-The Hindu Drug patents are designed to create profits that enable more research on diseases affecting millions. But in practice, they have often generated super profits for big pharma companies while erecting access barriers for the poor. The Novartis case spotlights much that is wrong with the system. The rejection of the Novartis petition challenging one of the most progressive tenets of the Indian Patents Act (1970), as amended in 2005 by...
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CAG raps AP government over financial management
-PTI HYDERABAD: A day after the Chief Minister remarked that observations of CAG were "not scriptures", the public auditor picked many holes in Andhra Pradesh government's budgeting process and financial management even as it praised the state for achieving fiscal reform targets. In its report on the state finances for 2011-12, the CAG rapped the government for failing to ensure proper utilisation of allotted funds, particularly on capital works, resulting in staggering...
More »‘Only 10% of India’s dirty water is treated’ -Chetan Chauhan
-The Hindustan Times A UN report has described India’s water pollution situation as a “time-bomb” while praising social activist Anna Hazare’s village Ralegan Siddhi for using the scarce commodity in a rationale manner. In a stinging remark on water administration in India, the report says India is able to treat just 10 % of its city sewage and industrial waste discharge, the most polluting source for rivers and water bodies. “Presently, only...
More »UN report belies India's claims of inclusive growth-Devjyot Ghoshal
-The Business Standard This has meant the GNI per capita has more than doubled from $1,229 in 1990 In recent years, India's growth has undoubtedly been spectacular. Income growth a year has averaged about five per cent from 1990 through 2012. This has meant the gross national income (GNI) per capita (purchasing power parity, in dollar terms) has more than doubled from $1,229 in 1990. However, even if one discounts the drop in...
More »Ramesh Promises Corrective Measures on Poor Spending
-Outlook Rural Development Ministry could spend only Rs 55,000 crore out of the budget estimate of Rs 75,000 crore for its various flagship programmes in the current fiscal and Minister Jairam Ramesh says he owns responsibility for it. Despite the poor spending, Finance Minister P Chidambaram today allocated Rs 80,000 crore to the key social sector Ministry in this year's budget. Ramesh blamed "serious administrative weaknesses in the poorest states of India"-- Bihar,...
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