Sunday, May 1, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Etiquette rules for banks on way
New Delhi, April 17 (PTI): Bank customers may soon expect better services and speedy redressal of their grievances as the Reserve Bank of India is likely to consider a fresh set of rules to improve customer service practices.
Almost a year after the RBI put in motion a process to improve customer service, a panel set up by the apex bank is ready to submit its recommendations later this month.
Sources said the panel was likely to suggest a tighter vigil by the RBI for banks lacking in customer service, monetary and procedural penalties.
Besides, banks may be asked to resolve various grievances within a pre-determined time.
The committee was constituted in June under the chairmanship of former Sebi chief M. Damodaran.
The panel, which comprises representatives from the banking industry, had completed its draft recommendations by January and was expected to submit the report in February. However, the panel decided to redraft the proposals after receiving fresh inputs from various stakeholders and its final recommendations are almost complete.
It will be the first major report on customer services after one in the early 1990s by the M.N. Goiporia committee, headed by the then SBI chairman.
The panel is also said to be in favour of giving more teeth to the banking ombudsman through legal measures. The Banking Ombudsman Scheme was established by the RBI in 1995 to provide speedy solutions to customer grievances.
The RBI will frame its final guidelines after studying the recommendations.
The banks will have to tell the customers beforehand about the expected time they will take to provide the services. The committee may also suggest reviewing the entire system of attending to customers, including the approach, attitude and fair treatment.
Courtesy : The Telegraph
Settling the dues -Bank
The financial difficulties faced by families on account of delayed settlement of life insurance claims are well known. What’s generally not known is the problems that legal heirs run into when it comes to accessing the bank accounts and lockers of deceased depositors
The banking regulator— the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) — is, however, aware of this and has issued detailed instructions to banks on the subject, aimed at reducing the hassles faced by relatives. Yet, all banks don’t follow the regulator’s instructions in letter and spirit, resulting in considerable hardship for the surviving family members.
Firstly, when a customer opens an account or hires a locker, the bank is supposed to advise him or her on the imperative need for nominations. Similarly, term deposits should have nominations and even if the depositor is unaware of its importance or forgets about it, the banks have a responsibility in ensuring that it is done. Banks, however, never take this task seriously.
In fact, the regulator has also advised banks to educate customers on the importance of the “survivorship clause” in case of joint accounts, as otherwise the surviving joint account holder does not automatically get the right to the account.
Similarly, in respect of term deposits, the RBI says that banks should not insist on completion of the term of the deposit and should allow premature termination on the death of the deposit holder. Yet, there are many cases where banks have refused to cut short the term of the deposit and denied the deposit amount to the legal heirs in urgent need of money.
Even where the deceased depositor has not made any nomination, banks should adopt a simple procedure for repayment to the legal heirs, advises the regulator. In fact, on June 9, 2005, the banking regulator issued detailed instructions to banks on how to simplify and expedite claim settlement following the death of a depositor. Even after six years, such simplified procedures elude family members.
In fact, the RBI circular sets a time limit of 15 days for settling the claims in respect of deceased depositors. I wonder how many banks really stick to this time limit?
Well, in order to keep tabs on this, the regulator suggests banks should report to the customer service committee of the bank’s board the details of the number of claims received and the time taken for settlement and if there has been a delay, the reasons for it. It’s time the regulator asked banks to make this information public.
Courtesy : The Telegraph
Sunday, April 17, 2011
CSIR to enter Koraput
| BHUBANESWAR: Aiming to make affordable technologies available to people in backward regions, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is going to open an Outreach Centre at Koraput in the current financial year. “Director General CSIR and Secretary Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Samir K. Brahmachari who was in the State for last two days gave his consent to start the centre,” said B. K. Mishra, director of Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), here on Saturday. Mr. Mishra said CSIR would enter into agreement with Central University, Orissa to make the centre functional at Koraput. “IMMT would act as a nodal agency in the technology dissemination programme while Central University would be involved in imparting training to prospective entrepreneurs or beneficiaries who would use the technologies,” he said. Mr. Mishra said, “IMMT on its part would coordinate with CSIR sister laboratories in the country to create technology pool which would be relevant for the backward region like KBK.” Initially, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP, Lucknow and North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat would collaborate for the Outreach Centre at Koraput. The project is a part of CSIR-800 programme. “Proposal of budgetary requirement to the tune of Rs. 50 crore was placed for the centre. We intend to start the operation with 18 to 20 temporary employees. District Magistrate of Koraput has already promised to provide temporary shed to begin the centre,” IMMT Director said. |
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
CSIR scientist wins plea on promotion
The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Monday directed the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to reassess the promotion prospects of senior scientist Gauhar Raza and set aside an earlier assessment of Mr. Raza's work done by the CSIR's Peer Committee.
Mr. Raza, an M.Tech. from IIT, Delhi, joined the CSIR in 1982 as Scientist IV(3).
In a petition filed before CAT, he argued that the organisation had deliberately delayed his promotion and held a single sitting for assessing his promotion, overlooking four consecutive chances due to him.
This despite Mr. Raza scoring “outstanding” grades for all the years of assessment. He also said that the CSIR's governing body had arbitrarily changed the rules of “Assessment and Promotions' and falsified his performance indicators.
The tribunal observed that wrong information had been placed before the Peer Committee. Judges V.K. Bali and L.K. Joshi quashed and set aside the proceedings of assessment made by the Peer Committee and directed the CSIR to “reassess the applicant for promotion to Scientist IV(6).”
Courtesy : The Hindu
Monday, March 28, 2011
TKDL-Livelihood of Large Population in World India Equipped to Protect More than Two lakh Formulations Under TKDL: Bansal
TKDL crossed many hurdles and impediments and have been successfully negotiated and benchmarks created and set in place. TKDL team with its organized and objective activity has brought TKDL to this stage of international acceptability. More than 150 experts in the area of traditional medicine, Information Technology, IPRs and Scientists spent almost ten years for this task.Speaking at the inaugural session of the International Conference on Utilization of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) as a model for the protection of Traditional Knowledge here today, Union Minister of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Vice President, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, said, “Today, India is well equipped to protect 2lakh,26 thousand formulations within a time range of ‘days and weeks’ and without any cost, whereas in the cases of ‘Neem’ and ‘Turmeric’ the country had to incur huge cost and it took more than 10 years to get the ‘Neem’ patent revoked at EPO. TKDL has been embraced by the World Intellectual Property Organization and by the EPO and US-PTO as well as other patent offices worldwide who have found in it a powerful weapon to fight biopiracy.”
The Minister explained that Traditional Knowledge is also the basis of the livelihood of a very large population in the world, in particular, in developing countries. He added, “ The issue of Traditional knowledge protection is quite a sensitive one, since traditional knowledge is the information that people in a given community, have developed over generations, on the basis of their experience and which is adapted to local culture and environment. Many countries are struggling to protect their traditional knowledge, against wrongful exploitation, primarily in the pharmaceutical sector. This knowledge is used to sustain the community and its culture, as well as biological resources necessary for the continued survival of the community. As per World Health Organization reports, it is estimated that more than 70% of the population is dependent on traditional medicines for their primary health care needs.”
For the last several years efforts are being made by different International organizations like World Trade Organization, World Intellectual Property Organization and Convention on Biological Diversity, to evolve an implementable solution for protection of Traditional Knowledge, though it is very difficult to bring about a consensus due to diversity of interests at multilateral fora.
Shri Bansal informed, “To ensure that that no wrong patent is granted on India’s traditional knowledge, the access of TKDL database – which breaks the language barriers and converts India’s traditional knowledge of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha & Yoga, originally written in Sanskrit, Arebic, Persian and Tamil, into five international languages makes information understandable to the International Patent Examiners. Access to TKDL has been given to several international Patent Offices under a non-disclosure agreement.” Expressing deep concern about earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on 12.3.2011, Shri Bansal said, “We were to sign the TKDL Access Agreement with Japan Patent Office on March 25, 2011, in New Delhi. People of Japan are passing through a difficult and trying times. We express solidarity with the brave and resilient people of Japan.”
TKDL has made waves around the world, particularly in traditional knowledge rich countries by demonstrating the advantages of proactive action and the power of strong deterrence. The idea is not to restrict the use of traditional knowledge, but to ensure that wrong patents are not granted due to lack of access to the prior art for Patent examiners. India developed this much needed tool for protection of Traditional Knowledge. This process began in the year 2000, when wrong patents granted on the wound healing properties of turmeric by US Patent Office and another on the antifungal property of Neem by the European Patent Office, came to notice and were later fought and got revoked.
The Minister explained that Traditional Knowledge is also the basis of the livelihood of a very large population in the world, in particular, in developing countries. He added, “ The issue of Traditional knowledge protection is quite a sensitive one, since traditional knowledge is the information that people in a given community, have developed over generations, on the basis of their experience and which is adapted to local culture and environment. Many countries are struggling to protect their traditional knowledge, against wrongful exploitation, primarily in the pharmaceutical sector. This knowledge is used to sustain the community and its culture, as well as biological resources necessary for the continued survival of the community. As per World Health Organization reports, it is estimated that more than 70% of the population is dependent on traditional medicines for their primary health care needs.”
For the last several years efforts are being made by different International organizations like World Trade Organization, World Intellectual Property Organization and Convention on Biological Diversity, to evolve an implementable solution for protection of Traditional Knowledge, though it is very difficult to bring about a consensus due to diversity of interests at multilateral fora.
Shri Bansal informed, “To ensure that that no wrong patent is granted on India’s traditional knowledge, the access of TKDL database – which breaks the language barriers and converts India’s traditional knowledge of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha & Yoga, originally written in Sanskrit, Arebic, Persian and Tamil, into five international languages makes information understandable to the International Patent Examiners. Access to TKDL has been given to several international Patent Offices under a non-disclosure agreement.” Expressing deep concern about earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on 12.3.2011, Shri Bansal said, “We were to sign the TKDL Access Agreement with Japan Patent Office on March 25, 2011, in New Delhi. People of Japan are passing through a difficult and trying times. We express solidarity with the brave and resilient people of Japan.”
TKDL has made waves around the world, particularly in traditional knowledge rich countries by demonstrating the advantages of proactive action and the power of strong deterrence. The idea is not to restrict the use of traditional knowledge, but to ensure that wrong patents are not granted due to lack of access to the prior art for Patent examiners. India developed this much needed tool for protection of Traditional Knowledge. This process began in the year 2000, when wrong patents granted on the wound healing properties of turmeric by US Patent Office and another on the antifungal property of Neem by the European Patent Office, came to notice and were later fought and got revoked.
CSIR to Provide Affordable Healthcare with Global Partnership
March 24 is the World TB Day. India has the world’s largest TB epidemic in terms of incidence and mortality and the disease remains the largest killer of Indians between the ages of 15 and 45. In order to find new drugs for TB, CSIR had initiated the Open Source Drug Discovery (OSDD) project which was launched on 15th September, 2008.
In the past two years OSDD has gathered momentum as an internationally recognised open innovation model. Today, OSDD has more than 4500 registered users from over 130 countries. The offshoot of OSDD is a new model of imparting higher education to young aspirant scientists in remote areas of India and of nations less endowed with scientific opportunities.
New initiatives taken by CSIR
1. Setting up of an OSDD Chemistry laboratory at CSIR-IICT Hyderabad, exclusively dedicated to synthesis of potential anti TB compounds.
2. Large scale screening of molecules against TB to find novel molecules which may end up as new TB drugs. For this, CSIR laboratories will open up its small molecule libraries, from synthetic as well as natural sources
3. Sequencing Mtb strains in large numbers to study variation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). This is an Open Screening Facility where all researchers who are having interesting TB strains are welcome to contribute them to OSDD. These strains will be synthesised and results will be available on OSDD open portal.
4. A collaboration with ICMR to bring clinicians and researchers together for improving TB drug research.
5. OSDD will extend to other neglected diseases like Malaria.
Open Source Drug Discovery Initiative for Malaria
The early success of the Mtb OSDD programme has presented a model for the way drug discovery research for infectious diseases may move in the future. As the next step, CSIR proposes to initiate a pan-India open source program for malaria with global participation.
In extension of the OSDD paradigm, the malaria initiative proposes to expand on wet lab approaches while retaining and building upon the computational approaches that have yielded important results in the area of tuberculosis.
Researchers in malaria as well as interested students and individuals from other fields are invited to participate.
Initiatives of DBT
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) funds about 120 tuberculosis researchers for development of diagnostics, novel vaccines, booster to the existing vaccine BCG, Drug Development and creating appropriate infrastructure. The research includes clinical trials for increasing the efficiency/cure-rate of existing Anti Tuberculosis (ATT) Drugs. DBT has been supporting immuno-modulation clinical research using some known immuno-modulators i.e. Mycobacterium indicus pranii (Commercially available as IMMUVAC) for increasing the cure rate of ATT in Category II TB patients who are most difficult to treat. Initial results show apriori defined improvement in cure-rate. Other well-known immuno-modulators that work at the cellular level such as Vitamin D & Zinc are being clinically tested to shorten the ATT regimen in Category I patients with encouraging early results. Scientists at University of Delhi South Campus (UDSC) have identified several proteins produced and secreted specifically by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) during growth. They have developed high affinity monoclonal antibody pairs to detect several of these Mtb-specific proteins called MTCAg. These antibodies have been used to develop a test to detect the presence of two MTCAgs in the cultures of specimens from suspected TB patients. The presence of both or any one of the MTC specific antigen in the sample confirms the presence of Mtb. The test is specifically designed as a rapid immunochromatographic format that allows easy and rapid screening of specimens for confirmation of growth of Mtb. It can be performed with minimal training and provides results in less than 20 minutes. This visual test for detection of tubercle bacilli in culture has been developed and is available with trade name ‘Crystal TB confirm’.
A team of scientists at ICGEB led by Dr. Kanury V.S. Rao have made an important breakthrough in TB research. About 20 Mtb-derived antigens presented in the early stages of the infection have been identified and are now under evaluation as potential vaccines for TB. The rationale is to supplement immune memory of the host to improve protective efficacy. Understanding the biology and immunology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections, ICGEB, New Delhi, the team is aiming to use the knowledge generated for the development of new therapeutic strategies for tuberculosis. The scientists are collaborating with a pharmaceutical company to translate these leads into candidate drugs that can be tested in the field.
In the past two years OSDD has gathered momentum as an internationally recognised open innovation model. Today, OSDD has more than 4500 registered users from over 130 countries. The offshoot of OSDD is a new model of imparting higher education to young aspirant scientists in remote areas of India and of nations less endowed with scientific opportunities.
New initiatives taken by CSIR
1. Setting up of an OSDD Chemistry laboratory at CSIR-IICT Hyderabad, exclusively dedicated to synthesis of potential anti TB compounds.
2. Large scale screening of molecules against TB to find novel molecules which may end up as new TB drugs. For this, CSIR laboratories will open up its small molecule libraries, from synthetic as well as natural sources
3. Sequencing Mtb strains in large numbers to study variation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). This is an Open Screening Facility where all researchers who are having interesting TB strains are welcome to contribute them to OSDD. These strains will be synthesised and results will be available on OSDD open portal.
4. A collaboration with ICMR to bring clinicians and researchers together for improving TB drug research.
5. OSDD will extend to other neglected diseases like Malaria.
Open Source Drug Discovery Initiative for Malaria
The early success of the Mtb OSDD programme has presented a model for the way drug discovery research for infectious diseases may move in the future. As the next step, CSIR proposes to initiate a pan-India open source program for malaria with global participation.
In extension of the OSDD paradigm, the malaria initiative proposes to expand on wet lab approaches while retaining and building upon the computational approaches that have yielded important results in the area of tuberculosis.
Researchers in malaria as well as interested students and individuals from other fields are invited to participate.
Initiatives of DBT
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) funds about 120 tuberculosis researchers for development of diagnostics, novel vaccines, booster to the existing vaccine BCG, Drug Development and creating appropriate infrastructure. The research includes clinical trials for increasing the efficiency/cure-rate of existing Anti Tuberculosis (ATT) Drugs. DBT has been supporting immuno-modulation clinical research using some known immuno-modulators i.e. Mycobacterium indicus pranii (Commercially available as IMMUVAC) for increasing the cure rate of ATT in Category II TB patients who are most difficult to treat. Initial results show apriori defined improvement in cure-rate. Other well-known immuno-modulators that work at the cellular level such as Vitamin D & Zinc are being clinically tested to shorten the ATT regimen in Category I patients with encouraging early results. Scientists at University of Delhi South Campus (UDSC) have identified several proteins produced and secreted specifically by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) during growth. They have developed high affinity monoclonal antibody pairs to detect several of these Mtb-specific proteins called MTCAg. These antibodies have been used to develop a test to detect the presence of two MTCAgs in the cultures of specimens from suspected TB patients. The presence of both or any one of the MTC specific antigen in the sample confirms the presence of Mtb. The test is specifically designed as a rapid immunochromatographic format that allows easy and rapid screening of specimens for confirmation of growth of Mtb. It can be performed with minimal training and provides results in less than 20 minutes. This visual test for detection of tubercle bacilli in culture has been developed and is available with trade name ‘Crystal TB confirm’.
A team of scientists at ICGEB led by Dr. Kanury V.S. Rao have made an important breakthrough in TB research. About 20 Mtb-derived antigens presented in the early stages of the infection have been identified and are now under evaluation as potential vaccines for TB. The rationale is to supplement immune memory of the host to improve protective efficacy. Understanding the biology and immunology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections, ICGEB, New Delhi, the team is aiming to use the knowledge generated for the development of new therapeutic strategies for tuberculosis. The scientists are collaborating with a pharmaceutical company to translate these leads into candidate drugs that can be tested in the field.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Difference between 2G and 3G
2G refers to second generation wireless telecommunication technology developed mainly for voice services and slow data services with data rates upto 9.6Kbps whereas, the 3G (3rd generation) mobile telecommunications is the generic name for the next generation of mobile networks that combines wireless mobile technology with high data rate transmission capabilities. The 3G network is capable of providing higher data rates upto 2 Mbps and supporting a variety of services such as high-resolution video and multi media services in addition to voice, fax and conventional data services.
Recently conducted auction of 3G spectrum has fetched Rs.3350.116 Crores per MHz, whereas there is no upfront cost of 2G spectrum as per the existing license conditions.
As on record no information is available where the price of 2G spectrum has been equated with 3G in any country of the world.
This reply was given by Shri Sachin Pilot, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in response to a question in Parliament.
Recently conducted auction of 3G spectrum has fetched Rs.3350.116 Crores per MHz, whereas there is no upfront cost of 2G spectrum as per the existing license conditions.
As on record no information is available where the price of 2G spectrum has been equated with 3G in any country of the world.
This reply was given by Shri Sachin Pilot, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in response to a question in Parliament.
Dr. Ambedkar Birthday Declared Holiday
The Government has decided to declare 14th April 2011 (Thursday) as a Closed Holiday on account of the birthday of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar for all central Government offices, including industrial establishments throughout India.
The above holiday is also being notified in exercise of powers conferred by Section 25 of Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 (26 of 1881)
The above holiday is also being notified in exercise of powers conferred by Section 25 of Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 (26 of 1881)
Protection of Traditional Knowledge by Utilization of TKDL
A three-day international conference on ‘Utilization of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) as a Model for the Protection of Traditional Knowledge’ will begin here tomorrow. Encouraged by the ongoing support of Indian Government for internationalizing India's pioneering Traditional Knowledge Digital Library as a template for the benefit of developing countries seeking to protect their traditional knowledge, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of United nations, has collaborated with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Dr Francis Gurry, DG, WIPO, considers this development as a concrete and potentially beneficial form of South-South Cooperation in which India's pioneering role would be recognized.
Misappropriation of traditional knowledge and bio-piracy of genetic resources are the issues of great concern for all the developing countries. These issues are being pursued at several multilateral forums, such as Convention on Biological Diversity, TRIPs Council, World Trade Organisation and World Intellectual Property Organisation. However, so far a ‘global framework’ for traditional knowledge protection system has not been established. It is mainly for this reason that Mexico had to fight a legal battle for 10 years to get the patent on Enola bean at the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) cancelled in July 2009. Similarly, the cancellation of Monsanto Soybean patent in July 2007 at the European Patent Office (EPO) took 13 years of legal battle.
India is the only country in the world to have set up an institutional mechanism – TKDL, to protect its traditional knowledge and to prevent grant of wrong patents. A collaborative project between CSIR and Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, TKDL is a maiden Indian effort to help prevent misappropriation of traditional knowledge belonging to India at International Patent Offices. It enables cancellation/withdrawal of wrong patent applications concerning India’s traditional knowledge at zero cost and in few weeks time. In sharp contrast, in the absence of TKDL, it took 10 years (1995-2005) to get Neem patent invalidated for antifungal properties at EPO.
The genesis of TKDL dates back to the Indian effort on revocation of patent on wound healing properties of Turmeric at the USPTO and anti-fungal properties of Neem at EPO. In 2000, the TKDL expert group estimated that about 2000 wrong patents concerning Indian systems of medicine were being granted every year at international level, mainly due to the fact that India’s traditional medical knowledge existing in languages, such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Arabic, Urdu, Tamil etc. was neither accessible nor comprehensible for the patent examiners at the international patent offices.
The TKDL technology integrates diverse disciplines (Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha), languages (Sanskrit, Arabic, Urdu, Persian and Tamil), modern science and modern medicine. It has created a unique mechanism for overcoming the language and format barriers by scientifically converting and structuring the available information contents of 34 million A4 size pages of the ancient texts into five international languages, namely, English, Japanese, French, German and Spanish. Through TKDL, a Sanskrit verse can now be read in international languages by an examiner at any International Patent Office on his computer screen enabled by two important features of TKDL: Relevant information technology tools and a novel classification system - Traditional Knowledge Resource Classification (TKRC). Today, through TKDL, India is capable of protecting about 0.226 million medicinal formulations similar to those of Neem and Turmeric. On an average, it takes five to seven years for opposing a granted patent at international level which may cost 0.2-0.6 million US$. One could only imagine the cost of protecting 0.226 million medicinal formulations in the absence of TKDL!
India has already signed TKDL Access Agreement with (i) European Patent Office (Feb 2009), (ii) United State Patent & Trademark Office (Nov 2009), (iii) Canadian Intellectual Property Office (Sep 2010), (iv) German Patent Office (Oct 2009), (v) United Kingdom Patent & Trademark Office (Feb 2010) and (vi) Intellectual Property, Australia (Jan 2011). In-principle Agreement has been reached with the Japan Patent Office while negotiations are under way to conclude the Access Agreement with the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand.
These unique international Access Agreements are expected to have long-term implications on the protection of both traditional knowledge and global intellectual property systems in view of the fact that in the past, patents have been granted at various patent offices on the use of over 200 medicinal plants due to the lack of access to the documented knowledge in public domain. Also, 40-50 patent applications based on Indian traditional knowledge are awaiting grant of patent at any point of time.
Significant impact has already been realized at EPO during the last one year after the signing of the Access Agreement. Beginning July 2009, TKDL team has so far identified about 230 patent applications at EPO which concern Indian systems of medicine and filed third party TKDL evidences at EPO. In two such cases, EPO has already set aside its earlier intention to grant patents after it received TKDL evidence. In one case, the applicant modified its earlier claims. In other thirty three cases, the applicants themselves decided to withdraw their four-to-five year old applications on being confronted with TKDL evidence which is a tacit admission of bio-piracy by applicants themselves. It is expected that in the balance 200 plus cases, either EPO would reject these applications or applicants themselves would withdraw their wrong claims/patent applications in coming months. In addition, TKDL evidences against misappropriation in 400 more cases have been submitted at other International Patent offices. Similar outcomes are also expected at the other International Patent Offices.
More then 40 countries from different regions of the world would participate in this international event, including 35 developing countries (17 from Asia Pacific region, 4 African, 4 Latin American, 3 Arabian, 4 from Division for certain countries in Europe and Asia such as Bulgaria and Russian federation and 3 Least Developed Countries- Mali, Uganda and Zambia) and 7 developed countries who are signatories of TKDL Access Agreement, viz., European Union, United States of America, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan.
Misappropriation of traditional knowledge and bio-piracy of genetic resources are the issues of great concern for all the developing countries. These issues are being pursued at several multilateral forums, such as Convention on Biological Diversity, TRIPs Council, World Trade Organisation and World Intellectual Property Organisation. However, so far a ‘global framework’ for traditional knowledge protection system has not been established. It is mainly for this reason that Mexico had to fight a legal battle for 10 years to get the patent on Enola bean at the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) cancelled in July 2009. Similarly, the cancellation of Monsanto Soybean patent in July 2007 at the European Patent Office (EPO) took 13 years of legal battle.
India is the only country in the world to have set up an institutional mechanism – TKDL, to protect its traditional knowledge and to prevent grant of wrong patents. A collaborative project between CSIR and Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, TKDL is a maiden Indian effort to help prevent misappropriation of traditional knowledge belonging to India at International Patent Offices. It enables cancellation/withdrawal of wrong patent applications concerning India’s traditional knowledge at zero cost and in few weeks time. In sharp contrast, in the absence of TKDL, it took 10 years (1995-2005) to get Neem patent invalidated for antifungal properties at EPO.
The genesis of TKDL dates back to the Indian effort on revocation of patent on wound healing properties of Turmeric at the USPTO and anti-fungal properties of Neem at EPO. In 2000, the TKDL expert group estimated that about 2000 wrong patents concerning Indian systems of medicine were being granted every year at international level, mainly due to the fact that India’s traditional medical knowledge existing in languages, such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Arabic, Urdu, Tamil etc. was neither accessible nor comprehensible for the patent examiners at the international patent offices.
The TKDL technology integrates diverse disciplines (Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha), languages (Sanskrit, Arabic, Urdu, Persian and Tamil), modern science and modern medicine. It has created a unique mechanism for overcoming the language and format barriers by scientifically converting and structuring the available information contents of 34 million A4 size pages of the ancient texts into five international languages, namely, English, Japanese, French, German and Spanish. Through TKDL, a Sanskrit verse can now be read in international languages by an examiner at any International Patent Office on his computer screen enabled by two important features of TKDL: Relevant information technology tools and a novel classification system - Traditional Knowledge Resource Classification (TKRC). Today, through TKDL, India is capable of protecting about 0.226 million medicinal formulations similar to those of Neem and Turmeric. On an average, it takes five to seven years for opposing a granted patent at international level which may cost 0.2-0.6 million US$. One could only imagine the cost of protecting 0.226 million medicinal formulations in the absence of TKDL!
India has already signed TKDL Access Agreement with (i) European Patent Office (Feb 2009), (ii) United State Patent & Trademark Office (Nov 2009), (iii) Canadian Intellectual Property Office (Sep 2010), (iv) German Patent Office (Oct 2009), (v) United Kingdom Patent & Trademark Office (Feb 2010) and (vi) Intellectual Property, Australia (Jan 2011). In-principle Agreement has been reached with the Japan Patent Office while negotiations are under way to conclude the Access Agreement with the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand.
These unique international Access Agreements are expected to have long-term implications on the protection of both traditional knowledge and global intellectual property systems in view of the fact that in the past, patents have been granted at various patent offices on the use of over 200 medicinal plants due to the lack of access to the documented knowledge in public domain. Also, 40-50 patent applications based on Indian traditional knowledge are awaiting grant of patent at any point of time.
Significant impact has already been realized at EPO during the last one year after the signing of the Access Agreement. Beginning July 2009, TKDL team has so far identified about 230 patent applications at EPO which concern Indian systems of medicine and filed third party TKDL evidences at EPO. In two such cases, EPO has already set aside its earlier intention to grant patents after it received TKDL evidence. In one case, the applicant modified its earlier claims. In other thirty three cases, the applicants themselves decided to withdraw their four-to-five year old applications on being confronted with TKDL evidence which is a tacit admission of bio-piracy by applicants themselves. It is expected that in the balance 200 plus cases, either EPO would reject these applications or applicants themselves would withdraw their wrong claims/patent applications in coming months. In addition, TKDL evidences against misappropriation in 400 more cases have been submitted at other International Patent offices. Similar outcomes are also expected at the other International Patent Offices.
More then 40 countries from different regions of the world would participate in this international event, including 35 developing countries (17 from Asia Pacific region, 4 African, 4 Latin American, 3 Arabian, 4 from Division for certain countries in Europe and Asia such as Bulgaria and Russian federation and 3 Least Developed Countries- Mali, Uganda and Zambia) and 7 developed countries who are signatories of TKDL Access Agreement, viz., European Union, United States of America, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan.
Courtesy: PIB
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Supreme Court comes to the rescue of miserable cop
DNA / Rakesh Bhatnagar / Friday, March 18, 2011 22:51 IST
The Supreme Court has invoked the Victor Hugo bestseller Les Miserables to grant relief to a youth who was sacked from the police force for not declaring his criminal past.
In the novel penned in 1862, the character Jean Valjean is jailed for stealing a loaf of bread for his hungry family and thereafter branded a thief all his life. Rejected and scorned everywhere and denied job opportunities, Jean becomes bitter and vows revenge on society and god. But an unthinkable act of mercy and generosity by a saintly small-town bishop drastically alters his life.
The court called for a similar “modern approach” of mercy to reform a person, “instead of branding him a criminal all his life”.
While applying for the post of a head constable in 1999, Delhi resident Sandeep Kumar concealed the fact that he was once arrested in a criminal case.
Later, after selection, in 2001, however, he mentioned in his self-attestation disclosure that he and members of his family were arrested for beating up a tenant in 1998.
The home ministry took serious note of this misconduct and ordered his removal. The central administrative tribunal upheld the government decision but the Delhi high court overturned the then police commissioner’s order removing Sandeep from the rolls.
In yet another thought-provoking judgment, a Supreme Court bench of justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra not only upheld the high court decision but also gave an altogether new dimension to the law regarding leniency.
When Sandeep had an altercation with his tenant, he must have been aged about 20 years. “At that young age people often commit indiscretions, and such indiscretions can often been condoned,” the court said, adding, “Condone minor indiscretions made by young people, rather than brand them criminals for the rest of their lives. After all, youth will be youth. They are not expected to behave in as mature a manner as older people.”
Sandeep’s offence, the judges said, was not “a serious offence such as murder, dacoity or rape”.
URL of the article: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_supreme-court-comes-to-the-rescue-of-miserable-cop_1521660-all
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Cheque mate
Saikat Neogi
Posted online: 2011-02-15 23:38:28+05:30
Posted online: 2011-02-15 23:38:28+05:30
Two months after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced the new guidelines for the Cheque Truncation System (CTS) in the National Capital Region, some customers have had a nasty surprise: Many cheques started returning to issuers, due to alterations and over-writing in them.
The CTS is an online image-based cheque clearing system where cheque images and Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) data are captured at the collecting bank branch and transmitted electronically. In this process, the existing system of settlement of payment on the basis of physical cheque movement is eliminated.
The technology was introduced in the NCR and will be subsequently implemented in Chennai by the middle of the year and in other places like Mumbai. This will minimise the scope for frauds and provide benefits to both banks and the customers. As a result, any cheque which has over-writing or other corrections will be returned to the issuer of the cheque. However, changes or correction can be done on dates and for any other changes, one needs to issue a fresh cheque.
The cheque images captured at the presenting bank in the NCR are transmitted to the clearing house for onward transmission to the payee or drawee bank. It is the responsibility of the drawee bank to capture the inward data and images and generate the return file for unpaid instruments.
The electronic image of the cheque is sent to the drawee branch along with the image of the deposit slip which is clipped with the cheque by the customer. CTS reduces the scope for clearing-related frauds and minimises the cost of collection of cheque. For the bank, the benefits would be immense which would help them to introduce new products and optimise resources. Globally, CTS is being practised across many countries for faster clearing of cheques.
The RBI has given a directive to banks prohibiting alterations/corrections on cheques cleared under the image-based CTS. The central bank has also clarified that rule does not apply to cheques cleared under other clearing arrangements such as MICR clearing,non-MICR clearing, over-the-counter collection (for cash payment), or even for direct collection of cheques outside the Clearing House arrangement.
Diwakar Nigam, managing director of Newgen Software, the company which has developed the CTS software in NCR, says the system offers better reconciliation and will help prevent fraud. “It will also help a customer to get clearance within NCR in one day’s time and bring in efficiency in the process. It will also reduce the heavy paper-load as the process will be completely digitalised.” He says the second stage will cover Chennai and other southern regions and then to Mumbai. However, it will take three to five years to implement the process across the country.
Realisation of proceeds of cheques can be done the same day itself and not 3-4 days which is currently the case across the country. For inter-city cheques, it takes two days for the clearance. CTS is more secure and is protected by a comprehensive Public Key Infrastructure-based security architecture which incorporates basis security and authentication checks such as dual access control. It is more secure a system and does not create any delay or inconvenience to the customer in case the cheque is lost in transit.
Bankers say customers should use a dark-colour black ink pen while drawing the instruments and utmost care must be taken while using the rubber stamp and it should not be used on the printed code of the instruments. The physical cheque is warehoused with the presenting bank, in case the customer wants to get back the instrument.
Experts the central bank must conduct an awareness campaign on over-writing and other corrections on cheques. “People usually sign near the correction as that is what has been done for many years. But with CTS, a cheque which has an alteration, even with a signature beside the alteration the bank will not accept the cheque and instead return it to the customer,” says a banker.
Analysts say customers will have to be careful while issuing cheques for credit card payments, utility payments, insurance and investments, as most of them are linked to late payment fees. As a result of the central bank’s new directive, many utilities have been turning away cheques with any form of correction or alteration even if the changes were validated by the cheque drawer’s signature and that too in places either than the NCR. To avoid any late payment charges, they must pay well before time so that in case the cheque is returned, the customer will have enough time to issue a fresh cheque.
Courtesy: FE
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Railways to Re-Introduce the Need for Carrying Identity Proof During ‘Tatkal’ Ticket Travel From 11th February 2011
In view of the complaints received in recent past regarding alleged irregularities in Tatkal scheme, Ministry of Railways has decided to re-introduce the need for carrying Identity Proof in original during the course of journey. This provision will come into effect from 11th February 2011.
Any one of the passenger/passengers who will be travelling on Tatkal ticket will be required to produce one of the following eight Identity Proofs in original during the course of journey.
1. Voter Photo Identity Card issued by Election Commission of India
2. Passport
3. PAN Card issued by Income Tax Department
4. Driving Licence issued by RTO
5. Photo Identity Card issued by Central/State Government
6. Student Identity Card with photograph issued by recognized School/College for their students
7. Nationalised Bank Passbook with photograph and
8. Credit Cards issued by Banks with laminated photograph
However, no Identity proof is required to be produced at the reservation counter while getting the Tatkal ticket booked.
Any one of the passenger/passengers will be required to produce Identity proof in original for checking by ticket checking staff during the course of journey, failing which, all the passenger/passengers travelling on the said ticket will be treated as travelling without ticket and will be charged excess fare and penalty as per rules.
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