Saturday, March 28, 2009
Award Scheme for writing original books/reviews in Hindi on subjects pertaining to Income Tax, Excise and Customs, Service Tax and Narcotics
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Subject: Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue Award Scheme for writing original books/reviews in Hindi on subjects pertaining to Income Tax, Excise and Customs, Service Tax and Narcotics from 01.10.2008 to 30.09.2009
Books pertaining to Income Tax, Excise and Customs, Service Tax and Narcotics written or reviewed originally in Hindi during the period from 01.10.2008 to 30.09.2009 will be accepted for consideration in the Department of Revenue upto 20 October, 2009 for the following prizes:-
Scheme for Books written originally in Hindi
First Prize (one) - Rs. 25,000/-(Rupees twenty five thousand)
Second Prize (one) - Rs. 15,000/-(Rupees fifteen thousand)
Scheme for Book-review in Hindi
First Prize (one) - Rs. 8,000/-(Rupees eight thousand)
Second Prize (one) - Rs. 6,000/-(Rupees six thousand)
Eligibility
1) Should be a citizen of India.
2) The books should be written/reviewed during the period from 01.10.2008 to 30.09.2009.
General Terms
Persons participating in these schemes shall observe the following conditions and they will be governed by the following:-
I. Published books as well as manuscripts will be accepted under the scheme. The published books/manuscripts should have been published written during the prescribed period only.
II. Persons who are willing to send their books for consideration under the above-mentioned scheme are requested to send six copies of their books and two passport size photographs along with the enclosed proforma duly filled by 20 October, 2009 at the following address:-
Director (OL),
Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue,
Room No. 264-A, North Block,
New Delhi – 110001
III. The books/manuscripts received in the Department shall not be returned.
IV. The books/manuscripts received after the last date shall not be entertained. The Department of Revenue shall not be responsible for any loss of book or delay in post.
V. The copyright of the awarded book shall remain with the writer.
VI. Only those books that have been written originally in Hindi will be accepted under this scheme.
VII. The book should not have been written under any other Government Scheme.
VIII. The book should not be a Hindi translation of book written in any other language or published earlier by the writer.
IX. In case the book has been awarded earlier by the Government of India or a Union Territory/State Government, a mention to this effect should be made in the application form.
X. In case the book/manuscript has been written by more than one person, the amount of prize money would be divided equally amongst them.
XI. The Department of Revenue has the exclusive right in the selection of person for the award.
XII. No correspondence regarding awarding of the prize or its process would be entertained.
XIII. The Department of Revenue has the exclusive right to make any change in the Scheme.
XIV. The Additional Secretary (Revenue)/Joint Secretary (Revenue) may forward the book to the Evaluation Committee for consideration.
XV. The awarded persons would get the prize money and a citation, which will have to be printed in the next edition of the book.
XVI. Information regarding the prize would be given well in advance by the Director (OL)
(Madhu Sharma)
Director (Official Language)
Telephone- 23095365
264-A, North Block, New Delhi
आयकर, उत्पाद शुल्क एवं सीमा शुल्क, सेवा कर तथा नारकोटिक्स से संबंधित विषयों पर हिन्दी में मौलिक पुस्तक लेखन योजना एवं पुस्तक समीक्षा योजना
(01 अक्तूबर,2008 से 30 सितम्बर, 2009 तक)
1. (क) लेखक का नाम:
(ख) पदनाम:
2. पुस्तक का नाम:
3. पुस्तक का विषय:
4. प्रकाशक का नाम, पता व प्रकाशन का वर्ष:
5. पुस्तक लिखने का कार्य सम्पन्न करने की तिथि(माह-वर्ष):
6. मैं एतद्द्वारा प्रमाणित करता/करती हॅू कि:-
(1) ------------------------------- पुस्तक मेरी मौलिक रचना है ।
(2) उक्त पुस्तक--------------------------------- के बीच में लिखी गई/प्रकाशित हुई है ।
(3) मेरी उक्त पुस्तक का विषय मेरे द्वारा किए जा रहे/किए गए कार्य से संबंधित है।
दिनांक:- लेखक के हस्ताक्षर
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Open access conference seeks to free research : Amulya Gopalakrishnan
New Delhi: When Newton famously remarked that if he had seen further than others, it was by “standing on the shoulders of giants”, he wasn’t just being modest. He was stating the simple fact that knowledge builds on previous knowledge, that the back and forth of ideas is vital for scientific achievement. Though the current proprietory publishing model is stacked against scholars, an emerging open access movement across the world aims to free scientific content - and India has big stakes in it.
A conference in New Delhi brought together open access evangelists including Prof. John Willinsky of Stanford University, Prof Leslie Chan of the University of Toronto, Prof Surendra Prasad of IIT Delhi, Dr D K Sahu of MedKnow Publications, and Narendra Kumar of CSIR.
Now, all research papers published from CSIR labs will be made open access, either by putting the full text on freely available institutional repositories or publishing directly in open access journals. Meanwhile, across the world, MIT has become the first university to throw open all its research papers through the online repository software DSpace.
Globally, academic tenure and promotion is traditionally linked to research published in reputed, peer-reviewed journals. These journals are owned by commercial behemoths like Springer and Reed Elsevier, who own stables of journals in various disciplines, and dictate terms to university libraries. But in recent years, journal prices have shot through the roof.Now, after years of weary negotiation, and empowered by new digital infrastructure, universities are teaming up via free institutional repository systems, to pool and circulate their collective research. In India, institutes like NIT Rourkela have adopted super-archives like DSpace for another reason — to showcase their scientific output to global peers. “NIT doesn’t have the research legacy of IIT or IISC — they needed the visibility,” says NIT director Sunil Kumar Sarangi. Such a knowledge commons is especially valuable to developing countries — for instance, in agricultural research or public health, it is inexcusable that countries which could benefit most from the scientific debate are left out of the loop, simply because of prohibitive pricing (some journals cost up to 20,000 dollars, annually). This only widens the gulf between the state of research here and the US or Europe. Even research produced in India with our taxpayer money is sent to big-name commercial journals and all copyright signed away, putting it out of reach for the Indian scholarly community. But all that could change if open access journals become the norm. S K Sahu, who runs MedKnow publications (over 80 open access journals), also busted claims that content on such journals tends to vanish into the ether after a few years online. Courtesy : Indian Express
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Interest on Sixth CPC arrears clarified
SpecialCLto Central employees with disabilities granted
Date of Next Increment - Clarification Dated 13th March 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Safe in USA, but not okayed in India ,Lalit Mohan ,Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, March 22
All that is safe and good for the USA need not be good for India. While the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) of the USA has declared ‘Stevia sweetener’ safe for use in food and beverages and cleared the way for its use by Coca Cola and Pepsi in the USA, Government of India is yet to approve it as a food additive. If scientists at Palampur are to be believed, it is because the sugar daddies of India are not eager to encourage organic alternatives to sugar emerge in the market.
As a result, it is still being used as a herbal product here. Scientists believe it is the resistance from the sugarcane lobby that has prevented the promotion of the leaves which potentially can replace sugar. Curiously, the South American herb is said to be 300 times sweeter than conventional sugar but does not increase glucose level in the blood, making it safe for diabetics.
Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology ( IHBT), a CSIR ( Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) center at Palampur has successfully used the organic product for preparing sweets, bakery products like pastries and ice-cream.
Stevioside, extracted from the leaves of stevia plant, is the first zero-calorie plant-based sweetener developed in the country, claimed scientists at IHBT. Dr. Anil Sood said that the only difference between stevioside and sugar extracted from cane is that the latter is sticky and can be used for making pastes and binding other ingredients. Stevioside cannot do that and hence cannot be used to make jalebi or laddoo, he informed.
IHBT director Dr P S Ahuja informed that the processing technology has already been patented by the institute. Technology has been transferred to three or four companies and the institute has entered into agreements to upgrade technology and set up processing plants.
Non Practicing Allowance @25% of their basic pay to Scientists Gr. IV
Departmental inquiry different from criminal proceedings: CAT
New Delhi, Mar 22 : A government employee who has been accused of irregularities cannot claim innocence in a departmental inquiry merely because he or she has already been absolved of the charges in criminal proceedings related to the case, the Central Administrative Tribunal has held.
"The approach and object in a departmental proceeding (against a government employee) is quite different. The preponderance of probability would be sufficient to come to a conclusion. The provisions of the Evidence Act do not strictly apply," CAT Vice-Chairman Justice M Ramachandran said.
The tribunal made the observation while dismissing an appeal filed by a UDC of Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Jagbir Chaudhary, who moved the HC to quash the departmental inquiry initiated against him after a CBI probe found nothing incriminating against him.
"A departmental inquiry is necessary to maintain discipline in the service in public interest, whereas the object of a criminal prosecution is mainly to determine whether a crime has been committed in violation of law," the CAT said while declining to interfere into the departmental inquiry.
The inquiry was initiated against Chaudhary for alleged irregularities, benefiting certain allottees whose documents seemed to be forged.
The irregularities include allegations that Chaudhary was involved in 43 of the 48 cases related to a realtor and a bribe of Rs four lakh was received by him.
Courtesy : Sahara samay
"The approach and object in a departmental proceeding (against a government employee) is quite different. The preponderance of probability would be sufficient to come to a conclusion. The provisions of the Evidence Act do not strictly apply," CAT Vice-Chairman Justice M Ramachandran said.
The tribunal made the observation while dismissing an appeal filed by a UDC of Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Jagbir Chaudhary, who moved the HC to quash the departmental inquiry initiated against him after a CBI probe found nothing incriminating against him.
"A departmental inquiry is necessary to maintain discipline in the service in public interest, whereas the object of a criminal prosecution is mainly to determine whether a crime has been committed in violation of law," the CAT said while declining to interfere into the departmental inquiry.
The inquiry was initiated against Chaudhary for alleged irregularities, benefiting certain allottees whose documents seemed to be forged.
The irregularities include allegations that Chaudhary was involved in 43 of the 48 cases related to a realtor and a bribe of Rs four lakh was received by him.
Courtesy : Sahara samay
Sunday, March 22, 2009
CVC questions global watchdog on corruption in India
Stung by Transparency International’s report showing India unexpectedly slip from 72 to 85 in the list of world’s corruption-plagued countries, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has sought a clarification from the global watchdog, disputing the claim and level of transparency in arriving at the conclusion.
“The 2008 survey came as a surprise to us. Since India's corruption index had shown a marginal improvement in previous years, the latest report left us wondering how could we suddenly slip to such a level and a perception was created that we have become more corrupt,” said a top CVC official.
Though the Commission formally sought a reply from the global watchdog on the methodology adopted in grading a country “more corrupt and less corrupt”, the official informed that the Commission did not get any convincing reply. “They said they follow certain methodologies but didn’t tell us which are those.”
Chief Vigilance Commissioner Pratyush Sinha, when contacted, confirmed that the CVC had strongly taken up with the matter with the Transparency International. "Immediately after the report was out, we took up the matter with their top officials. However, they didn't have proper answers. They were quite uncomfortable when we went into the specifics," the CVC added.
Another CVC member told HT: "After our efforts, what we got was just a vague reply — more in the realm of speculation. They told us that open display of currency notes by MPs in the Parliament might have affected the perception," another vigilance commissioner said. “But we aren’t convinced.They can't go by just one incident,” he added.
However, the officials rule out a deliberate attempt to malign India, though they say investor sentiment can be influenced by such rankings.
Asked how Transparency International (India) reacts to the CVC’s concern, its vice chairman S. K. Agarwal said its processes were transparent and considered various factors including perception of multinational executives.
A few months back, the Transparency International said India's integrity score had fallen from 3.5 in 2007 to 3.4 in 2008, indicating that corruption has further increased in the country. The watchdog said that Corruption Perception Index was prepared on the basis of surveys conducted in 180 countries by 13 international agencies associated with it.
Friday, March 20, 2009
COMPETITION FOR DESIGN
Other Conditions:
Thursday, March 19, 2009
New tray dryers to expedite spices post-production: Statesman News Service
DURGAPUR, March 18: Through advancements in heat power engineering, the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) has developed new tray dryers to improve the post-harvest process applied to ginger, turmeric and chilli.
CMERI ~ a Durgapur-based CSIR organisation ~ has already signed an MoU with the Tribal Development Foundation, Arunachal Pradesh. The conventional post-harvesting system applied to dried vegetable ginger rhizomes is time consuming and costly. The ginger rhizomes must be washed twice or thrice and then sun-dried for a day to remove excess water. The rhizomes are then packed in gunny bags and shifted to market. Experts argue that the post-harvest process applied to ginger would benefit from a complete overhaul. The CMERI has come forward to take on the task, in cooperation with North-East farmers.
The CMERI's newly-installed drying system utilises hot air as its drying medium. Thermostat-controlled air enters the drying system and gradually passes through trays of produce, vented finally through an exhaust. Dr SN Maity, director of the CMERI, explained: “The hot air is circulated in a zig-zag route, increasing the contact time between the gas and the produce resulting in increased system efficiency.”
After the MoU was signed, the CMERI began working on the development of five post-harvest process centres operating in Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. “The centres will work on the drying, grinding and packaging of spice crops,” Dr Maity said.
Ginger, turmeric and chili are major cash crops for the North East states such as Mizoram and AP. The states have been in dire need of a sustained post-harvest process to preserve crops and add value to it. In absence of such a process, farmers have been selling crops immediately after harvest, causing them extensive cash loss.
Dr Maity said: “In the course of their work, the CMERI has decided to evolve a generic model of value addition through the deployment of low cost, stand-alone agro-processing units in various areas in disadvantaged states. Their objective is to boost the rural economy.” To start with, the CMERI has proposed establishing district-level centres in Mizoram and AP, which would be governed by Self Help Groups or NGOs.
Drying systems have held a prominent place in the global market since China introduced commercial vegetable drying systems in the year 2000. An earlier attempt had been made in India to dry ginger in solar cabinet dryers. Based on regional meteorological data collated over several years, Assam Agricultural University's Agricultural Engineering department developed a type of solar cabinet dryer to ensure that a proportion of the huge ginger surplus could be saved, thus minimising post-harvest losses. The university’s solar cabinet dryer was found to be useful for drying roughly peeled longitudinally split forms of ginger rhizomes to a safe moisture level within four to six days.
CMERI ~ a Durgapur-based CSIR organisation ~ has already signed an MoU with the Tribal Development Foundation, Arunachal Pradesh. The conventional post-harvesting system applied to dried vegetable ginger rhizomes is time consuming and costly. The ginger rhizomes must be washed twice or thrice and then sun-dried for a day to remove excess water. The rhizomes are then packed in gunny bags and shifted to market. Experts argue that the post-harvest process applied to ginger would benefit from a complete overhaul. The CMERI has come forward to take on the task, in cooperation with North-East farmers.
The CMERI's newly-installed drying system utilises hot air as its drying medium. Thermostat-controlled air enters the drying system and gradually passes through trays of produce, vented finally through an exhaust. Dr SN Maity, director of the CMERI, explained: “The hot air is circulated in a zig-zag route, increasing the contact time between the gas and the produce resulting in increased system efficiency.”
After the MoU was signed, the CMERI began working on the development of five post-harvest process centres operating in Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. “The centres will work on the drying, grinding and packaging of spice crops,” Dr Maity said.
Ginger, turmeric and chili are major cash crops for the North East states such as Mizoram and AP. The states have been in dire need of a sustained post-harvest process to preserve crops and add value to it. In absence of such a process, farmers have been selling crops immediately after harvest, causing them extensive cash loss.
Dr Maity said: “In the course of their work, the CMERI has decided to evolve a generic model of value addition through the deployment of low cost, stand-alone agro-processing units in various areas in disadvantaged states. Their objective is to boost the rural economy.” To start with, the CMERI has proposed establishing district-level centres in Mizoram and AP, which would be governed by Self Help Groups or NGOs.
Drying systems have held a prominent place in the global market since China introduced commercial vegetable drying systems in the year 2000. An earlier attempt had been made in India to dry ginger in solar cabinet dryers. Based on regional meteorological data collated over several years, Assam Agricultural University's Agricultural Engineering department developed a type of solar cabinet dryer to ensure that a proportion of the huge ginger surplus could be saved, thus minimising post-harvest losses. The university’s solar cabinet dryer was found to be useful for drying roughly peeled longitudinally split forms of ginger rhizomes to a safe moisture level within four to six days.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA) & New Pension Scheme
National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) and The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) have entered into a formal agreement on November 26, 2007 relating to the setting up of a Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA) for the New Pension System NPS). The NPS was introduced by Government of India for its new recruits (except the Armed Forces) w.e.f. January 1, 2004.
The CRA is a first of its kind venture in India and is critical to the successful operationalization of the NPS. The main functions and responsibilities of the CRA include:
i. Recordkeeping,Administration and customer service functions for all subscribers of the NPS.
ii. Issue of unique Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) to each subscriber, maintaining a database of all PRANs issued and recording transactions relating to each subscriber's PRAN.
iii. Acting as an operational interface between PFRDA and other NPS intermediaries such as Pension Funds, Annuity Service Providers, Trustee Bank etc.
CRA will monitor member contributions and instructions and transmit the information to the relevant Pension Fund and schemes on a daily basis. CRA will provide periodic, consolidated PRAN statements to each member and discharge such other duties and functions as may be determined by the guidelines, directions and regulations issued by the PFRDA from time to time.
CRA is also providing electronic interconnectivity to the PFRDA, other service providers (like banks, post offices and depository participants, among others), pension funds and annuity providers.
PFRDA
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is an independent body established by the Government of India on 10th October 2003. PFRDA is the Regulator for the New Pension System (NPS) and its regulatory responsibilities include regulating charges, entry and exit, quality and provision of services of NPSCAN, CRA, PFMs, Trustee Bank, Contracting with other service providers under NPS, Conducting systems Audit and other routine audits etc.
Link: www.pfrda.org.in
PFMs
Pension Fund Managers are appointed by PFRDA to maintain the Pension contribution of all subscribers through various schemes offered by PFM. Subscribers will have the option to invest their contributions into one or more schemes of the PFMs. The PFMs will responsible for providing the Net Asset Value of the Schemes offered to the CRA. PFMs will allot units based on NAV as applicable.
Link:
ASP
Annuity Service Providers (ASPs) are be appointed by PFRDA to maintain the annuity contribution of subscribers through their various schemes. Subscribers will have the option to invest their amount into one or more annuity schemes upon retirement/resignation. ASPs would be responsible for delivering a regular monthly pension (annuity) to the subscriber for the rest of his/her life.
YET TO BE APPOINTEDTrustee Bank
NPS Trust formed by PFRDA would be responsible for taking care of the funds under the NPS. The Trust would hold an account with the Trustee Bank appointed by PFRDA.The Trustee Bank upon receiving credits from Nodal offices would transmit the information to CRA for reconciliation.The Trustee Bank shall remit fund to the entities viz. PFMs, ASPs and subscribers on receipt of instructions from CRA.
CRA Facilitation Center
CRA-FC is the entity appointed by NSDL to extend various services under NPS, to its users across the country. The entities who have been appointed as CRA-FC shall establish multiple branches across the country to provide services to the nodal offices such as Pay & Accounts Office (PAO) or equivalent office under Central and State Government.
As per present scope of CRA, following services shal l be offered by the CRA-FC
a. Acceptance of Application for allotment of new PRAN
b. Acceptance of Subscriber request for change in signa ture and/or change in photograph.
Rites Signs MoU for Integrity Pact (PIB)
RITES Ltd, a Government of India Enterprise under the Ministry of Railways entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Transparency International India (TII) to maintain complete transparency in major contracts and procurements. The MOU was signed by Mr.V.K.Agarwal, Managing Director (RITES) and Admiral (Retd) R.H.Tahiliani, Chairman Transparency International India in the presence of Mrs. Ranjana Kumar, Vigilance Commissioner, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).
Integrity Pact model is being followed by the Corporates worldwide as it binds a company and its suppliers to ethical conduct in contracts and implementation of projects. CVC has recommended adoption of this pact in respect of all major procurements. The pact will be monitored by the Independent External Monitors (IEM) who will provide an in-process integrity audit and conflict resolution mechanism to address to timely confusions, complaints and communication gaps.
For RITES, business ethics is the foremost among the set of its core values which form a component of the employee evaluation and promotion criterion.
Integrity Pact model is being followed by the Corporates worldwide as it binds a company and its suppliers to ethical conduct in contracts and implementation of projects. CVC has recommended adoption of this pact in respect of all major procurements. The pact will be monitored by the Independent External Monitors (IEM) who will provide an in-process integrity audit and conflict resolution mechanism to address to timely confusions, complaints and communication gaps.
For RITES, business ethics is the foremost among the set of its core values which form a component of the employee evaluation and promotion criterion.
Interview: Creating a new world (Chemical science )
Mukund Chorghade speaks to Elinor Richards about his fascination with natural products and their role in India's future
 | Mukund Chorghade is President of Chorghade Enterprises and Chief Scientific Officer at THINQ (Technology, Health, Innovation, Novelty and Quality) Pharma, where he provides consultations to pharmaceutical companies on collaborations with academic, government and industrial laboratories. He is also a member of the IUPAC Chemistry and Human Health division. |
What inspired you to become a chemist?
My father bought me a book called Chemistry Creates a New World by Bernard Jaffe when I was a teenager. It opened my eyes to all the wonderful things that chemistry can do. I read it from cover to cover in a day and I was spellbound by a chapter on new pharmaceuticals. I decided that this was what I was going to study, much to the dismay of my father, who wanted me to be a physicist.
When did your interest in natural products begin?
"In India, there can be a gulf between the academic and industrial worlds. Some very good work from industry using state of the art techniques doesn't see the light of day."
When I started studying chemistry, a lot of the organic chemistry research was focused on natural products. In India, many professors were working on the isolation of natural products from traditional sources and I was fascinated by the rich variety of structures. We have come full circle because there is now an increased emphasis on the new ideas of reverse pharmacology. This concept brings natural products we have used for centuries back into mainstream sciences and proves the therapeutic efficacy due to their structures.What projects are you currently involved in?
At THINQ (Technology, Health, Innovation, Novelty and Quality) Pharma, we define new scalable process routes to new chemical entities. Someone could approach us with a medicinal chemistry route and ask us to make it more efficient, or to find different routes. Our goal is to make the drug better, faster and cheaper. We develop these routes and transfer the technology to larger manufacturers. We are also involved in contract medicinal chemistry where we synthesise compounds and analogues; we aim to do the drug discovery work ourselves using collaborations we have established with academics.
One goal is to work on hybrid molecules; for example, the antimalarial drug Artemisinin, which when bonded with another drug, gives you a product that can be used in oncology.
What was your proudest moment?
In my industrial career, I was involved in the discovery of new processes, in particular a route to an antiepileptic drug called Tiagabine, which is now sold as Gabitril. My grandmother had suffered from epilepsy so it gives me a lot of pleasure to see a prescription filled using these particular antiepileptics. I also had the good fortune to develop a new technique called metalloporphyrin-assisted synthesis of drug metabolites that was useful in identifying drug metabolites and preparing them on a good scale. The technique, a predictive tool, could lead to a reduction in the use of animals for testing.
You are president of Chorghade Enterprises. Why was the company established and what is its role?
I set up this consulting company after my industrial tenure at Dow Chemicals and Abbott Laboratories in the US. At that point, there was a need to effect strategic collaborations between US and European pharma companies and their Indian counterparts. What started with process chemistry and manufacturing has expanded into medicinal and clinical chemistry.
You are also Chief Scientific Officer at THINQ Pharma. What are the aims of this company?
THINQ Pharma is a relatively new establishment that aims to inject new thinking in medicinal chemistry into the pharmaceutical enterprises. We are very privileged to have several outstanding Indian, European and North American academics and industry professionals on our scientific advisory board.
What is your involvement with IUPAC?
As a member of IUPAC's Chemistry and Human Health division, I have carried out some successful projects. These include compiling new glossaries of terms used in process chemistry and pharmaceutics and producing a report on the use of natural products in traditional medicines in India and China.
What is the situation for the pharma industry in India?
Drug discovery as a science is in its infancy, but is a rapidly growing area. Historically, the World Trade Organisation approved deals to allow poorer nations to import generic medicines manufactured in India and China, overriding international patents. Recent changes in the patent laws resulted in increased impetus for Indian pharmaceutical companies to invent new drugs. The government in India has been extraordinarily supportive of such ventures. There are a lot of new initiatives and some pharmaceutical companies have begun the research. As yet, there is no Indian drug on the market but I'm very optimistic.
Do academia and industry collaborate successfully in India?
In India, there can be a gulf between the academic and industrial worlds. Some very good work from industry using state of the art techniques doesn't see the light of day because of patent and confidentiality issues. Another problem is the lack of industrial scientists delivering lectures in symposia. Industry and academia need to be encouraged to collaborate more in order to obtain research funding. We have unique systems in India, where a lot of PhD work is done in very good institutions like the National Chemical Laboratory in Pune and the Institute of Chemical Technology in Hyderabad; these institutions do not grant their own degrees - there's a symbiotic relationship with universities.
Could you tell me more about the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL)?
The NCL is a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), an umbrella organisation, covering 40 national laboratories. Nine or ten of these cater to the chemistry enterprise. The CSIR employs about 23,000 professional scientists. A large number of students elect to pursue PhDs at the NCL; it has become an outstanding institution for promotion of higher learning because many of the full time scientists are distinguished people in their own right. They work across the borders of pure academic work as well as industrial collaborations. I have the highest regard for them and I've published papers with some of the scientists there.
What is funding like in India?
"I'm a tremendous supporter of chemistry, and not just because I am a chemist. I feel that chemistry is still the central science."
Now there are increased motivators for doing research in India, the whole scientific infrastructure has increased in size, sophistication and financing. The Indian government has announced many new initiatives where they will fund projects. If you have a good idea and if you can carry out the pioneering research, the government will fund it. Pharma companies in the West have been increasingly looking to India as a font of innovation. How do you see the future of chemistry developing?
I'm a tremendous supporter of chemistry, and not just because I am a chemist. I feel that chemistry is still the central science. Sometimes there are new trends and some might say that the computer can solve all your problems, or that biology can solve all the problems. That is not the case. Chemistry, biology and all these other disciplines need to work synergistically with each other. I would not downplay the importance of chemistry.
What's your advice for young scientists?
Follow your heart. Do what you are interested in doing and don't be swayed by short-term trends. Have a basic honesty and integrity in your work. Do not do something for the sake of awards, do it because you love the basic science. Then the awards will come.
If you weren't a scientist, what would you be?
My second choice would have been to join the diplomatic service. I dreamt of joining the Indian civil service, in particular the foreign service because to me, developing good international relationships is very important. I'm happy to say that in a modest way I am an international ambassador for Indian science and chemistry. There is a joy in meeting talented people from a variety of scientific, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. We are all in this together.
Monday, March 16, 2009
ESI Act does not bar compensation claim
Scaria Meledum
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The Employees State Insurance Act (ESI Act) is meant to provide for certain benefits to the employees in case of sickness, maternity and “employment injury”.Employment injury means a personal injury to an employee caused by accident or an occupational disease arising out of and in the course of his employment.If the employment is insurable under the Act it does not matter whether the accident occurs or the occupational disease is contracted within or outside the territorial limits of India. A person who sustains temporary disablement for not less than three days (excluding the day of accident), is entitled to periodical payment at such rates and for such period and subject to such conditions prescribed by the Central Government.
Similarly, a person who sustains permanent disablement, whether total or partial, is entitled to periodical payment in a similar fashion.These are called disablement benefits.The question is whether a person who has suffered a personal injury in a motor accident “arising out of and in the course of his employment”, and is receiving disablement benefits under the ESI Act can make a further claim for compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act for the injury he has suffered.Under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, a person who has sustained bodily injury out of an accident arising out of the use of motor vehicle can claim compensation.In cases where death has resulted from the accident all or any of the legal representatives of the deceased can claim compensation for the death.This crucial question arose because Section 53 of the ESI Act imposes a bar against receiving compensation or damages under any other law. The Section provides that an insured person (an employee covered under the ESI Act) or his dependents shall not be entitled to receive or recover, whether from the employer of the insured person, or “from any other person”, any compensation or damages under the Workmen’s Compensation Act or “any other law for the time being in force” in respect of an `employment injury’ sustained by the employee insured under the ESI Act.If one goes by the Supreme Court verdict in the Western India Plywoods case, he is not entitled to claim compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act for the injury suffered by him. In that case, the employee, Ashokan, after claiming and obtaining benefits under the ESI Act, had staked claim for compensation by filing a suit against his own employer. Hence, it was held that an employee who has already enjoyed benefit under the ESI Act could not stake claim for compensation against the employer as he is barred by Section 53 of the ESI Act.But, this is not the case if the claim for compensation is against a stranger to the contract of employment, according to a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court consisting of Justice R Basant and Justice C T Ravikumar.A claim for compensation in tort against a stranger can co-exist with a claim for benefits under the ESI Act. The expression “any other person” in Section 53 of the ESI Act does not take in a stranger who by his negligence caused the accident. The expression takes within its weep only such other person who is sought to be made liable under or on the basis of the contract of employment to compensate the employee for the employment injury suffered by him.If an injury is suffered in a motor accident and such injury is also an employment injury the Section 53 does not bar the claim in tort under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act against a stranger or tort-feasor; but it bars the claim against the employer under any other law, including the Motor Vehicles Act.The insurance coverage under the ESI Act is in addition to and not in substitution of the other remedies against a stranger (to the contract of employment), the Bench ruled.
Courtesy : Indian Express
Similarly, a person who sustains permanent disablement, whether total or partial, is entitled to periodical payment in a similar fashion.These are called disablement benefits.The question is whether a person who has suffered a personal injury in a motor accident “arising out of and in the course of his employment”, and is receiving disablement benefits under the ESI Act can make a further claim for compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act for the injury he has suffered.Under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, a person who has sustained bodily injury out of an accident arising out of the use of motor vehicle can claim compensation.In cases where death has resulted from the accident all or any of the legal representatives of the deceased can claim compensation for the death.This crucial question arose because Section 53 of the ESI Act imposes a bar against receiving compensation or damages under any other law. The Section provides that an insured person (an employee covered under the ESI Act) or his dependents shall not be entitled to receive or recover, whether from the employer of the insured person, or “from any other person”, any compensation or damages under the Workmen’s Compensation Act or “any other law for the time being in force” in respect of an `employment injury’ sustained by the employee insured under the ESI Act.If one goes by the Supreme Court verdict in the Western India Plywoods case, he is not entitled to claim compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act for the injury suffered by him. In that case, the employee, Ashokan, after claiming and obtaining benefits under the ESI Act, had staked claim for compensation by filing a suit against his own employer. Hence, it was held that an employee who has already enjoyed benefit under the ESI Act could not stake claim for compensation against the employer as he is barred by Section 53 of the ESI Act.But, this is not the case if the claim for compensation is against a stranger to the contract of employment, according to a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court consisting of Justice R Basant and Justice C T Ravikumar.A claim for compensation in tort against a stranger can co-exist with a claim for benefits under the ESI Act. The expression “any other person” in Section 53 of the ESI Act does not take in a stranger who by his negligence caused the accident. The expression takes within its weep only such other person who is sought to be made liable under or on the basis of the contract of employment to compensate the employee for the employment injury suffered by him.If an injury is suffered in a motor accident and such injury is also an employment injury the Section 53 does not bar the claim in tort under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act against a stranger or tort-feasor; but it bars the claim against the employer under any other law, including the Motor Vehicles Act.The insurance coverage under the ESI Act is in addition to and not in substitution of the other remedies against a stranger (to the contract of employment), the Bench ruled.
Courtesy : Indian Express
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