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Pib

1. Healthcare sector and Skill Development in youth crucial for India’s progress: Vice President

The Vice President said that the government’s expenditure not remaining commensurate with growing demands in the healthcare, the private sector has come to play a dominant role in both urban and rural areas. He further said that in urban areas, only 32 per cent of the patients visit public hospitals with the rest 68 per cent preferring private hospitals. In rural areas, 42 per cent patients visit public hospitals and the rest visit private ones, he added.

The Vice President said that there is a definite need not only to expand the infrastructure in public health sector, but also increase the budget. He further said that the number of physicians available per 10,000 people, their number is grossly inadequate in India when compared to developed countries. While the number of physicians available is 20 per 10,000 people in developed countries, it is only six in India and the country needs 10.5 lakh doctors while we have only 6.5 lakh, he added.

The Vice President said that to reach WHO norm of one doctor per 1,000, (there is one doctor per 1700 population in India) a high-level committee of NITI Aayog has recommended the setting up of 187 more medical colleges by 2022. Similarly, the number of hospital beds per 10,000 is 40 in developed countries while it is nine in India, he added.

2. Consumer Protection Bill is the top priority: Shri Narendra Modi

Shri Modi said, in India, Consumer is considered as God in trade premises. ‘Grahak Devo Bhava’ is the dictum for consumer satisfaction. While mentioning the unique nature of CP Act 1986, He mentioned the new Consumer Protection Bill which is on the top priority of the Government. The Prime minister mentioned several important efforts taken by his government across various sectors like Housing, Energy, Standards, Healthcare, pharmaceuticals and medical devices and procedures that has resulted in financial benefits to consumers.

International Conference on Consumer Protection is being organised by the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India with the association of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). This is the first time an international conference on consumer protection is being organised by India for countries of the region which account for a majority of the global consumers and share common challenges and experiences. 22 countries from East, South and South-East Asia are participating in the international conference.

3. Vigilance Awareness Week to be observed from 30th October to 4th November, 2017 with theme “My Vision-Corruption Free India”

Observance of Vigilance Awareness Week every year is part of a multi-pronged approach of the Commission wherein one of the strategies is to encourage all stakeholders to collectively participate in the prevention of and the fight against corruption and to raise public awareness regarding the existence, causes and gravity of and the threat posed by corruption. The Commission as part of a multi-pronged strategy to tackle corruption has been stressing on punitive, preventive and participative vigilance measures.

"Awareness Gram Sabhas” are being organized for dissemination of awareness in Gram Panchayats (in rural and semi-urban areas) to sensitise citizens on the ill-effects of corruption. Last year, 70,000 such Gram Sabhas were organized during the Vigilance Awareness Week.

4. Power Minister addresses the 3rd Global Investors’ India Forum

Looking at the future of growing power consumption in India, it is expected that the per capita energy consumption would expand at a breakneck speed, tripling in the next 5-7 years. The Minister assured the members of Industry that the Government would extend all possible support and remove all impediments in the path of investments in the power sector.

Electricity is the future of economic growth in India. This growth cannot take place without Industry participation. I invite you to come and invest in India’s Energy sector.

5. Adopt a Heritage Scheme’

The ‘Adopt a Heritage Scheme’ of Ministry of Tourism was launched on World Tourism Day i.e. 27thSeptember, 2017 by the President of India. Thereafter, Ministry of Tourism invited Private Sector Companies, Public Sector Companies and Corporate individuals to adopt the sites and to take up the responsibility for making our heritage and tourism more sustainable through conservation and development. This scheme is a unique endeavour of Ministry of Tourism in close collaboration with Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which envisages developing monuments, heritage and tourist sites across India and making them tourist friendly to enhance their tourism potential and cultural importance, in a planned and phased manner.

India is renowned across the World for its rich and diverse cultural and natural heritage. Adopt a Heritage /Apni Dharohar Apni Pehchan Project is a unique endeavour of Ministry of Tourism in close collaboration with Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which envisages developing monuments, heritage and tourist sites across India and making them tourist friendly to enhance their tourism potential and cultural importance, in a planned and phased manner.