

    Apart from the senior officials of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, officers from the Ministries of Commerce, Chemicals & Fertilizers and External Affairs have also participated in the talks with the Uzbek delegation.

 

 

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29TH ANNUAL CONVOCATION OF AIIMS

   Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Shri N.T. Shanmugam has said that India has been able to achieve significant success in improving the standards of health-care of the people. The rate of maternal and child mortality has decreased and life expectancy has increased significantly. In his address at the 29th Annual Convocation of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, here today, the Minister has said that the diseases such as TB, Malaria, Diarrhoea are still causing significant loss of manpower. India is also facing challenges of new and emerging diseases such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis-B and cardio-vascular diseases. Government is determined to provide every citizen of this country the medical facilities by the medical professionals and the facilities that are second to none in the world.

    In the Convocation address, Chief Justice of India, Justice A.S. Anand has said that health and population are the concerns intersect at so many levels that one teeming billion are not just a demographic issue. If our birth-rate is alarming, then longevity presents another challenge. He has exhorted the medical professionals to give a direction and leadership in the profession to make the senior citizen their special concern. At all stages of life medical care is important but we need to have a more humanitarian approach towards those who gave us their best years.

    The Chief Justice has pointed out that the volume of medico-legal cases is increasing by the day due to rise in crime; due to social disorganisation and due to accident related cases, which can in a way also be imputed to an alarming rise in population. At times criminals have gone scot-free because the medical findings have been not quite what they should have been. It does unlimited damage when faith in institutions of redressal is shattered.

    Both medicine and law are noble professions but aggressive materialism and deviation from ethics by some numbers is bringing both the professions into somewhat disrepute. It is a sad tendency and must be checked at the earliest. Medical profession like legal or teaching should not be treated as a commercial proposition. A human being’s pain and physical helplessness cannot be cashed upon. And at the same time it is unrealistic to expect that the spirit of service should make missionaries of people in the medical profession. The pay packages of medical professionals, therefore, should be realistic and working conditions congenial to meet the expectations so as to enable them to properly discharge their obligations. He has expressed his concern over the frequency of strikes and holding up of work in hospitals for pay revisions.

    Director, AIIMS, Dr. P.K. Dave in his speech, has said that AIIMS has been recognised by the World Health Organisation to provide training to the health personnel from the South-East Asian countries. Quoting a recent survey he said that AIIMS has been recognised as the best medical institution in India.