22nd Dec 2017 - Press Information Bureau (Daily PIB PDF-UPSC) -

Table of Contents

Prime Minister’s Office

Mr. Yang Jiechi, State Councillor of the People’s Republic of China and
Special Representative of China on the Boundary Question, called on
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today.
Mr. Yang Jiechi conveyed the greetings of President Xi Jinping and
Premier Li Keqiang to the Prime Minister.
Mr. Yang Jiechi and Mr. Ajit Doval briefed the Prime Minister on the
20th round of Talks between Special Representatives of China and India
on the Boundary Question, held earlier in the day.
Pending the final resolution of the boundary question, it is necessary to
maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said a strong India-China relationship is
important not only for the mutual benefit of the people of both countries
but also for the region and the world.
Special Representatives undertook a comprehensive review of earlier
rounds of the talks and agreed that an early settlement of the boundary
question serves the fundamental interests of both countries.
They re-emphasized their commitment to achieve a fair, reasonable and
mutually acceptable solution to the India-China boundary question at an
early date.

Gujarat CM

In Gujarat, Vijay Rupani will continue as Chief Minister while Nitin Patel
will retain the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
Union Minister and Central Observer Arun Jaitley made this
announcement today after the meeting of all the newly-elected BJP
MLAs at party headquarters in Gandhinagar.
“During the party legislature meet, Shri Vijay Bhai Rupani has been
elected as leader while Shri Nitinbhai Patel has been elected as
deputy leader. Rest of the process of government formation will be
decided by the Chief Minister elect after consulting other
legislatures.”
Mr Jaitley said, since there was no alternative suggested by elected
MLAs, the proposal put forward by BJP leader Bhupendrasinh Chudasama
was supported by everyone.
Addressing a Press Conference in Gandhinagar, Mr Rupani re-iterated
government’s commitment towards development in the state and said his
government will take everyone along.

AYUSH

All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) has been established at Sarita Vihar,
New Delhi as an Autonomous Body under Ministry of AYUSH on All India
Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) pattern with all the infrastructure
including doctors/staff.
The Institute has been dedicated to the Nation by Prime Minister of India
on 17thOctober, 2017.
The Institute is fully operational.
AIIA is a 200 bedded referral hospital and shall impart Post Graduate (PG)
and Ph.D degree courses in Ayurveda.
First batch of Post Graduate course has been started in 2016.
Institute has also started Out-Patient Department (OPD) and In-Patient
Department (IPD) facility with major specialties in Ayurveda.
National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy
A Committee under the Chairmanship of Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog,
Additional Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Chief Executive Officer
(CEO),NITI Aayog and Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH as members has been
set up to examine the working of the regulatory bodies and governing
legislations namely
1. Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM)
2. Central Council of Homoeopathy(CCH)
3. Indian Medicine Central Council Act 1970
4. Homoeopathy Central Council Act 1973
*Respectively for suggesting suitable reforms.
Committee after extensive deliberations has recommended the creation
of National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy
on the lines of proposed National Medical Commission.
There are two statutory regulatory bodies namely, Central Council of
Indian Medicine (CCIM) and Central Council of Homoeopathy (CCH) set up
as per the provision of Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970 and
Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 respectively that regulate
education and practice of AYUSH systems of medicine through its
Regulations.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Plastic packaging materials that come in contact with food products can
lead to migration of some chemical substances such as residual monomer,
additives, plasticizers, pigments, etc., to food when exposed to different
temperatures over a longer duration.
Conscious of this fact, the Government encourages use of other
packaging materials such as jute for packaging food items, where
feasible.
Plastic in different forms has, in view of its ability to protect products
and extend shelf life, prevent spoilage and contamination, ensuring
better storage and sealing aroma, etc.
National Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS Released on World Aids Day
This year World AIDS Day was observed on 1st December, 2017.
The theme was “25 Years of National AIDS Control Programme”.
The National Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted
Infections (STI), 2017-24 was released.
The “Mission Sampark” was also launched to bring back People Living
with HIV who have left treatment after starting Anti Retro Viral
Treatment (ART).
The aim is to achieve elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV
and Syphilis as well as elimination of HIV/AIDS related stigma and
discrimination by 2020.
On prevention of new infections, National AIDS Control Programme(NACP)
aims to achieve 80% reduction in new HIV infections by 2024 from baseline
value of 2010.
Further, by 2024, the target is to ensure that 95% of those who are HIV
positive in the country know their status, 95% of those who know their status
are on treatment and 95% of those who are on treatment experience effective
viral load suppression.
National AIDS Control Programme is based on three pillars-Prevention, Carecounselling
and Treatment.

Home Ministry

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has emphasized the need to adopt smart
policing concept with latest technology and said that there should be
cyber crime experts in every police station.
Delivering Intelligence Bureau endowment lecture in New Delhi this
evening, Mr Singh said, there is a need that people should increase their
trust and confidence in police.
He said sheer presence of police during law and order problem brings the
situation to normalcy.
He also lauded the role of security agencies of the country in tackling
terrorism and left wing extremism.
The Minister also stressed the need to strengthen Chowkidari system in
villages.
Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has called for accelerating the
pace of police reforms.
Mr Rijiju said this while addressing Visionary Summit – Dr. Anandswarup
Gupta Memorial Lecture Series organised by the Bureau of Police
Research and Development, in New Delhi today.
Underlining that training is an integral part of Police Modernisation, the
Minister called for setting up of the National Police University, National
Police Technology Development Center at IIT Delhi, and the National
Police Information Technology Center in Bengaluru.
He also called for the institutionalization of an independent and
effective Police Complaints Authority.

International News of Importance

The UK Prime Minister, Theresa May has said, British military intervention
in the middle east region was still needed to ensure that Daesh ( ISIS) did
not regroup or give way to a splinter force.
May was speaking to troops during a surprise Christmas visit to Cyprus.
The RAF base in Cyprus is at the heart of the UK’s operations in Iraq and
Syria.
She said, with the efforts of Britain’s armed forces, the Islamic State
terror group has been crushed in Iraq and Syria.