-The Hindu Doctors’ objections to prescribing medicines by generic names fly in the face of a recent report on substandard drugs In a surprise move on April 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his government will soon make it mandatory for doctors to prescribe medicines by generic names. The decision was to ensure drug prices remain affordable and patients get a wider bouquet of options instead of being forced to...

-The Hindu The core issues are affordable access to medicines and their rational prescription and use The Medical Council of India (MCI) issued a circular on April 21 drawing attention to clause 1.5 of its Regulations regarding the professional conduct of doctors: “Every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters and he/she shall ensure that there is a rational prescription of drugs.” Further, the circular said,...

-PTI NEW DELHI: Centre has asked the ruling BJP, the Congress, AAP and a few other political parties to furnish details about the source of their overseas funding. The Ministry of Home Affairs, in separate communications, has asked the political parties to give details of their sources of funding, including those from abroad or foreign business enterprises, official sources said. The sources, however, said this was part of the routine communication sent to...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Union home ministry has asked nearly 6,000 of the 13,000 registered NGOs in the country receiving foreign donations to open accounts in nationalised banks to facilitate constant surveillance of their activities. The NGOs have accounts in cooperative banks or state-owned banks, which do not have core-banking facilities. "To maintain surveillance on the activities of NGOs receiving foreign funds, the ministry wants all NGOs registered under the Foreign Contribution...

-Business Standard The govt has in place Regulations that systematically calculate less than the payable compensation New Delhi: The Union government has been understating the compensation that workers should get under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for the delay in payment of wages. Not just that, only a portion of this understated compensation is being paid to the beneficiaries across the country. According to the job guarantee scheme,...