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Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Health
- Indian Express
‘If your hospital's doctor prescribed recombinant factor, that's what patient should get': HC pull up govt
Since 2023, 37-year old Mukul Gandhi, a hemophilia patient in Delhi, has been rushing to Jaipur to get a dose of recombinant factor drug. Exasperated, he, along with a few other hemophilia patients, moved the Delhi High Court last November. Eight months on, the Delhi government, on July 14, assured the HC that it will proactively ensure that adequate stock of recombinant factor injections are made available in the Capital's hospitals. It also directed the government 'to ensure that adequate numbers of haematologists are recruited and deployed in hospitals run by GNCTD to attend to the patients'. Gandhi was diagnosed at AIIMS New Delhi with hemophilia when he was three years old – a cut during his mundan ceremony had resulted in incessant bleeding. While crossing paths with others in a similar situation, his parents came to know of an NGO that ensures availability of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) for hemophilia patients, the prevalent therapy at the time. Over time, the more advanced therapy of recombinant factor, also known as Antihemophilic Factor (AHF), was introduced and made available as therapy for hemophilia patients in India. Speaking to The Indian Express, Gandhi said, 'Between 2013 and 2019, government hospitals in Delhi were administering recombinant factor therapy. However, after 2019, we started seeing irregular availability of recombinant factor – held to be scientifically more efficacious than plasma… Many government hospitals started seeing plasma-derived factors being made available instead.' 'We would also suffer side effects of the plasma therapy, such as nausea and nose bleed. By 2023, we started witnessing an acute shortage of the recombinant factor therapy in Delhi's government hospitals. Twice a week, I would take a bus from Dhaula Kuan to Jaipur, which was offering a variety of recombinant factor therapies. While the recombinant factor therapy is easily available in tier 2 and 3 cities such as Jaipur and Haridwar, it is not available in the National Capital,' he added. On July 14, the Delhi government, while admitting to have witnessed a supply shortage of the recombinant factor therapy, brought two experts to the HC – State Blood Cell officer Dr Seema Kapoor and Hemophilia in charge Dr Sunita Aggarwal at Lok Nayak Hospital. They impressed before Justice Datta that from their experience, they have seen 'no difference in efficacy between recombinant or plasma… techniques are so much developed that efficacy is same'. Justice Datta, however, countered, 'I would generally accept what you have to say. But the court's concern is only one, when doctors prescribe recombinant, it should be available… if your hospital's doctor has prescribed recombinant factor, then that's what the patient should get… The court isn't competent to get into this but only thing is if recombinant is prescribed it should be available.' The government then informed the HC that 'currently, there are adequate stocks of recombinant factor injections'. It went on to assure that 'proactive efforts shall continue to be made to ensure that there is adequate stock of recombinant factor injections in future as well'. However, Gandhi – represented by advocate Amit Khanna –pointed at other systemic issues faced by hemophilia patients. 'Most government hospitals in Delhi do not have hemophilia daycare centres and there is no dignity in the way we are treated. Hematologists are not available, which is essential since they will be the ones deciding on the dose, in accordance to the patients' age, weight and other factors. Instead, this is being done by general medicine doctors.' 'At Lok Nayak Hospital, my doses were not given according to my weight. After being administered a dose, they would ask me to come again in 12 hours for the next one. Given our condition which already makes us weak and prone to fatigue, this is harassment…,' said Gandhi, who works in a Delhi-based tendering company. Owing to hemophilia, which has caused internal bleeding over the years making his joints weak, Gandhi has 69% disability. He said that he was advised knee replacement surgery around five years ago but has been unable to consider the same in the absence of a steady supply of recombinant factor therapy. 'There have been instances where my knees got locked while crossing the road. Any surgery means I will require several doses of the recombinant factor… I have postponed the surgery as there is uncertainty over the availability of the drugs,' he added.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
NABARD marks 44 years of rural empowerment
NABARD 's New Delhi Regional Office marked the occasion of 44th Foundation Day with a commemorative event graced by Rohit P. Das, Regional Director, RBI New Delhi, as the Chief Guest, and Shailendra Singh Parihaar, Special Secretary (Finance), Govt. of NCT of Delhi, as the Keynote Speaker. The occasion also witnessed the presence of Hara Gopal Yandra, Managing Director, NABCONS, Mashar Velapurath, Managing Director, AFC India Ltd., Rajesh Kumar, General Manager, SLBC Delhi, and Natarajan Ramachandran, General Manager, SIDBI as Guests of Honour, alongside several dignitaries, officials, and staff from NABARD, NABCONS and partner institutions. The celebrations began with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, followed by the cutting of a commemorative cake by the dignitaries. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category others Cybersecurity Technology Data Science Management Healthcare Others Public Policy CXO MCA Data Analytics Digital Marketing Project Management MBA Design Thinking Artificial Intelligence PGDM Data Science Degree Product Management healthcare Operations Management Finance Leadership Skills you'll gain: Duration: 16 Weeks Indian School of Business CERT - ISB Cybersecurity for Leaders Program India Starts on undefined Get Details In his welcome address, Nabin Kumar Roy, GM/OIC, NABARD New Delhi Regional Office, reflected on NABARD's four-decade-long journey in transforming the rural landscape. He highlighted the institution's pioneering efforts in shaping rural finance and agriculture through innovations like SHG-Bank Linkage Programme (SHG-BLP) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). He also emphasized NABARD's role in realizing the vision of "Sahakar se Samriddhi" of the Ministry of Cooperation by promoting reforms such as PACS computerisation, conversion of PACS into Multi-Service Centres, and initiatives like Sahakar Saarthi and Common Service Centres. He also shared his vision for expanding Geographical Indication (GI) registration support and touched upon the emerging potential of heritage financing in enriching the rural development landscape. Hara Gopal Yandra, MD NABCONS in his address, reminiscence on his journey of almost three decades in NABARD and shared insights into NABARD's work in direct financing, refinancing and development sectors for strengthening the rural institutional framework. Shailendra Singh Parihaar, Special Secretary (Finance), GNCTD, lauded NABARD for its grassroots-level impact and compared its work to that of ancient Rishi-Munis, preserving livelihoods and ecosystems by blending agriculture with modern technology. He expressed a keen interest in fostering convergence between GNCTD and NABARD for future collaborative initiatives and assured full support from the State Government. Live Events Rohit P. Das, Regional Director, RBI, extended his heartfelt congratulations to NABARD on its 44th Foundation Day and lauded its distinguished role as a premier development financial institution. He highlighted NABARD's significant contributions in the areas of rural infrastructure development, ground-level credit delivery, and supervision of rural cooperative banks, all of which are instrumental to accelerating agricultural and rural progress. He expressed the need for better alignment between the Potential Linked Credit Plan (PLP) and the Annual Credit Plan (ACP) targets across the State to ensure a more uniform and effective priority sector lending strategy. Emphasizing the importance of inclusive growth, he noted NABARD's pivotal role in harnessing India's demographic dividend and enduring commitment to rural prosperity, expressing hope for continued success in contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047.
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Strictly enforce regulations while issuing Aadhaar cards': Delhi L-G Secretariat to Chief Secretary Dharmendra
Amid the ongoing crackdown on illegal immigrants securing Aadhaar cards, the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Secretariat on Friday wrote to Delhi Chief Secretary C S Dharmendra asking to enforce strict regulations for issuing the ID proof, said an official. Dharmendra has been asked to provide a comprehensive list of all Aadhaar enrollment centres in Delhi by July 15. The registrars — the entities authorised by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for Aadhaar enrolment — were also directed to switch to the in-house model of enrollment within two months. The model stipulates Aadhaar enrolment or updation directly under the supervision of the registrar rather than third-party vendors. The chief secretary has been directed to conduct a monthly audit exercise under the supervision of the divisional commissioner to ensure that there are no loopholes. 'It has been brought to the attention of L-G that during the course of security review meetings in several instances illegal immigrants have managed to secure the Aadhaar card on the basis of false documentation or misrepresentation,' read the letter from the LG secretariat. The letter stated that illegal procuring of Aadhaar cards enabled individuals to secure documents establishing their nationality i.e. passport and voter ID cards. 'They also end up availing benefits under welfare schemes administered by the Central and State Governments. Having secured Aadhaar documents, the illegal immigrants secure jobs, depressing local labour markets adversely impacting local employment. This also has wider ramifications for National Security,' read the letter. The L-G Secretariat stated that the current situation demanded a fresh look at the responsibilities assigned to registrars under the Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016, in Delhi, particularly concerning field-level implementation, monitoring, and verification procedures. The L-G office also highlighted that in 2022, the state governments were asked to shift registrars or enrollment agencies working under an outsourced model to an in-house model. But in Delhi, the system is yet to be put in place. 'The L-G has expressed concern that this system has not been put in place to date. Further, it has also been brought to the attention of L-G that the operational mechanisms under various Registrars under GNCTD are not adequately standardised,' reads the letter. Some registrars are engaging enrollment agencies, while some have floated tenders for purchasing machines, leading to differences in approach by various departments, it stated. Officials said that L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena has directed that clear instructions be issued to all registrars to strictly comply with the provisions of the Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016, and switch to an in-house model of Aadhaar enrolment within two months. A comprehensive detail of all the enrolment centres set up by the state government, including municipal bodies, may be put up alongwith the current mode of functioning, latest by July 15. Further, the L-G secretariat said Aadhaar enrolment is an extremely sensitive exercise and hence it is important to fix the responsibility of the person who is gathering data before issuing Aadhaar so that accountability can be fixed in case of lapses. UIDAI has issued detailed instructions for documents required for Aadhaar enrollment of different age groups (viz. 0-5 years, above 5 years, and above 18 years). The registration should sensitise operators to collect documents for Aadhaar enrollment and updation strictly as per guidelines issued by UIDAI, it said. The L-G Secretariat issued directions for strict action against any callousness by staff to facilitate Aadhaar enrollment or updation of illegal immigrants.
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
MCD set to hire new agencies to remove garbage
Residents of at least three zones in the Capital – West, South, and Central – will soon breathe in cleaner air, with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) planning to remove piles of garbage and ensure regular sanitation. As part of three Bills passed by the MCD House on Thursday, the civic body proposed hiring new agencies to collect and transport municipal solid waste to the designated MCD dump site or processing facility. A concessionaire will be appointed for seven years, based on the tipping fee model. The move comes after the tender of the previous concessionaire expired almost two years ago. Since then, the MCD has given an extension to the concessionaire. The scope of work will include door-to-door and street-to-street collection of trash; collection and transportation of street sweeping waste and silt from drains of less that 4-ft depth; use of e-rickshaws in areas having narrow lanes, as well as appointing two tippers in each ward in addition to the already existing Fixed Compactor Transfer Station – a machine designed to compact segregated solid waste. In all, 29 Bills were passed by the House on Thursday. Another Bill passed pertained to owners of medium, small and micro enterprises (MSME), operating in industrial areas, obtaining or renewing factory licences while paying property taxes, in line with the government's ease of doing business policy. Additionally, the factory licence fee will be charged at 5% of the property tax, said officials. 'Issuing factory licences by MCD to industries operating in industrial areas established or recognised by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) or Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) is an additional compliance burden,' said the civic body. It added that from now on, the MSME Udyam Registration Certificate or the allotment or lease deed issued by GNCTD or DSIIDC will be treated as a deemed factory licence under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957. 'We had an elaborate discussion with representatives of the industrial sector and came to this decision of ending the Inspector Raj system,' said Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh.
India Gazette
09-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Taking cognisance of our stand, CAQM has stayed EOL vehicle policy till November 1": Delhi CM Rekha Gupta
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta welcomed the Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) decision to stay the implementation of the policy regarding end-of-life (EOL) vehicles in the national capital till November 1, stating that the Delhi government had raised the concerns of the people and the commission took cognisance of it. Speaking to reporters, CM Rekha Gupta said, 'The previous governments never understood this problem being faced by the people. They neither worked on pollution nor on policy. When the CAQM decided to issue this order and the decision of the Court was also included in the order, we had put forward the problem being faced by the people of Delhi, and they should not face injustice. Taking cognisance of our stand, they have put this order on hold till 1 November 2025, and we will also work towards giving relief to the people of Delhi... All this chaos was created by the previous government and our government will work towards solving it.' The CAQM stated that 'All End of Life (EOL) vehicles shall be denied fueling w.e.f. November 1, 2025, in the NCT of Delhi and 5 high vehicle density districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar and Sonipat and w.e.f. April 01, 2026, in the rest of NCR.' The decision comes a day after Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa flagged the issue and highlighted the Delhi government's request to the Centre for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to delay the implementation of the order. The request was made citing implementation-related challenges. The 24th meeting of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas was held at its office at Tolstoy Marg. During the meeting, the issue related to the implementation of Direction No. 89, as raised by the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), was deliberated upon. According to the official statement issued by CAQM, Direction No. 89 will be amended to allow EOL vehicles to continue receiving fuel from pumps till November 1, 2025. 'The 24th meeting of the Commission for Air Quality in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) was held today, during which issue related to the implementation of Direction No. 89 as flagged by GNCTD was deliberated upon,' the statement read. The Delhi government, in a letter dated July 3, had flagged 'some operational and infrastructural challenges' in the implementation of Direction No. 89, dated April 23, 2025. The letter pointed out that the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system lacked the 'requisite robustness, citing technological glitches, improper camera placement, malfunctioning sensors and speakers, and the lack of full integration with the database of neighbouring NCR states.' Earlier on Monday, in an interview with ANI, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa flagged 'challenges and implementation flaws' in the CAQM order that put a ban on fuel for end-of-life vehicles in the national capital, stating that the process should be fair. The Delhi Minister stated that there are operational and infrastructural challenges in implementing the Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) directions regarding the fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles. (ANI)
