INDIA
Vol 2, Issue 12, Aug 1-15, 2022
Defence Ministry clears arms procurement worth Rs 28,732cr for Army
New Delhi, July 27 (IANS): The Union government has approved the arms procurement proposals worth over Rs 28,000 crore, including swarm drones, bulletproof jackets and close-quarter battle carbines. The proposals were cleared on Tuesday by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. These proposals will enhance the overall combat prowess of the armed forces along the northern and western borders. “The Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals of the armed forces amounting to Rs 28,732 crore were accorded by the DAC,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement. The approval to the new procurement proposals came amid India’s lingering border row with China in eastern Ladakh.
The Ministry said the approval to procure four lakh close-quarter battle carbines was granted to combat the “current complex paradigm of conventional and hybrid warfare” and terrorism at the borders. “To combat the current complex paradigm of conventional and hybrid warfare and counter-terrorism at the borders, AoN for induction of approx. Four lakh of close quarter battle carbines for the services have also been accorded by the DAC,” it said. The Ministry said the decision is set to provide a major impetus to the small arms manufacturing industry in the country and enhance “Atmanirbharta” (self-reliance) in small arms. “Considering the demand for enhanced protection against the threat of enemy snipers to our troops deployed along the Line of Control,
and in close combat operations in counter-terrorism scenario, the DAC accorded AoN for bulletproof jackets with Indian Standard BIS VI level of protection,” it said. On the procurement of the armed swarm drones, the Ministry said these are being acquired as drone technology has proved to be a force multiplier in military operations. “In the recent conflicts across the world, drone technology proved to be a force multiplier in military operations. Accordingly, to augment the Indian Army’s capability in modern warfare, AoN for procurement of autonomous surveillance and armed drone swarms has been accorded by the DAC under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category,” it said. The DAC has also approved the Navy’s proposal to procure an upgraded 1,250-KW capacity marine gas turbine generator for power generation application onboard the Kolkata class of ships through the Indian industry. “This will give a major boost to the indigenous manufacturing of gas turbine generators,” the Ministry said. To enhance the security in the coastal region of the country, the DAC has also approved the proposal of procurement of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels for the Indian Coast Guard under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) with 60 per cent indigenous content, the Ministry added.
Lok Sabha passes Family Court Amendment Bill
New Delhi, July 26 (IANS): The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Family Court Amendment Bill. The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on July 18, 2022. It allows state governments to establish Family Courts, and the Central government is empowered to notify
dates for the Act to come into force in different states. Speaking in the Parliament, Law Minister Kiren Rijuju has expressed concern over the pendency of cases which are reaching 5 crore despite fast disposal of cases. He said the rate of disposal is also
high but the cases are being filed as well. The Minister also that the government does not interfere in the appointment of judges but it can’t appoint anyone as it has also the process of due diligence and the government has every right to do that. The Bill seeks to extend retrospectively the Act to the state of Himachal Pradesh, with effect from February 15, 2019, and to the state of Nagaland, with effect from September 12, 2008. The establishment of Family Courts in both the states will be retrospectively valid from these dates. All actions taken under the Act in both the states, including the appointment of judges, and orders and judgments passed by the Family Courts, will also be deemed to be valid from these dates retrospectively.
Indian minister hosts dinner for WA Deputy Premier I
ndian Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi recently hosted a dinner
reception for the Deputy Premier of Western Australia (WA) Roger Cook
and the Australian delegation in New Delhi.
J&K to focus on homestays to cater to increasing tourist rush Srinagar, July 27 (IANS) To cater to growing footfall of tourists to Kashmir valley, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) administration is committed to make availability of 50,000 rooms for the increasing demand of accommodation through the ‘Homestay’ initiative. This was announced by J&K Chief Secretary, Arun Kumar Mehta while inaugurating a homestay cluster at Srinagar’s Jharokha Bagh on Tuesday. Maintaining that tourism has grown manifold in J&K during 2022 as compared to 2021, Mehta said that the benefits of this bumper arrival of tourists to the Valley should trickle down to all, especially locals of various tourist destinations. “In order to cater this growing footfall of tourists, the Union Territory administration is encouraging, guiding and handholding local population at various tourist destinations for the Homestay initiative,” Mehta added while interacting with one of a proprietor of homestay cluster at Jharokha Bagh village
reaffirmed and added that a lot of people from outside J&K are willing to visit it and the Homestay initiative would send a positive message to them to visit this beautiful place. Railway is coming and there is better road and air connectivity now for Kashmir, people will definitely throng Kashmir in huge numbers for its beauty, he added.
‘Adequate stocks’: Govt says amid HIV patients’ protest over drugs shortage New Delhi, July 27 (IANS): A group of HIV patients from last few days have been protesting before the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) office in Delhi over the shortage of crucial anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs at government centres recommended to control the infection from progressing. NACO centrally procures ARV medicines for people living with HIV as per national guidelines. India provides free ARV medicines for life-long treatment of more than 14.5 lakh People Living with HIV (PLHIV) through 680 anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centres under its National AIDS Control Programme, funded by the Government of India. The protestors said ART centres claimed that there was a shortage of medicines at Delhi’s major hospitals such as Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. However, the sources from the Health Ministry said that there is adequate stock nationally for nearly 95 per cent HIV patients in the country, who are on first and second line ARV regimens like tablet TLD (Tenofovir + Lamivudine + Dolutegravir) and other ARV regimens. “The mainstay of treatment for more than 85 per cent PLHIV is Tablet TLD (a fixed-dose combination of three
anti-retroviral drugs -- Tenofovir (300mg) + Lamivudine (300mg) + Dolutegravir (50mg)), for which there is sufficient stock nationally to last more than three months,” the source added. Tablet Dolutegravir (DTG)- 50mg is required for nearly 50,000 PLHIV who are either on alternate --first/ second or third-line regimens or those with TB co-infection. “There is no reported stock out for any ARV drugs at the state level and the fresh supply orders for procurement of the next lot of several drugs are already placed. Individual ART centres may have this issue at times but the medicines are immediately relocated from nearby centres,” said
the source from the Ministry. The source also said that after persuasion by NACO and with active cooperation of national networks of persons living with HIV (PLHIV), four representatives of the protestors had a round of discussion with senior officers of NACO on Monday afternoon. They were informed about the position regarding drugs availability and they were told to jointly work with state AIDS control societies and NACO for the availablity of drugs at those few ART centres which were running short on supplies, temporarily, it added.
478 technical snag-related incidences reported in planes in one year, says Ministry New Delhi, July 28 (IANS): A total of 478 technical snag-related occurrences were reported in planes between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. “During operations, an aircraft may experience technical snags due to malfunctioning of components/ equipment fitted on the aircraft which require rectification by the airlines for continued safe, efficient and reliable air transport service. These technical snags are reported by the flight crew on receiving an aural or visual warning in the cockpit or an indication of an inoperative/faulty system or while experiencing difficulty in operating the aircraft,” said Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. A total of 177 surveillance, 497 spot checks and 169 night surveillance have been carried out by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on engineering and maintenance aspects of scheduled operators during the last one year (July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022). Based on the violations found during surveillance, spot checks, night surveillance carried out during 2021-22, enforcement action has been taken by DGCA against responsible personnel of the airline operator in 21 instances of violations, which inter-alia includes
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overseeing Manasbal Lake. He hoped that nearly 50,000 rooms would be made available through the Homestay initiative across the various tourist destinations for which 75 locations have already been identified in other districts of J&K. “This is just a beginning,” he
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suspension of license, withdrawal of post holder (approved personnel to the airlines involved in the maintenance of aircraft), issuance of warning letters, etc. The DGCA has laid down regulations under Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) which requires that the aircraft is maintained in accordance with the manufacturers’ guidelines and all snags reported on the aircraft are rectified before the aircraft is released for flight. Further, CAR lays down the requirements for the approval of maintenance organisation which mandates the organisation to have required manpower, equipment and literature commensurate to the type and fleet to be maintained. Under the system, airline operators are required to ensure that the aircraft
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are maintained in a continuous state of air-worthiness and all defects are rectified, said the Minister. DGCA has a laid down mechanism of conducting surveillance, spot checks, night surveillance etc. of the airlines/organisations and personnel to ensure safety of passenger and aircraft. The findings made during surveillance, spot checks and night surveillance are provided to the airline for taking corrective action. The action taken to correct the observations are reviewed. DGCA takes enforcement action in accordance with laid down procedures which may consist of warning, suspension, cancellation including imposition of financial penalty to the personnel involved/airline, said the reply.
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