Congress-Led UPA Drew The Line: No National Disaster Status For Natural Calamities

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Congress-Led UPA Drew The Line: No National Disaster Status For Natural Calam...

by Shambhu Datta Mishra

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Despite the rules in place, the Congress party has been repeatedly demanding national disaster status for the Wayanad tragedy

BJP leaders have accused Congress of politicising the tragedy and scoring political points

Ramachandran, in his 2013 reply, also pointed out that state governments concerned are primarily responsible for undertaking necessary rescue and relief measures in the wake of natural disasters

New Delhi, Aug 10: Amid the repeated demands by Congress leaders led by Rahul Gandhi and the Kerala government to declare the Wayanad landslides a national disaster, it has emerged that there exists no such legal provision to declare the same, as per Central government rules. The same was outlined by the Congress-led UPA government in 2013.

The then Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran, in a reply to a similar question in Lok Sabha, said, "There is no provision to declare a natural disaster as a national disaster."

Despite the rules in place, the Congress party has been repeatedly demanding national disaster status for the Wayanad tragedy. Rahul Gandhi, who is MP from the constituency, also shared a post ahead of PM Modi’s visit to the region to take stock of relief measures.

“Thank you, Modi ji, for visiting Wayanad to personally take stock of the terrible tragedy. This is a good decision. I am confident that once the Prime Minister sees the extent of the devastation firsthand, he will declare it a national disaster,” Rahul said on X.

BJP leaders have accused Congress of politicising the tragedy and scoring political points. BJP leader Anil Antony said that Rahul has been a Parliamentarian for many years and is also the Leader of the Opposition but is bent on taking political mileage over a tragedy that claimed more than 200 lives.

Ramachandran, a former State Congress president, further stated in his reply, “Government of India adjudges a calamity of severe nature on case-to-case basis taking into account inter-alia the intensity and magnitude of the calamity, level of relief assistance, the capacity of the State Government to tackle the problem, the alternatives and flexibility available within the plan to provide succour and relief etc. The priority is immediate relief and response assistance in the context of a natural calamity. As such there is no fixed prescribed norms. However, for calamity of a 'severe nature', additional assistance is also considered from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), after following the established procedure.”

Ramachandran, in his 2013 reply, also pointed out that state governments concerned are primarily responsible for undertaking necessary rescue and relief measures in the wake of natural disasters.

(IANS)

Read More: Calamities News

15th NMC Teachers Meet in Odisha Organised by National Medicos Organisation at AIIMS Bhubaneswar

by Hemanta Pande

Bhubaneswar, Sep 16: The 15th NMC Teachers Meet in Odisha was organised by the National Medicos Organisation at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, officials said Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Vijendra Kumar, Professor of Pediatric surgery Member of UG Curriculum Board National Medical Commission, said that there is need of more medical colleges to produce new doctors to strengthen the health care delivery in rural India (Gramin Bharat) as well as the urban India.

Dr Aruna Vanekar President UG Curriculum Board NMC highlighted the different changed in MBBS curriculum such as criteria for MBBS attendance, maximum numbers and years of attempts to complete the MBBS course and Internship . She also said the provision of mandatory thesis submission before Postgraduate final examination has been removed and included as part of final practical examination.

Dr BN Gangadhar Padmashree chairman of the National Medical Commission emphasised on role of Doctors as social reformers. Dr BN Gangadhar along with Dr Aruna Vanekar also interacted with Deans of all 17 medical colleges of the state clarified the queries pertaining to Family adoption programme, AETCOM module and competency-based curriculum.

Dr Viswambar Singh, Professor ENT, IMS BHU Varanasi and National coordinator for NMS Teachers meet, briefed about different health activitis of National Medicos Organisation throughout the year in Northeast states, Kashmir and other parts of the country.

Dr Yogendar Mallik President Ethics and Regulation Board of NMC briefed about the different forum to address the Doctor’s grievances, and changes made in regulations to allow the foreign graduates to practice in India and uniformity in medical registration.

Professor Manas Ranjan Sahoo Vice chancellor of Odisha University Health Sciences said the change in teaching learning pattern between previous and current generation students. He also said the NMC’s approach to reach the Deans medical teachers in medical colleges in different states to brief about their ideas and taking feedback is a novel approach to bring the desired changes in medical curricula. Dr Sailesh Kumar President of AIIMS Bhubaneswar told for this joint effort by NMO and NMC the AIIMS Bhubaneswar and other institute of National importance can play a crucial role.

Among others Dr N Deep Bag, Director Incharge AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Dr P.R. Mahaptra, Dean AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Gr Braja Kishore Dash, Additional DMET were also present in the meeting.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda in his message appreciated the NMC’s effort to hold such meeting and 14 such meetings already conducted in other states.

Read More Odisha News

A total of 175 medical teachers from all 17 medical colleges of the state including their Deans and from AIIMS Bhubaneswar attended the meeting.

Security Beefed Up In Bhubaneswar Ahead Of PM Modi's Visit

by Hemanta Pande

Bhubaneswar, Sep 16: Tight security arrangements have been made in Bhubaneswar ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Odisha on Tuesday, September 17, informed a senior police officer on Monday.

PM Modi during his one-day visit to Odisha on September 17 will launch the state government's 'Subhadra Yojana’ and will also lay foundation stone and dedicate to the nation railway projects worth over Rs 2,800 crore.

Under the Subhadra Yojana, all eligible women beneficiaries in the age group of 21 years to 60 years, would receive Rs 50,000 over a period of 5 years between 2024-25 to 2028-29. An amount of Rs 10,000 per annum in two equal instalments will be credited directly to the beneficiary's Aadhaar-enabled and DBT-enabled bank account. The Prime Minister would initiate the fund transfer into the bank accounts of more than 10 lakh women tomorrow.

The Prime Minister will land at the Biju Patnaik International Airport at 10.50 AM tomorrow and then travel to Gadkana village on the outskirts of the State Capital, where he is scheduled to interact with the beneficiaries of PM Awas Yojana, officials said.

PM Modi would then reach Janata Maidan around 12 PM, from where he will launch the Subhadra Yojana, and unveil railway projects worth Rs 2,871 crore and highway projects worth Rs 1,000 crore, they said.

PM Modi would leave for Delhi around 1.15 pm, they added.

This is the PM’s first visit to the state after attending the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on June 12.

Security has been heightened in the state capital with 3,000 police personnel, including 500 officers, being deployed. The entire roads on which the PM will travel have been barricaded, said Police Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda

A total of 11 DCP-rank officers, 22 additional DCPs, 66 ACP-rank officers, 100 inspectors, and 300 officers, along with 81 platoons of forces (each comprising 30 personnel) and 500 home guards would be deployed, he said.

Additionally, three special tactical units along with two companies of CRPF and the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODARF) would also be on standby, he added.

Congress-Led UPA Drew The Line: No National Disaster Status For Natural Calamities

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