'31'
NEIGRIHMS TO BE UPGRADED AS P.G.MEDICAL INSTITUTE
    The North-Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong, will be developed as a Post-Graduate Medical Institute on the lines of AIIMs, New Delhi and PGI, Chandigarh. This was decided at the Governing Body meeting of NEIGRIHMS held here today under the chairmanship of the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Dalit Ezhilmalai.

    The project report of the NEIGRIHMS, based on the conceptual plan of Dr. A.K. Barooah, Director of the Institute, has been approved. The project is estimated to cost about Rs.213 crore.

    NEIGRIHMS, functioning temporarily in the premises of Malaria Institute, Shillong, will soon have its own permanent building at Mawdiangdiang 7 Kms. off Shillong. The construction for the new building will start from October this year. For this, 306 acres of land, at a cost of over Rs. 1crore has been acquired.

    Dr. A.K. Barooah said that the Institute has been envisaged as an Apex Referral Centre for all hospitals and health establishments in the N.E. Region. Every effort will be made to make this Institute a user-friendly, super speciality hospital and a Post-Graduate Institute with a view to making it a centre of excellence. Besides, the Institute will also lay stress on research in the field of indigenous medicine system.

    The institute will give a fillip to the health care system of the people of North-Eastern Region, he added.
 
 

'24'
132 ISP LICENCES ISSUED SO FAR
    As many as 132 licenses have so far been issued since the new Internet Service Provider (ISP) Policy was announced on 6th November 1998. The break up, category-wise is : Category 'A' (all India) - 22, Category 'B' (Metros/States) - 43 and Category 'C' (small/medium cities and towns) - 67.

    The companies which have been issued all India licenses (Category 'A') are, Sukharta Finance, Satyam Infoway, Indusind Distribution, Wipro, Zee Telefilms, Global Electronics, Dishnet, Ircon, CG Faxemail, CMC, STPI, ERNET, Punjab Wireless, Sprint RPG, Bharati BT Internet, Nano Technology, B.P.L. Telecom, Sigma Input Output, Maharishi Global, Manipal Control, India Internet and Pacific Internet.
 
 

'31'
PRESS NOTE
    Department of Health, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has constituted a fresh three member Enquiry Committee to again go into the allegations of sexual harassment made by a nurse of the LRSTB and Allied Diseases Institute against the Director of that Institute. The Enquiry Committee consists of Ms. Sujatha Rao, Joint Secretary in the Department of Health, Dr. (Mrs.) R. Jose, DDG in the DGHS, and Dr.(Smt.) Kamla Chowdhary, a representative nominated by the National Commission for Women. The Enquiry Committee has been advised to submit its report expeditiously.

    Meanwhile, in order to facilitate an objective enquiry, the Director of the Institute has been transferred and posted as OSD in the Department of Health. The charge of the post of Director, LRSTB and Allied Diseases Institute will be held by Dr.M.S. Sachar, Addl. MS, Safdarjung Hospital.
 
 

'17'
HOW LACK OF INNOVATION AND COMPETITIVENESS MAKE PSUs SICK
    The Union Industry Minister, Shri Sikander Bakht has said that today’s top executives and directors of various companies must understand the new rules governing competition, which have induced changes in production strategies. Addressing the Tenth Annual Convention of the Institute of Directors here last evening, Shri Sikander Bakht said that in this dynamic economic situation, the attractiveness of respective enterprises and countries would depend on their ability to adapt quickly through constant innovation and creativity. The Minister was the Chief Guest at the Annual Convention.

    Talking of growing sickness of Indian Public Sector Enterprises, the Industry Minister lamented that PSUs in the country lacked competitiveness and innovativeness. That was why the total investment of Rs. 250,000 crores invested in the Public Enterprises failed to give desired results. As a result, majority of the PSUs were sick although their functionaries continued to draw salary. If only the public sector units in India had yielded at least 10 per cent returns on the cumulative investments, the country’s economic development would have been on a much sounder footing. The Minister lamented how the Government’s efforts to build a Patent office at a cost of Rs.75 crore in Delhi was blocked through a Public Interest Litigation in the Calcutta High Court by some vested interests. Talking of his own Ministry of Industry, the Minister said that some of the offices were meaningless as their creativity was nil.

    The Minister called upon the professionals in trade, commerce and industry to take a pledge to build a cohesive society so that all of us including professionals could think of and work innovations, improvements and competitiveness. These three elements were vital for progress in the emerging globalization of India. The professionals had a big role ahead and India was in the hands of professionals. It was for them to rise to the occasion, the Minister added.

    The Industry Minister said that role of training institutions which imparted necessary skills could not be overstated in today’s environment. Shri Bakht congratulated the recipients of "Golden Peacock National Training Award" and "Distinguished Fellow Award". Nine institutions were conferred Golden Peacock Training Awards for 1998 and Seventeen individuals Distinguished Fellow Awards by the Institute of Directors. Among the recipients of Distinguished Fellows were General V.P.Malik, Chief of Army Staff and Shri Ravi Kant, Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes.
 
 

'23'
COLLISION OF 2615 Dn.G.T.EXPRESS DUE TO STAFF FAILURE
    According to the provisional findings of a statutory inquiry by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Central Circle, Mumbai, the collision of 2615 Down

    Chennai - New Delhi G.T.Express occurred due to failure of railway staff . The train collied with derailed wagons of the Up BYC/Special Goods Train between Farah and Bad Stations of Agra-Mathura Section in Jhansi Division of Central Railway on July 16,1999. In the accident twenty one passengers were killed, 63 were grievously injured and 89 suffered simple injuries.

    The Commissioner also has made a few recommendations to improve element of Safety in train operation. The finding and recommendations are under the consideration by the Government.
 
 

'15'
GROUP APPROACH IN LENDING PROCESS IS THE BEST WAY TO ENHANCE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES - FM
    The Finance Minister, Shri Yashwant Sinha has asked the banking institutions to go to the needy rather than the needy coming down to the banks. He said that macro banking through self help groups would be extremely effective for financing the small and medium enterprises in towns and rural sectors. Shri Sinha was speaking at a seminar on `Financing for SME' organized by PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi today. Emphasizing the government's commitment to improve the small-scale sector, the Finance Minister has called for a group approach for extending bank loans to enhance the competence level and also the economic viability of the small-scale industries. He said the traditional trade associations and chambers & associations should try to establish marketing linkages on a large scale. He said production should be decentralized, joint marketing initiative need to be taken by the SMEs to project their interests. He asked the small industries to learn competition and move out of the protectionist regime.
 
 
 
 
'32'
JAPANESE AMBASSADOR CALLS ON THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT MINISTER
    The Ambassador of Japan, Mr. Hiroshi Hirabayashi called on the Urban Development Minister, Shri Jagmohan, here today. They discussed MRTS and other issues of mutual interest relating to the Urban Development Ministry. The Secretary of the Urban Development Ministry, Shri Ashok Pahwa was also present in the meeting.
 
 

‘23’

RAILWAYS INTENSIFY SAFETY MONITORING
    The Railway Board Chairman Shri V.K.Agarwal has assured the Chief Commissioners of Railway Safety that all recommendation of the Commission of Railway Safety will be considered thoroughly and all disputed issues will be resolved with mutual consultations. Addressing the Conference of Commissioners of Railway Safety and Chief Safety Officers of Zonal Railways here today, he said that Indian Railways will soon enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with various hospitals, nursing homes and health units throughout the country to facilitate faster medical relief to accident-affected passengers.

    Shri Agarwal highlighted the actions taken recently regarding system improvements to enhance safety on the Indian Railways such as safety audit, planned maintenance of assets and rigorous schedule of inspections. The whole gamut of general rules of operation and safety will be taken up for a thorough scrutiny and review he added. The safety audit exercise will cover checks on alcoholism among the running staff and standardisation of Station Working Rules, he informed the Commission.

    He said that Indian Railways is procuring a large number of simulators for training of drivers. Besides safety provisions at the stations by way of track circuiting have been intensified. To derive benefits from other Railways in the world, greater interaction has been initiated in the area of Railway Safety. Shri Agarwal further added that to improve efficacy of safety audit the level of officers manning the posts of Divisional Safety Officers will be upgraded. The conference of Commission of Railway Safety and Railway Board was initiated last year for the first time. The conference deliberates upon various aspects of Railway Safety. The issues discussed included Auxiliary Warning System, Rail Wheel Interaction Studies, Track Maintenance Methods, Psychological testing of loco running staff and management of level crossing.

    On all the nine Zonal Railways, safety is monitored by Chief Safety Officers. Concurrently, a Commissioner operates under the aegis of Commission of Railway Safety which is headed by Chief Commissioner with headquarter at Lucknow. The Commission works under Ministry of Civil Aviation and is independent of Ministry of Railways. It investigates into major train accidents apart from facilitating opening new railway lines and commissioning new rolling stock and installations.