Gold tariff value hiked

The Central Board of Excise and Customs increased the imports duty of gold to $521 per 10 grams from $516 per 10 grams in March. The import of gold is one of the main reason for widening current account deficit (CAD). 

The tariff value for silver, however, has been lowered to $920 from $930 a kg.

Fast track courts likely for terror accused muslims

The central government decided to examine the long standing demand for setting up of fast-track courts to expedite trial of “innocent” Muslim youth accused of terror acts who were “being falsely implicated on the charges of terrorist activities with fabricated evidence.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde gave the assurance to a group of MPs and civil rights activists who met him to demand a “clear-cut time frame” for setting up such courts and freeing all the accused who have been in prison for two years or more.

It sought a probe against police officers who had arrested “innocent” Muslims and fabricated evidence against them, and strict penal action, if they were found guilty.

It has also demanded a mechanism to secure compensation and reparation for, and rehabilitation of, those acquitted by courts.

National Crime Records Bureau showed that as on December 2011, the total number of undertrials in prisons was more than 2.41 lakh, of whom 51,206 or 21.2 per cent of the total inmates were Muslims. Likewise, there were more than 1.28 lakh convicts lodged in various jails, including 22,943 Muslim

Extension of the existing container terminal at Visakhapatnam port

Extension of the existing container terminal at Visakhapatnam port The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the project related to extension of the existing container terminal at Visakhapatnam port on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis for a period of 30 years at an estimated cost of Rs. 633.11 crore.

The project would enhance the container handling capacity of Visakhapatnam port from 0.4 Million TEUs (Twenty Foot Equivalent Units) to 1 Million TEUs.

The project will be taken up for implementation under the Private Public Partnership (PPP) mode to be awarded on the highest Royalty basis. The entire investment on the project will be made by the concessionaire. The project will be completed within 24 months from the date of award of the concession.

Gujarat Lokayukta Aayog Bill, 2013 is passed to curtail the role of Governor and Chief Justice of High Court

Gujarat Lokayukta Aayog Bill, 2013 seeks to end the role of the Governor and the Chief Justice of the High Court in appointing the ombudsman.

The Bill proposes a seven-member selection panel headed by the Chief Minister, which will recommend a candidate for the Lokayukta’s post.

The members of the panel are the Chief Minister, A minister recommended the Chief Minister,the Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition, a High Court judge nominated by the Chief Justice and the State Vigilance Commissioner.

The role of Governor is to ratify the recommendation made by the Panel.

The existing Gujarat Lokayukta Act, 1986, empowers the Governor to appoint the ombudsman in consultation with the Chief Justice and the Leader of Opposition.

There was difference of opinion between Governor Kamla Beniwal and Chief Minister Narendra Modi after the Governor appointed retired judge R.A. Mehta in August 2011 in consultation with the Chief Justice and the Leader of the Opposition, ignoring the Council of Ministers.

The government filed a case against this appointment but lost in the Supreme Court and review petition was also rejected.

ADB loan of $252-million for continued improvement of rural roads in five States

India made an agreement with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for continued improvement of rural roads in Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. India will $252-million loan from ADB under the ‘rural connectivity investment programme. It is a part of $800 million financing facility under the ‘rural connectivity investment programme which aims to 3,461 km of all-weather rural roads in these States.

The first tranche of the loan, expected to be completed in December 2015 from the ADB’s ordinary capital resources, has a 25-year term, including a grace period of five years, a commitment charge of 0.15 per cent per year and an interest rate to be determined in accordance with the Manila-based institution’s LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) -based lending facility.

World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) and “Light It Up Blue”

On the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) on 2nd April 2013, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, National Trust for the welfare of persons with Autism and other developmental disabilities and Archaelogical Survey of India are collectively organising lighting of six historical monuments in Delhi vis a vis Qutab Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, Safdarjung Tomb, Jantar Mantar, Purana Quila and Red Fort with Blue Light.

“Light It Up Blue” is dedicated to raising awareness of autism. This initiative is intended to raise awareness of autism as a growing public health crisis.

Autism is a Neuro-physiological disorder which affects the social and emotional areas of the brain. It affects as many as 1 in 110 children and 1 in 70 boys. Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism. There is no medical cure for autism, but early diagnosis and intervention helps a person to adapt and function better.

National Trust is organising a function at Humayun’s Tomb on the day whose highlights will be release of Book Why Me?-An Inward Odyssey by Mr Krishna Narayanan, a person with Autism and release of song “Alag Hi Asha” composed and sung by Vintage Taan Group.

Supreme Court rejects Novartis’s plea for patent

The Supreme Court of India held that the modification of a well known blood cancer-fighting drug is not a patentable new invention. The SC rejects Swiss firm Novartis plea to patent cancer fighting drug Glivec or Gleevec.

Glivec is the brand name of Imatinib. Novartis had applied for a patent for a modification of this drug, a “beta crystalline” salt form of Imatinib Mesylate or IM, which it said could be better absorbed by the body – by up to 30% more.

Background:

The Novartis patent application was rejected by the Patent office. Novartis then moved the Intellectual Property Board, Chennai which rejected their claim but gave some positive signals.They approached the Supreme Court Directly without moving High Court.

Who will benefit ? The Novartis drug costs more than Rs 1 lakh per month, but the generic equivalents cost less than one-tenth. The ruling would be a relief to some 300,000 patients in India currently taking the drug.

What is ever greening ? It is a strategy through which drug manufacturers introduce modifications of drugs to extend the five-year patents on them. As the evergreening patent applications could be rejected helping to keep many life-saving drugs out of the patent regime.