The drugs technical advisory board, DTAB recently recommended one-time licensing for

manufacture and sales of drugs, with a rider that there be at least one annual inspection and in
cases where risk is high, more.
At present, the renewal of licences for each formulation rests with state regulators and is around
three years.
It will help in ease of doing business and the governments Make in India initiative at a time when
the country is slipping in the competitiveness index. It will give a boost to industry and give comfort
to our customers, Dinesh Dua, vice-chairman of the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council,
told this newspaper.
The board has also asked for separate rules for manufacturing, import, sale and distribution of
cosmetics. It has suggested the European Unions model.
It has proposed making influenza drugs Oseltamivir and Zanamavir available widely at all
pharmacies, by putting it in the Schedule H1 list. The two drugs have been treated as Schedule X
drugs, available at select pharmacies. Another recommendation is to retain the four-year approval
threshold for new drugs.
The domestic industry felt if the definition of a new drug is extended to 10 years, innovation will
take a back seat and wanting the four-year period to be retained

Department of Telecom to
launch portal on mobile
radiation in a month
"Those who want to get the radiation level checked of towers
will be done by the government and he will be informed,"
Union Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha told reporters.
By: PTI | Jaipur | Published:December 17, 2016 10:13 pm

Telecom Secretary J S Deepak said, a fee of Rs 5,000 would be charged for the test to be
conducted by the government.

Department of Telecom (DoT) will launch in a month a portal Tarang Sanchar that will help
users get checked the radiation level of mobile towers and transmitters across the country in a
month. In order to get radiation of a particular tower tested, the applicant will have to pay a fee
of Rs 5,000. Status of the towers will be available on the portal which will be launched in a
month. Those who want to get the radiation level checked of towers will be done by the
government and he will be informed, Union Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha told reporters.

Telecom Secretary J S Deepak said, a fee of Rs 5,000 would be charged for the test to
be conducted by the government. We conduct test on random basis and through this
portal and on payment, test of specific tower would be done, he added.
Advocating for raising the number of mobile towers in the country to increase
connectivity, he said, A conducive ecosystem for infrastructure roll-out is essential to
take the country on the path to progress, and we should continue to encourage a
scientific temper in the country with no place for myths around towers.

Addressing an awareness programme on EMF (electromagnetic radiation) emissions

and telecom towers, the minister said, there are myths about the radiation and its
impact on health which need to be eliminated by creating awareness.
Mobile connectivity and broadband are a necessity today and without infrastructure
for this, we can not make our society cashless. There is a misconception that
electromagnetic emission from towers cause adverse impact on health. There are
studies conducted by WHO and various countries but no study has so far established
this fact, the minister claimed.
Sinha further said that permissible limit for the radiation in India is ten times less than
those in other countries. It is necessary to install more towers to meet todays
demand but due to this myth, there are difficulties in installing new towers. We want
to create awareness among the people. The government is responsible and concerned
for public health but some misconceptions prevail and they need to be addressed by
awareness, he said.
He also said that the government has allowed the telecom companies to install towers
on the buildings of post offices and other government offices and asked the state
governments to issue permission in their respective states too. Norms are tight in
India and we take stern action on violation of norms, the minister said, while asking
the telecom companies and the state government officials to run awareness
campaigns.
Rajasthan Industry Minister Rajpal Singh said that such functions should be organised
in public instead of five star hotels so that the message can reach to the masses.

The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) notified along with other provisions of Taxation Laws
(Second Amendment) Act, 2016 came into effect from 17 December 2016. It will remain open until March
31, 2016. PMGKY is Union Governments second income disclosure scheme (IDS) to allow tax evaders

to come clean with unaccounted wealth. It provides for 50 per cent tax and surcharge on declarations of
unaccounted cash deposited in banks. Salient features of Scheme Declaration under it can be made by
any person in respect of undisclosed income in the form of cash or deposits in an account with bank or
post office or specified entity. Declarant of undisclosed income needs to pay 30% tax, 10% penalty and
33% Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Cess on the tax, all of which add up to around 50%. Besides, declarant
must make mandatory deposit of 25% of undisclosed income in the zero-interest Pradhan Mantri Garib
Kalyan Deposit Scheme, 2016 with lock-in period of 4 years. The income declared under it will not be
included in the total income of the declarant under the Income-tax (IT) Act for any assessment year.
Besides, declarations made under it will be kept confidential and shall not be admissible as evidence
under any Act (ex. Wealth-tax Act, Central Excise Act, Companies Act etc.). However, declarant will have
no immunity under Criminal Acts mentioned in section 199-O of the Scheme. Non declaration of
undisclosed cash or deposit in accounts under this Scheme will render tax, surcharge and cess totalling
to 77.25% of such income, if declared in the return of income. In case the same is not shown in the return
of income a further penalty @10% of tax shall also be levied followed by prosecution. Comment The
money or revenue generated from disclosure of unaccounted cash will be used for welfare schemes for
the poor. It will be mainly used for projects in irrigation, infrastructure, primary education, primary health,
housing, toilets and livelihood so that there is justice and equality.

Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/month/current-affairs-december-2016

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued the draft
notification for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2016 to regulate pet shops The
objective of these proposed new rules is to make pet shops accountable and to prevent cruelty inflicted
on animals kept in such pet shops. New Rules Mandatory for all pet shop owners to register themselves
with the State Animal Welfare Board (AWB). Pet shops will be registered only after inspection by the
representatives of AWB, a veterinary practitioner and a representative of Society for Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals. Pet shops must ensure that animals are kept in comfortable surroundings and as per define
space requirement for birds, cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pig, hamster, rats and mice in the pet shops. Pet
shops must have basic amenities, general care, veterinary care, power back-up and other operational
requirement for animals in it. Mandatory for pet shops to maintain proper records of sale, purchase, death
of animals and sick animals etc. in the shop. Pet shop owner must submit yearly report to State AWB
regarding animals, sold, traded, given away, boarded or exhibited during previous year or any other
information asked for by the State AWB. Non-compliance of the proposed rules will lead to cancellation of

registration of pet shop and pet animals in the shop will be confiscated shall be handed over to a rescue
centre recognised by the Board or Animal Welfare Organisation. Background MoEFCC has the mandate
to implement the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, to prevent infliction of unnecessary
pain or suffering on animals. The provisions of the PCA Act are general in nature, and rules dealing with
specific

situations

have

to

be

notified

by

MoEFCC

from

time

to

time.

Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/month/current-affairs-december-2016

Indian Navys eight landing craft utility (LCU) L-58 was launched by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and
Engineers Ltd (GRSE) in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is the last vessel in a series of eight ships of LCU MKIV project designed and built by GRSE for the Indian Navy. It was launched by Neelam Pratap Singh
Rudy, wife of Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy. Key Facts LCU L-58 is fully designed in-house by GRSE.
It has displacement of 830 tonnes. It can attain a maximum speed of 15 knots with an endurance of more
than 1,500 nautical miles. It can be deployed for multiple activities like operations for landing troops
ashore, disaster relief operations and humanitarian aid operations and evacuation of personnel from
distant islands. It is capable of carrying two tanks or four special vehicles and 160 troops for landing at
remote beach heads. It is armed with two CRN 91 naval guns, two heavy machine guns, four medium
machine guns and portable air defence system. All 8 LCU vessels have almost 90% of their components
indigenous. They are deployed for maritime security of Lakshadweep Islands in Arabian Sea and
Andaman

and

Nicobar

Islands

in

Bay

of

Bengal.

Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/month/current-affairs-december-2016/page/2

Rajasthan Government has launched Annapurna Rasoi Scheme to provide quality meal at cheap price to
poor and needy on lines with Tamil Nadu Governments Amma canteens. It was launched by Chief
Minister Vasundhara Raje at Jaipur Municipal Corporation campus. The tagline for the scheme is: Sabke
liye bhojan, sabke liye sammaan (Food for all, respect for all). Key Facts The food under this scheme will
be provided at subsidized rates, breakfast at Rs 5 per plate and lunch/dinner at Rs 8 per plate. Local Self
Government department of Rajasthan is the nodal agency for the scheme. The meals will be cooked and
served by staff trained in hospitality. It will be distributed by 80 mobile vans at locations decided by local
self-help agencies in districts. The main beneficiary of the scheme will be rickshaw pullers, labourers,
auto drivers, students, working women, elders and other weaker section. In the first phase the scheme
will be started in 12 districts. They are Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Pratapgarh,
Kota, Banswara, Dungarpur, Baran and Jhalawar. The remaining 21 districts of state will be covered in
second
Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/month/current-affairs-december-2016/page/2

phase.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar , UKbased scholar John Ralston Marr and Hari Katha exponent Kamala Murthy
have been selected for SIES-Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati National
Eminence Award. They will be presented awards in different categories. Key
Facts ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar will be presented award for Science &
Technology category. Mahrashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will be
presented award for Public Leadership. Hari Katha exponent Kamala Murthy
presented in with this award in Social Thinkers, Philosophers and Pravachana
Karthas category. John Marr will be felicitated for his work in the International
category. He is a scholar in Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu. He has been teaching
Carnatic

music

theory

for

30

years

in

England.

About

SIES-Sri

Chandrasekarendra Saraswati National Eminence Award The awards were

instituted by South Indian Education Society (SIES) in 1998 in memory of the
late Seer of Kanchi Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati who passed away at
the age of 100 in 1994. It is presented in four different categories viz. Science
& Technology category, Public Leadership, Social Thinkers, Philosophers and
Pravachana Karthas category and the International category. Each award
carries a cash prize of Rs 2.5 lakh, a citation, a shawl and an ornamental
lamp. Some of previous recipients are Shankar Dayal Sharma, A P J Abdul
Kalam, R Chidambaram, Jayant Narlikar, Anil Kakodkar, Somnath Chatterjee,
M S Subbulakshmi, Verghese Kurien, Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan.
Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/month/current-affairs-december2016/page/3
State-owned power producer National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)
and aluminium producer National Aluminium Co. Ltd (NALCO) have signed
MoU to establish a 2.4 giga watt (GW) Coal based power project at Gajmara,

Odisha. The MoU will facilitate setting up of a Joint Venture (JV) Company
between NTPC and NALCO. It also seeks to set up one million tonne
aluminium production facility in Odisha. Key Facts The proposed 2.4GW
power plant at Gajmara will comprise three units of 800 megawatts (MW)
each. It will source coal from the mines operated by NALCO. The power from
plant will be provided to NAlCOs factory at Angul which is aluminium smelter
project (that converts raw material alumina into aluminium) and also
Greenfield project at Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal district of Odisha. This JV
project will act as a catalyst for industrial growth in the region creating direct
and indirect employment for engineers, supervisors and skilled, semi-skilled
and unskilled workers. It will strive to keep the cost of power generation to a
minimum so as to benefit aluminium production for automobile and aerospace
industries to improve energy efficiency. About National Thermal Power
Corporation Limited NTPC limited is a Central Public Sector Undertaking
(CPSU), operational under the aegis of Union Ministry of Power. It is engaged
in the business of generation of electricity and allied activities. It is Indias
largest power generator company and accounts for 25% of total electricity
generated in the country. Headquarters: New Delhi. Established: 1975. Union
Government now holds 70% of its equity shares as of May 2015 (after
divestment

of

its

stake

in

2004,

2010,

2013,

and

2015)

Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/month/current-affairs-december2016/page/3

Assam government has launched Sustainable Action for Climate Resilient Development in Majuli
(SACReD, Majuli) to make river island Majuli countrys first ever Carbon Neutral district by 2020. The
project has been initiated by Assams department of Environment and Forest to combat climate change
and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It presents a vision and roadap for a carbon netural Majuli. Key
Facts SACReD, Majuli project is part of the French Development Agency assisted Assam Project on
Forest and Biodiversity Conservation (APFBC). Under it, mitigation through forestry activities and

biodiversity conservation will be the starting points for carbon neutral agenda followed by other
interventions over the next three years. The project will be designed and implemented in partnership with
other departments of island district for which a district level committee under chairmanship of Deputy
Commissioner

has

been

constituted.

Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/month/current-affairs-december-2016/page/4

The Supreme Court ordered that Indian Airforce (IAF) personnel cannot keep beard. It held that Central
Governments decision to ban beards in the IAF does not infringe upon fundamental rights. The court had
pronounced the judgment on an appeal by Mohammed Zubair, who was recruited as Airman in the IAF
and was sacked for growing beard even after being denied permission. What is the issue? The appellant
had claimed that keeping beard is his fundamental right to freedom of religion. However, IAF had
countered it saying that keeping a beard was not an essential practice of their faith unlike in the Sikh
religion. What Supreme Court order says? Upheld the decision of the IAF to dismiss a Muslim airman for
growing beard citing religious grounds. The Armed Forces Regulation, 1964 allows growing hair or to
retain a beard is where there is a religious command which prohibits either the hair being cut or a beard
being shaved. Article 33 of the Constitution has the authority to impose restriction on the fundamental
rights of Armed Forces personnel. Defence Ministrys 2003 notification allows only those Muslim
personnel who sported a beard along with moustache at time of commissioning (prior to January 1, 2002)
to retain it. These regulations are meant for uniformity and discipline and have nothing to do with religious
rights.
Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/month/current-affairs-december-2016/page/4