India has ratified two critical International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions—182 and 138—on ending worst forms of child labour and on minimum age of employment after the Union cabinet gave its approval for ratification on March 31, 2017.
India’s decision for ratification of these Conventions was long overdue in providing justice to millions of working children and is a significant opportunity for the country to make renewed commitment for ending forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking.
After the total prohibition of child labour through enacting a stronger legislation – Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act 2016, this is yet another significant step in protecting the country’s children from exploitation and abuse. 
“It is a historic moment for India as we are going to take another giant step to affirm our commitment for a child labour free by ratifying the two core Convention of ILO Conventions 138 regarding admission of age to employment and Convention 182 regarding the worst forms of child labour,’’ Union Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya said this at the sidelines of an event held in Geneva at the ILO Conference. The Instruments of Ratification were handed over by India to ILO at the event.  
The Minister said that the Government has been working in a concerted manner to eliminate child labour from the country by following a multipronged strategy by including both stringent legislative and project-based approach for complete prohibition on employment of children below 14 years in all occupations and processes and prohibits employment of adolescents (14-18 years) in hazardous occupations and processes. The age of employment has been linked to the age of compulsory education under Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009.
A landmark step in the endeavour to have a child labour-free society was the enactment of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Prevention) Amendment Act, 2016 that provides for complete prohibition on employment
Commenting on the ratification, Nobel prize winner Kailash Satyarthi said: “I recall the day when I conceived this idea to demand an international law on the abolishment of modern forms of slavery, sale and trafficking of children, forced or compulsory labour and the usage of children of children in conflict, for pornography and for procuring and doing other illicit activities such as drug trafficking.’’  
The Government has also notified the amendment in the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Central Rules after extensive consultation with the stakeholders. The Rules, for the first time, provide broad and specific framework for prevention, prohibition, rescue and rehabilitation of child and adolescent workers.
To clarify on issues related with help in family and family enterprises and definition of family with respect to child, specific provisions have been incorporated in rules. Further, it also provides for safeguards of artists which have been permitted to work under the Act, in terms of hours of work and working conditions. The rules provide for specific provisions incorporating duties and responsibilities of enforcement agencies in order to ensure effective implementation and compliance of the provisions of the Act. In order to clarify the issues on Schedule of hazardous occupations and processes, the Schedule has been reviewed and the intent notification has been issued to include a comprehensive list of about 118 occupation and processes.
The Minister further informed that India was in the process of providing a digital platform ‘PENCIL’ which has components ensuring enforcement of the Act, mechanism for redressal of complaints, child tracking system and a monitoring mechanism. This platform would integrate all the State Governments with the Central Government for effective coordination and convergence of various measures being taken for compliance of the Act.
On this occasion, Director General, ILO said “this is an historic step. From today, Convention 182 will cover more than 99 percent of the world’s children and the coverage of Convention 138 will leap from approximately 60 percent to almost 80 percent. That strong alliance must now turn its attention to full implementation of these two Conventions, with no child left behind.”
The Minister mentioned that among the various measures taken recently to meet the objective of child labour free society, the prominent one was strengthening of the National Child Labour Project (NCLP), which is a rehabilitative scheme, providing bridge education and vocational training to adolescents. This scheme has been strengthened recently in terms of improving its quality and extending its coverage to all the districts of the country. For effective implementation of the project, the NCLP guidelines have been reviewed.
The Civil Society groups and the prominent child labour activists have widely appreciated India’s recent initiative for complete eradication of child labour.
With ratification of these two core ILO conventions, India has ratified 6 out of 8 core ILO conventions, with the other 4 core ILO conventions relating to abolition of forced labour, equal remuneration and no discrimination between men and women in employment and occupation, thus reaffirming its commitment for promoting and realising fundamental principles and right at work.

NEW DELHI: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday set the ball rolling for the coming Presidential election by naming three of its top ministers to hold consultations with its NDA allies as well as opposition parties for evolving a consensus on the candidate who would be the country’s next President. 
The BJP President Amit Shah names a panel of three senior Union Ministers — Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and Urban Development and Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu — to evolve a consensus for the Presidential elections. 
The presidential election, if necessary, will be held on July 17, as announced by the Election Commission. The last date of nomination is June 28 and the counting of votes is to be taken up on July 20.
Last month, the Congress President Sonia Gandhi had held a luncheon meeting of opposition parties but the JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar skipped it and attended the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s lunch the next day for the visiting Malaysian premier. After a meeting of 17 Opposition parties, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had said, “We want a candidate who can steadfastly uphold constitutional values”.
While opposition has indicated that it was for the ruling party to initiate the move for consensus, the BJP has maintained that it is comfortably placed to have its own candidate as the next occupant of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 
From the opposition side, former Governor of West Bengal Gopal Krishna Gandhi and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar’s names have been doing the rounds while from the BJP side Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan are stated to be possible candidates. 

NEW DELHI: Now that the election to the highest constitutional office of President will be held on July 17, the million Dollar question is who will be the ruling BJP’s nominee. There is no doubt the choice will be that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
A month back speculation was rife about moving harkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu to Rashtrapati Bhawan. If that happens she will be first tribal and that too a woman from backward Odisha to replace the 13th President Pranab Mukherjee who retires next month on July 25. Murmu is 52-years-old and has a clean image as a politician. 
The Lotus party would not like to let go this great opportunity to have its own President. The BJP-led NDA is capable of easily making up the shortfall and rummaging a clear majority in the electoral college. It is widely believed that the choice of President should be in national interest along with enhancing the country’s image. This assumes importance as the saffron brigade’s recent appointments like that of Yogi Adityanath as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh does not invoke the requisite confidence. 
Intellectuals feel it might be too much to expect the BJP and its mentor, the RSS. to pick a Presidential nominee who will not hesitate to speak out along with preserving and protecting the Constitution. 
It may recalled that the outgoing Head of State Pranab Mukherjee prided himself on being a “copy book” President and remained committed to preserving and protecting the Constitution. 
Though the real power vests in the Prime Minister, the President’s job is anything but ornamental. He/She is a bridge between the people and the Centre. The Head of State has ample discretionary powers to caution and warn the government, if needed. 
In the event of a hung Parliament, it becomes incumbent on the President to decide which party will form the government. There can be other embarrassing moments for the government of the day like returning the cabinet recommendation for imposing central rule in a state or having strong reservations in signing an Ordinance. 
With its runaway win in the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh recently, the NDA is short of the magic figure by only 18,000 votes. It has already received a shot in the arm with the YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy announcing his support for the NDA nominee. The Telengana Rashtra Samiti has also decided to vote with the BJP. 
If both the factions of the AIADMK with nearly 59,000 votes also backs the NDA, a win is certain by a comfortable margin. The Biju Janata Dal too might not be opposed to voting the NDA nominee although the BJP has emerged as its main rival in Odisha relegating the Congress to the background. 
With the opposition trying to make its presence felt, it is apparent they are woefully short of the critical arithmetic and have to remain content with a token fight. Their talk of having a consensus candidate is bound to be rejected by the BJP. 
Congress president has nominated NCP chief and Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar to strive for a consensus candidate. It might, however, turn out to be an exercise in futility. 
Presidential elections in this country have been predictable. The upcoming one does not appear to be any different with the opposition putting up a symbolic fight for all practical intents and purposes. 
At the same time the ruling party should take care not to scare away the parties supporting it by projecting a polarising candidate. Therefore, much will revolve around BJP’s choice of its nominee. There have been instances when allies have switched sides to vote for or against a particular candidate. 
Regional considerations have weighed with some parties as evidenced in 2007 when the Shiv Sena voted for the UPA nominee Pratibha Patil against Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the candidate fielded by its ally, the BJP. 
It may be recalled that the Shiv Sena and the Shiromani Akali Dal are peeved with the BJP but require strong reasons for breaking ranks. As of now the BJP’s Presidential nominee is a sure shot winner barring the imponderables.  

This is the story of a 20-year-old French girl’s dare devilry in unravelling the goings on inside Islamic State’s recruitment networks. Anna Erelle’s book — IN THE SKIN OF A JIHADIST — is at once compelling and scary of the diabolic efforts by terrorists to convert young people to Islam and foist jihad on them. This is relentlessly pursued on Facebook by the IS organisation’s glib talkers to entrap naive European girls bringing to the fore their harrowing and unsuspecting nightmare. 
Seeking to get to the bottom of it all under an assumed name, Melodie is skyped by a ruthless terrorist Bilel, who has already married thrice. He constantly talks of true love and is the French right hand man of the most dangerous militant in the world Abu Bakr al-Bagdadi, the Caliph of Islamic State. 
With some suave and persuasive talk coupled with subtle threats, Bilel promises marriage and an idyllic life in next to no time. The only thing he wants Melodie to do is join him and the ISIS in their Syrian jihad. 
Her relationship causes intense pain resulting in Melodie being “married” to a dreaded terrorist much against her wishes. All this on skype. Bilel claimed he had never been married. She takes calculated risks without raising suspicions as her only interest is to bring to the world the manner in which these Jihadis trap young people of both sexes. 
The girls are promised the moon if they marry them though they have their way through and through. The ISIS organisation propagates the illusion that it cares for these youthful people thus dispossessing them of their past and reprogramming them. 
It is like a cult leader leading the faithful. Their favourite technological weapon is exploiting the Internet. In less than 48 hours Melodie was promised true love, marriage and idyllic life. With all his sweet talk Bilel tries everything in his armoury to convince Melodi to undertake the perilous journey to the Middle East. Entering the Middle East for Melodie is ruled out. 
She was unconsciously looking for a father more than a lover. A man who could protect her, a man with the strength to give her a sense of purpose in life. A person she could trust absolutely. Someone mature. Melodie saw in Bilel somebody who had solutions for her troubles.Coming to the aid of the Syrian people seemed a much more ambitious life than the one she imagined for herself in France. 
As a freelance investigative reporter in France, Melodie kept her Editors in the loop of trying to infiltrate among the recruiters of the ISIS and do the real story. They agreed but knew the deadly consequences in case the terrorist got wind of Melodie’s gambit. Every part of the way she was assisted by a news photographer colleague required to capture snapshots of those involved in the sweet talk of convincing the European boys and girls to covert to Islam and take up Jihad. 
The girls were brainwashed that marrying Jihadists will ensure a life of comfort ever after. In Melodie’s case she had decided to do whatever it takes to earn Bilel’s trust and extract as much information about the modus operandi of trapping unsuspecting girls and getting them to enter Syria. Once in their clutches  these girls were left at the mercy of the fearsome Jihadists. They were exploited and treated like slaves by the Jihadists. 
Importantly, it reveals how technology is used to spread radicalism and the factors that motivates young people including women to join the extremist wars. Erelle’s book is already an international best seller. Her quest is investigating on behalf of a desperate mother, the disappearance of a Belgian teenage girl when she decided to adopt a psudonym and see first hand what the online world of jihad is like. One thing which remained constant was that entering the Middle East or Syria was ruled out. Melodie is under threat even today and understandably cannot reveal her true identity. She wonders how can there be any moral if the story isn’t finished. “More and more I feel the threat of danger. It’s invincible, unforseeable, and constant. Or perhaps I’m imagining things. I’ve asked myself so many questions which have gone unanswered.” 
She summed up her experience in the words of Franklin Roosevelt: “If asked to classify human suffering, I would do it in this order: sickness, death, and doubt.” 
She goes on to say “my uncertainties and the consequences of my actions have thrown me into a mental prison, and only a reality clad in intangible convictions free me. For the past eight months since May 5, 2014, my life has been an eternal recurrence. I stopped counting the number of statements I’ve given to various branches of the police when it reached 254. I’ve never sought them out. The authorities have always come to me.” 
For her safety the periodicals where she publishes articles have banned her from writing on the Islamic state and its networks. Drastic safety measures have been implemented at her work places. Meanwhile young girls in burqas, accompanied by much older men, have started asking strange questions at the reception desk. The threats have also got more serious by and by. This has necessitated shutting down Melodie’s Facebook account but she can still access her skype account. 
At the same time someone claiming to be Bilel’s wife started sending intimidating monologues of insults. Her recurrent nagging question: “How does it feel bitch to write a story about a terrorist and fall in love with him?” It was a strange interpretation of events. “Was this really Bilel’s wife or was it Bilel himself still alive and torturing me.” 
Simultaneously multiple police branches have classified Rachid X., known as Abul Bilel al-Firanzi as “alive.” They have no proof of his death but they do have a thick file on him. Melodie recalls that after a while she found a video on her. It showed her wearing a veil on her couch. It was probably taken by Bilel she imagines. There is no audio but it does include cartoon characters of a devil and bilingual, french and Arabic, subtitles. She acknowledges she has watched the video only once and does not think she will ever watch it again. 
Melodie, however, remembers every word: “My brothers from around the world, issue a fatwa against this impure person who has scorned the Almighty. If you see her anywhere on earth, follow Islamic law and kill her. Make sure she suffers a long and painful death. Whoever mocks Islam will pay for it in blood. She’s more impure that a dog. Rape, stone, and finish her. Insha’Allah.”  She asks the readers to decide: which is worse, doubt or certainty? 
As of today it is estimated that 15,000 foreign fighters have joined the ranks of the ISIS since 2010. They come from 80 different countries. According to official numbers there are 1089 French nationals from no fewer than 89 districts of that country. One hundred and twenty have returned to France while 40 have died in Syria. Unofficially fighters in the IS organisation number between 35,000 and 45,000.  

Having benefited over 1.6 million handicapped individuals who all walk with dignity now, the world famous Jaipur Foot will be displayed in the Rotary International Celestial Convention in the American city of Atlanta. The four-day conference begins on Saturday.
Jaipur Foot which has a presence in 29 countries is developed and manufactured by the Jaipur -based Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS). It is a low cost but high in technology prosthetic developed indigenously. Various Rotary districts of the country had strongly recommended to the Rotary International that the unique artificial limb from India be displayed. The suggestion was appreciated and a suitable area was provided free of cost for display at the Atlanta Convention Centre.
 One hundred years ago, at the 1917 Rotary Convention in Atlanta, Rotary President Arch Klumph proposed creating an endowment “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” From the first contribution of $26.50, the Foundation has grown significantly and has spent more than $3 billion on programs and projects, a statement issued by BMVSS said.
“Let us celebrate in the city where it all began. We will look back proudly over a century of “doing good in the world” — and look ahead to the challenges Rotary will tackle in the century to come,” said Ratnesh Kashyap, a senior Rotarian who is also attending the Rotary International Convention. Largely because of his efforts, Jaipur Foot would now be seen by the 60,000 strong Rotarians from all over the world. 
A two-member team of the BMVSS, led by its honorary secretary Dr Deependra Mehta and Vimal Kumar Singhvi, is already in Atlanta to showcase the Jaipur foot. Dr Mehta said that the BMVSS has benefitted thousands of handicapped persons in the special camps organised in various parts of India by providing them the Jaipur Foot. Dr Mehta said that he was happy that Jaipur Foot will now be seen by a large gathering of Rotarians from all over the world who could help their country’s handicapped by holding fitment camps. The BMVSS will help in holding such fitments camps by providing material and manpower.

The Centre has failed to adopt an inclusionary and sustainable approach to development under its much publicized Smart Cities Mission which aims to create 100 `smart cities’ in the country by 2020, a study released by the Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN), India has said.  

As the Mission completes two years this month, HLRN’s report titled `India’s Smart Cities Mission: Smart for Whom? Cities for Whom?’ presents a human rights and social justice analysis of the process and guidelines of the Mission as well as of the 60 selected Smart City proposals.

The study finds that the positive components of Smart City proposals lie largely within the ambit of formulating technological solutions, developing renewable energy sources, and building resilience of cities. The proposals, however, lack a comprehensive vision for the future that omits the needs and aspirations of cities and their inhabitants, especially the majority who live and work in cities.

  “The entire notion of developing as ‘smart cities’ only 100 of India’s over 4,000 cities and towns appears to be discriminatory. The Mission promotes greater urbanization without addressing its structural causes such as the agrarian crisis, rural distress, failed land reform, and forced migration. Though the aim of promoting the development of small towns is noteworthy, the Mission does not seem to be the appropriate vehicle for achieving this objective,’’ the study points out

As 56 of the 60 shortlisted ‘smart cities’ are also included in the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), and since the allegedly richest municipality in the country—New Delhi Municipal Council—is also one of the ‘smart cities,’ the criteria for selection as well as the utility and benefits of the Mission are not clear, it says.

 Pointing out that the Mission and the Smart City Proposals fail to adopt a human rights approach, including with regard to gender equality and non-discrimination, the study says that there is a disturbing silence on the specific needs and rights of women, children, and marginalized groups such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, migrants, domestic workers, and persons with disabilities. The lack of human rights standards and indicators to monitor implementation also raise questions about whether the Mission will be able to improve living conditions of all city residents, especially low income groups and other disadvantaged communities, the study says.

The composition of the Special Purpose Vehicle—the entity created under the Indian Companies Act to implement the Mission—and its potential to bypass elected governments and urban local bodies as well as its apparent lack of accountability, brings to light serious issues about the nature of governance being promoted, the study says.

The study further points out that despite raising the issue of housing for low income groups in their proposals, none of the selected cities have included operational plans on how targets will be met, neither have they incorporated housing standards to ensure the guarantee of the right to adequate housing. Instead, forced evictions and threats of eviction for ‘smart city’-related projects, already have been reported in Indore, Bhubaneswar, Delhi, and Kochi. Land acquisition for green field projects is also likely to result in loss of farmland and forests, and promote more displacement while threatening rural livelihoods and food security, the study says.

While the Mission places an overwhelming focus on digitalization and technology-driven ‘smart solutions,’ the study says it is important to note that technological innovations alone are not sufficient to solve the structural issues that plague urban India. Moreover, the creation of consolidated electronic databases of residents’ information could give rise to serious privacy concerns, identity theft, increased surveillance, data misuse, and security breaches.

 Dependence on foreign investment and the corporate sector for financing the Mission is high. The consulting firm Deloitte has estimated a requisite investment of 150 billion US dollars (120 billion from the private sector) for the realization of SCM targets. In addition to concerns about corporate control of city development processes, it is apparent that the corporate sector, including large multinational companies, is likely to be the greatest beneficiary of the Mission, the study alleges. 

Given the human rights issues and multiple challenges of the Smart Cities Mission, HLRN’s report has asked the government to incorporate a human rights and social justice approach in a; stages of Mission, while developing standards and human rights-based indicators to monitor its implementation and progress. Implementation of ‘smart city’ projects must not result in the violation of any human rights.

 The government must undertake comprehensive human rights and environmental impact assessments before any ‘smart city’ project is sanctioned. Ensure the free, prior, and informed consent of all affected persons before any project is implemented, and also revise the structure and operational principles of the Special Purpose Vehicle to ensure that it works within the framework of democracy provided by the Constitution of India, the study has said.

 Invest adequately in rural areas, and address issues of the acute agrarian crisis, land-grabbing, landlessness, internal displacement, and distress migration – through adequate budgetary and policy interventions, including through the Rurban Mission, and ensure comprehensive convergence of the Smart Cities Mission with other schemes, especially AMRUT, Housing for All–2022/Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Swachh Bharat Mission, and Heritage City Augmentation and Development Yojana (HRIDAY – which also includes four of the selected ‘smart cities’) are some other recommendations made in the study.

Importantly, it has asked the government to develop an overarching human rights and environmental framework to monitor all schemes. Link implementation of all schemes, including of the Smart Cities Mission, with the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement, and ensure compliance with India’s international and national legal commitments.

Regulating the role and functioning of the corporate sector and ensuring that all private and foreign investment projects comply with human rights and environmental laws and standards is also an important recommendation.

Shivani Chaudhury, Executive Director, Housing and Land Rights Network says: “Our analysis of the Smart Cities Mission highlights the glaring absence of a human rights approach and the lack of emphasis on inclusion, social justice, and equitable development. The undemocratic powers conferred on the Special Purpose Vehicle and the momentous role assigned to the corporate sector reveal the rise of two alarming trends: the corporatization of Indian cities and privatization of governance. The premise of the ‘smart city’—as a relevant model for India—needs a fundamental re-evaluation, especially when profits seem to prevail over people and technology over human rights. This is all the more urgent given the increasing levels of exclusion, impoverishment, unemployment, hunger, homelessness, forced evictions, and displacement of the urban poor in our cities.”

Concerned over the increasing antibiotic resistance among the patients, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has categorized antibiotics and announced a new advice on which antibiotics to use for common infections and which ones to preserve for the most serious circumstances. The new drugs and the advice has been added to the revised WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for 2017. Other additions include medicines for HIV, hepatitis C, tuberculosis and leukemia.   

The updated list adds 30 medicines for adults and 25 for children, and specifies new uses for 9 already-listed products, bringing the total to 433 drugs deemed essential for addressing the most important public health needs. The WHO Essential Medicines List (EML) is used by many countries to increase access to medicines and guide decisions about which products they ensure are available for their populations, a statement issued by the WHO has said.

Dubbed as the biggest revision of the antibiotics section in the EML’s 40-year history, WHO experts have grouped antibiotics into three categories—ACCESS, WATCH and RESERVE—with recommendations on when each category should be used. Initially, the new categories apply only to antibiotics used to treat 21 of the most common general infections. If shown to be useful, it could be broadened in future versions of the EML to apply to drugs to treat other infections, the statement has said.

“The change aims to ensure that antibiotics are available when needed, and that the right antibiotics are prescribed for the right infections. It should enhance treatment outcomes, reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria, and preserve the effectiveness of “last resort” antibiotics that are needed when all others fail,’’ according to the WHO statement.

These changes are in line with the WHO’s Global Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance, which aims to fight the development of drug resistance by ensuring the best use of antibiotics.

The World Health Organisation recommends that antibiotics in the ACCESS group be available at all times as treatments for a wide range of common infections. For example, it includes amoxicillin, a widely-used antibiotic to treat infections such as pneumonia.

The WATCH group includes antibiotics that are recommended as first- or second-choice treatments for a small number of infections. For example, the use of ciprofloxacin, used to treat cystitis (a type of urinary tract infection) and upper respiratory tract infections (such bacterial sinusitis and bacterial bronchitis), should be dramatically reduced to avoid further development of resistance.

The third group, RESERVE, includes antibiotics such as colistin and some cephalosporins that should be considered last-resort options, and used only in the most severe circumstances when all other alternatives have failed, such as for life-threatening infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria.

“The rise in antibiotic resistance stems from how we are using—and misusing—these medicines,” said Dr Suzanne Hill, Director of Essential Medicines and Health Products. “The new WHO list should help health system planners and prescribers ensure people who need antibiotics have access to them, and ensure they get the right one, so that the problem of resistance doesn’t get worse.”

The updated EML also includes several new drugs, such as two oral cancer treatments, a new pill for hepatitis C that combines two medicines, a more effective treatment for HIV as well as an older drug that can be taken to prevent HIV infection in people at high risk, new pediatric formulations of medicines for tuberculosis, and pain relievers.

These medicines are two oral cancer medicines (dasatinib and nilotinib) for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia that has become resistant to standard treatment. In clinical trials, one in two patients taking these medicines achieved a complete and durable remission from the disease; sofosbuvir and velpatasvir combine as the first combination therapy to treat all six types of hepatitis C (WHO is currently updating its treatment recommendations for hepatitis C); dolutegravir for treatment of HIV infection, in response to the most recent evidence showing the medicine’s safety, efficacy, and high barrier to resistance; and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with tenofovir alone, or in combination with emtricitabine or lamivudine, to prevent HIV infection.

Also in the list are delamanid for the treatment of children and adolescents with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and clofazimine for children and adults with MDR-TB; child-friendly fixed-dose combination formulations of isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide for treating paediatric TB; and fentanyl skin patches and methadone for pain relief in cancer patients with the aim of increasing access to medicines for end-of-life care.

“Safe and effective medicines are an essential part of any health system,” said Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Innovation. “Making sure all people can access the medicines they need, when and where they need them, is vital to countries’ progress towards universal health coverage.”

The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines was launched in 1977, coinciding with the endorsement by governments at the World Health Assembly of “Health for all” as the guiding principle for WHO and countries’ health policies.

Making tall promises for political gains in bettering the lot of the farmers and then brushing it under the carpet is bound to hurt not only the Narendra Modi government at the centre but also the BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.  
The agitating farmers in the two states have legitimate reasons to take to the streets in protest after a bumper harvest demanding loan waivers as the Narendra Modi government has done precious little in fulfilling its pledge of providing fifty per more over and above the minimum support price (MSP) for their produce. 
The farmers in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh believe their governments have been lackadaisical in considering the demands over the last three years. The agitators adopted aggressive posture even as the state governments in both the states tried to divide the farm leadership than being genuinely concerned. 
While in Madhya Pradesh the good crop of onions was left rotting on the streets, Maharashtra was witness to a healthy crop of tomatoes being strewn on the road. 
The farmer’s agitation at Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh led to five protestors being shot dead on June seventh threatening chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s core constituency of farmers which might become his nemesis. 
The state BJP believes it is now time to consider a change in leadership in MP especially if the saffron brigade wants to retain power in Madhya Pradesh in the assembly elections due in November 2018. Chouhan has survived many a crises including the controversial deaths of many Vyapam witnesses and corruption scandals. 
However, the present agrarian crises is not on account of natural causes but inept political and administrative management. The demand for loan relief has spread across several northern states after UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath fulfilled the BJP’s election promise with a Rs 36,359 crore waiver. 

Chouhan appears to have taken matters lightly pertaining to the farmers waiver demand of Rs 39,000 crores. Since the demonetisation on November 8 last year, cash transactions had fallen by 70 per cent at the mandis because of the liquidity crunch causing hardship to farmers. 
In Maharashtra the Fadnavis government can be in trouble with its ally Shiv Sena as its ministers boycotted the weekly cabinet meeting earlier in the week on Wednesday on the farmer issue. They made it clear they will not attend these meetings till a complete farm loan waiver is granted. 
Needless to say the farmers were deeply disappointed with the sops offered. Reneging on its promise, the ruling BJP leadership has made it clear that the Centre will not provide any help with loan waivers and that 50 per cent profit is not possible. 
Coupled with this is the heart rending increase in farmer suicides. The opposition has found a lever to stoke the discontent in the wake of drought for the last two years followed by a crash in crop prices. Compounding matters are the many unaffiliated farmers joining the strike blocking food supplies to cities. 
The BJP has reasons to be worried on the farmers front especially the loan waiver issue. Even as farmers in MP claimed that they had been fired upon, the state government insisted that the firing had not come from them but unknown quarters among the agitating farmers. 
On the other hand the chief minister claimed that the farmers had been incited by Congressmen who have been supporting the farmers agitation. Chouhan claimed that anti-social elements and not the farmers had fired upon the agitators. 
This was denied by MP BJP chief Nandkumar Singh Chouhan who said that he saw shots being fired by the administration. 
Farming being a state subject, the role of the states cannot be undermined. Carefully thought out farm insurance policies providing timely relief can mitigate the impact of adverse climate. 
The time has come for a national Agriculture policy to provide higher crop remuneration leading to an increase in food prices. In this clash between rural middle class interests, it is time for the Centre to evolve a formula that strikes a balance. 

NEW DELHI:  Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems Limited today announced the delivery of the first crown and tailcone assembly for the Indian configuration of the CH-47F Chinook helicopter. Manufactured by TASL in Hyderabad, the parts will be delivered to Boeing for final assembly of the 15 helicopters on delivery to the Indian Air Force. Â“This delivery is another significant step in our journey to increase defense capability and manufacturing capacity out of India with our strategic partners,” said Pratyush Kumar, President, Boeing India. “Tata Advanced Systems has demonstrated its ability to deliver high-quality components to the CH-47 Chinook program on schedule, which in turn helps Boeing meet commitments to our customers. We are clearly invested in leveraging the full potential of capability that exists in India to continue delivering greater value for less cost to our U.S. and international customers.” Sukaran Singh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, TASL, said, “We are proud to deliver the first crown and tailcone assembly for CH-47F Chinook helicopter. Undertaking the responsibility of complete manufacture and assembly for Boeing gives us an excellent opportunity to display our capability of development and assembly projects in high technology areas to global quality standards.” 
Defence Ministry finalised an order with Boeing in 2015 for the production, training and support of 15 CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to enhance India’s capabilities across a range of military and humanitarian missions. Deliveries will begin in 2019, Boeing said in a statement here. 
TASL is already delivering crown and tailcones for CH-47 Chinook helicopters for the U.S. Army and international customers. The CH-47F Chinook is the advanced multi-mission helicopter which is being operated by the U.S. Army and 18 other defense forces around the world. Boeing’s network in India includes 35 direct and 120 indirect suppliers from India that manufacture advanced and complex components and sub-assemblies for a range of various commercial and defense aircraft.  

NEW DELHI: (India Science Wire): The much expected South West monsoon has arrived ahead of its scheduled arrival date and is begun its four-month long over the Indian landmass.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is tasked with keeping a track of the annual phenomenon and issue regular bulletins for the benefit of people. Since its inception in 1875, IMD has been striving to understand the phenomenon of monsoon and provide timely advance information on how the system wouldunravel.
In 1886, just 11 years after it was established,IMD came out with a monsoon forecast thus making India the first country in the world to introduce such a system of season-wise forecast. The model adopted for the forecast has been revised time and again as scientists keep acquiring newer knowledge on the science of monsoon system.
Scientists have predicted that the monsoon this year would be normal, with a rainfall of 96 per cent of the long period of average.
However, monsoon forecast is not the only forte of IMD. It has also been providing other short and medium range forecasts. Presently, the weather forecasters have a good skill for about four to five days. Efforts are underway to push the skills beyond to meet the requirements of various users.
Farmers particularly require weather forecast at the level of administrative block, which is one level higher than panchayat and one below the district. Presently, district level advisories are being issued. About 100 blocks would be covered by the end of this year and the rest will be covered by 2019.
In addition, the Department has been focusing on improving its capabilities for predicting severe weather events such as heavy rainfalls, severe convective storms and heat waves.
Rajeevan Madhavan Nair, secretary of MoES is an internationally acclaimed meteorologist. He says “there is growing evidence that extreme weather events are increasing. The world has already witnessed more hot days and heat waves since the 1950s and the fifth IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report of 2014 warns that we will see more changes to weather extremes by the end of 21st century”.
Apart from seeking to impart a quantum jump in weather forecast, the ministry has embarked on a mega project to explore and exploit deep oceans for living and non-living resources.
Noting that the oceans are full of mysteries and only five percent has been explored by human civilisation so far, Dr Rajeevan points out that oceans can be a good source for valuable minerals as well as for alternate energy sources. “Many geophysical activities, like under the sea earthquakes that trigger tsunamis take place at the bottom of the sea. We are planning a lab at the bottom of the sea”.
In the area of polar research too, research efforts would be stepped up. India has permanent stations in Antarctica, the Arctic and one in the Himalayas. “Among the large number of questions identified, temporal changes in the extent of sea ice and their influence on atmospheric and ocean circulation is a prime area of knowledge gap,” Rajeevan said. “Weneed to understand and document these changes and examine their possible effects on Indian climate using observations and models. The on-going scientific activities at Antarctic, Arctic and the Himalaya are, therefore, being further strengthened.”
Dr Rajeevan has over 30 years of operational experience in the different aspects of tropical meteorology. Before joining the Ministry, he was Director of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology at Pune.
His main research contribution include understanding monsoon variability, development of monsoon prediction models, understanding extreme weather events like heavy rainfall, Heat waves also cloud radiation interactions. He has received various awards for his outstanding work, noted among them is Young Scientist Award in 2007 for his research contributions in Atmospheric Sciences.