NEW DELHI: The mission of ‘Make in India’ can not become a reality unless we have adequate skilled manpower in the country, Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said today.

“Students need to be taught entrepreneurial skills to gain confidence and become job creators,” the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rudy said at the India Today Conclave.

As the market for quality plumbers, electricians and carpenters continues to expand, there is a growing need for vocational and skill training,” he added.

Rudy also said that there should be more emphasis on holistic education rather than on only promoting sciences.

The government is currently in the process of revising the National Skill Development Policy, which had been devised by the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government in 2009.

The skilled workforce in South Korea is 96 per cent, 80 per cent in Japan, 75 per cent in Germany and 70 per cent in Britain. Compared to this, the skilled workforce in India is only two per cent.

Nepal’s Foreign Minister will visit China next week to hold talks with Chinese leaders on a host of bilateral issues, including efforts to increase trade and investments, a senior official said here today.

Mahendra Bahadur Pandey will visit China from March 17 to 21 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei told reporters here.

Pandey’s upcoming visit is part of activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of China-Nepal ties, Hong said.

During his visit to Nepal last year, Wang proposed the two sides widen pragmatic cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, infrastructure, science and technology, interconnectivity and intercommunication, tourism, culture, people to people exchanges, security and law enforcement.

Hong said China hoped to further enhance comprehensive cooperative partnerships through Pandey’s visit.

Imphal: Life remained unaffected despite a 48-hour bandh call by the All Manipur Minorities Students’ Union (AMMSU) in Manipur from midnight Thursday night.
Shops, markets, offices, schools and colleges functioned normally and vehicles plied as usual, officials said.

The bandh was called to air protest against the death of college student Salman Khan (20) in the bomb blast at Imphal Market Complex on Wednesday last.

Nagpur, Mar 13: Even as the Modi government has come under fire from RSS affiliates over the Land Acquisition Bill, the Sangh today said the legislation was not bad but suggested that differences over it be sorted out through dialogue. “I don’t think the bill is bad after the government made some amendments to it,” RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale told journalists at a briefing as the three-day brainstorming session of the Pratinidhi Sabha, the highest decision making body of the Sangh, kicked off here. (ALSO READ: Anna Hazare asks parties to unite in Rajya Sabha against Land Acquisition Bill)

The land bill is facing stiff resistance from RSS affiliates like Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), whose representatives are also attending the meet. “These (BMS and BKS) are independent entities. We have invited them here because they work with the Sangh’s inspiration. As independent entities they are free to hold their opinion and express it in the way they feel is fit,” he said.

Hosabale said RSS wanted “proper coordination” to be established between the Centre and organisations like BMS and BKS, which have opposed the bill. “RSS will try and inspire both (government and RSS affiliates). Now the goal should be to hold a dialogue to ensure that the farmers get their due. “I think the government will take care of the demands voiced by BMS and BKS and ensure the goals of the legislation are realised on the ground,” Hosabale said.

New Delhi: A school boy was killed after a DTC bus ran over him in Khanpur area on Friday, following which angry residents set the bus on fire and vandalised 12 others, police said.
A boy, wearing school uniform, was mowed down by a DTC bus while he was crossing the road in Khanpur area at around 11 am. Following the incident, residents staged a protest and set the bus ablaze and also vandalised 12 others, evoking tension in the area,” a senior officer said.

A large number of police personnel have been deployed in the area to maintain calm.

The body has been sent to AIIMS for postmortem, he said

Government is actively considering changing rules and regulations relating to medical services to improve and expand health facilities in every part of the country, Lok Sabha was informed today.

“There is a need to change some rules and regulations and government is actively considering it,” Health Minister J P Nadda said during question hour.

Nadda’s response came when Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal suggested that medical practitioners serving in rural areas should be trained in modern medical techniques and equipment so that the shortage of advance medical facilities in backward areas could be resolved.

“We have to discuss the issue with various stakeholders, including Medical Council of India, to arrive at a decision in this regard,” the Minister said.

In addition to the bilateral agreements between India and other countries in the field of health cooperation, he said international cooperation was also achieved through the aegis of WHO, SAARC forum and other international arrangements such as BRICS framework for strategic cooperation in health.

Nadda said international cooperation facilitated capacity building, training, exchange of information, exchange of experts, health, health manpower development, technical support in establishing laboratories and hospitals and research in mutually identified areas on the basis of equality reciprocity and mutual benefit.

ndia has 19 health workers which includes doctors and nurses for every 10,000 people in comparison to World Health Organisation (WHO) norms which prescribe 25 health workers for the same number, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

“As per the Report of the Steering Committee on Health for the 12th Five Year Plan of the Planning Commission, India has 19 health workers (doctors — 6, nurses and midwives — 13) per 10,000 people in India.

“WHO norms provide for 25 per 10,000 people. Additionally, there are 7.9 lakh AYUSH practitioners registered in the country (approximately 6.5 per 10,000),” Health Minister J.P. Nadda said in a written reply.

He said that as per information provided by Medical Council of India (MCI) and Indian Nursing Council (INC), the total number of registered doctors is 9,36,488 as on December 31, 2014.

He said that as on December 31, 2013, the number of auxiliary nurses and midwives are 7,56,937 while registered nurses and midwives are 16,73,338. Data in respect of health professionals in rural and urban areas is not maintained centrally.

He said that the government has not conducted any study or survey to ascertain the number of doctors and other medical and para-medical professionals required in the rural and urban areas of the country.

Medical Council of India (MCI), with the previous approval of the Centre, has amended the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, to provide 50 per cent reservation in Post Graduate Diploma Courses for Medical Officers in government service, who have served at least three years in remote and difficult areas.

The amendment has also been done to give incentive at the rate of 10 per cent of marks obtained for each year in service in remote or difficult areas as up to a maximum of 30 per cent of the marks obtained in the entrance test for admissions in post graduate medical courses, Mr. Nadda said.

Keywords: Parliamentary proceedings, Lok Sabha, J.P. Nadda, health workers, Health Ministry

The Anglo-Indian woman who hit national headlines as the Park Street rape victim in early 2012 died of encephalitis at a state-run hospital in Kolkata on Friday morning.

She was around 40 and used to live with her daughters in the southern fringes of the city.

She was admitted to Calcutta Medical College a few days ago.

According to initial reports she died of multi-organ failure.

After its three session slide, gold prices recovered slightly at the bullion market here on modest offtake from stockist and investors as well as low level jewellery buying interest on the back of improved International markets.

Silver also gained following mild speculative buying.

Standard gold (99.5 purity) rose by Rs 95 to end at Rs 25,900 per 10 grams from Thursday’s closing level of Rs 25,805.

Pure gold (99.9 purity) also went up by a similar margin to conclude at Rs 26,050 per 10 grams from Rs 25,955.

Silver (.999 fineness) moved up by Rs 85 per kg to close at Rs 36,205 as compared to Rs 36,120 yesterday.

Globally, in Europe gold firmed up after nine straight sessions of losses, as the dollar nursed losses following its biggest one-day fall in a month late yesterday.

In London, spot gold edged up 0.3 percent to USD 1,156.20 an ounce in early trade. While spot silver were down 0.3 percent at USD 15.52 an ounce.