Healthcare for Women in Minority Dominated Areas

Women residing in minority areas are as susceptible to various diseases as women residing in other areas irrespective of religious affiliations or minority status.

Government have initiated various programmes/schemes for improving the health of women in the country. These schemes, inter-alia include Janani-Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) and Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY). The Janani-Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) entitles all pregnant women delivering in public health institutions in both rural and urban areas to absolutely free and no expense delivery including caesarean section; free diagnostics; free blood where required; free transportation to and fro between home and health facility as also, between institutions in case of referral. This facility is also available to sick neonates. The Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood intervention being implemented with the objective of reducing maternal and neo-natal mortality by promoting institutional delivery. JSY integrates cash assistance with delivery and post-delivery care to the eligible poor pregnant women. Other services provided to women free of cost in public health facilities include safe abortion, STI/RTI contraceptives & sterlization, etc. Women are also given focused attention under various disease control programmes like National Vector Borne Disease Control programme, Revised National Tuberculosis Control programme, National Leprosy Control Programme and National Blindness Control Programme.

The above information was given by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

Rural Posting for MBBS Students

In an overall effort to improve medical education and make it more socially oriented and suitable from the public health perspective and to expose MBBS students to rural health care settings besides enabling them to acquaint themselves with broad community healthcare needs, Medical Council of India has been requested to prepare a scheme document for rural posting of medical graduates after completion of a part of internship in medical college.

The Central Government provides funds under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) to the State Governments and the Union Territories to strengthen and improve the health infrastructure in the rural areas of the country. The funds are inter alia provided for strengthening and also for setting up of District Hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHCs), Sub-Divisional Hospitals, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Sub-Centres. Funds are also provided under NRHM to support upgradation of health facilities such as District Hospitals, CHCs, Sub-Divisional Hospitals, PHCs and Sub-Centres to Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS). In addition, annual maintenance grants are provided under NRHM to CHCs, Sub- Divisional Hospitals, PHCs and Sub-Centres at the rate of Rs.1,00,000 per CHC/Sub-Divisional Hospital, Rs.50,000 per PHC and Rs.10,000 per Sub-Centre.

The above information was given by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on 3rd September

Requests of Film Makers to ASI

The Minister for Culture and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja has said that the amount of revenue earned from shooting  of films in the precincts of protected monuments  during the last three years are as under:

                                                                             Rupees in lakh

2009-10	41.10
2010-11	57.45
2011-12	54.22

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today Kumari Selja said, there is no proposal at present to enhance the rates of filming and organising concerts at centrally protected monuments.

Power Export to Pakistan

The Union Minister of State for Power Shri K.C.Venugopal informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply today that a Group of Experts of India and Pakistan met in Islamabad on 2nd and 3rd August, 2012 to explore the possibility of a 500 Mega Watt (MW) cross border transmission inter-connection between India and Pakistan for transmission of power that may be sourced by Pakistan from the Indian electricity market on commercial basis.

He said that electricity from Central and State generating stations supplying power to DISCOMs is not proposed to be diverted to Pakistan. Pakistan would tie up electricity from the Indian electricity market on commercial terms.

The Minister further informed that mode of transmission is proposed to be a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnection. The duration of transmission of electricity would depend on the contractual arrangement of trade

Thermal Power Projects

The Union Minister of State for Power, Shri K.C.Venugopal, informed Lok Sabha today in a written reply that feasibility studies for setting up of thermal power projects are conducted by the developers. However, in the case of Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPPs), identification of the project site is done by Central Electricity Authority (CEA) in consultation with the State Government. Studies/investigation and the tariff based competitive bidding process for selection of the developer are carried out by project specific SPV Company.

He further said that one Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) at Tilaiya in Jharkhand has been awarded to M/s. Reliance Power Ltd. for which land acquisition is under progress. Government of Jharkhand has proposed a second UMPP in Deogarh district of Jharkhand. Site for the second UMPP in Jharkhand has been identified and approved by the State Government. The developer for the second UMPP in Jharkhand will be selected on the basis of tariff based competitive bidding after completion of studies/investigations.

HYDRO Power Projects

The Union Minister of State for Power, Shri K.C.Venugopal, informed Lok Sabha today in a written reply that presently, four Hydro Electric Projects (HEPs) (above installed capacity of 25 MW) are being constructed in the country with the assistance of Asian Development Bank (ADB). All these HEPs are located in Himachal Pradesh. In this regard, Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), a State Government undertaking had informed that a group of people with unverified credentials had written to ADB to stop funding based on unsubstantiated allegations. HPPCL had stated that preliminary verification of these allegations revealed that the report was not based on facts and appeared to be motivated and biased.

Adverse Effects of Computer use on Children’s Vision

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the nodal agency of the Government of India in the field of medical research, is not aware of any specific report on adverse effect of computer use on children’s vision in India. No specific study has been made by the Indian Council of Medical Research in this regard.

However, according to certain reports published in United States of America, studies have found that majority of the computer workers experience some eye or vision symptoms. It is unclear whether these problems occur to a greater extent in computer workers than in workers in the other highly visually demanding occupations. According to the American Optometric Association, a national survey of doctors of optometry found that more than 14% of their patients present with eye or vision-related symptoms resulting from computer work. Most common symptoms are eye strain, headaches, blurred vision and neck or shoulder pain.

No data is maintained in ICMR or Department of Health Research regarding estimated number of children having eye related problem due to excess use of computers and mobile games.

The above information was given by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Lok Sabha today on 30th August 2012

Free Treatment of BPL People

Health is a state subject and it is the primary responsibility of the State Governments to make necessary arrangement for providing free treatment to the people below poverty line suffering from various diseases including mental disorder or diabetes at the Government hospitals.

So far as the Central Government is concerned, financial assistance is provided to patients, living below poverty line (BPL) who are suffering from major life threatening diseases from Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) to receive medical treatment at any government hospitals/institutes and super specialty government hospitals and institutes. Recently mental disorders and diabetes have been included under RAN. The financial assistance to such patients is released in the form of ‘one time grant’ to the medical superintendant of government hospital in which the treatment is being received.

In addition, funds have been provided to 123 Districts across 30 States/UTs for implementation of District Mental Health Programme, a component of National Mental Health Programme for treatment of mentally ill persons, irrespective of their status as APL or BPL. Treatment of the mentally ill persons is either free or at a very nominal cost as decided by concerned state government/UT administration. No additional/exclusive funds have been released to government hospitals/super specialities hospitals to provide free treatment to below poverty line suffering from mental disorder under this Scheme.

Central Government is also implementing National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) for all people including BPL people in 100 selected districts of 21 States during 2010-12 with an aim to reduce the burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) including diabetes. Under this programme, the population of above 30 years of age are screened for Diabetes and Hypertension at Sub-Centres. The suspected cases are referred to the Community Health Centres (CHCs)/District Hospitals for further confirmation/treatment.

In so far as three Central Government hospitals namely Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. RML Hospital and Lady Harding Medical College and its associated hospitals are concerned, the treatment is provided free of cost to BPL patients. No additional funds are allocated to these Hospitals specifically for treatment of the patients suffering from Diabetes and mental disorder and the expenditure incurred on such treatment is met from overall sanctioned budget grant of these Hospitals.

The above information was given by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Lok Sabha today on 30th August 2012

Reservation of Seats in Medical Colleges

Reservation in undergraduate seats in medical colleges for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) varies from State to State as per the norms and rules prescribed by the respective State Governments. However, the following reservation quota is prescribed for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses under the All India Quota and central Government institutions:

i. Scheduled Castes – 15%

ii. Scheduled Tribes – 7.5%

iii. Other Backward Classes – 27% ( only in central Government Institutions/Universities)

Further, the regulations of Medical Council of India’s (MCI) provides that for both PG and UG, 3% seats of the annual sanctioned intake capacity shall be filled up by candidates with locomotors disability of lower limbs between 50% to 70% and in case the quota remains unfilled on account of unavailability of such candidates then such unfilled seats shall be filled by candidates with locomotors disability of lower limbs between 40% to 50%. These regulations are mandatory in nature and therefore applicable for every medical colleges under the ambit of MCI and also for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses under the All India Quota.

The above information was given by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 31st August

World’s Highest Railway Bridge Over Chenab River

           

            The Railway bridge being constructed over the Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir is planned to have a height of 359 meters from river bed level which, as per available information, is the highest railway bridge in the world.

            The railway bridge over river Chenab is a part of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla new line project which, on completion, is expected to connect Anantnag, Pulwama, Sopian, Badgam, Srinagar and Baramulla districts of Jammu & Kashmir State to the Railway network.

            Special quality structural steel is being used in the construction of the bridge involving very high degree of precision and latest welding technology.  Special painting scheme is being used for arch portion which is designed considering a number of additional parameters such as fatigue, seismic effect, blast load, global stability and composite action.  Various latest safety measures like measuring wind velocity, ground acceleration in case of earthquake, temperature monitor etc. are also being planned.

            The estimated cost of the bridge as per the contract agreement of 2004 is Rs. 512.74 crore.  The bridge falls in the Katra-Banihal section of the project which is targeted to be completed by December 2017.

            This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways, Shri Bharatsinh Solanki in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

Carrying Capacity of General Coaches in Trains

A total number of 3492.42 million passengers travelled in non-suburban unreserved segment during the year 2011-12. There are 19238 general coaches on Indian Railways. The unreserved tickets sold are not train specific. Passengers holding unreserved tickets can travel in any train going in that direction on a specific calendar date for which the ticket is valid. The carrying capacity of unreserved general class coach is 90 in respect of Integral Coach Factory (ICF) design coach, 100 in Hybrid design coach (SGS) and 99 in Linke Hoffman Bush (LHB) design general coach.

Condition of general coaches has improved over the years. Now almost all the general coaches have been fixed with cushioned seats. All newly manufactured coaches are fitted with upgraded furnishing materials. Stainless steel luggage rack has also been fitted in some of the coaches.

Efforts have been made to provide adequate number of general class coaches in all the long distance Mail/Express trains. From 2007-08 onwards, number of general class coaches has been increased from four to six in the newly introduced trains as part of composition. In addition, six Jan Sadharan, two Janseva, one Jannayak, three Karmabhoomi Express and some intercity trains are running with only general second class accommodation. However, attachment of coaches including general class coaches in train services on Indian Railways is done keeping in view of the traffic pattern of different class of passengers, and operational feasibility.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways, Shri Bharatsinh Solanki in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha

Increasing Speed of Passenger Trains

The Indian Railway Vision 2020 envisages increasing speed of passenger trains to 160-200 kilometres per hour on the routes where freight traffic has been segregated by construction of Dedicated Freight Corridor.

A feasibility study for increasing the speed on Delhi-Mumbai route is being carried out with assistance from Government of Japan. Increasing of speed will involve strengthening of track & bridges, modification in signalling and overhead electric traction and other safety measures. Further action by the ministry of Railways will be taken on completion of the study and its examination thereof.

Women’s Education in Minority Areas

In order to enhance participation of minority women in the national education system, various initiatives have been taken and 88 districts with concentration of minority population are specifically targeted for maximising school access and eliminating infrastructure gaps through opening of 16,391 new Primary Schools and 9,345 Upper Primary Schools; construction of 1,70,925 additional classrooms and sanctioning of 1,34,203 teachers. Under the scheme of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), which inter-alia provides coverage of special focus groups viz. girls’, children belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and educationally backward Minorities, 9636 secondary schools have been approved, out of which 906 have been approved in Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs); Out of 3609 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) sanctioned, 490 KGBVs have been sanctioned in blocks having over 20% Muslim population, of which 475 are operational. Besides, a Sub-Committee on Girls’ Education of the National Monitoring Committee for Minorities’ Education has also been constituted to identify the factors impeding Girl Education in Minority communities and suggest measures to counter them, ways and means to enhance quality teachers for girls in Minority Concentrated Areas and to develop infrastructure for enhancing participation of girls belonging to Minority Communities in educational institutions.