On July 12, 2017, Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved following bilateral agreements and initiatives:
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Palestine on cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine
Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Palestine on cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine. The MoU was signed on May 16, 2017.
The MoU covers the following areas of cooperation:
- Capacity building of health staff
- Prevention and control of communicable diseases
- Physiotherapy and rehabilitation
- Drugs, pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipments
- Any other area of mutual interest
Cabinet approves Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between India and Germany on cooperation in the field of Health
Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for signing a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between India and Germany on cooperation in the field of Health. The JDI was signed on June 1, 2017.
The JDI covers the following areas of cooperation:
- Postgraduate education
- Training of medical personnel
- Pharmaceuticals and pharmacoeconomics
- Health economics
Quick Facts about Germany:
- Capital: Berlin
- Currency: Euro
- Chancellor: Angela Merkel
Cabinet approves Joint Interpretative Notes on the Agreement between India and Bangladesh for Promotion and Protection of Investments
The Joint Interpretative Notes (JIN) on the Agreement between India and Bangladesh would impart clarity to the interpretation of the existing Agreement between India and Bangladesh for the Promotion and Protection of Investments (BIPA).
- It will also play an important supplementary role in strengthening the investment treaty regime.
- The JIN includes interpretative notes to be jointly adopted for many clauses, including, the definition of investor, definition of investment, exclusion of taxation measures, Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET), National Treatment (NT) and Most Favoured Nation (MFN) treatment, expropriation, essential security interests and Settlement of Disputes between an Investor and a Contracting Party.
Cabinet approves enhancement of the age of superannuation of Medical Officers of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles
Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for enhancement of the age of superannuation in respect of:
- General Duty Medical Officers of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles from 60 to 65 years and
- Specialist Medical Officers of Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles from 60 to 65 years.
- This decision will help in retention of officers in Specialist and General Duty Medical Cadre and thereby help in better patient care, proper academic activities in Medical colleges as also in effective implementation of National Health Programmes for delivery of health care services.
Cabinet apprised of MoU between India and Bangladesh for cyber security cooperation
Union Cabinet has been apprised of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and Bangladesh Government Computer Incident Response Team (BGD e-Gov CIRT) for cyber security cooperation.
- The MoU was signed on 8th April, 2017.
- The MoU intends to promote cooperation between CERT-In and BGD e-Gov CIRT and includes exchange of information on Cyber attacks and cyber security incidents; Cyber security technology cooperation; exchange cyber security policies and best practices and Human Resource Development in this field in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of each country and on the basis of equality, reciprocity and mutual benefits.
- The MoU between CERT-In and BGD e-Gov CIRT would be implemented through a duly set up Joint Committee on Cyber Security.
- The agreement comes in the backdrop of increasing cyber threats against Governments, businesses and consumers.
Quick Facts about Bangladesh:
- Capital: Dhaka
- Currency: Bangladeshi taka
- Current Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina
Cabinet approves creation of three posts of Directors for the three new AIIMS in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra
Union Cabinet has approved the creation of three posts of Directors for the three new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Mangalagiri near Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Kalyani in West Bengal and Nagpur in Maharashtra.
- As per the AIIMS Act 1956 Amended vide AIIMS (Amendment) Act, 2012, there shall be a Chief Executive Officer of the Institute. He shall be designated as the Director of the Institute and shall be appointed by the Institute provided that the first Director of the Institute shall be appointed by the Central Government. The Director shall act as the Secretary to the Institute as well as the Governing Body and support proper functioning and governance of the three AIIMS.
- The post will be immediately filled up following due procedures.
Background Information pertaining to setting up of new AIIMS:
- The Union Finance Minister in his Budget speech for the Year 2014-15 had announced for setting up of four new AIIMS in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
- Cabinet had approved establishment of new AIIMS at Mangalagiri near Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Kalyani in West Bengal and Nagpur in Maharashtra at a cost of Rs. 4949 Crore on 07.10.2015.
- The three AIIMS are being set up as a part of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).
Cabinet apprised of MoU between India and Palestine on cooperation in the field of Information Technology and Electronics (IT&E)
This MoU intends to promote closer co-operation between India and Palestine in the areas of e-Governance, m-Governance, e-Public Services Delivery, cyber security, software technology parks, start-ups ecosystem etc.
- The MoU shall come into effect from date of signature of the parties and shall remain in force for a period of 5 years.
- The MoU shall be implemented by establishing a Working Group composed of representatives of the two Parties.
- The MOU on cooperation in the field of IT&E was initiated during the 1st Session of Joint Commission Meeting(JCM) between India and Palestine in November, 2016.
- After several negotiations, draft MoU was finalised and signed during the VVIP visit from Palestine in May 2017.
Quick Facts about Palestine:
- Capital: East Jerusalem
- Currency: Israeli new shekel, Egyptian pound, Jordanian dinar
- Current President: Mahmoud Abbas
Cabinet approves establishment of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), South Asia Regional Center (ISARC) at campus of National Seed Research and Training Center (NSRTC) in Varanasi
Under the proposal, a Centre of Excellence in Rice Value Addition (CERVA) will be set up in Varanasi.
- This will include a modern and sophisticated laboratory with capacity to determine quality and status of heavy metals in grain and straw.
- The Centre will also undertake capacity building exercises for stakeholders across the rice value chain.
- This Center will be the first international Center in the eastern India and it will play a major role in harnessing and sustaining rice production in the region.
About ISARC and its Benefits:
ISARC will operate under the governance of the IRRI Board of Trustees who will appoint IRRI staff member as Director.
- A Coordination Committee will be headed by Director General of IRRI as Chair and Secretary of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DACFW) as Co-Chair.
- The other members of Coordination Committee are Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences), ICAR; Director, NSRTC; IRRI representative in India, representative of Government of UP and representatives of Governments of Nepal & Bangladesh and Private Sector.
- The Centre will help in utilizing the rich biodiversity of India to develop special rice varieties.
- This will help India to achieve higher per hectare yields and improved nutritional contents.
- The Centre will support in adopting value chain based production system in the country. This will reduce wastage, add value and generate higher income for the farmers.
