‘7’

    With today’s Presidential Notification, the process of General Elections, in the third phase, to the 13^th House of the People (Lok Sabha) has begun.

    The 79 Parliamentary Constituencies in the five States will go to poll on September 18,1999. The Parliamentary Constituencies are 14 in Andhra Pradesh, followed by 19 in Bihar, 2 in Jammu & Kashmir, 14 in Madhya Pradesh and 30 in Uttar Pradesh.
 
 

    Enrolled as advocate in 1962, Shri A.K. Banerji practised law in the High Court of Allahabad. He was elevated a judge of that High Court in February, 1992. As a Judge, Shri Justice Banerji sat on testamentary and company jurisdiction, the original jurisdiction of Allahabad High Court. His entire tenure as a Judge was spent on the company side. As a practising lawyer he specialised in corporate laws. He belongs to an illustrious family of lawyers and judges. His grandfather Dr. Satish Chandra Banerji, a Tagore Law lecturer, an outstanding jurist in the country, had decorated Allahabad High Court as its Judge. His father was also a noted advocate in that High Court.

    Immediately after assuming the office of Chairman, Company Law Board, Shri Justice Banjerji called upon the Members and other officials of the Company Law Board to expedite the disposal of fraud cases in the form of public deposits by defaulting companies in order to instill confidence among the investors whose hard-earned life savings were swindled by hundreds of companies especially the Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs). He urged all the officials of the Company Law Board to be more responsible and responsive to the investors.
 
 

    Exports of cotton yarn notched up an impressive growth of 10.1 per cent at US $ 536.9 million for the period April-July 1999 as against exports of US $ 487.8 million during the corresponding period last year. In rupee terms also the exports of cotton yarn went up by nearly 15 per cent at Rs. 2307.36 crores during this period as against Rs. 2010.55 crores during April-July 1998. A series of measures taken by the Government in the past one year to boost cotton yarn exports and revival of economies of South-East Asian Countries have helped the cotton yarn exports to turn around after having fared badly during the last financial year.

    Readymade garments exports also went up by 5.1 per cent (in dollar terms) and 9.1 per cent (in rupee terms) during the first four months of this fiscal year recording an export turn over of US $ 1704.0 million (Rs. 7341.03 crores). Readymade garments, which already constitute more than 40 per cent of the total textiles exports from the country are all set to contribute more than 50 per cent to the total textiles exports. During the period April-July 1998 the exports of readymade garments were US $ 1621.9 million (Rs. 6729.82 crores).

    Handicrafts exports too went by 10.1 per cent(in dollar terms) and 14.6 per cent (in rupee terms) during the period April-July 1999 as against the figures for the corresponding period in the previous year. The exports stood at US $ 481.6 million (Rs. 1986.39 crores) during April-July 1998.

    During the period, exports of silk and man-made textiles also went up while cotton fabrics & made ups, wool & woollens, jute and coir recorded negative export growth as against the previous financial year.
 
 

    In the day-long meeting, the Home Secretary emphasized the need for utmost vigil and attention to the maintenance of law & order situation in the coming two months and highlighted that the security dimension of elections has assumed special importance this time due to the failure of Pak sponsored Kargil intrusions. This has been compounded by the fact that the elections are coinciding with the festival season. The period up to 10^th October 1999 would witness celebration of Onam (25^th August), Raksha

    Bandhan (26^th august), Janmashtami (3^rd September), Ganesh Chaturthi (13^th September) and Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday (2^nd October). It has to be ensured that the elections pass off peacefully and there is no untoward incident to mar the gaiety of festival season in any part of the country.

    HS pointed out that mischief-mongers should not be allowed to spark off a controversy leading to social tension and communal flare-ups and to guard against such hostile designs, particularly since the Pak ISI is bent upon fomenting trouble after their failure to accomplish their mission through ‘Kargil’.

The following crucial factors were stressed:

 

*	Gearing up the intelligence gathering and a close watch on organizations, groups and individuals who are likely to create disturbances and disrupt the elections.
*	Anticipating threats to the leaders of political parties, candidates and supporters of political parties.
*	Preventing acts of terrorism planned to be perpetrated with a view to creating a general sense of insecurity.
*	A special watch would have to be mounted on sensitive and vulnerable places, areas and installations, including railway trcks, transmission towers, petrol depots, telephone exchanges and government buildings where polling booths would be set up.
*	Vigilance on the border/transit points to check smuggling of arms, ammunition, narcotics, fake currency and infiltration of terrorists/insurgents.
*	A watch on the entry of foreigners in general and inflow of unaccounted money might be a useful measure to prevent disturbances on the ever of election.
*	Disinformation is one of the biggest enemies of public peace and would have to be guarded against lest propaganda vitiates the electoral process.
*	District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police be urged to pay personal attention to the maintenance of public peace and order and to ensure that communal disturbances and violence do not raise their ugly head in any corner.

    Home Secretaries and DGPs gave their assessment of the law & order scenario in their respective States and described the arrangements they had put in place for law & order management, conduct of poll and arrangement for VVIP security. The general assessment was that the arrangements were adequate and that the elections should pass off well.

    The Union Home Secretary assured that Ministry of Home Affairs would keep interacting with them in the run-up to the polls and provide detailed and specific guidelines on law & order aspects, movement and utilization of Central Forces, sharing of intelligence, etc. It was also assured that their requirements of arms and ammunition, communication equipments and equipments for detection and disposal of explosives will be met within the available resources.
 
 
 

    Ordinarily rates for Write-ups, short stories, drama and one-act play are Rs.750/- per write up but for special write-ups, the rates are Rs.1,500/-. Rates for Poetry/Poems ranges from Rs.225/- to Rs.450/- whereas rates for book review varies from Rs.150/- to Rs.300/-
 
 

    The cumulative production of fertilizers since April-July 1999 is tentatively estimated as 34.39 lakh tonnes of nitrogen and 10.11 lakh tonnes of phosphate as against the target of 34.26 lakh tonnes and 10.54 lakh tonnes, respectively. The cumulative production in the corresponding period last year was 32.30 lakh tonnes of nitrogen and 9.08 lakh tonnes of phosphate. The production of nitrogen thus registered a growth if 6.5 per cent and phosphate production recorded an even greater increase of 11.3 per cent during April-July this year.

    Capacity utilisation in July 1999 was 107.6 per cent for nitrogen and 102.9 per cent for phosphate.

    During July 1999, 18.26 lakh tonnes of urea was despatched to the States against the target of 17.50 lakh tonnes. As a result,   cumulative availability of urea has been 83.71-lakh tonnes upto 31.7.1999. The cumulative sales of Urea up to 15.7.1999 are lower than the corresponding period of Kharif 1998. The low level of sales is mainly attributable to poor off-take on account of delayed and erratic monsoon in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat and due to floods in northern Bihar.

    The cumulative availability of DAP by the end of July 1999 has been 25.40 lakh tonnes which is higher by 13 per cent as compared to the availability of 22.43 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of previous year. The higher trend in sales of DAP has been maintained. Further, the cumulative sales upto 15.7.1999 were up by 7 per cent over the sales during the corresponding period in Kharif 1998.

    Similarly, the cumulative availability of MOP by the end of July 1999 has been 10.90 lakh tonnes which is higher compared to 4.30 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of previous year during which there were shortages of MOP due to lesser imports. The sales of MOP have also been higher.

    During July 1999, 1.54 lakh tonnes of imported urea has landed in the country. With this, cumulative arrival has been 2.28 lakh tonnes. During the month under review, about 4.32 lakh tonnes of imported DAP and 1.79 lakh tonnes of MOP have been delivered. The cumulative arrivals of DAP and MOP in the country have been 10.70 lakh tonnes and 8.24 lakh tonnes, respectively.

    The average daily loading of fertilizers by rail during July 1999 was 3699 equivalent BG wagons per day as against 3184 BG wagons per day in the corresponding period of last year.
 
 

    Government has issued a notification No.X-11014/2/97-DMS&PFA vide GSR No.591(E), Dt.17.8.99 amending the definiton of ‘New Drug’ contained in Rule 122 (E) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1945.

    As a result of this amendment, modern devices like new types of syringes, inter dental brushes with anti bacterial filament etc. and delivery systems like transdermal patches, implants under the skin etc., which are intended for internal and external use in the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, etc. of diseases or disorders in human beings, will be covered within the definition of ‘new drug’ and will need to be approved by the Drug Controller of India, following the same procedure as is being followed for drugs.

    The amendment also covers the misuse of any new drug imported as a gift for the purpose of conducting clinical trials without the specific permission of the Licensing Authority under Rule21. This means that any import of new drug for purpose of clinical trial without due permission will be treated as a violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, even if the drug is received as a gift, and will attract the relevant penal provisions.
 
 

    In his inaugural address at the two-day workshop on "Operationalisation Of First Referral Units " here today, he said that FRUs can play a vital role in reduction of maternal mortality rate. He also mentioned that maternal health has a direct bearing on the child survival.

    Shri Gautam Basu, Joint Secretary Deptt. of Family Welfare of the Union Ministry Of Health and Family Welfare, highlighted the focal points of the Draft Agenda for the workshop such as round the clock provision of delivery services in the FRUs and emergency obstetric care etc.

    Presently, 1748 FRUs are there in the country under the Reproductive Child Health Programme. Participants from different states in the workshop laid stress on further strengthening the FRUs by provision of adequate manpower, training of staff, requisite supply of drugs and equipment.

    The workshop is being jointly organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and UNICEF to review the status of FRUs in the country for reducing maternal mortality and morbidity.
 
 
 

UNDP Assisted Jute Project:

    With the assistance of UNDP a project for the promotion and development of Jute based handicrafts is nearing completion. The project was implemented in two stages, the first phase of the project relates to design and proto- type development and the second phase relates to production and management of jute based handicrafts.

UNDP Assisted Wood Project:

    The objective of this project is to increase the export of wood based handicrafts on sustainable basis as part of the larger national effort to increase export and generate more income and employment for artisans. The project is in early stages of implementation.

UNDP Cane & Bamboo and Carpet Project:

    This project for the Cane and Bamboo and Carpet sector will be implemented under the aegis of Country Co-operation Framework-I (Fibres and Handicrafts Programme) in collaboration with UNDP. The main thrust of the Carpet project would be to encourage and help establish a distinctive Indian character in carpet designs and simultaneously upgrade the technology used in the industry for weaving and finishing of carpets. This thrust would enable the carpet industry to produce quality carpets with a greater acceptability in the world market. Under the scheme linkage would be established between designers, carpet weavers and exporters. A large number of designs would be developed and provided to the carpet manufacturers and exporters. Age-old tradition of using environment friendly vegetable dyes would be revived and weaving and finishing technology would be upgraded.
 
 

    Out of the total freight traffic , coal accounted for 69.14 million tonnes(MT), raw material 11.54 MT, iron and steel 3.50 MT, iron ore for export 3.55 MT, cement 14.29 MT, foodgrains 9.36 MT, fetilizers 9.46 MT, Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants (POL) 11.40 MT and other goods 13.48 MT. The other goods include 2.51 MT of containerised freight.

    During July 1999, the Railways carried 37.76 million tonnes of revenue earning freight which was 3.41 million tonnes more than the freight carried during the same period of previous year and 2.01 million tonnes more than the target.
 
 

    The President in his message on the occasion has said:-

    "On the joyous occasion of Navroz, I extend my greetings and good wishes to our Parsi fellow citizens. May this festival heralding the Parsi New Year further reinforce our commitment to cultural pluralism and harmony".

    The Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee while greeting the Parsi brothers and sisters on the happy occasion of Navroz wished that the New Year would bring all-round peace, prosperity and happiness. He also expressed the hope that the occasion will be celebrated in the true tradition of the country's composite culture.
 
 

• Fixed dose combination of haemoglobin in any form (natural or synthetic ).
• Fixed dose combination of Pancreatin or Pancrelipase containing amylase ,protease and lipase with any other enzyme.

    Haemoglobin obtained from animal blood could could be unhygienic and such preparations are needed to be taken in extraordinary high volume to deliver the recommended level of iron in anaemic cases and thus lacks therapeutic rationale .

    Similarly , Pancreatin enzyme is prescribed only for the condition of pancreatic enzyme deficiency. Therefore , addition of other enzymes does not have rationality.

    Therefore , fixed dose combination of Pancreatin or Pancrelipase containing amylase, protease and lipase with any other enzyme is sought to be discontinued.